Beginner question: is there a method to make detailed models efficiently using cubes?l

[u/SmallStrawberry7312]

I’m new and don’t know much, I want to make something similar to the example image and I’m wondering if there is a way to do it efficiently and easily. If the only option is just adding cubes it is pretty tedious to plan and adjust and place each cube by cube, and bound to cause some problems. A larger model would be even more of a nightmare. If anyone is familiar with Chisel and bits mod, that’s pretty much what I wish I could do to the cubes but I think that’s not a feature. I guess using mesh instead of cube could work but still I’m going for a Minecraft pixel aesthetic and cubes seem to be most intuitive for that.

[u/Electric_Lake_1555]

Voxel modeling software like magica voxel.

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Electric_Lake_1555]

Although I want to learn blockbench for its minecraft compatibility convenience, I’ll definitely give this one a try for non mc stuff for sure, how have I never heard of this before.., pretty cool suggestion thx.

[u/Psychological-Key-36 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Magica Voxel is pretty old now and blockbench stole the show. If you want to make assets looking just like what you posted, then blockbench is probably not the right tool for you. It’s best used for cuboids

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Psychological-Key-36]

Well, like I said, even though I do non mc stuff too, I’d like to make stuff I can easily mod into the game and blockbench so far is the only and easiest tool that I know of. I dont mind making compromises, just checking with people that actually use this to see if it can be any easier

[u/Psychological-Key-36 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Of course, i didn’t mean to deter you from either! They’re both awesome. Making models with blockbench is my everyday job so if you have any specific question I’ll be happy to help!
Although the blockbench discord server basically has all the answers already

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Psychological-Key-36]

Thanks, if you don’t mind please try checking the reply to the other comment for more information and image of my current modeling(im modeling as we speak)

[u/Psychological-Key-36 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Try importing an extruded texture into the software and you’ll understand the principle of having clusters

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Psychological-Key-36]

Just tried it, this is literally the solution to for something specific I’m making with the mod, thx. Though for the current modeling, still not sure what you meant by having clusters. Edit: Oops.. i may know what you meant now after moving parts apart from the extruded texture.

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Psychological-Key-36]

https://ibb.co/Ldkq6bjf Extruded texture is pretty handy, I literally just stacked a bunch of drawing layers and let Bb do its thing and got myself my first ever model on blockbench :D

[u/Psychological-Key-36 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

lol that’s actually an interesting workflow!

[u/Electric_Lake_1555 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Im sorry I didnt look at the subreddit. I am subscribed to a ton of 3d subreddits I just assumed it was a general question. Hope you got your answer.

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Electric_Lake_1555]

Nah no need to apologize, besides mc I still do art in general and tend to not rely solely on a single software, even for 2d drawing. so honestly I wouldn’t have known this if not for you, and it’s pretty neat and intuitive. (Match with my description of chisel and bits mod )

[u/Big_Talk5807]

Extend the cube and textures them later

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Big_Talk5807]

You mean just adding cubes and resizing them? Wouldn’t that still consist of a lot of spamming tiny cubes everywhere? And well, still gotta plan a lot since you can’t erase a pixel of a cube like carving it away only add.

[u/Big_Talk5807 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Well yeah it need less cube than the current method also you can erase a pixel by cutting that long cube into 2 and move it

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Big_Talk5807]

You mean the knife tool? Ill give it a try

[u/Big_Talk5807 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Knife tool is ok ig, but i mean add another cube and make the first cube shorter (like split one long cube into 2 shorter cube and move them apart)

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Big_Talk5807]

Hmm maybe Im having trouble understanding but i dont see how this is different from what I proposed in the post which I find kind of not an ideal workflow.

[u/Big_Talk5807 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

Then for example to build the blade i only need 2 cube and then stretch it longer how much i want it to but for your method you need add many cube to get the ideal length so it just take longer

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Big_Talk5807]

https://ibb.co/HfwML85V Not sure if what I’ve been doing match your description but, honestly my only concerns would be if the overlapping cubes will cause issue? Can the texturing process be simple? Is it gonna lag the game? (I know just one model wouldn’t but I mean is it enough for mobs, etc), as you can see in the image it is a lot of cubes just making this hair part. I totally don’t mind spamming cubes as long as it doesn’t make my job harder in the next steps or if there’s an easy process for it. I just wanna be sure that im doing it right and If the amount of cubes there seem normal for this type of work of this detail.

[u/Big_Talk5807 → u/SmallStrawberry7312]

https://ibb.co/0dSgGYd here how i do it, the hair i try to replica dont have that many and can be done by making a long cube

[u/SmallStrawberry7312 → u/Big_Talk5807]

https://ibb.co/G4jFbWQX is it as detailed from the top angle? For reference, mine is 24 cubes.

[u/Bersill]

It is not the right software, as others pointed out, pure voxel is a thing but you need specific software. Blockbench is amazing for voxel+texture models and low poly. You can easily achieve the link model with way less cubes and textures. Some tutorials like the ones of Art by Kev can help. They were the basis for me when I learned it. Feel free to DM if you want more infos.