Full disclosure; I'm a Poly modelling hammer. Now that been said; in your example you are shooting yourself in the foot doing all that from the start, basically starting backwards, extruding and trying to get a form with so many polys from the beginning, for example that lip with 36 edges is a HUGE mistake. In my experience with polys (been modelling since 1997) you start with a base mesh with basic (VERY BASIC) topology, and after you got the structure and the proportions set you add detail and refine adding loops and going up in poly count. Is the same method as sculpting, you start up with a base mesh with foundations and structure THEN you add detail on top. My point is that you guys are presenting the poly modelling scenario like a silly infomercial before situation. It is like trying to sculpt a face and subdivide the sphere 6 times right at the beginning. In the other hand YES sculpting is the way to go for almost any organic (or funky hard surface) model out there. You are going to deal with more steps and more post work like retopo and exporting mesh from here to there, but in the hand of a talented sculptor it's a vastly superior technique.

I think the combination of both is the best, polymodeling to get the rough shape, and sculpting on the model to add fine details and texture

5:08 : Thanks for watching episode 1 of my minecraft lets play 5:12 : As you can see, I did some mining of camera

3D model head with poly modeling? Yeah, I like challenges... but i'm not masochist

The polygon modeling at the beginning, particularly the lip part looked like those infomercials where people are incapable of sitting down with a bowl of popcorn or can't drink out of a cup. Lol. Like, I know you're trying to prove a point, but it's funny how you were proving it.

I love a bit of clickbait. You guys never cease to amaze me. The 'sculpt' in the thumbnail is clearly photogrammetry

I use polymodelling for the base mesh and later on sculpt on it....and bake the normal maps

I tried sculpting and found making a head impossible, I finally tried poly modelling after days of attempting sculpting and made a really nice looking head in like 10 minutes (really surprising myself how easy it was.). It really depends on the person imo. I've always been more maths oriented and my artistic skills are negligible.

To be fair that wasn't a very good poly modeling workflow. It's far more optimal to work directly from a reference.

neither is better... it rests in the hands of the artist.

You need them both: Poly Modeling to create the basic shapes, and Sculpting to add details to the shape.

It`s even better using low-poly, then sculpt it to the shape you want and then retopo it again X)

2:45 - but in poly modelling you have many tools to speed up your workflow. Soft selection for example. So poly modeling is not about just moving vertices. You may need to straight create topology rather then sculpt, and for that poly modelling is your friend. Also it may be even simplier then sculpting for those, who don't have art skills at all, but want to start working in 3d.

2:06 *oooo* 2:09 *AHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

I'm 99,99% sure that the "sculpting" head, which you used in your thumbnail, is scanned and not sculpted.

As I learn, modeling tends to give me more freedom and easier to pull off even with good topology at ease compared to scuplting.

The poly modeling here is done very clumsy like the modeler was trying to make poly modeling look bad, blender to look bad, or he didn't know how to do it. The proper way to poly model is with two reference images. You can do it without them like here but it requires more skill. Many fine human models were done with poly. You also neglected the fact that you can get a quick start in poly and move to sculpting.

I can remember when I used to model everything, before I realized digital sculpting was a thing, honestly it's a lifesaver- so much time was wasted worrying about topology when I should've been practicing sculpting and improving my design skills.

Amazingn how you guys keep making videos to supplement my lectures. Right on time.

I started Poly modeling and my teacher in college was a little outdated so she never really taught us sculpting, until I found this channel... This explains why all all my characters look like the stock head

Poly looks perfect for anime like models

Back in my day we made characters one edge loop at a time

It took me way too long to realize that there were two people talking.

I think poly modeling is better for establishing a general shape and form, but sculpting is better for small intricate detail.

7:36 i laughed too hard when you transitioned back to the original face lol

I feel like the video title presents a false dichotomy.

After doing traditional poly modeling for characters for a while, I'm leaning more and more into sculpting as it makes it where you don't have to worry about chasing topology issues around while working out the model shape and details at the same time. Makes it so much easier to focus on the shape first and then deal with topology during retopo imo.

I'd love to see what you worked on when you were in the industry. That would make a great video. Like going thought shots you've made, insights on production, etc...

The poly modeling here was done very clumsy like you were trying to make the poly model or Blender look bads on purpose (or you are not very good at it). The real way to do poly modeling is with two references images. Of course, you can do it without the reference images, but you need to be more skillful.

Poly model the base mesh; then sculpt refined imperfections details after. This workflow is useful even when making a hard surface model like a Star Wars, vehicle:)

I start all my organic designs that I finish in zBush in Modo with traditional poly modeling :P I find it quicker and easier and it guarantees I have good topology (which isn't even necessary because I design most things for 3d printing and decimate it afterwards), but it means I can go back in and use the base face for super easy modifications in the future, which I like.

I was thinking about that topic these days thanks for that video

Brilliant video. Thanks guys!

