CSE 464 - Character Pre-Production for 3D Animation

Assignment #3: Block Modeling and Pose Testing

Install Character Design Shelf

Like in the previous assignment the Character Design Shelf needs to be installed. Normally it should save to your Windows profile and update automatically, but in the case that it does not, you just need to go to the Windows start menu, paste the following path into "Search files and programs", and hit enter:

O:\unix\projects\instr\production1\install_capstone_shelves.py

And as before manually installing the shelves is an option. This week's updated Character Design Shelf is here:

CharacterDesignShelfA3.1.zip

Here's a refresher of which Maya preferences folders need which files:

  • Files in shelves → Documents/maya/2014-x64/prefs/shelves/
  • Files in icons → Documents/maya/2014-x64/prefs/icons/
  • Files in scripts → Documents/maya/2014-x64/scripts/

Note: "Documents" is where Maya's preference folders are usually found on Windows. Additionally, the 2014-x64 will be different if you're using another version of Maya.


Part 1: Block Modeling

Start with the skeleton created in the last assignment

Save as "assignment3_block_model"; file type .ma.

1. Block modeling the body

  1. Add block models to the spine joints

    1. Select center_root_bind_joint
    2. Shift select spine 1 through spine 3
    3. Press the block model button on the Character Design shelf:



  2. Model the blocks to match the silhouette of the body
    1. Switch to side camera view
    2. Select the chest block
      1. It might help to turn off joint selection so that the skeleton doesn't keep getting in the way of selecting the polygon block models.
      2. To do that, press the joint selection mask button on the toolbar at the top:

      3. Remember to turn joint selection masking back off when finished.

    3. Right-click the chest block and choose "Vertex".
    4. Select the vertices and move them out to match the chest in the side view drawing.
      1. It might help to switch to "world" move axis in the Move Tool settings.
      2. To do that, double-click the Move Tool in the Toolbox on the left:
      3. Click "World" in the "Move Axis" settings:


    5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 on the rest of the block in the body.
      1. It might help to use the scale tool when moving vertices so that the left and right sides can stay symmetrical.
      2. Select both left and right side vertices.
      3. Activate the Scale Tool by pressing the "r" hotkey or the button in the Toolbar:
      4. It will help keep the edge loops staright by setting the scale tool to "World" mode in the Scale Tool options (double-click the scale button in the Toolbar).

    6. Switch to front view and repeat steps 2 through 5 for the front of the body.

Your block model should now look something like this:


2. Block modeling the neck and head

Repeat steps 1A and 1B for the neck joint chain.

Your model should now look something like this:


3. Block modeling the legs

  1. Repeat steps 1A and 1B for the right leg joint chains.

  2. Mirror the right leg to the left side

    1. Select all of the blocks for the leg and foot
    2. Press "Shift-p" to unparent them from the skeleton
    3. Press "Ctrl-g" to group the blocks
    4. Press "Ctrl-d" to duplicate the group
    5. In the Channel Box set Scale X to -1 on the duplicate group

    6. Parent the right and left leg block models to the skeleton
      1. Select a block
      2. Shift-select the corresponding bone
      3. Press "p" to parent the block to the bone
      4. Repeat this step for all blocks on the legs and feet
      5. It might help when selecting the bones to turn on x-ray joints on the panel toolbar:

    7. Delete the temporary group nodes (These can be found in the Outliner)

Your model should now look something like this:


4. Block modeling the arms and hands

Repeat steps 1A and 1B for the right arm joint chain. When you get to the hand only add a block to the right_hand_bind_joint for now. We will be skipping the right_palm_bind_joint completely and adding blocks to the fingers later.

Repeat step 3B to mirror the right arm to the left side.

Your model should now look like this:

Save an iteration by clicking the button on the character design shelf. If you 've been doing this already then that's fine, too! The more often you save the better.

Additionally, save out a separate file with your progress up to this point as assignment3_checkpoint.ma and be sure to check in with one of the TAs during lab hours.


5. Refining the block model silhouette

  1. Add a vertical center edge loop to the chest

    1. Shift-right-click the chest block to bring up the polygon modeling marking menu, choose "Cut Faces Tool" option window.
    2. Set it to the YZ Axis plane and press "Apply"



    3. Select the faces on the sides of the chest and scale them down on the Z axis.



    4. Repeat this step for the rest of the blocks in the body, neck and head

  2. Refine the silhouette of the chest

    1. Shift right-click the geometry in object mode (right-click and select "Object Mode"). Choose "Insert Edge Loop".
    2. Click on the center edge loop about one third of the way down from the top



    3. Scale and move the edge loop to match the silhouette of the drawing. You can also select and move vertices individually. Look through front and side camera views to make sure it lines up from all angles.



