ANT BOT – MAYA MODELLING

Welcome to our step-by-step tutorial on creating an Ant Bot from modeling to animation, lighting, and compositing.

This modelling page is the first of a series of pages that will guide you through the entire process.

The tutorial that is free and for those at the beginner to intermediate level.

Although we will be using Zoo Tools Pro, you should be able to follow and complete this page without having the tools installed.

We will demonstrate the workflow in Maya 2024, but the tutorial is mostly compatible with earlier versions.

Scroll down to see all the modelling videos.

1. Scene Introduction
2. Blocking Primer
3. Blocking The Model
4. Assigning Shaders
5. Finishing The Block
6. Model Details Primer
7. Model Details Head
8. Model Details Chest
9. Model Details Pelvis
10. Details Antennae & Arms
11. Clean Model & Finalize

1: SCENE INTRODUCTION

This video walks through the start scene and provides a detailed overview of its features, including camera placement, clip planes, and viewport light rig setup.

2: BLOCKING PRIMER

This video demonstrates repeatable workflows that we’ll be using in the rest of the tutorials on this page.

The next sections will use hotkeys, and this video shows how to complete the steps manually.

If you have Zoo Tools Pro, to use the hotkeys open the Zoo Hotkey Editor in the shelf, and press ok, and the hotkeys will be installed.

To switch between the Zoo Tools and regular Maya hotkey sets tap `;`.

3: BLOCK MODEL START

This video will teach you how to block out the upper body using spheres quickly.

To ensure that we focus on the big picture, it’s recommended to create a rough sketch of the character before refining it.

This approach allows us to avoid getting lost in small details.

4: ASSIGN VIEWPORT SHADERS

Discover how to efficiently assign shaders and adjust the parameters to create Ant Bot’s surface.

This video will also demonstrate how to assign and adjust shaders both manually and more efficiently using Zoo Tools.

5: FINISH BLOCKING – LEGS

In the final stage of the block, we will rough out Ant Bots legs using sphere primitives.

The following videos will show how to further refine the model, ready for rigging and animation.

6: DETAILS PRIMER

This video covers the primary techniques that will be used in the upcoming tutorials.

In the following sections, we will improve the appearance of Ant Bot by further refining the shapes using these techniques.

7: DETAILS HEAD

See how to use soft selection and the grab brush to refine the shape of the head.

We will make minor changes to the structure and create a visible seam in the middle of his head.

8: DETAILS CHEST

In this video we will refine the chest. This can be achieved using the soft select and grab brush tools once more.

To create the cut feature, we’ll tweak vertices and then multi-cut a wedge into the upper torso.

9: DETAILS PELVIS

Our next step is to create a model of the pelvis and the inner pelvis region.

In this video, similar tools are applied to the pelvis area.

10: ANTENNAE & ARMS

In the following steps, you will learn how to make the final adjustments to the antennae and arms.

The model is almost complete, just a few finishing touches can be seen here.

11: CLEAN & FINALIZE

In this video, you will learn an essential step in production rigging and animation – cleaning the model.

It is crucial to clean the model as it can prevent issues and bugs from occurring during later production stages. This proactive measure can save time and resources in the long run.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to rename, check for mesh issues, and clean your model for OBJ export/import, making it ready for rigging.

We have finished modelling Ant-Bot.

Stay tuned for upcoming tutorials on how to rig, animate, and light the character. More videos will be available soon.