For this assignment, we were tasked with creating a 3D robot in Maya. It quickly became my favorite project so far because it gave me the freedom to be creative and to experiment in ways I hadn’t tried before.
Design-wise, I took inspiration from R2-D2 in Star Wars, a character I’ve always liked. I began by modelling from an image reference that I imported into Maya, which helped me get the overall body structure right. I started modifying the design so it wouldn’t be an exact replica. One moment I enjoyed most was the actual building stage, especially extruding different parts of the body and legs. Creating those dimensions allowed me to add my own personal touches, such as unique buttons.
Principles of 3D Environments
A challenge I faced during the process was the 3000-triangle limit for the model. This restriction prevented me from using many spherical objects, and I didn’t want my robot to end up looking too blocky. Still, I managed to work within the limit by making careful shape choices and constantly keeping an eye on the tri count. The smoothing mesh tool was particularly helpful here.
Another highlight of the assignment was the rendering stage. I added lights to the robot’s buttons, and watching the scene slowly come to life through the lighting setup was incredibly satisfying. It created a specific atmosphere that made the robot feel much more dynamic.
Looking ahead, I would like to experiment more with textures. I’m interested in making objects feel dimensional not only through their physical structure but also through their color and material qualities.