1. Introduction to 3D Art and Animation
Lesson E (week 5): Intro to Character Modeling: The Rough Human Form

2. Volume vs Strip Modeling for Characters
VOLUME MODELING: Start with a cylinder. Transform, Cut, and Extrude limbs to quickly match the overall rough form (with practice, in about an hour). This can then be used in a game or film to see the intended proportions in the pipeline; a film can start animating, and a game can start designing levels based on character dimensions, all while the character artist continues to cut and extrude more polished detail. Before adding a lot more polygons, the rough form is easy to adjust if different proportions are needed. This is also a great method for making the low-poly “Base Mesh” to then import into Zbrush or Mudbox for high-resolution work.
STRIP MODELING: Start with a single plane. [Shift]+ LeftClickDrag an edge to pull out the next polygon quad, and the next, to make “strips” of polys, looping around the form. This process is a good way to learn Edge Loops. The downside of Strip Modeling is that the team has to wait until the full character is in a nearly final, polished state before they get anything to work with in the film or the game, and the proportions are harder to adjust with so many polygons if the director suddenly needs changes.

3. REFERENCE IMAGE 1: Draw PREPARE YOUR REFERENCE IMAGE:
Draw or alter photos for proportional T-pose character images: front, left, and back (arms out, feet spread to shoulder width, head and torso straight up, symmetrical) NOTE: FrontView only needs left arm, and a 2nd image of that arms above, fingers spread.
PROPORTIONS: In Photoshop: Make key features line up by Scaling images proportionately (hold [Shift]): head top/bottom, eyes/nose-tip/mouth, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, knees, ankles. Use lines in a new layer to check, then hide lines layer. Use space efficiently: Move images together (close, no touching). Make sure all parts are visible, Merge to 1 layer.
DARKEN: Scanned pencil images need to be darker. Duplicate art layer [Cmd]+[J], set the upper layer Blending Mode to Multiply. Merge your layers. Open Image menu > Adjustments > Levels. On the right-side choose the black dropper, click on a dark line in your image to set that value (and darker) to full black (0/0/0). Choose the white dropper, click on a light area in your image to set that value (and lighter) to full white (255/255/255).
SIZE: Set the final size (2018x2048, 72ppi): Crop out extra space horizontally and vertically, leaving about 5-10 pixels around the images. In Image menu > Canvas Size set shorter side equal to longer side, for a square. In Image > Image Size set Resolution to 72 and then Pixel Dimensions Width = 2048 (a “Power of Two,” which works well with graphics rendering).
BACKGROUND to Grey: Create a new layer below your art. Use Paint Bucket [G] to fill new layer gray (200,200,200). Set art blending mode to Multiply so it has this gray background.
EXPORT: Choose File > Save As to export a .PNG: YourName_CharacterReference.PNG

4. REFERENCE IMAGE 1: Draw DRAWING NOTES:
While the body is mostly symmetrical, the hair is usually non-symmetrical, as are the big clothing folds and breaks. We will model those non-symmetrical elements only after we have finished and mirrored a full half.
Most human torsos in profile have a belly that curves out and a spine that curves in, making a “human bean.”
For this Tutorial we will call these drawn diagrams BackView, SideView, & FrontView.

5. REFERENCE IMAGE 2: Maya Import
LOAD YOUR REFERENCE IMAGE:
Open a new Maya file.
In the Front viewport choose View menu > Image Plane > Import Image.
Choose the reference image .PNG you created and hit [OPEN].
In the Persp viewport hit [W] and move this Image Plane backwards 1-3 grid squares on the Z-axis (blue arrow).
At the bottom of the Channel box, under Display Layers, Create a New Layer. Name it “Reference.” Select your Image Plane in the viewport or Outliner, RightClickHold on the new Layer and choose “Add Selected Objects.” Hit the empty square twice until it shows an “[R]”, for “fRozen.”
Now you can work in the scene without accidentally selecting this Image Plane, and you are ready to start modeling your character!

6. CHARACTER BODY 1: Cylinder
Step A. Create Your Torso Cylinder and Shape the Front
In the Persp viewport make a Polygon Cylinder. Name it “FrontMesh.”
In the Front viewport Move [W] the FrontMesh Cylinder so its bottom is at the base of the character pelvis in your reference image (the FrontView). Go to Shading menu > Xray to see through your geometry to the drawing, and the Show menu to turn off the Grid in the Front viewport.
In the Channel Box Inputs set the Radius and Height to about the size of your character torso, from pelvis to neck. Set Subdivision Axis=8 and Subdivision Height=5.
The 6 rows (from top to bottom) are meant to line up with the neck, shoulder, armpit, waist, hips, and crotch. RightClickHold to choose the Vertices component mode. Select around each row of vertices to Move [W] and Scale [R] UNIFORMLY (use the center lightblue Scale square!) in order to set each row to the correct height and width for your form.

