Modeling a Character in 3DS Max, 2nd Edition

Modeling a Character in 3DS Max, 2nd Edition

by Paul Steed
Released January 2005
Publisher(s): Jones & Bartlett Learning
ISBN: 9780763798130

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Book description


In this update to his best-selling character modeling book, professional modeler and animator Paul Steed shares a number of tips, tricks, and techniques that have made him one of the industry’s most recognized 3D artists. Modeling a Character in 3ds max, Second Edition provides readers a professional-level skill set as it chronicles the creation of a single low-poly real-time character from concept to texture mapping, and gives insight into the process of creating a high-resolution character.

Learn how to model with primitives; use extrusions and Booleans; mirror and reuse models; optimize the mesh; create and apply textures; loft shapes.

Table of contents

  1. Book Cover
  2. Title
  3. Contents
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Introduction
  6. Part I: Design
    1. Chapter 1: Design Fundamentals
      1. Limitations (1/2)
      2. Limitations (2/2)
      3. Make It Cool
      4. Drawing Skills
      5. Proportions
      6. Reference Material
      7. Influences
      8. Work Environment
    2. Chapter 2: Callisto Designed
      1. Background
      2. Makeover
      3. A Pose to Build By
      4. Getting Her into the Computer (1/2)
      5. Getting Her into the Computer (2/2)
        1. Step 1: Scan the Sketch
        2. Step 2: Save It
        3. Step 3: Resize the Images in Photoshop
        4. Step 4: Darken It
        5. Step 5: Save It Again
  7. Part II: Modeling
    1. Thoughts on Modeling
    2. Chapter 3: The Guide Objects
      1. Step 1: Bring the Image into max
      2. Step 2: Create the Guideline Objects
      3. Step 3: Attach the Lines
      4. Step 4: Create the Rest of the Guidelines
      5. Step 5: Scale the Guideline
      6. Step 6: Make and Adjust the Head Reference Object (1/2)
      7. Step 6: Make and Adjust the Head Reference Object (2/2)
    3. Chapter 4: The Head & Face
      1. Step 1: Create a Geosphere
      2. Step 2: Scale the Geosphere to Fit the Guide
      3. Step 3: Delete Half the Geosphere
      4. Step 4: Tweak the Shape of the Geosphere (1/2)
      5. Step 4: Tweak the Shape of the Geosphere (2/2)
      6. Step 5: Add Vertices by Dividing Edges
      7. Step 6: Tweak the Shape Some More
      8. Step 7: Switch Viewports and Tweak Some More (1/2)
      9. Step 7: Switch Viewports and Tweak Some More (2/2)
      10. Step 8: Mirror the Head Half as a Reference Object
      11. Step 9: Shape the Mouth (1/2)
      12. Step 9: Shape the Mouth (2/2)
      13. Step 10: Build the Eye Area (1/2)
      14. Step 10: Build the Eye Area (2/2)
    4. Chapter 5: The Hair
      1. Step 1: Extrude Faces from the Head
      2. Step 2: Move the Vertices to Match the Guide
      3. Step 3: Add Vertices Using Edge Cut (1/2)
      4. Step 3: Add Vertices Using Edge Cut (2/2)
      5. Step 4: Weld Excess Vertices
      6. Step 5: Just Match the Guide
      7. Step 6: Weld the Two Halves Together
      8. Step 7: Make Final Face Tweaks
      9. Step 8: Shift-Drag Edges to Add the Bangs
      10. Step 9: Flip “Wrong” Facing Normals
      11. Step 10: Connect the Bangs to the Head
    5. Chapter 6: The Torso
      1. Step 1: Create the Spline Cage Object
      2. Step 2: Apply Surface Tools
      3. Step 3: Move and Adjust the Vertices of the Spline
      4. Step 4: Delete Any Unnecessary Geometry
      5. Step 5: Create the Breast Shape
      6. Step 6: Boolean the Breast onto the Torso
      7. Step 7: Cap the Faces of the Torso
      8. Step 8: Perform the Boolean
      9. Step 9: Clean Up the Boolean Result (1/2)
      10. Step 9: Clean Up the Boolean Result (2/2)
      11. Step 10: Add Some Clothing (1/2)
      12. Step 10: Add Some Clothing (2/2)
