Glock- 19 Gen 5 - Entry 2

Picking up from where I left off in 'Entry 1' I began to continue my progress of my model. From the current point I was at, I thought it was appropriate to begin working on details such as the trigger and the sights of the gun. 

I started with the trigger. I have previously tried to create the trigger with a cube or a cylinder but have always had issues when adjusting the polygon. Instead, I tried a different approach by utilising the 'create polygon' tool. This allowed me to simply draw the vertices in line with where I wanted them to be. I ensured I aligned the vertices so that when I add cuts to the mesh, they will be even and straight. 

Figure 1 - Mesh tool - 'Create Polygon'

After creating the shape, I used the 'triangulate' tool to fill in the n-gon from the creation of the shape, followed by a 'quadrangulate' to get a seamless straight edge connecting the verts. From here I selected one edge and did Shift > edge ring utilities > to edge ring and split. This added a straight edge centre to the mesh going down the middle. This was so I could connect and match the topology of the base of the gun above where the trigger will be. I adjusted some of the points on this main body of the gun and pulled them out. I then snapped the trigger to this part and centred it.

Figure 2 - Trigger mesh aligned with the underside of the base of pistol

Once I had a trigger in place, I started on the sight at the rear of the pistol. This was quite straightforward as I added in some edge loops, scaled in ever so slightly and extruded down, into the base to create a divot. From these inner faces, I selected them and duplicated the faces to separate it from the main mesh. I then extruded up twice and scaled inwards to form the structure of the sight.

Figure 3 - Rear sight

I chose to move on to a different aspect from here which was to create the muzzle of this Glock at the front. This was quite challenging to achieve with the methods I began with such as using Booleans and changing topology drastically. All to which failed.

This was the approach I took to create the holes for the muzzle. The faces at the front of the pistol (as shown in figure 3) I extruded and offset them to create more faces to give it a square like interior whilst still maintaining the curvature on the sides. I then got a cylinder and deleted all faces except for the cap. This cylinder cap I added to the centre of the front by adding in some more topology. From here I snapped the vertices on the gun to the corresponding verts on the cylinder. This amount was adjusted based on how many verts were surrounding this cylinder.

This method left me with a clean and round circle that I could use to extrude and arrange. I used this method for the muzzle part below too. I used a combination of offsetting and extruding to form a deep hole in the pistol with some beveled edges to show the barrel extruding out ever so slightly from the base of the gun.

Figure 4 - Muzzle

Figure 5 - Muzzle with lower portion added

When working on the lower part of the muzzle, I tweaked the sizing of both parts to better suit the scale of the mesh to fill the area. This was also so that it would be more accurate to real life and my references.

I have also adjusted how far each portion of the muzzle extrudes out from the base of the pistol. I was not sure to change this due to the perspective of my references, but this can easily be changed at will at any time if needed.

Figure 6 - Reference comparison to my mesh

This has been the most tricky part so far since I have had to figure out new methods and approaches to achieve what I wanted to design, whilst not breaking any existing topology. I have had to retopologise the front various times to get to what I have currently.

Next I will be focusing more on the trigger and the handle/ lower portion of this Glock and will submit another entry once completed! :)

Glock- 19 Gen 5 - Entry 1

General Update:

I am starting a multitude of separate projects currently. I am continuing 'The Grand' project, but I would like to work on some smaller projects too and some other variety ones such as vehicles and other props to expand my portfolio and skill set. This will allow me to work on multiple things without getting burnt out working on one giant project.

Alongside working on 3D, I am currently beginning to learn programming languages. That being C++ and Python. I will primarily be focusing learning C++ and I will continue to blog my progress of this here too on a separate page documenting when I am working on it. This will be a hard challenge for me but it will open many doors if I can manage to work well with it and learn.

Glock- 19 Gen 5 Modelling Dev Log:

I began this model by finding appropriate references for what I wanted to achieve. I was going to originally create the Glock- 18 model that is utilised in the game 'Counter Strike.' I chose to find a different Glock model since this one looked too simple to design. That is when I found the Glock-19 pistols. They had far more details and additions to them, as well as some mods I found on some of them. I gathered some images of the basics of the model as well as the magazine.

Figure 1 - References for the Glock- 19

I used an image to act as a guide when modelling by inserting an image plane into Maya to guide me in developing this model.

I want to learn how to 'eyeball' models more so than to use an image to guide me. As well as using the image, I will create the opposite side of the Glock that I cannot see by only looking at my reference images and translating this onto the model. Parts such as the beginning of the barrel where it goes inwards by the front sight of the gun.

Once I had figured out my plan of action on how to develop this, I began blocking out. I used a cube with some edge loops to shape the basics as well as dragging out edge loops placed in the centre of the cube to define the curved parts of the gun such as the handle and under the trigger.

Figure 2 - Block out of basic shaping

Next, I adjusted some of my edge loops to better suit my needs since I was going to develop to indent of the barrel first that is on the other side of the gun. I followed my references as close as I could to achieve an indent that was accurate. After some bevels and adjustments to the whole upper portion of the pistol and at the front, I was able to get the faces I needed to delete and extrude the edges down to form the indent. The faces that were removed, have been extracted so they can be used as the barrel being shown in this indent. I will work on that part later.

Figure 3 - Indent for the barrel and bevels added

I noticed I had made a mistake with the indent part. My references showed a small bevel at the end of the indent on the shallow front part of it. I had not added an edge loop to allow for a face to curve here. After some adjusting and merging of verts, I was able to add this to the model. 

I decided to tidy up my topology and edges to be straight as well as moving some vertices on the trigger to be more accurate to my references. I also scaled the front of the barrel of the gun to have narrower faces, followed by moving some edges to further shape the barrel head.

After this I extracted the segments of the pistol from the top half and the bottom to create the split shown within my references. It is a subtle divot in that adds more detail to the model. I extruded inwards to add thickness to each part so that when you smooth the model the split is sharply defined. Although currently soft in appearance, it showcases clearly that it is effective. This split also leads up to the section underneath the head of the barrel, so I have extracted up to this part.

Figure 4 - Wireframe of the extracted segments of the model

Figure 5 - Smooth preview to showcase the split in action

When I continue this model, I will be further detailing the handle and grip of the gun as well as the top of the pistol by beginning to work on the sights. I will also be actively refining the model as I work to prevent n-gons as well as continuing to detail the model further such as the bottom of the handle where the magazine goes.

To Do:

• Defining the shape of the handle and upper section
• Add the sights
• Actively tidy geometry as I go
• Handle adjustments, magazine add?
• Barrel at the front