7. CHARACTER BODY 2: Torso
Step B. Delete Half, Duplicate, Rotate, and Shape Your Torso Side:
In the Front viewport choose Face component mode, select all the faces on the character’s right side (your left) and hit [Delete], leaving only the mesh on their left side.
In Object Mode choose Edit > Duplicate Special [Option Box]. Set type = “Instance” and [Apply]. Move the Instance horizontally over the Character reference SideView. In the Channel Box name it “SideMesh” and set Rotate Y = -90.
RightClickHold for Vertex mode and shape the back and front contours to match your diagram. Be sure to widen the undercarriage and rotate the neck a bit forward. Because they are instances of each other, any change to one mesh will also change the other.

8. CHARACTER BODY 3: Limb Prep
Step C. Prepare hexagons for extruding arm and leg:
RightClickHold for Edge mode. In the second Polygon row from the top, select the middle vertical Edge. Scale it a bit larger, then hit [backspace] to remove it (“return it to a state of flux” – the polygon should still be visible in the resulting 6-sided shape, and we will extrude the arm from here).
In the bottom Polygon row, select the middle vertical edge. Scale it a bit larger. Then hit [backspace] to remove it. The leg will be extruded from that 6-sided shape.
In Persp view, click the vertex at the very bottom of the form (was once the center of the Cylinder base), and drag it down a little bit.
RightClickHold for Object mode to leave the SideMesh and select the FrontMesh.

9. CHARACTER BODY 4: Arm Extrude
Step D. Extrude Arm, Make Elbow:
Extrude and Flatten: In the Persp viewport, choose Face mode. Select the arm hexagon. Hit [Extrude] and [W] and pull out the new form. Non-Uniform scale the end flat (X-axis).
Get the Length: In the Front Viewport, move the end of the arm so it lines up with the wrist in your front-drawing (if you deselected the face, you can select around the vertices to move the end).
Make the Elbow: Choose Edge mode. Select through the long horizontal arm lines and hit [Connect] and [W] to draw an Elbow line. LeftDoubleclick to select the entire loop of this elbow. Non-Uniform scale the line flat (X-axis) and move it to match your drawing’s elbow.
Adjust: In the Top viewport, pull it “backwards” so the arm is slightly bent.

10. CHARACTER BODY 5: Leg Extrude
Step E. Extrude Leg, Make Knee:
Extrude and Flatten: In the Persp viewport, choose Face mode. Select the leg hexagon. Hit [Extrude] and [W] and pull down the new form. Non-Uniform scale the end flat (Y-axis).
Get the Length: In the Front Viewport, move the end of the leg so it lines up with the ankle in your front-drawing (if you de-selected the Face, you can select around the Vertices to move the end).
Fix the Dent: In the Persp viewport, choose Edge mode. Orbit the mesh [F] to see how the line from the crotch is denting the leg form. Move the two long edges around it to the side to remove the dent, making a nicer curve around the leg.
Make a Knee: Select through the long vertical leg lines and hit [Connect] and [W] to draw a knee line. LeftDoubleClick to select the entire loop of this knee. Non-Uniform scale the line flat (Y-axis) and move it to match your drawing’s knee.
Adjust: Go to Object Mode to select the SideMesh. LeftDoubleClick to select the knee loop, push it “forward” so the leg is slightly bent.

11. CHARACTER BODY 6: Footwear
Step F. Extrude and Shape the Foot:
In the Persp viewport, choose Face mode. Select the hexagon face at the bottom of the foot, hit [Extrude] and [W], and pull down.
In the Front viewport, line up the bottom of the foot with your reference image.
In the Persp viewport, Select the front three Faces on the foot, hit [Extrude] and [W], and pull “forward” to the end of the foot in your reference image.
Scale the end of the foot a bit smaller and move down until the bottom of the foot is flat.

12. CHARACTER BODY 7a: Hand Step G. Extrude and Shape the Hand and Thumb:
In Persp viewport, choose Face mode and select the hexagon Face at the end of your arm. Hit [F] to make this location the center of any orbit. We will extrude three times:
Hit [Extrude] and [W], and pull out a (a) wrist. Non-uniform scale [R] on the Z-axis to widen the end, and on the Y-axis to make a little bit flatter.
Hit [Extrude] and [W], and pull out a (b) palm. A thumb will be extruded from the side. Hit [Extrude] and [W], and pull out the (c) space between your thumb and your fingers.
MAKE A THUMB:
Select two faces: the one on the middle-front of the hand and the one directly below it on the palm. Hit [Extrude] and set Offset in the Extrude window to about 0.1 for an “inset” shape. In Vertex mode adjust vertices to make a hexagon for thumb extrusion.
In Face mode select this hexagon and [Extrude] out to about half the length of the thumb. Scale [R] it a bit larger. [Extrude] again and pull out the rest of the length, and Scale [R] a bit smaller. In Edge mode, DoublClick to select the middle joint line, and pull down slightly.