      13. Step 11: Use Soft Selection to Reduce the Chest Size
    6. Chapter 7: The Legs
      1. Step 1: Make a Cylinder
      2. Step 2: Shape the Cylinder to Match the Guide (1/2)
      3. Step 2: Shape the Cylinder to Match the Guide (2/2)
      4. Step 3: Boolean the Leg to the Torso
      5. Step 4: Clean Up the Vertices of the Boolean Seam (1/2)
      6. Step 4: Clean Up the Vertices of the Boolean Seam (2/2)
      7. Step 5: Shape the Hip Area (1/2)
      8. Step 5: Shape the Hip Area (2/2)
      9. Step 6: Shape and Position the Rear for Attachment (1/2)
      10. Step 6: Shape and Position the Rear for Attachment (2/2)
      11. Step 7: Attach the Rear and Complete the Shape
      12. Step 8: Copy and Mirror the Lower Torso and Leg (1/2)
      13. Step 8: Copy and Mirror the Lower Torso and Leg (2/2)
    7. Chapter 8: The Back, Neck & Shoulders
      1. Step 1: Shape the Back (1/2)
      2. Step 1: Shape the Back (2/2)
      3. Step 2: Create the Neck Mass Using Face Extrude
      4. Step 3: Refine and Optimize the Neck Mass (1/2)
      5. Step 3: Refine and Optimize the Neck Mass (2/2)
      6. Step 4: Prepare the Torso for the Shoulder
      7. Step 5: Extrude and Shape the Shoulder (1/2)
      8. Step 5: Extrude and Shape the Shoulder (2/2)
      9. Step 6: Copy, Mirror, and Attach the Shoulder
      10. Step 7: Make More Refinements
      11. Step 8: Build the Neck/Shoulder Strap (1/2)
      12. Step 8: Build the Neck/Shoulder Strap (2/2)
      13. Step 9: Prep the Neck Surface and Attach the Strap (1/2)
      14. Step 9: Prep the Neck Surface and Attach the Strap (2/2)
    8. Chapter 9: The Arms
      1. Step 1: Merge an Arm from Another max File
      2. Step 2: Shape and Attach the Arm (1/3)
      3. Step 2: Shape and Attach the Arm (2/3)
      4. Step 2: Shape and Attach the Arm (3/3)
      5. Step 3: Mirror-Copy the Arm to the Other Side (1/2)
      6. Step 3: Mirror-Copy the Arm to the Other Side (2/2)
      7. Step 4: Add Detail to the Left Arm
      8. Step 5: Loft the Tubing for the Left Arm
      9. Step 6: Build the Left Shoulder Pad (1/2)
      10. Step 6: Build the Left Shoulder Pad (2/2)
    9. Chapter 10: The Boots
      1. Step 1: Merge a High-Res Boot
      2. Step 2: Identify Key Vertices of the Boot
      3. Step 3: Hide More Non-Essential Vertices of the Boot (1/2)
      4. Step 3: Hide More Non-Essential Vertices of the Boot (2/2)
      5. Step 4: Build the Low-Res Boot (1/2)
      6. Step 4: Build the Low-Res Boot (2/2)
      7. Step 5: Optimize the Low-Res Boot
      8. Step 6: Mirror the Boot to the Other Side
    10. Chapter 11: Optimizing the Mesh
      1. Optimization Explained (1/2)
      2. Optimization Explained (2/2)
        1. Consolidation
        2. Hidden Geometry
        3. Sacrifice
        4. Relative Face Distribution
      3. The Head (1/2)
      4. The Head (2/2)
        1. Step 1: Optimize the Hair
        2. Step 2: Optimize the Forehead and Eyes
        3. Step 3: Optimize the Mouth and Chin
        4. Step 4: Optimize the Nose
      5. The Body (1/12)
      6. The Body (2/12)
      7. The Body (3/12)
      8. The Body (4/12)
      9. The Body (5/12)
      10. The Body (6/12)
      11. The Body (7/12)
      12. The Body (8/12)
      13. The Body (9/12)
      14. The Body (10/12)
      15. The Body (11/12)
      16. The Body (12/12)
        1. Step 1: Detach the Arms
        2. Step 2: Use Polygon Counter
        3. Step 3: Optimize the Throat and Upper Shoulders
        4. Step 4: Detach the Asymmetrical Chest Geometry
        5. Step 5: Delete Half the Body
        6. Step 6: Optimize the Back, Sides, and Midsection
        7. Step 7: Optimize the Chest
        8. Step 8: Optimize the Rear
        9. Step 9: Optimize the Legs
        10. Step 10: Give the Body One Last Look
        11. Step 11: Copy, Mirror, and Join the Optimized Body Half
