how did you first learn how to skin and model?

[Mr.Jack]

The workshop didn't seem right for this. so i put it here instead.
Anywayz...When i first started modding i didn't even know where my files was, i started modding about 4 or 5 months ago, during that time i have learnt to code, and i have started to learn how to map i proberly could do scripting, and other little stuff if i tried, but atm i want to learn how to model and skin, so far the skinning problem is i can't think of what i want to skin, and when i do try it looks awful, i have never been artistic and for modeling i 'm sort of getting the hang of 3ds max but i don't know what i should model i have tryied to do a helmet but it wnet horribly wrong. so i wanted to ask you modders who can skin or model, how did you first learn? did it take you a while to get the hang of it first? or did you just take a look at a really long tutorial like this http://www.bakaneko.com/howto/comput...er/page01.html and get manage to do it first time?

[Halie Satanus]

Skinning; Skinning isn't hard but it is easy to create horrible skins and trying to make your own strait away does require some talent. The best way to learn is to try and replicate someone else's skin and add your own style to it, if you study a good skin closely and imagine it de-constructed it should become obvious how it was styled, and by closely I do mean zooming in and checking out every detail..



The above textures are made with the simplest technique, base colour, shadow (burn in ps) highlight (dodge in ps) and noise and all made with a basic round slightly faded brush. When I first started something like a skirt would take me ten mins to get right, now it takes seconds (and they look way better) ..

The three most common elements you'll want to make, cloth (skirts tunics) leather, and metal are made exactly the same way but with more or less shading and with wider or skinnier brushes. Once you get the basic techniques you can experiment with contrast and different brushes, but the basics are always the same.

I've made hundreds of units but I don't consider myself a modeller since I've never created a model from scratch, I either edit vanilla or ask permission if I see something I like and most of the time from people I've worked for anyway. Sometimes I've requested the use of the most innocuous bit of geometry because it fitted what I wanted. I think by now there's very little in the way of unit making you can't scalp from someone, no matter what you intend on making.

So basically don't knock yourself out trying to make original models, source a base as close to what you want as you can find and then edit it.

[Mr.Jack]

Thanks for the info mate i really do apericate (sp? firefox spell checker don't bloody work )it. +rep.