13. CHARACTER BODY 7b: Fingers
Step H. Cut Shapes for Fingers, Extrude and Start Joints:
Human fingers seen from the top emerge from a curve, and should also be modeled from a curve in the side view for a relaxed pose that is easier to rig for animation. These two curves– top and side– should be established before extruding fingers:
CUT SPACES: Orbit to view the side of the hand. In Edge mode use MultiCut to make three vertical lines separating the shape into four quads (fingers!). Cut a second line next to each of these three lines, to define spaces between the fingers.
MAKE SQUARES: Use Non-uniform Scale [R] to flatten the top and bottom of each finger quads, and move vertical edges until all four finger quads are relatively square.
TOP CURVE: In the Top viewport, Vertex mode, hit [4] to see wireframe and select around each finger quad’s four vertices to create the top curve: pinky moved back and rotated out, ring finger same but less so, middle straight forward, pointer slightly back and slightly out opposite pinky direction.
SIDE CURVE: In the Persp viewport, Face mode, orbit to hand side and move finger quads to set a side-curve: pinky down, ring finger down less, middle and pointer can stay put.
EXTRUDE FINGERS: Now, with all 4 finger quads and the spaces between them made and adjusted for top and side curves, [Shift]+select all 4 finger quads, hit [Extrude] and [W] and pull out. In the Top viewport, Vertex mode, select around each finger end to get the correct length.
FINGER JOINTS: Select through all 4 fingers, hit [Connect], set Segments = 2, hit [W].

14. SAVE and HIDE TORSOS Save Your File. Name it YourName_Character01.mb
Hide your character torso meshes:
In the Channel Box create a new layer, call it “Character_Mesh.”
Select your two meshes. RightClickHold on your new layer, hit “Add Selected Objects.”
Click the [V] on that layer to turn off the visibility of these meshes.
You are now ready to work on the CHARACTER HEAD.

15. CHARACTER HEAD 1: Profile
Step A. Make the Head 2D Shape:
In the Front Viewport, over the SideView diagram, use Mesh Tools > Create Polygon to click-draw the head and neck profile. Use as few clicks/vertices as possible. Try this:
Start with the front of the neck. Make 2 clicks to reach the jaw, 2 clicks for the chin, 2 for the lower lip, 2 for the upper lip, 1 to reach the nose, 2 for the nose tip, 2 for the nose bridge, 2 for the forehead, 6-8 around the head (draw the skull, NOT the hair) to reach the base of the skull, at ear-height, and 2 for the back of the neck. Hit [Return] to connect to the first vertex an complete the form. In vertex mode you can further adjust vertex position.
In Object Mode, click away and then click back on the profile shape. Make an Instance duplicate: Edit > Duplicate Special, choose Instance, make sure all scale values are the default 1.0, hit [Apply].
Move the Instance horizontally over the Character reference FrontView. In the Channel Box name it “Head” and set Rotate Y = 90. Move it in the Front viewport to get the line of the head profile as close to the center of the face reference as you can.

16. CHARACTER HEAD 2a: Extrude Rough Form
Step B. Basic Head Form, Extrude 1 of 4:
In Persp viewport, Face mode, select the head Face.
Hit [Extrude] and use the Extrude parameters window: In the Front viewport set “Local Translate X” to the width of the half nose, possibly as small as (0.1). Set a small Offset, such as (-0.1), to start the curve of the face. Hit [W] to complete the Extrude.

17. CHARACTER HEAD 2b: Extrude Rough Form
Step C. Basic Head Form, Cut and Extrude 2 of 4:
In Persp viewport, MultiCut or Connect from bottom to top of nose, to make it a distinct polygon.
Select the head Face (without the nose).
Hit [Extrude] and use the Extrude parameters window: In the Front viewport set “Local Translate X” to the width of the neck, which is also the side of the mouth, usually about (1.0). Set a medium Offset, between (-0.5) and (-1.0), to get cheek-curve. Hit [W] to exit Extrude.
In Persp viewport, Vertex mode, Target Weld the mouth corner vertices to make triangles, so the mouth will not continue extruding.