The car industry does a full scale clay sculpt of car bodies to see a full scale mock up of a design and refine it, so saying you cant model cars in clay is bunkem

You are so good at this. You are pro lite you deserve more than this

Another great conversation starter guys. Love your attraction titles... like your Retopology video it ends up being what is not "better" but what's best for your own needs at the time. Recently I've been sticking in Zbrush for all modeling even hard surface. Personally i can pretty much do hard surface modeling just as fast or even faster in zbrush (which is a mainly seen as a sculpting tool). With a mix of zmodeler, panel loops, live boolean, project primitive, etc. its surprisingly good and fast. Although i recently bought some add-ons for Blender for hard surface modeling. I'd like to see how enhanced or efficient the new hard surface tools arem

Explanation was much appreciated!

Thank you so much this helped a lot!!!! You saved my life

Lastly i made hands by combining the two method. I did use poly modeling for making the base shape, then i used sculpting. While sculpting i kept the mesh so clean that i even could animate it without retopology. I tried to animate sculpted objects before but those tries made messes.. while sculpting i checked the mesh and made some corrections if it was needed. Basically i think my workflow fits this method because i find balance in dancing between things. While sculpting its easier to give life to the object, but poly modelling can control the whole process. Next to my expressions i have to admit. I can’t imagine sculpting some object like cars, or anything non-organic shapes. But if we want to add some touches, we may have to sculpt.. like wrinkles in a pillow or scars, scratches, etc.

I like this 2 methods, I use poly for animate characters and sculpting for just a single piece, but I'm agree with you in this all aspects that you mentioned

Wow, this one video taught me more about 3d modeling than any tutorial ever has.

Appreciate the works guys

Hi, a question of curiosity, so I'm going to University for Game Art and some tutors not all ban the use of Blender and force you to use Maya. I understand that they do this because Maya is more accepted for the industry at this moment, but if you were in their shows would you do this same, considering that a student is capable of using both software and just uses the strong suit of each of them. Here is an example, a lot of times I will encounter problems with UVing and will switch to the other software to see if I get a better result, or if I plan to boolean at all I will use Blender. It seems a bit unnecessary to force people to use a single software, especially considering that maybe in the future we have to use 3DMax and we haven't learned it at all, so kinda defeats the purpose since you might have to use a different DCC altogether once you do have a job.

Another topic you could cover similar to this would be modelling objects as a whole or separate pieces, it took me a very long time to realise that not everything in the model has the be same mesh

very informative glad I found this explanation

I made the mistake of learning first poly modeling when designing a character instead of sculpting😂 Now I know better.

Yeah this video was helpful tbh, I mostly modeled lifeless things like props up until now but I wanted to start off doing some character models and take it up a notch but before I actually started I wanted an insight as to which workflow would be faster for that particular kind of thing. Nice video.

For hard surface, polymodeling is the best method. But I've also has success polymodeling a head or a body in Maya to get the topology correct from the get-go, then moving it into ZBrush and adding more refined details

You can also start with poly, then sculpt it. That way you can bake the sculpt onto a displacement map.

As someone who has only been into 3D art for 6 months or so this has puzzled me more than once, thanks for the explanation and clearing some things up! good video guys! ありがとう。

My recent workflow for more complicated characters is this (let's assume, we make humans or similar): First start using a simple model (might just be a cube or sphere, but also a finished human, already created another time). Then get a basic shape done using dyntopo sculpting. Add more simple models and join them using modelling (for example hands, feet, a nose, or some other properties specific to a fantasy creature, etc.). Then also add other details using dyntopo sculpting. Then turn off dyntopo and sculpt using the existing topology (might be less destructive). When the shape is good enough, do a retopology using modelling and snapping. Then disable snapping, hide or delete the original model, and add important details, which were difficult before (like holes of the nose, or the inner of the mouth, or maybe the space between toes). You can also add simple models of other objects you made or found in this phase (for example when you had problems doing a good retopo of the hand). Then do sculpting for smoothing and detials without dyntopo, when problems arise, you might need to improve topology in some places, so it matches the shape.

you could sculpt without reference in case you are good in anatomy "in matter of characters, animals and creatures but poly modeling without reference is pain in sculpting you are just focusing on the artistic part but in modeling your brain will separate between the artistic and technical parts

Dude I can't focus with that head poly model, it's nothing to worry about since I can just not watch it but it's really cool.

This really helped me.

That was great. Thank you.

I'm making low polygon modeling is poly modeling and high polygon is sculpting But, hard surface modeling is poly modeling on start.

thank you for this quick video ive been paralyzed to start because i didnt want to learn 'wrong'

Polynesian man in the beginning. Now that's exactly how i model too. 02:07 Oh, old switchy. I've done that.

Can't wait for portfolio review video

So glad I subscribed. 😄 I'm actually trying to flip normals. I'm on my first non-guided practice project, and used a bunch of mirroring. My project is really piecework, with lots of unaligned seams. So, as a result, many of my faces are backwards. I'm trying to flip normals after-the-fact. Not working as well as I wish. Oh well, only a practice project!!

Doesn't blender have sculpting also?

It really depends on which one you prefer and which one you are more comfortable with.

Can you do a tutorial on modeling hair in 3ds max?

