Some questions for experienced 3D modelers/artists - 3D Modeling/Art Mindset

Development Game Development
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I’m still new to 3D and although for mechanical design and engineering, I am very comfortable with my 3D skills. For something to actually qualify as “art”, well, no. Which is why i’m spending time in Blender and 3DS Max now. I have a LOT of familiarity with AutoCAD (hence mechanical design) and AutoCAD 3D. It made the transition to Max so much easier. WOW. I don’t regret studying AutoCAD one bit.

Anyway, what i’m trying to ask here is all about state of mind when modeling and creating 3D art. I have a lot of the CAD stuff instilled into me and basically it comes down to this. With AutoCAD it’s all about precision (engineering 101). This is my problem. I’m thinking about precision with 3D models and assets A LOT. Is my intuition here correctly guiding me when I assume NONE OF THAT is necessary with 3D modeling (3D art)? You of course shouldn’t do stuff haphazardly because your work will look like crap. But for example, if i’m aligning something to be flush with another object, is it best practice to actually move said object flush to the other surface down to a mathematical level? Or no? Could you do it just by eye? To a lesser extent, I also ask because Max for example just doesn’t have the level of depth when it comes to drawing aids and tools for these types of things. Let’s just say you can DEFINITELY tell AutoCAD was made for engineering. Possibly BY engineers. :joy:

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Well, I’d say it depends a lot on what you’re doing.
One thing that deeply frustrates me in 3ds Max is the measurements tool. If I create a box that’s 1x1x1, for some reason, the measuring tool will give me stuff that makes no sense, is just too big, just too small… never right.

But it is accurate ! if I follow the tool to create something (Say my ongoing RPie watercooled case), I get the exact right dimensions that it shows when I print and whatnot. however, if I build and never check, the scale is wrong somehow.

But for most stuff, unless it’s critical for it to be absolutely perfect, I won’t bother that much.
For example, here, it’s critically important that all of it lines up, since it’s an infinite loop.

But here, who cares if I’m a bit too low or high, it’s a gravel floor and it’s not gonna really show in the end result.

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Sometimes, esp for visuals, it’s worth not wasting time and eyeballing it till it looks good. that’s what I did for the height of the truck.