Fantastic Voyage - Modelling the Mushroom

Modelling the Button Mushroom

I Increased the subdivisions of my shape to give me more modelling flexibility. However, I was unable to get the desired effect of a ‘button mushroom’. I therefore restarted with a sphere.

From the sphere, I extruded some faces to create the deformed cap of the button mushroom in my orthograph.

I manipulated the shape further by using a lattice.

To complete the model, I created a cylinder and formed a base. I used similar modelling methods to my tree structure.

The edge loop tool allowed me to define specific elements of my model, like the base.

Mapping this structure was simple. For the cap, I unfolded the shape as a cylinder and made some cut adjustments.

There was limited texture stretching on the stem of the mushroom model, which is good.

Modelling the Hyphae

I decided to model the hyphae as linear, without the curvy positioning seen in my orthograph; this gave the best results after I experimented with deformers.

With two hyphae, I can adjust their size and movements to create many variations.

Modelling the Mycellium

I created a second set of modelled hyphae, which will house the mycelium. These models demonstrate the fusing of hyphae, which ultimately creates the mycelium (not yet visible).

I extruded a small patch of faces and developed them into mycelium.

I hope to create a unique movement for the mycelium that will separate them from the hyphae.

Finally, I mapped-out the uv’s. I would like the mycelium to have a different texture to the rest of the mycelium.

Modelling the Developed Mushroom

I began modelling the fully formed mushroom by creating the ‘cap’, using organic and ununiformed geometry through lattice deformers.

I closed the underside of the cap as a base for the ‘gills’. The “fill hole” tool in the modelling tab was a useful item to be aware of.

I used the multi-cut tool to define the gills on my mushroom. I wanted this geometry to be simple, as this would prevent UV mapping challenges.

Starting with a polygon cylinder, I scaled the vertexes and edges to replicate the ‘stipe’ shape depicted in my orthographs.

I created some interest by forming a tendril-like base; cutting away at the cylinder with the ‘multi-cut’ tool and then translating the vertexes.

The ‘edge loop’ tool enabled be to create additional edges and helped to develop the base of the mushroom.

I was happy to discover the versatility of the ‘extrude’ tool, which allowed me to extrude an edge loop, which I formed into a ‘Volva’, a common characteristic of mushrooms.

Using a similar method to the base tendrils, I translated vertexes to create a rippling edge to the ‘volva’.

I expanded on this ‘extrude’ discovery further by applying the same method to creating an ‘annulus’.

The cap was relatively easy to map, using a ‘spherical’ map and then creating extra cuts around the gills, a discrete area.

Non manifold geometry was giving me trouble when I came to map the mushrooms stipe and volva, I had to revert to old save files and target the cause of the issue.

I simplified the base, removing the tendrils. This was more successful to map and ‘non-manifolds’ were no longer an issue.

The colour grids enabled me to register a map as either successful or incorrect.

Modelling the Spore

I aimed to model three separate components of the spore. This first layer will be opaque, enabling the viewing of inner-layers.

This internal shape will hopefully be visible when all materials have been assigned. I used lattices to create irregular shapes, suggesting they’re organic and natural organisms.

This shape will sit in the centre of the spore, I could potentially use a ‘sine’ deformer to create a small amount of movement. I hope to give this piece of geometry a proper texture.

This image demonstrates the three layers of my modelled spore.

Mapping the spore elements was very simple. I didn’t map the exterior shape, as this only needs an opaque standard surface.

Modelling the Basidium

I started modelling the basidium by creating a basic polygon cube, adding subdivisions before scaling the shape and removing the end faces.

I used the multi-cut too to create faces that I could extrude into individual basidium. I also had the idea of Layering them up for depth in the final animation.

I used the ‘circularize’ too to remove any sharp edges and unnatural angles on my basidium.

I followed the same principles to fill the cube with varying basidium.

I kept the mapping process simple by separating all the components, which cancels out any texture distortion issues.

I then duplicated the model and re-saved it. This allowed me to create a variation with developing spores on the end of the basidium (only one is necessary for my animation).

Finally, I mapped the basidium model again to accommodate for the new ‘developing spore’ holdings.