  3. Refine the silhouette of the pelvis

    1. Add a horizontal edge loop to the pelvis block
    2. Model it to match front and side views



  4. Refine the silhouette of the head

    1. Add two horizontal edge loops to the head
    2. Model the new edge loops to match the front and side views
      1. It might help to use the Fader tool so you can see the drawing through the transparent block model.
      2. Select the block model and press the Fader button on the custom shelf
    3. From the side view, add a vertical edge loop to the center
    4. Model all vertices on the head to look good from front, side and perspective views.



  5. Add vertical center edge loops to the side of the body and neck

    1. From the side view add vertical edge loops to the blocks on the body and neck
    2. Model the vertices to a rounded shape in the perspective view



  6. Refine the silhouette of the legs

    1. Delete the leg and foot block models on the left side
    2. Add two horizontal edge loops to the right upper and lower leg blocks
      • Model the vertices to match the silhouette of the drawings
    3. From the side view add vertical edge loops to the upper and lower leg blocks
    4. From the front view add vertical edge loops to the upper and lower leg blocks
      • Model the vertices of the right upper and lower legs to look rounded in perspective view
    5. Add edge loops to the foot and toe as shown in the screenshot below
    6. Repeat step 3B to mirror the right leg to the left



  7. Refine the silhouette of the arms

    1. Delete the arm and hand block models on the left side
    2. Add two horizontal edge loops to the right upper and lower arm blocks
      • Model the vertices to match the silhouette of the drawings
    3. From the side view add vertical edge loops to the upper and lower arm blocks
    4. From the front view add vertical edge loops to the upper and lower arm blocks
      • Model the vertices of the right upper and lower arms to look rounded in perspective view
    5. Add edge loops to the hand block as shown in the screenshot below



    6. Sculpt the hand block so that it follows the curve of the knuckles. Additionally, the hand block should slightly overlap the knuckles as pictured below.



    7. Select the finger joints and repeat steps 1A and 1B to create block models on them. The faces at the base of the finger blocks will need to be pushed down slightly since the hand block overlaps the knuckles.



    8. Repeat step 3B to mirror the right arm to the left side.

      (Note that the picture below does not include the full hand block model.)

Remember to save your scene!


Part 2: Pose Testing

The next phase of block modeling is pose testing. This enables you to see if the proportions of your character work in 3D or not.

  1. Save a new copy of your block model file out as "assignment3_pose_testing"; file type .ma.
  2. Keyframe the skeleton in the model pose (The model pose is the pose that lines up with the front and side concept art, same as the above screenshots) .
    1. Select center_root_bind_joint
    2. Press the Select Skeleton button on the custom shelf.
    3. Hit the "s" hotkey to set a keyframe.
  3. Create poses for each of the following poses and keyframe the skeleton on every tenth frame: 0 (set a key for the initial model pose), 10, 20, 30, etc. Be sure to move the time slider forward to the next time value before posing the skeleton.

    Poses to create:
      1. Model Pose
      2. Relaxed/Idle Pose
      3. Crouch
      4. Push
      5. Pull
      6. Carry light object
      7. Carry heavy object
      8. Leaning to one side pulling leg up
      9. Leaning forward
      10. Bench sit (you don't need to make a bench unless you want to)
      11. Ground sit
      12. Arms reaching up
      13. Twist body left
      14. Twist body right
      15. Bend forward and touch toes



Turning in your files

Like last time you will be turning your files into Collect-It on catalyst. For this assignment, turn in the following:

  1. assignment3_block_model.ma
    • Finished block model from Part 1, no keyframes

  2. assignment3_pose_testing.ma
    • Pose file from Part 2 with keyframes

  3. A screenshot of each pose (15 in total)
    • Use the Snipping Tool in Windows (Start → All Programs → Accessories → Snipping Tool)
    • Save files named as: p01_model_pose.png, p02_relaxed.png, etc

Your assignment is due Thursday 8/14 at 6:00 PM.

In addition, you will be required to check in with the TAs during office hours at least once for this assignment. Make sure check in with your assignment3_checkpoint.ma file.