by Didik Wijaya
This tutorial needs you to understand basic use of 3dsmax. I do not explain a lot about poly modeling here. Please refer to our previous tutorial like Modeling A Cartoon Pig, Modeling A Spoon, Modeling A Mug, Modeling A Fork, etc.

One of the most beautiful creature in the sea is a dolphin. In this tutorial, you will create a dolphin from just a plane. You will create a half of dolphin's body first. What will described in this tutorial is a common modeling technique. By the way, you can use this technique to create other objects as well. Let's begin!

1. First, download exercise file here (3dsmax 8 format, zipped). In this file, you will find a plane textured with dolphin image. You will use this object as blueprint (you may also want to look at Modeling Using Blueprint tutorial). Actually, this isn't the right doplhin image I want. I personally think this dolphin is too fat, the nose is not long enough, unlike bottlenose dolphin. Anyway, this is the best picture I could find. We will use this picture and in the modeling process I will adjust its proportion.

Begin in Left viewport. Create a plane like image below. Apply transprarent material to this plane, so you can see blueprint at the back. Use any color you want to contrast with blueprint. Also activate Smooth and Highlights (F3) and Edge Edges view (F4) in Left and Perspective viewport.

Convert plance into Editable Poly. Go to Modify tab. Activate Edge selection.Then, select one edge like image below.

2. Activate Select And Move tool. While holding Shift, drag edge to the right to create copy of polygon. Do it 4 times until you get polygons like image below. Next, repeat the same process with the left side. This time, Shift+drag 6 times. You can look at image below for reference.

3. Change selection to Vertex. Move vertices to shape dolphin's body.

4.When finished, change selection back to Edge. Select all vertical edges ( For easy selection, just select one edge and click Ring in Selection rollout). Then in Edit Edges rollout, click Settings button right next to Connect. Fill Segments=2. Click OK.

5. Then, select all vertical edges in upper body. Use Connect Settings again. This time use Segments=1 and Slide=-54. You will get connecting edges close to upper edges.

6. Repeat above process to create connecting edges at the bottom of body.

7. Change selection to Vertex. Move vertices located at the middle of body. Move them along X axis. Your dolphin's body will get volume. This process here is a tedious, long, and need patience. A lot of tweaking is required here. Use image below for reference. Tips: Begins with middle vertices, the outer vertices.

8. Dolphin's basic body is finished. We will continue in the Part 2 tutorial to add fin and tail. If you find it hard to create this basic body you can download 3dsmax file here.

Modeling A Dolphin Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Any question or comments regarding this tutorial should be sent to:
Didik Wijaya, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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