Modeling Exercise Review: Modeling the Little Bot Bunny Character

by Jonathan Williamson

Hello and welcome to the review our second modeling exercise, Modeling Little Bot Bunny, based on the concept by David Revoy. This exercise was to model the character from the provided concept with clean topology and good form. This character presented some very interesting challenge that made it a great exercise in modeling skills. There were a huge number of excellent entries submitted, viewable in the gallery HERE.

In the above video I give a review of several selected entries, pointing out some weak and strong areas in each model, along with some consistent mistakes that many people made on the model. I then go on to show how to model on of the most difficult parts of the character. Following the tutorial portion, you can view a timelapse of the complete modeling session for the character below:

Music for the timelapse performed by Silence:  http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/830

Exercise: Modeling Little Bot Bunny Character<

You must be logged in to upload images. Register

Discussion

61 Responses to “Modeling Exercise Review: Modeling the Little Bot Bunny Character”
  1. dante vargas
    Posts: 5

    woow! First! Greate Review!

    #
    1
     Dec 23, 2011 at 11:00 pm
  2. Chris Thom
    Posts: 11

    This is a great idea/series. Keep it up.

    #
    2
     Dec 23, 2011 at 11:20 pm
  3. Galdo
    Posts: 5

    Nice!

    The timelapse start over again after 5 or 6 minutes tho.

    Beside that, great work, as usual!

    #
    3
     Dec 23, 2011 at 11:56 pm
  4. Will Koehler
    Posts: 11

    Great video :D Learned some great tips! Btw, at 4:34 of the time-lapse you have some duplicate footage. At first I was wondering why you started over, then I noticed how it was exactly the same as the first 4 mins. :P

    #
    4
     Dec 24, 2011 at 12:46 am
  5. Hero Ngauv
    Posts: 7

    Excellent review and time lapse. Learned how to use some new modifiers today! Namely the lattice and shrink-wrap modifiers. I was modeling flat shapes snapped to the surface coupled with the solidify modifier. I wish I knew about lattice before, because there were some instances where I wished I could non-destructively go back and edit the base shapes and apply the same deformations to it.

    Some parts of the time lapse went by a little too fast. I’m really curious what Jonathan used when editing the eye ring portion to adjust the number of verts in the circle after he started editing, and what he used to interactively make 3 copies of the mesh radially for the U shapes.

    #
    5
     Dec 24, 2011 at 12:54 am
    • Gareth Frankland
      Posts: 87

      Hi just after you create say a circle press F6 to bring up a window that lets you adjust the number of verts its radius and if its filled or not.
      Hope this is what you were curious about.

      #
      5.1
       Dec 24, 2011 at 8:00 am
      • Richard Wilks
        Posts: 73

        You can’t F6 something after entering edit mode (it will just F6 your choice to go to Edit mode), which is what Mroreo is curious about.

        Comparing F6 menus, it looks to be the spin tool (ALT+R).
        The fact that Jonathan’s F6 menu has ‘Spin’ written on it also helped. :D
        I believe he uses it a second time to make the full eye.

        I personally used the Array modifier and an empty.
        Goes to show there’s more than one way to make a rabbit.

        #
        5.1.1
         Dec 24, 2011 at 8:55 am
      • Gareth Frankland
        Posts: 87

        @RichardW
        Yes once you accept or modify the mesh with your mouse then you will lose access to the settings panel brought up by pressing F6, but you certainly can bring it up in edit mode but only at the point of creating new mesh or you can activate: New Objects to Enter Edit Mode in the BUP.

        To be fair I didn’t see the the video yet as I didn’t have time this morning and I just assumed “adjust the number of verts in the circle” referred to using this panel when adding a new circle, my bad.

        #
        5.1.2
         Dec 24, 2011 at 6:40 pm
      • Richard Wilks
        Posts: 73

        @ Sl1200mkii
        Ah, I may have misunderstood you then.
        I assumed you meant adding the mesh in object mode. My mistake.

        #
        5.1.3
         Dec 24, 2011 at 7:16 pm
      • Gareth Frankland
        Posts: 87

        Lol no worries :)

        #
        5.1.4
         Dec 24, 2011 at 8:01 pm
    • Francisco Warmling
      Posts: 15

      In edit mode press Alt+R to bring up the spin tool.
      You can edit the options in the Tools Panel or by pressing F6.

