When you're preparing to make 3D models, I assume you're going to make front, side, etc. projected drawings to use as guides. I'm trying to recreate some units from the 1996 pre-alpha Starcraft build from the limited screenshots available. I'm assuming the 2D sprites are close enough to be isometric. Are there any tips in determining the relative locations of mouths, appendages, engines, etc? Do you place an isometric grid over a 2D sprite and attempt to measure the dimensions and locations of components? How do you approximate height, depth, or girth from a 2D sprite?
It's sorta like trying to figure out the recipe for a cake by tasting it. You're not going to get a perfect recreation out of an isometric sprite, the best you can do is eyeball it or find reference of similarly created models. I'd suggest trying to get your hands on some of the models created by Project Revolution, the SC mod for Warcraft 3. They're a good start to getting an idea of shapes and proportions.
If you place a camera and go with really low FOV with a great distance of a camera you're going to achieve isometric view. Or you can just switch Perspective to Ortographic view :) Then you won't have any perspective at all. After that you can try to align the sprite to your view and model.
I'd go with what Triceron said.
But If you model something from sketches or blueprints it's really better to model it from perspective, if it's not a ship or something very technical.
When you're preparing to make 3D models, I assume you're going to make front, side, etc. projected drawings to use as guides. I'm trying to recreate some units from the 1996 pre-alpha Starcraft build from the limited screenshots available. I'm assuming the 2D sprites are close enough to be isometric. Are there any tips in determining the relative locations of mouths, appendages, engines, etc? Do you place an isometric grid over a 2D sprite and attempt to measure the dimensions and locations of components? How do you approximate height, depth, or girth from a 2D sprite?
The best way I could recommend is to pick a defining feature of the character sprite and using that as a unit of measurement.
Figure 1 Perspective view. Green plane and pink torus are used as global reference "landmarks" to line up the pictures.
Figure 2 Camera 1 view
Figure 3 Camera 2 view
I still have to tweak the camera's heights so that the reference pictures "match". I could only find two distinct reference pictures of the pre-alpha carrier.
When you're preparing to make 3D models, I assume you're going to make front, side, etc. projected drawings to use as guides. I'm trying to recreate some units from the 1996 pre-alpha Starcraft build from the limited screenshots available. I'm assuming the 2D sprites are close enough to be isometric. Are there any tips in determining the relative locations of mouths, appendages, engines, etc? Do you place an isometric grid over a 2D sprite and attempt to measure the dimensions and locations of components? How do you approximate height, depth, or girth from a 2D sprite?
It's sorta like trying to figure out the recipe for a cake by tasting it. You're not going to get a perfect recreation out of an isometric sprite, the best you can do is eyeball it or find reference of similarly created models. I'd suggest trying to get your hands on some of the models created by Project Revolution, the SC mod for Warcraft 3. They're a good start to getting an idea of shapes and proportions.
There are specific youtube tutorials about how technicaly to do 2d->3d in max. Ask Kueken, he was studing one when we talked some time ago.
If you place a camera and go with really low FOV with a great distance of a camera you're going to achieve isometric view. Or you can just switch Perspective to Ortographic view :) Then you won't have any perspective at all. After that you can try to align the sprite to your view and model.
I'd go with what Triceron said.
But If you model something from sketches or blueprints it's really better to model it from perspective, if it's not a ship or something very technical.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/Butterfly-Kiss/3D%20Works/lady.jpg This is a good example of (what I think) a model created using the front and side photos or references. It may look good from the side and from the front but the perspective is a totally different story.
I mean, every viewer will see your model in perspective. So why model in any other view if it's not what the viewer will see? :)
Of course there are a few schools and approaches but I'd recommend the perspective modeling.
The best way I could recommend is to pick a defining feature of the character sprite and using that as a unit of measurement.
In figure drawing, most artists use Head size as a common basis:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6gffc0Qjn1qkqjvho4_1280.png
For mechanical units like ships and tanks, I would recommend using cockpit or turret size.
Formally Kinkycactus
@ZombieZasz: Go
Thanks for the great tips! I'm trying this setup:
Figure 1 Perspective view. Green plane and pink torus are used as global reference "landmarks" to line up the pictures.
Figure 2 Camera 1 view
Figure 3 Camera 2 view
I still have to tweak the camera's heights so that the reference pictures "match". I could only find two distinct reference pictures of the pre-alpha carrier.