An Introduction to Subdivision (High-Poly) Modeling Tools and Techniques

on Aug 5th 2009 with 31 comments
Tutorial Details

Subdivision modeling is a very common technique used when making almost all big name games, movies, and CG pieces. It allows you to make hard surfaces with nice beveled edges and a very high polycount in a short amount of time.

In this tutorial, you will learn the very basics of subdivision modeling. How it works, the common tools used, keeping forms, and how to apply it to your models. This tutorial is targeted towards 3D Studio Max users, however the same concepts can be easily applied to any other 3D program.

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Hello, I am Racer445, a self taught hard surface and weapon artist from the east coast of the United States. I have been working with computer graphics programs since 2006 and have been working on a career in the field since mid 2008. I am dedicated to my profession and am experienced with 3D Studio Max, Photoshop, and Mudbox.  

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  • Agnuz

    nice tut

  • http://www.behance.net/Modisana Modisana

    Beautiful outcome…. Baie Dankie

  • Brick Top

    Thx man! Much appreciated!

  • Timo

    Could you make it so we can download the tut? Thanks…

  • Hooper

    Knew I recognized that voice! You did all those texturing tutorials over at Game Artist….that are also on Vimeo…. Cool vids man….very appreciated!

  • Bilal

    THIS is the reason i prefer 3ds over Maya

    But again, thats probably just my inexperience with Maya, i find it a lot harder to do things in Maya that are so easy in 3ds

    • Issac

      Dear you can do it in Maya also. All 3d application works on the same principle. And only some tool differ b/w softwares. Polygons behave in a special manner inside computer. Once you will know the inner concept how poly works you can get same output from any 3D software. And you can create any tough looking object. You need a proper approach to start any design.

      I know it sound hard. I can help.

      - Issac

  • René

    true form of art. Wel done tuturial: Thx for having a peak into real modeling.

    Seems to me true modeling and building starts at learning to control your keys.

    A BIG THX for sharing this info.

  • ChaosV49

    Racer!! from polycount :) It’s ChaosV49 here lol

  • racer445
    Author

    Glad you all like it!

  • bon

    hello, really cool tut, can you put the download file in your website? like other tutorials

  • Me

    You did the AK tutorial as well I suppose?

    You obviously have experience in doing these things but PLEASE do something about your explaining.

    At some times you try to convince us you know what u are talking about and other times you can’t even come up with the most basic words of modifiers/tools you use.

    “And I create this and yeah I do just stuff and it works” wtf is stuff?

    Writing down what u are going to say and do beforehand might be a good way to avoid these situations because they are very annoying.

    Other than that, thanks for the effort.

    • Woody

      @ME (the name he has used, not to myself, obviously lol)

      How dare you criticize someone who is providing FREE tutorials! He has spent a lot of time creating these and isn’t asking for ANYTHING in return! There are very few artists that are willing to give their time up to help others, so you should be grateful!

      These tutorials are intended for people who are already fluent with basic modeling…If you don’t know what hes talking about then these tutorials arn’t for you. I have been modeling for around 3 years on and off and consider myself an advance max user, and these tutorials are extremelly easy to follow.

      This is a subdivision modeling tutorial which is a process and not a software guide. If he just sat there talking about all the technical aspects of 3D Studio Max, then this tutorial wouldn’t be helpful to anyone but MAX users.

      • Slap_woody

        Big ego, Woody…big ego…

  • Roger

    muito bom este tutorial, maravilhoso,

  • Simon

    Thanks for sharing your skills, it’s a great help for all us learning.

  • http://nnq2603.deviantart.com Unwatchable

    Pls, can anyone explain for me why the heck all time I try to watch video in here, flash player just kick my @ by the error message – “No Feed”
    Scrshot:
    http://img193.imageshack.us/i/nofeed.jpg/
    Some tutorials looks very interesting n seem hard to find anywhere else (even they mirrored illegally, but haven’t found yet)
    Or have to become member or something like that?… :-/

    • http://kaleb-3d.com Kaleb Aylsworth

      You’re right. In fact, you should not be able to find the tutorials ANYWHERE else, as they are commissioned directly from the artists, and owned exclusive by Envato. Your error with the video player, on the other hand, is most likely an issue with BlipTv, and has nothing to do with buying a membership. I recommend that you contact Bliptv’s customer care or tech support department to resolve that issue.

      • http://nnq2603.deviantart.com Unwatchable

        It’d be hard to contact bliptv as the way you want me try (I’m just a person who watch some vid tuts via one of numerous websites that use Bliptv vid flashplayer, and unlikely I’ll get any helpful feedback from there, probably there’ll be no reply at all)… Anyway thanks for answer.

        Can you consider a little idea that this website should upload video to few more alternative video host services for better performance for viewers. Just more alternative sources of vid and people like me won’t face the unsolvable problem about unexpected vid streaming issues… (?)

  • san

    video pauses all the time.. where is the download link? thanks… btw i have a goos speed net line..

  • nour el-islam

    Mr san whene you download this program and complet the installation
    set play the video you will see the link of this video for downloading .
    tanks.
    if you want to ask me about any thing nourelislam86@hotmail.fr

  • Andre Robichaud

    If you are the guy that made the AK Tutorial. I have been looking for a way to contact you to say thank:P. I watched the whole thing at work and i learned a lot of stuff that i wish i would have learned in college. I will be following your other tutorials. Awesome work, you are my favorite artist now.

  • nico

    You obviously know your product but you may want to clean up your language and not use filler words like “whatever” and “stuff”. We don’t know what that means.
    Your microphone is very poorly placed fading in and out and distorts when you breathe on it.
    This tutorial appears to be for folks who already know the product but for a first timer looking to ackquire these skills, this was way too fast.

  • http://www.m-mounir.yola.com Mohammed Mounir

    nice NOT enough you are amazing Thank you as much as you can hear from ME

  • Cube01

    Not a big fan of your tutorials for couple of reasons,
    most of times you start at step 2 or 3 and not at the very biginning, Sometimes because of a crash and somtimes just to save video time.
    Also you usualy work very fast and/or speed up the video and forget you are tutoring people who are not very proficient in 3d hence they are watching a tutorials.. and often times you merge work that you made prior which just make it even more difficult to follow.
    Sure i’v learned some tidbits here but i could have learned much more.
    so all in all your tutorials are mostly proof of concept which is fine i guess but again i could have been much more.
    Check Ben bolton tutorials for example, he takes you from step 0 to step 10
    and you actually get a result at the end.

    Anyway thanks again for your effort.

  • luc

    Really cool – I learnt a lot thanks!

  • dan

    great tut man

  • http://www.gameartisans.org/forums/member.php?u=37177 Gary Calhoun

    I love your tutorials man I am learning so much from watching you. Im self taught as well.

  • sgiz

    really good tutorial, but it’s really hard to listen to you for longer than ten minutes (not because of your voice) but your mic was in such a bad position that you can hear every breath and the volume of the voice is going up and down.

    just a hint, no negative critics! as i said interesting and informative tutorial!

    greetz!

  • isobare

    I’m really touched by your job please be more explicit

  • http://www.facebook.com/leontios.sakellis Leontios Sakellis

    Some pretty helpful techniques in this video… Thanks