5 Topology Tips That Will Get You HIRED

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In this 3d modeling tutorial, I will explain why most 3d artists struggle to learn topology and give you my top 5 tips on how to quickly improve. The 3d modeling topology principles can be applied to most 3d modeling software like Maya, Blender, and 3d Studio Max.

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In this 3d modeling tutorial, I will explain why most 3d artists struggle to learn topology and give you my top 5 tips on how to quickly improve. The 3d modeling topology principles can be applied to most 3d modeling software like Maya, Blender, and 3d Studio Max.

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[jlmussi]

➡ Overwhelmed with 3d modeling & Topology? Start creating Professional 3d models with my FREE guide:

[pawnmusic]

This is the kinda stuff you never see in beginner 3d modeling tutorials and yet it is an essential part of good topology. This absolutely should be included and yet…this is the first time Ive seen it. I swear, there are so many teachers that just like to hear the sound of their own voice instead of actually teaching fundamentals. Good stuff!

[karathrace]

For people who want to work in gaming industry - "bad" topology for game ready assets is not always a bad thing, it's often what keeps games playable

[andrewhacker]

Faking topology with normal or height maps is actually a key tool for (not) modelling! Thanks so much for pointing this out and for making the clear link between good modelling and good UV mapping and texturing!

[phalhappy]

I 've been learning Blender for 4 years and no tutors I learn from has this indepth and clarity level that you have.

[MyNamaAdam]

Just like a previous comment said, that "bad" topology isn't necessarily bad esp in Video Games/Real-Time applications. You're not going to SubD or deform everything. What you'll focus on is how it performs within the scene and how it's supposed to work in the scene. Don't treat everything universally, a character needs to have good topology that you might reuse again and again but a trash can or chair is a low-priority object that you can optimize the hell out of. Tris are not evil, in the game-engine it will all convert back to Tris. It's just how you use them taking in mind the shading and factors like deformation.

[LondonCreativeCG]

I've seen DOZENS of Youtube tutorials on topology / edge-flow, yet this one covers important issues they don't and is presented in a clear, structured way. Well done, indeed.

[leigero]

Honestly I'm a beginner blender user and I've looked for this advice everywhere and couldn't find it. This is a great video. I tried to model a gun and ended up using loop cuts like mad that stretched the length of the gun every time just to get detail in one place and I was absolutely stumped on how to get detail in one place without over-complicating the rest of the mesh. Other tutorials used separate parts and just made them LOOK connected, but this was great. I think I'll take another stab at the model.

[JWPanimation]

One thing to consider when modelling is how the geo will light and render. For hard surfaces, I assign a work material with a strong tight specular. Then I take a point light and put it under a null and then slowly rotate it around the model. This way I can see any irregularities or bumps in the curved planar sections and whether or not there are pinched subdivisions when applying smooth. You can see how the bevels are working too. Your lighter will love you if you can deliver beveled models that are silky smooth when a light or refection travels across the surface. You can sometimes iron out the mesh bumpiness by using the Edit Mesh > Average Vertices command.

[zocuad]

Great video. One artist said UV's are a "necessary evil". Maybe one day we'll do without them, but until then, learning how to UV unwrap is important. I don't use Maya for 3D modeling, but your videos have given some great insight on 3D modeling methodology. Keep up the great work.

[vishnurk]

I've acquired 80% of my Maya knowledge from your channel. Thanks for educating and supporting us. You're the best ❤️❤️

[helenxyz]

Thank you very mush for this great video, which helps me to learn a lot in this weekend. The topology in 3d models seems not only a new tech for the artists with traditional art background, but may also for people used CAD before with engineering background. Thanks for this video that guides me to dig and understand the relationship between topology and meshes, which I was very confused before. The topology tip three you taught about 'doing separate pieces at the very end of/or towards the end of the modeling stage' is really helpful for my recent modeling. Really appreciate.

[TheAngelArrow]

the rejected on the thumbnail is ironically better topology. "triangles = bad topology" is the mindset of noob artists

[ziruruf]

I've been waiting for a video dealing with topology like this!

I struggle with dealing with topology, so this video is a lifesaver for me!

Thank you so much!

[agsv]

Thank you very much, I never understood my former teacher and I used to get frustrated every time I modeled. You explain everything so great and I finally can enjoy modeling :D

[mk_]

These are super handy things to get anybody started on making clean models and also to have much better control on the mesh. Great tips for efficiency and accuracy!

[pawnix]

As a technical artist in the games industry, I can confirm that the thumbnail is incorrect. As long as the outcome looks good, the typology comes second, and this is in regards to hard surface. When it comes to characters, it is important to have amazing meshflow.

[cerebralvision]

Topology type depends highly on the application. For example, if youre doing low poly models for gaming, you would need the high poly dense model to transfer the texture map of the low poly in substance or whatever. It's completely different for industrial design and also completely different in film. However, as a global practice, good topology is important for decent UV maps.

[rexrip]

What really works for me is that I basically add loops before adding booleans and once I apply then I work on that specific part of the model before moving to another boolean. I delete the areas around boolean parts (so anything between the bool parts and the loops I added around the part before applying) and then reconnect the high density area to the low density areas by reducing the poly count between them (reducing the density on the edges of boolean parts in the "transition zone")...

This way, I am reducing the poly count all the time and progressively with the progress of the model. Since I am limited by the parts with low poly count, all the boolean parts need to be perfect. If I have an extra vertice, I fucked it up and need to chase down my mistake in stead of trying to fix it later... The places that have a lot of details have higher density and are connected by a low density area (so basically details are connected by a large area of simple geometry via the transition areas).

There are two downsides to this method:
1) It requires that you can imagine the whole model and reconstruct if from memory since you need to think about geometry before actually making it.
2) Works best for non-organic things (hard surface), so it is more adequate for level design (I am in that field so it suits my needs)

Sorry if I explained it really bad, I am a non-native speaker so some more complex stuff can be hard to explain... Also, I work in Blender. That being said, good geo is an universal skill...

[GoldenMoonFilms]

In gaming industry you can use both quad and triangular topology. Quad is often used at models that will deform with animation. Otherwise it is completely fine to use triangles too. It will also save a few polygons.