Dissection of a Digital Illustration

Modeling: 3D Studio Max

At the time I did this project, 3D Studio Max was my favorite for organic modeling. Nowadays, I'd be more likely to use the Lightwave modeler, now that I've gotten used to it, and have one less program to have to deal with.

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Here is the start of the heron model in 3D Studio Max, one the the more popular 3D programs. You see 4 views at once, top, sides, and perspective. As you can see in this screenshot, I found an image of a heron, and used it as a reference for modeling.
This isn't a modeling how-to, but rather, an overview to give you a general sense of how the modeling process works. There are many different techniques that people use. Here I used a technique often refered to as box modeling. I started with a box, and moved the points around to start to create the basic body shape.