      :)

      #
      5.2
       Dec 24, 2011 at 9:38 am
  6. Lance Mcc
    Posts: 6

    liked the review seen were I needed to improve (EVERYTHING)
    Thank for posting before the holiday got time to really go over it.

    #
    6
     Dec 24, 2011 at 1:10 am
  7. Oscar Moreno Fosado
    Posts: 3

    Excellent!!

    I really appreciate the time and effort dedicated in your tutorials.
    The modelling exercises that you do are a great and fun way to learn.
    I learn faster and comprehend everything.

    I am really happy to be part of this community.

    Thanks Jonathan and Congratulations.

    Merry Christmas

    #
    7
     Dec 24, 2011 at 1:27 am
  8. anandha raja
    Posts: 28

    Great Video.
    i like you way of explanation.

    Merry Christmas.

    “Jonathan Williamson are you record the screen in high resolution? after that reduced the size to 1280 x 720. its very typical to see the text and numbers in properties/Toolbox window. some of your videos are like that.”

    #
    8
     Dec 24, 2011 at 1:54 am
  9. vlad k
    Posts: 6

    Jonathan, thanks for a great review and for reviewing my model.

    About that screw-like part at the side of the head. I made it from a 6-vert circle, which is a perfect hexagon. I filled it with 3 diamonds, added some edge loops, and that’s it! All the topology we need is done. Then the geometry should be aligned with Loop Tools and proportional editing mode.

    How did you model that crimped tubes for neck and fake arm joints? Is that something like array aligned with a NURBS curve? A really efficient way of modeling, I’ll try it.

    Merry Christmas to everyone.

    #
    9
     Dec 24, 2011 at 4:40 am
  10. Andre Kießelbach
    Posts: 5

    Wow…a really great tutorial!!!! Please more robot, sci-fi tutorials!!! Thank you! But can you please upload the timelapse with normal speed? :-) It’s really hard to follow.

    #
    10
     Dec 24, 2011 at 5:15 am
  11. Josh P
    Posts: 1

    Nice review. But the ring around the eye of the 2nd model was better before you modified it ;) . Actually it was technically more realistic like the author did it ^^.

    Merry Christmas

    #
    11
     Dec 24, 2011 at 5:47 am
  12. Richard Wilks
    Posts: 73

    “Oh crap, that would have been really easy if I still had the modifiers.”

    Definitely been in that situation before.

    Thank you for explaining how to do the belly panel well.
    Now I know why it didn’t work for me when I tried to use the simple deform modifier. :)
    It never occurred to me to use a lattice modifier at all.

    Merry Xmas :)

    #
    12
     Dec 24, 2011 at 7:25 am
  13. harleynut97
    Posts: 5

    The thing I enjoyed the most on this tutorial is that it focused on how fix mistakes. So many times I have began a modeling project only to realize I have a problem with no idea on how to best fix it. I would love to see you do a series of quick tutorials on fixing common mistakes, like how you fixed the 6 sided pole. Thanks for all your great tutorials Johnathan, and the rest of the Blender Cookie crew, and Happy Holidays. – Carl

    #
    13
     Dec 24, 2011 at 8:46 am
  14. Brett Henley
    Posts: 3

    What Music is playing in the timelapse? It’s great. kinda sounds like NIN. As always your tutorials give such great depth of information. I always learn a lot from them. the circle scaling thing was great.

    a very Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    Remo

    #
    14
     Dec 24, 2011 at 9:04 am
  15. Brett Henley
    Posts: 3

    Opps I see the menion of the music at the top.

    Remo

    #
    15
     Dec 24, 2011 at 9:05 am
  16. Galdo
    Posts: 5

    A video on how to model/animate the laser sword would be nice. How can we, during an animation, change the size of the laser or his color/emission? :)

    #
    16
     Dec 24, 2011 at 11:42 am
    • Galdo
      Posts: 5

      Ok I found the video you made about the rendering of a light saber :) But my question remain about the ability to “retract” the blade during an animation.

      #
      16.1
       Dec 24, 2011 at 3:30 pm
      • Richard Wilks
        Posts: 73

        One possible method, no idea if it would be considered correct, is to scale the sabre. Object mode scales towards to origin, so have that at the base of the sabre.

