I'm getting mad at modelling

[HGC125]

Hey guys,

Probably most of you already know that I have been trying to introduce me to 3d modelling since really a lot of time ago... After giving up so many times, being busy and stuff.. I have decided that I have to make a step further or stop this. I'm normally a 2d artist (graphic design, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom,etc) but getting into 3d, the theory goes really smooth but on practice I lack the "tricks" to get things done. (I think)
I have been trying to model this DA42 3 or 4 times already.. without success. I have even switched back to my "native" program where I learned along theory and practice.
I would really appreciate your help and try to still finish this da42 model... This model it's for my "home trainer" da42project.
I got this far, but now trying to design the wing, I can't go further.. Everything I try doesn't get me further.. I can't figure out the wing shape along the whole wing ;( I have also tried splines and "cutting" the faces to make a shape and extrude. I just can't the get the shape like it is..
thank you very much again and I'm sorry for asking such.. dumb questions..
regards!

 

[Paul Domingue]

It looks like your doing fairly well with what you have done so far. It takes practice and watching tutorials will help. Once you watch a tutorial try the techniques on some practice modelling. Try grabbing an object in your room and model it. Study its shape and model it from scratch. Since it's practice you won't be upset if it doesn't look correct but you will develop a better feel for your modelling software. After a while you will be surprised at how much better your skills will be.

 

[bob5568]

EDIT: On closer look, this isn't Max! LOL I suppose that's my fault. I often just click on "new posts" so people who post in a sketchup folder, assume we'll read their post as having to do with sketchup, or whatever the subfolder is. Your's just says "modelling". If you want good help, it would be helpful to know what software you are working in.



Are you referring to the leading edge as your struggle? Max gives you many choices for achieving your goals.

However you got to this point, you appear to have enough geometry to take what you have and tweak it. For this, I'd start by selecting the top vertices and bottom vertices at the leading edge, leave the middle vertices unselected, and move them back (assuming you modeled the wing already to fit your image.) This will give the front surface a bit of better shape. Then I might select the edges and chamfer them...and grab verts and push em around til your shape is satisfying.

Or, you might want to subdivide the leading edge polygons after pushing the top and bottom verts back a bit. To succeed with this you'll want to learn a bit about the subdivide modifiers....specifically turbosmooth or opensubdiv.

or, you could draw cross sections of what you think the wing would look like, then connect them and add a surface modifier. This would be more of a starting over type of idea.

 

[kalong]

I only bit know in max, In max usually I using subdivision modeling. make turbosmooth on model, while still keep low poly source. it easier and faster ( my own experience) and I still control it till final model.


wiring (yellow) when subdivision active. see yellow box,that control subdivision in max. you only control low poly source and turbosmooth will follow it. no headache with shape, curve etc, turbosmooth will work as you want


see turbosmooth wiring when subdivision inactive = result

I build that aircraft 2 times, first one like you did (standard modeling)and it take a week (in my spare time), and I not satisfied with final result. seconds times I using subdivision modeling, it took not more than 3 day (in my spare time) and get more accurate modeling.

 

[HGC125]

Hey guys! thank you very much for the support.. so here is a little bit more about it..
I'm using Maya, the standard software for game art nowadays. I have big knowledge of Max and quite some basics on blender. I have defenitively tought to subdivide the wing, even tought to maybe play around with NURBS. The fuselage, you could already see that I have applied a modifier more or less like turbosmooth. My big struggle is to make the shape looking like the real wing, I'll upload a picture to explain (a picture is more than 1000 words )
Btw, I have the Airfoil and manuals...

 

[johnman]

Working in 3DSMax, I Like to use the Cylinder for My Fuselage Parts . Used Properly, it makes it Very easy to Create a Wing with a Great Airfoil Shape. Using the Left or Right View, Create a Cylinder With Maybe 12 Sides, and Just 2 Height Segments, Create the Cylinder to the Width of the Wing. Still working in Your Side view, Scale Your Cylinder to the Thickness of the Wing. Now Going to the Top View, Set the Length, The Taper, and Sweep of the Wing. Next, go to the Front View, and Set the Dihedral of the Wing. Next We can Go to the Top View, to Lay in Sections for Flaps , Ailerons, and Different Wing Section Tapers. Using the above Procedures, makes it easy to Create a Wing Tip. Then of Course You can Mirror it over to the Other Side, or Have been working in Symetry. Working in the same Manner, This is How I Create The Fuselage and Empenage. I can usually create the Major A/C Components in a Couple Hours. Thats The Way I Like to do It !! - Good WIPs, Keep us Updated - Johnman

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

splines can be used too just draw the profile and extrude. a simple box I think could work. some important thing is to blend the wing to the fuselaje you can try the compound tools or simple boolean in this case copy the wing because usually one of the object will be lost in the process then Weld the vertex if working with nurbs, meshsmooth, turbosmooth just add edges where needed to not distort the mesh. it all are advices from a beginer to another beginer something I have noticed is to have the ideas very clear once one get into the work. if the thing begin to go wrong we get involved in the hell soon trying to fix things.

 

[Paul Domingue]

Hey guys! thank you very much for the support.. so here is a little bit more about it..
I'm using Maya, the standard software for game art nowadays.

Unfortunately there is no way to export directly to ESP .X files from Maya. Autodesk does have a FBX exporter for Maya but that doesn't help unless you have 3ds Max. If you have access to Max you should use it before you get to much farther along otherwise you might get quite frustrated trying to export your model, something which should be done early and often.

 

[johnman]

Paul is Absolutely Correct, I usually start with a Ball, or a Box, Export it, and Check it Out, Just to Make Sure that the Files and the Process is set up and Works Properly !! Johnman

 

[HGC125]

Unfortunately there is no way to export directly to ESP .X files from Maya. Autodesk does have a FBX exporter for Maya but that doesn't help unless you have 3ds Max. If you have access to Max you should use it before you get to much farther along otherwise you might get quite frustrated trying to export your model, something which should be done early and often.

I know that's why I Always export to blender, because X-plane will only want the "special" OBJ8

 

[HGC125]

Thank you guys for your advices on how to model up this, I think I really can use this techniques, depending which is better in the case. How do you guys deal with an Aircraft like the DA42 with the airfoil on the root of the Aircraft and every intersection? I have been thinking to modify my blueprint, draw the airfoil on the piece that I'm missing and continue modelling? Following all the contours of the blueprint is just not enough because of the lack of this roots.

 

[johnman]

If You Follow the Procedure Above, using a Cylinder, After You have Shaped the Cylinder in Step 1, Before You Add any Sections In The Cylinder. Set The Cylinder Length, To the Wing Tip. The Shape of Airfoil Will be the same at Both Ends of the Cylinder. Scale The Cylinder at the Wing Tip, The Shape is the Same, and the Size is the Size of the Wing Tip. Adjust for Diahedral, and Sweep. The Shape is Still the Same Shape as the Wing Root, Now - Add and Size The Sections for Flaps, Ailerons, Ect. This Will NOT change the shape of the Airfoil. The best way to Accomplish all this Sizing and Shaping, is to Select all The Vertices in the Area You want to Shape, and Directionally Scale Them !

I hope this Helps, and I am Not being too Confusing. You should be able to do all this in Maya. Are We Having FUN Yet, Good Luck - Johnman