Maya Hard Surface Modeling - Complex Objects with Primitive Shapes

By watching this video, you will learn how to break down complex models into simpler, easier to model objects. This is my go to workflow whenever I need to hard surface model complex objects and I will show you how I applied this workflow to the cyberpunk grenade I recently modeled. You will also know how to analyze reference and how to break them down into primitive shapes so they are easier to model.
As always, if you found this technique helpful or even have any tips and suggestions of your own, let me know down in the comment below.
Professional Website: onmars3d.com/
Gumroad: gumroad.com/onmars3d
Artstation: www.artstation.com/onmars3d
Instagram: / onmars3d
Software used in Tutorial:
Maya 2020
Pure Ref
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Table of Contents
0:00​ Introduction
0:37​ Where I applied the workflow to the grenade
2:30 Modeling process of going primitive to complex
8:12 How to breakdown reference to primitive shapes
9:30 Draw over simple shapes in Photoshop
11:20 Topology on flat surfaces
13:15 Importance of modular modeling
13:50​ Conclusion
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[@alexandrevenne7]

This is a great breakdown. Great content. Thanks a lot for sharing this ! I can't wait for the low poly/texturing video I feel all of this content will help me improve and really grasp the pipeline. Thanks again !

[@OnMars3D]

Always glad to help!

[@vincentz2631]

You are awesome. I am fortunate enough that found your tutorials.

[@GOMACIDE]

Underrated video very helpful and informative

[@guillempavon]

Really interesting video, learned a couple of things I'll add to my workflow

[@pedroancaruiz4195]

love your content, really helps every time I have doubts

[@OnMars3D]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@sourabhkumarprasad9936]

Thanks ❤️ for the guidelines it's really help me to improve my modeling thank a lot ☺️ u teach very well. u Don't waste our time & teach valuable stuff in a shot time 🙂.

[@3Dobjects]

Thanks for going in to details to.. and especially for the good narration.. cheers

[@OnMars3D]

My pleasure!

[@ronydey2696]

Great tutorial over CG primitives shapes over that hard surface modelling stuff that's very helpful and informative sir ..so greatful upon you sir too ..hi sir myself Rony an VFX student from India

[@bravefastrabbit770]

Your easy take on it and enthusiasm really makes it all. Great video, great tutor. This is difficult to find esp in the 3D world. Will definitely be watching more of ur videos! Do you have any master class coming up?

[@OnMars3D]

Glad it was helpful! I plan to keep posting all of my videos on KZbin and look into Master classes in the future. My next series will be modeling vehicles.

[@srijith9611]

Thank you so much it's very very helpful.

[@OnMars3D]

Glad to hear that!

[@asvanum]

Thank you for making this. Really helpful😊

[@asvanum]

Also if you can make a video on how to make it a low poly game asset would be really helpful as well. Thank you

[@OnMars3D]

Will do, working on that now!

[@aravindeep6259]

finally i think fount ,what im searching for....

[@chrisjhart]

Great video. I've got a bit obsessive about getting rid of all triangles and I think as you've demonstrated it can be counterproductive.

[@OnMars3D]

I get that way too but as long as it's a flat surface, triangles are completely fine, they will always sub-divide into quads.

[@Snarf1990x]

Good content hopefully we see much more

[@OnMars3D]

That's the plan, more to come!

[@crossdoe3773]

Thank you generalizing your tutorial by saying the skill can be use in other 3D app. keep the good work you are doing for beginners up

[@Fazendojogo]

Great!

[@yee4650]

Very nice video!

[@OnMars3D]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@dkrauss8672]

This was a lot to grasp, but it made sense. It would have been helpful to see how you got from stage 1 to stage 2 of the model shape that you showed the different iterations of...was that a separate shape or done through extruding or something else. Thank you.

[@RuneRealmRPG]

Ah so informative channel

[@OnMars3D]

Thank you! Happy to share!

[@musicka481]

Great content. Subded

[@cgfort5735]

this is very good. so helpfull

[@OnMars3D]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cgfort5735]

@@OnMars3D wish this kind of information available back in 2008 but no worries, keep posting good stuff

[@Cre8tivesman]

impressive model to say the least bravo.....one question tho i see you have triangles in your topology is that still considered clean topology are we not supposed to turn triangles into quads

[@OnMars3D]

Triangles on flat surfaces will subdivide with no issues, so I use those when needed.

[@rost3444]

Спасибо мужик!

[@OnMars3D]

Без проблем!

[@aravindeep6259]

then any peoples using zbrush for hardsurface modeling (boolean) but what the differ between these two

[@OnMars3D]

Good question! I cover the Maya Boolean workflow here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYG8Y2lopNOViNk From my experience using Booleans in Zbrush, the workflow very similar, you can use all of the same type of tools (union, difference, intersection, etc) but once you take it out of the software, you would have to go through the process of retopology.

[@aravindeep6259]

@@OnMars3D ohhh...k... I thought, zbrush had some tools for retopo easily ,thats y people go after it.... But i know , v can easily get good topology for some surface.... Here my ques is, if there is any solution for easy retopo for hard surface with lot of boleans... Or v must use traditional way to create topology...????

[@aravindeep6259]

@@OnMars3D thanks sir for replying my ques... I spend lot of hours for finding this matters...

[@RhitzHD]

Could you model a NFL Helmet and show me your process?

[@OnMars3D]

Check out my video where I model a Mandalorian helmet: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWHLlpl7etqYoNk I would use nearly the same workflow to model a football helmet.