Maya Skateboard

This is my model of a skateboard created in Maya. This was quite a difficult model, as the trucks were quite complicated shapes that were not easy to reproduce. The process of creating this has helped to strengthen my understanding of using edge loops and shape manipulation to create complicated shapes.

The first thing I modeled was the board itself. I used a cube and inserted edge loops in areas where I needed to create a curve. I then raised the edges on both ends using symmetry tools to create the tail and the nose on each end.

Rather than trying to sculpt the long rectangle I had on each end I opted to use a new shape to create the ends. I used a cylinder, cut it in half and used the bridge tool to connect them to each end. I then beveled the whole thing to give it a rounded edge.

I them moved onto the trucks. I started with a cube and made a cuboid. I created an edge loop and scaled the edges on top inwards to create a more detailed shape. I then created two edges on the top face and extruded them out to create another cuboid on top. I continued to insert a few edges to create the base of the trucks.

The next step was to make the 'T' shape that holds the wheels. I started with a cube, selected the bottom half of the edges and scaled it inwards to create a 'funnel' shape. I then pulled out the edges on either side (using symmetry) to create the 'T' shape. I added many edge loops throughout to create a rounded edge. I am pleased that I was able to reconstruct this shape, as I was initially unsure as to how to create it but was able to finish it without many mistakes. I also created an initial shape for the rubber (the cylinder part), but I would later scrap this.

I used a torus shape for the wheels. I scaled it inwards to make it thinner and pulled in the edges a little on the inside of the donut to create a more uniform, unrounded ring in the center

I added bearings and a nut to the inside of the wheel. I used a torus for the bearing, flattening the sides to make it flat, and another torus for the nut. I then added a small cylinder through the nut to simulate the part of the trucks the wheels are screwed on to. I duplicated it, rotated it, and placed it on the other side to create two finished wheels.

Following this was the hardest part of the trucks, the rubber. I needed to connect the existing 'T' shape to another part (the cylinder from earlier). I created a new cylinder. with another cylinder underneath that was scaled inwards at the bottom. I then tried various methods of creating the curved bit of metal that surrounded the rubber. I tried a torus, which ended up looking too smooth and out of place. I also tried a cylinder, which put too much of the mesh inside itself, creating messy topology. I settled on using a cylinder, but adding an edge loop around the top face where I would cut a hole. and pull half of the edges out to connect to the 'T' shape. It is a hard thing to explain, and really I was just improvising as I went along and seeing what worked. Eventually I got it to look decent. I pulled some faces out of the 'T' shape (using even more edge loops) to connect it together.

All that was left was to duplicate and rotate the trucks to create a second pair (luckily they are identical) and I was done. As previously mentioned I learned a lot about creating unorthodox shapes with this model. It is not perfect, there are areas with overlapping topology and the trucks are not exactly spot on, but I was satisfied with it and happy with how it turned out.