        Frame 1: Key frame scale. In the Object Outliner: key frame visibility and renderability.
        Scale the sabre to near 0 (0.01
        Frame whatever: key frame scale. In Object Outliner: toggle visibility/renderability to OFF key frame visibility/renderability.

        Go to start of animation and play. You should have a retracting sabre.
        :D

        #
        16.1.1
         Dec 24, 2011 at 3:39 pm
      • Richard Wilks
        Posts: 73

        To add:

        If your origin allows you to scale the sabre to be out of sight, then key framing visibility/renderability is not necessary.

        You want to key frame these so that they can’t be be seen. Scaling to 0 won’t work.

        Visibility (eye icon): whether or not it can be seen in the viewport.
        Renderability (camera icon): whether or not it will be rendered.

        (I apparently made up the word ‘renderability’ :| )

        #
        16.1.2
         Dec 24, 2011 at 4:18 pm
  17. marvin evins
    Posts: 6

    This video helped me out sooooo much!!

    #
    17
     Dec 24, 2011 at 1:10 pm
  18. Agiofws Agiofws fws
    Posts: 9

    thank you

    #
    18
     Dec 24, 2011 at 6:52 pm
  19. Henri Laroco
    Posts: 8

    I Need some help, please! When I tried to make the Bot Bunny and render it, It worked until I applied the material. What do I do? Please help and thanks in advance. :D

    #
    19
     Dec 24, 2011 at 9:57 pm
  20. Robert Moffatt
    Posts: 34

    I didn’t attempt the bunny for the exercise(still too much of a noob), but learned a ton just from watching.

    One suggestion for the future though – include the keystrokes on screen when doing a time lapse. It would help a lot in being able to follow what’s going on.

    #
    20
     Dec 25, 2011 at 7:32 am
  21. jeremiah r
    Posts: 440

    Nice video and tips. I was wondering like on the eye where he had those parts in middle giving the little creases here and there can’t you just merge the extra verts in the middle where you dont need them to the loops where you do need them and then all those extra creases will dissapear and you still keep the main loops where you need them.

    #
    21
     Dec 25, 2011 at 4:37 pm
  22. Krzysztopor
    Posts: 3

    Plane 4X4 faces, delete center vertices, select loop around the hole, extrude, scale, bridge loop -circle.

    #
    22
     Dec 25, 2011 at 4:41 pm
  23. Makaco Studios
    Posts: 4

    this has FX made in blender::: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbYR2DWCE8c&feature=related

    #
    23
     Dec 25, 2011 at 5:44 pm
  24. Joshua James
    Posts: 4

    That was a very nice timelapse, but I think you forgot Little Bot Bunny’s nice fluffy metal tail.

    #
    24
     Dec 26, 2011 at 11:45 am
  25. Joey Baltrusch
    Posts: 86

    Very Nice Jonathan, looking forward to the next one as well!

    Thanks again for all the work from the CG team!

    #
    25
     Dec 27, 2011 at 1:16 pm
  26. Richard Lyons
    Posts: 3

    Hi Jonathan. Great tutorial. What did you say was the name of these sharpening loops, around 5:17 in the video?

    #
    26
     Dec 29, 2011 at 5:07 am
  27. Moolah
    Posts: 66

    Hi, Jonathan!
    What do you think about this http://s16.radikal.ru/i191/1112/7f/7b5306968288.png
    kind of decision?

    #
    27
     Dec 29, 2011 at 9:24 pm
    • Jonathan Williamson
      Posts: 2949

      That looks pretty good Moolah! The one thing I would recommend is to put another loop right down the center so that you have a good loop in the middle that will help keep clean deformations. It’s best to avoid poles on curved surfaces, such as the one right above the center hole. They tend to cause odd stretching and artifacts when rendering.

      Good work!

      -Jonathan

      #
      27.1
       Dec 31, 2011 at 10:19 pm
      • Moolah
        Posts: 66

        Thanks!
        Do you mean like this? http://i012.radikal.ru/1201/96/aa26f25b91a5.jpg
        I can’t get it clearly.
        My aim was to minimize the number of faces and avoid that two loops you made with “V” in your tutorial.

