Modeling Methods

Whereas scripting, thumb nailing, and drawing make available the conceptual foundation for your work, the model provides the visual expression of your vision. Producing the model and rigging it for animation are the nearly all time-consuming and laborious phases of any animation. You must cautiously choose the method you use to create your characters: this option has dramatic implications later in terms of setup, animation, texturing, and rendering.

The mistaken tendency of most people is to believe that modeling options are just divided between polygons and NURBS surfaces. This is a harmful oversimplification, especially given the advent of Subdivision surfaces available with Maya Unlimited. Rather, a additional helpful discussion centers around the degree to which a character breaks down into separate objects. Single skin vs. separate objects becomes the real question, and it is a visual rather than a technical problem.

The huge mistake that lots of beginning independent animators make is trying to force the idea of animating a "single skin" character. They tend not to realize that only some, if any, characters that they see either on television or in movies are all one piece of geometry. Most, if not all, are segmented geometry; the seams are cleverly hidden by another piece of geometry or by the border between textures. This isn't noticeable because the character's geometry is so well animated that we are convinced of the gestalt of the character. We don't see him, her, or it as separate pieces; we see the character Woody, Buzz, Shrek, or Aki. Thus, the central point in modeling for animation is that a well-animated piece of geometry always transcends the modeling method used to make it. Consequently, you desire to use the simplest modeling method necessary to make a character to animate.

Four essential modeling methods are accessible in Maya:

• NURBS patches

• Trimmed and blended NURBs objects

• Polygons

• SubDivision surfaces

Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages when modeling characters for animation.