I use ZBrush for modeling, and interior/exterior concept

The video was extremely helpful, but I have a question. As someone who's interested to enter the 3D modeling world, which method is bet to start with? Doesn't 3D sculpting make the animating job harder? Or better yet, do 3D modelers actually have to animate their own models or is that something someone else has to worry about?

Thank you for explaining this

Well technically when you do retopology of a sculpt you’re polymodeling, neither is superior to the other, they’re meant to be used interchangeably. It’s the method that better suits the workflow, if I’m polymodeling and I want to make broad changes I switch to sculpt mode.

it's best to have both skills, keep getting better don't get in fights of which method is better, instead find your way to model, which ever is best for you, whether it's poly, sculpting, or both

For characters with a ton of detail of course I would use sculpting software (not zbrush of course), but for a more cartoony character like Disney or Pixar stuff, I would feel more comfortable using sub-Ds.

Thanks, I was learning 3d modeling in Blender for couple years and was completely destroyed by trying to model something organic. Just like you said, too damn difficult. Will try sculpting for that. Was always afraid to sculpt because eventually there is retopology, and what's the point of sculpting if I can just model it without sculpting. I guess there is a point. Thanks!

this video was very helpfull to me! i always wanted to do simple toy figures from the 80s... i first tried sketchup... then fusion... some ppl told me use modeling in fusion... some told me to use blender and sculpting! i tried sculpting and this is wayyy better than poly modeling!

I'm preeeetty sure the model in the thumbnail is a 3d scan.

i am a poly modeller and dont know a single thing about zbrush , although i used it to paint some normals before, but thats it. but since my characters is quite cartoony, its not difficult for poly modelling

Now what if you have really solid 2D reference for a character, with the design fully realized and nailed out in an orthographic illustration? Would it be easier to go straight into poly modelling, especially with stylized characters who don't require super intense 3D details

Please can you elaborate the whole ideal procedure from learning art fundamentals like drawing, sketching, painting to 3d character artist? Please

theyre two very different tools and are most powerful when used together when the rotopology of a high poly sculpted mesh is converted to a lower poly mesh with much nicer topology. details from the higher poly sculpt can be converted into a normal map and projected onto the low poly version to fake a fair amount of very fine detail.

ZBrush came out several years before the Golem model was created for LOTR. In fact, for the interview to do character modelling for LOTR they gave modellers ZBrush to come up with models for Orcs, Balrog etc. The guy who passed the interview told them that he's not used to working with ZBrush and asked if he could have clay instead and as the beginning of this long sentence have already mentioned he passed the interview where the ZBrush guys failed.

So would it be smart to model first then switch to sculpting to do the detail and finishing? Like using the poly modeling to make your base mesh for lets say a scify creature. Then sculpt all the details in after?

Is poly moeling the same with box modeling, or with edge modeling? This is not very clear for me

Good video. I’m new to 3D and want to get into 3D printing. I’ve started with Nomad and Shaper. 3d as I want iPad based tools. To be able to do low poly work for product design and Nomad for fun stuff like toys and masks…is that a good place to start? I’d prefer to become proficient in both areas and use the right tools for each. Then, of course I need to learn 3d slicing and printing right? These 2 are the most user friendly as learning z brush and fusion 360 seems too daunting to start. Am I on the right path here?

love your channel Sculpting is better for organic shapes but poly modeling can help before you start Poly Modeling is essential for your career or hobby

With respect to your conversation with Danny Mac regarding combining the two methods (from 9:08) - is there a link that demonstrates that approach?

Are you recommended a tablet for sculpting?

and I like throw a bit of cad modeling to the mix from time to time... (tho I need to fix topology a bit after porting to Blender)

Which is better? firstly sculpting the character and then doing polymodeling on top? or the other way around?

i tend to work with poly modeling, then refine the shape better with sculpting tools on the poly model. it works for me.

thanks for your videos !

Which would recommend a complete beginner to 3D start out with?

Before digital sculpting, Pixar was laser scanning physically sculpted character models into the computer for Toy Story.

Could you guys do a video on the benefits of zbrush compared to blenders sculpting. What does zbrush offer that blender doesn't

Isn't the "sculpted" head in the thumbnail a scan?

Polygon modeling is ultra fast for many of us and much more practical that zbrush as there is no need to retopo. My character workflow always starts out with a primitive. The way you guys are doing it is just super slow. For my workflow, sculpting comes on the tail end along with texturing. It is very practical and very fast. After 25 years I have no need to even create base meshes anymore but I do it to maintain. Diving right in is killing people on retopo because they don't understand polygon manipulation.

I'm new to 3D and I'm wondering If I could have a job poly modeling only for video games

My current game asset workflow using blender is just create a VERY low poly base mesh then sculpt using dyntopo, after all that's done I move on to retopo the whole mesh and just bake the normals from the sculpt. Is this a good workflow?

Nice video for beginners

What is the best if you are going to make a facial rig for animation?

Wich is better to rig? I'm trying sculpting. But didn't tried rig it yet. I'm afraid I'd lose time. I know poly modeling is used with rigging, but I just feel better sculpting

So is blender good for sculpting?

8:09 STONKS!

Can you add polygons to the sculpture after you finish?