        #
        27.1.1
         Jan 1, 2012 at 12:17 pm
  28. jutomana
    Posts: 9

    Hey great tutorial! You forgot the tail though XD
    Peter Cottontail wouldn’t have gotten his name without it :D

    #
    28
     Dec 30, 2011 at 1:49 am
  29. Florian Genal
    Posts: 9

    Great tutorial!! Like always! This helped me a lot! Thank you!

    #
    29
     Dec 30, 2011 at 6:21 am
  30. bishop knight
    Posts: 82

    I like this format. When I went to ITT Tech, the instructors would do this kind of thing after learning some techniques. It would force us to apply what we had learned up to that point.

    #
    30
     Dec 30, 2011 at 4:35 pm
  31. Lyle Walsh
    Posts: 13

    Question: In the first vid you used the lattice deform modifier on a mirrored mesh and it sure looks like the lattice was acting on each side (the real and virtual portions) separately as if the modifiers had been applied, is that correct?

    #
    31
     Dec 30, 2011 at 6:32 pm
    • Jonathan Williamson
      Posts: 2949

      Hi Lyle,

      The lattice modifier is indeed effecting both sides of the mesh because the lattice modifier is placed below the mirror modifier in the stack.

      #
      31.1
       Dec 31, 2011 at 10:13 pm
  33. Jeremy Deighan
    Posts: 263

    Jonathan,

    I know it’s considered one object but how many separate pieces make up the object? (body, head, neck, knee pieces, bolts, etc?

    Jeremy

    #
    33
     Jan 3, 2012 at 6:46 pm
  34. FreeMind
    Posts: 45

    Isn’t it interesting how we find webcams cute?

    #
    34
     Jan 4, 2012 at 4:38 pm
  35. LeftRight92
    Posts: 1

    Loved the tutorial, really want to get into modelling more characters like this (ie robots and ‘hard surface’ things) however I keep getting shader errors and the like.
    Is there any possibility I could see a normal time version of the timelapse, would be really helpful as a guide.

    #
    35
     Jan 4, 2012 at 7:26 pm
  36. niwde
    Posts: 2

    Hi,

    Can I ask a quick question?

    While working on the “metal plate”
    Steps:
    1. duplicating the middle curve
    2. duplicating it and then
    3. making the circle with two half-circles

    Question: Why does “Bridge” not work if I use “Merge” to connect the circle?

    #
    36
     Jan 7, 2012 at 10:17 am
  37. Bernd Kosmahl
    Posts: 1

    This is a great review. Thank you for doing this. It really helps me on my way learning and understanding blender :)

    #
    37
     Jan 10, 2012 at 7:25 am
  38. Ivan Cherganov
    Posts: 27

    I guess I know why, you’ve missed track named “Stop!” during your timelapse :)

    #
    38
     Jan 19, 2012 at 4:51 am
  39. Lino Ramirez
    Posts: 17

    Great mini tutorial, cool timelapse. :D Much better than just leaving us in the dark about modeling the rest as other might do. Will try this soon.

    Quick question, was there a specific reason to go back and re-do the leg? (4:30 in the Youtube video) It seems like an editing glitch since you don’t appear to do anything differently.

    #
    39
     Jan 25, 2012 at 1:04 pm
  40. Bryan Crochet
    Posts: 8

    Simply Awesome! I was just asking myself today “how do I use the bridge tool?” Thanks a ton man. You are such a great mentor in the blender community. I hope life it treating you well, you have earned plenty of good Karma.

    #
    40
     Feb 9, 2012 at 8:56 pm
  41. Fabian
    Posts: 7

    It seems like the punched holes got quite deformed in the finished result JW. Is shrinkwrapping the way to go if you truly want punched holes in a bent surface?

    #
    41
     Apr 17, 2012 at 12:52 pm
  42. Juan Nicolas Gomez
    Posts: 29

    Love the time lapse!!

    #
    42
     May 26, 2012 at 9:10 am
  43. swiftalfie
    Posts: 1

    I’ve learnt a lot about modelling through this tutorial, and this series is a great idea :) Also, the music 4 the time lapse tutorial is awesome!

    #
    43
     Jul 2, 2012 at 5:44 am

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.