18. CHARACTER HEAD 2c: Extrude Rough Form
Step D. Basic Head Form, Cut and Extrude 3 of 4: The Neck
In Persp viewport, MultiCut or Connect across the top of the neck, to make it a distinct polygon.
Cut vertically down and horizontally across the neck middle to create structure for rounding the neck.
In Face mode, delete the polygon under the base of the neck and inside the mirror-center, to prevent future interior geometry.
Select the head Face (without the neck).
Hit [Extrude] and use the Extrude parameters window: In the Front viewport set “Local Translate X” to the side of the head/hairline, usually between (0.5) (1.0). Set a larger Offset, between (-1.0) and (-2.0), to get side-curve on the head. Hit [W] to complete the Extrude.

19. CHARACTER HEAD 2d: Extrude Rough Form
Step E. Basic Head Form, Cut and Extrude 4 of 4:
Select the side-of-head Face.
Hit [Extrude] and use the Extrude parameters window: In the Front viewport set “Local Translate X” to add some roundness to the side of the head, and define the shape that the ear will be Extruded from next: usually between (0.1) and (0.5). Set a larger Offset, between (-1.0) and (-2.0), to get closer to the ear-shape. Hit [W] to complete the Extrude.

20. CHARACTER HEAD 3: Extrude Ear
Step F. Shape and Extrude Ear:
Go to Object Mode to deselect the Head mesh and select the Profile mesh Instance. In the front viewport, in Vertex mode, match the reference SideView for the location an shape of the ear. You will likely need to adjust the edge lops at the back of the head to make the ear fit.
Select the eat-shape, hit [Extrude] and [W] to move the ear out. To smooth the transition from cheek to ear (so there is no weird robot-ear-shelf), Rotate [E] on the Y-axis and move the plane slightly back. Scale [R] to make the shape slightly bigger.
[Extrude] again, Move out and Scale in slightly to make the ear 3D.
[Extrude] a final time but push inward and Scale smaller for the ear canal.

21. CHARACTER HEAD 4: Even Tessellation
Step G. Move Big Vertical Edge Loops for Even Spacing:
In Persp viewport, note how the nose width works o the nose area, but the line that continues around he head and down to the chin is too close to the center. We want more evenly-spaced divisions around the head, called “Even Tessellation“
DoubleClick this line for the entire Edge-loop, hold down [Ctrl] and deselect the area around the nose. Move the loop (forehead, skull, mouth and chin) away from center to make even spacing to the next line. Adjust parts as needed.
Similarly adjust the other loops to get a nice skull curve in the Front viewport.

22. CHARACTER HEAD 8: Attach to Body
Step H. Line up Head and Body and Combine:
In the Persp viewport, adjust head position so it is lined up with the neck hole on the body. In particular, in the Front viewport, make sure they share the same center line.
Select the Body, [Shift] select the head, hit [Combine].
TargetWeld Edges and Vertices from head to body. MultiCut new Edges into the body as needed to meet each line from the denser head topology (surface structure).
In Objet mode, hit [F] and Orbit around the form to check your work.
You have now completed the basic half-form. With practice, all of this will take under an hour. This rough form can be mirrored and sent to a game or film team to test dimensions in the production pipeline, before moving forward with detailed revisions!

23. Character and Film Development Overview:
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:
Design and Modeling: Bind Pose, Edge Loops, Even Tessellation, and Quads
Unwrapping: prep, mapping/organizing, export UVs, paint, apply material
Rigging: joints, controls, hand/foot/eyes, skinning
NOTE: only keyframe the Controls. The underlying joint structure can be unbound, changed, and rebound, and the animation will still work.
Similarly, be sure to keyframe all controls for default, bind-pose at frame 1. This way, you can always return to frame 2, remove the skinning, alter the mesh, and reskin.
FILM DEVELOPMENT:
Story Concept, Storyboard, and ShotList with timed shots (30fps)
Zero Draft in 3D: Primitive sets, animate a single camera and a cylinder to act as a character-proxy for all shots: bookended camera and Character blocking, 2 frames per shot, starting at frame 10. Use just one camera: next shot starts one frame later!
Playblast and revise the Timing of shots as needed in the Graph Editor.
Replace Character-Proxy with modeled, rigged and skinned character (be sure frame 1 is bind pose) by just animating the master control to get blocking.
Animate character Root for weight shifts and limbs/core for poses.
Replace primitive sets with improved/textured models.
Add lighting and any needed VFX, and do test renders.
Render final sequences as JPEGs or PNGs and combine/modify/render in After Effects, ideally with audio for sound effects, dialogue, and music where applicable.

24. Delete History and Saving
As with all Maya modeling, please DELETE YOUR HISTORY every hour or two, and certainly before you save and close for the day to upload your work.
To guard against crashes and loss of work, please Save and Save As a new file every hour (so you can never lose more than an hour’s work): YourName_Character01.mb, YourName_Character02.mb, etc.
Save your work to an online repository every day (Dropbox.com, Google drive) so you have a backup in case your computer fails.