        12. Step 12: Tweak and Attach “Frontal”
        13. Step 13: Optimize the Arms
        14. Step 14: Optimize the Hand by Turning It into a Fist
  8. Part III: Texturing
    1. Chapter 12: Mapping the Head
      1. Texturing Explained
        1. UVW and XYZ
        2. Applying Coordinates
      2. “Skinning” Your Character (1/2)
      3. “Skinning” Your Character (2/2)
        1. Method One
        2. Method Two
        3. Steed Method
      4. The Head (1/11)
      5. The Head (2/11)
      6. The Head (3/11)
      7. The Head (4/11)
      8. The Head (5/11)
      9. The Head (6/11)
      10. The Head (7/11)
      11. The Head (8/11)
      12. The Head (9/11)
      13. The Head (10/11)
      14. The Head (11/11)
        1. Step 1: Apply an Edit Mesh Modifier
        2. Step 2: Arrange the Elements
        3. Step 3: Adjust the Vertices for a Planar Projection
        4. Step 4: Apply a UVW Map Modifier
        5. Step 5: Use Texporter to Create a Bitmap Template
        6. Step 6: Create and Apply the Material
        7. Step 7: Apply Unwrap UVW and Turn Off Edit Mesh
        8. Step 8: Tweak UV Problem Areas
        9. Step 9: Use Texporter, Make a New Bitmap, and Reload It
        10. Step 10: Refine the Bitmap in Photoshop
        11. Step 11: Load the New Bitmap and Tweak the UVs
        12. Step 12: Assign Mapping Coordinates to the Bangs
        13. Step 13: Create and Apply the Material to the Bangs
    2. Chapter 13: Mapping the Rest of Callisto
      1. Minor Adjustments…
      2. Creating a Quick and Easy Leg Texture (1/3)
      3. Creating a Quick and Easy Leg Texture (2/3)
      4. Creating a Quick and Easy Leg Texture (3/3)
        1. Step 1: Apply an Edit Mesh Modifier
        2. Step 2: Position and Adjust the Elements
        3. Step 3: Apply a UVW Map Modifier
        4. Step 4: Make the Bitmap Template with Texporter
        5. Step 5: Align the Mapping Gizmo to the View
        6. Step 6: Merge Lights into the Scene
        7. Step 7: Apply a Material
        8. Step 8: Set the Background Color to Gray
        9. Step 9: Render the Scene
        10. Step 10: Create and Apply a New Material
        11. Step 11: Apply Unwrap UVW and Turn Edit Mesh Off
      5. Arranging the Body Pieces (1/4)
      6. Arranging the Body Pieces (2/4)
      7. Arranging the Body Pieces (3/4)
      8. Arranging the Body Pieces (4/4)
        1. Step 1: Arrange the Torso Elements
        2. Step 2: Arrange the Leg Elements
        3. Step 3: Arrange the Right Arm Elements
        4. Step 4: Arrange the Left Arm Elements
        5. Step 5: Arrange the Boot Elements
        6. Step 6: Arrange the Elements and Assign the UVW Map
        7. Step 7: Attach Head to Body and Reorganize the UVs
        8. Step 8: Make a New Bitmap Template with Texporter
        9. Step 9: Create and Apply the Template Material
        10. Step 10: Create the Final Texture/Material
        11. Step 11: Copy, Mirror, and Attach the Missing Geometry
  9. Final Thoughts
    1. Design
    2. Modeling
    3. Texturing
  10. Appendix: Building Cover Callisto
    1. Using the Push Modifier
    2. Using Slice Plane (1/2)
    3. Using Slice Plane (2/2)
    4. Lofting Callisto’s Hair
      1. Create the Loft Paths
      2. Create the Loft Shape
      3. Loft the Shape
      4. Adjust the Loft Parameters
      5. Deform the Loft Object
      6. Add Edit Mesh and Delete Backfaces
      7. Adjust the Loft Sub-Objects
    5. Creating the Other Hair Strand Layers
    6. Texturing the Hair Strands — Tweak the UVWs First
    7. Get Good Hair Textures
  11. Index (1/2)
  12. Index (2/2)
  13. About the CD
  14. CD/Source Code Usage License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Modeling a Character in 3DS Max, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Paul Steed
  • Release date: January 2005
  • Publisher(s): Jones & Bartlett Learning
  • ISBN: 9780763798130