Body Tutorial

Thanks alot for all the info, bazza, hope it didn’t look rude with me not replying for a long time but i haven’t been able to get on the internet for a while. thanks again!

This ones for Phoenix and anyone else thats interested. The model is a low polly figure,in fact the first one I built.I’ve had a bit of a problem getting the downloads to below 80k so have had to cut a few corners. The thing to keep in mind with this sort of figure is that you are modelling the clothes and not the human figure. Imagine someone wearing a baggy pair of jeans, they wouldn’t look anything like a pair of human legs, at least I hope not!! So to the model, I wanted a Robin Hoood style Merry Man type figure with short sleaves and boots. Image one is the finished item ready for animation.

Image Two is the model with all its component parts MERGED and ready for skinning. I do usually do a test animation at this stage just to make sure all the joints are working correctly.

Starting with the basic block from the head tutuorial make a basic half torso shape(right hand side only) as in Block1.
Selct EDIT USING OBJECT COORDINATES and SOLID OUTLINE from the Visible objects menu.
Start adding extra points and faces by dividing edges and using create edge from the operations panel and work toward block two and then toward block three, and finally to block four where you delete all the faces from the left hand side.

Mirror block four along it’s x axis and working along the centre line of the torso weld all adjacent points. You now have a finished torso.

The arms are formed using similar meathods.
Starting with arm one work towards arms two and three, making sure you add extra points and faces around the joints(elbow, wrist and shoulder). Make a copy of the arm, flip along the x axis and position both arms with the torso, first in a normal position and check for scale,then in the outstreched, at rest position.

Legs are made in the same way as the arms, again remembering to add extra points and faces around knees and ankles.
Take care now to position all the arms and legs correctly in the at rest position as in Image one and two(see first post) and add the head from the head tutorial. You need the figure in this ‘at rest’ position so you can skin the model much easier.
Working round the limbs Merge each limb in turn to the torso including the head.
You will now have a single mesh figure as in Images one and two. Job done. Except of course for skinning and animation!!
As I mentioned this is a very basic way of building figures but after a while you will end up with a good collection of bits, arms, legs, heads,torsos etc. and it then becomes much quicker to put a new figure together.
Hope this is of help to someone.

Bazza

Just a final idea to show how easy it is to change a figure. If you slimmed this one down especially around the face,added a bit of stubble to the face when you paint the skin, lengthened the sleeves,change the waist belt into a gun belt add a Les Patterson style hat and you’d have a Clint Eastwood Jose Wales type figure! So if your stuck for a project give it a try.

Bazza

I’ve sent Richard this and two other figures each with a walking animation and a skin. He’s put them in the Model download section so if your after a low poly figure to play around with take a look.
The trio includes, Serfman, the Wizard and the Grim Reaper.Use them as you wish, I would be interested to see any changes/additions you make.

Bazza