Andrew's Guide to Modeling/Rigging Success

Manuel_Andrew

1) Character Sheet. Create a good character design through reference gathering and developmental sketches. If possible, use existing back story or create one to help in developing the design. Once a direction is established, create a character sheet which contains a 5-point turn of the character (Most ideal setup), or at the very least a 3-point turn. Pose studies will also be good supplementary artwork to use as reference to help when you are handling the deformation of the rig. Face studies are also nice to have to apply more detail. Applying proper human or animal anatomy is advised.

2) Block In/Base Mesh. Create the main volumes of the character. Correct any anatomical issues that may be occurring from the original piece of concept art. It's okay to keep it at a low res polygon count.

3) Define Volumes/Sculpt. Choose your 3D sculpting software of choice (Zbrush is recommended) to import your blocked in model of the character. Start from the lowest sudivision level of the model and sculpt the details on the model. When you are no longer able to add more detail, raise up to a higher subdivision level. The main focus of this initial stage to show a clear separation of the different volumes in the body i.e. chest vs. shoulder.

4) Polish. Once you are up to higher subivision levels, you are getting into the finer details of the character i.e. skin texture. Keep polishing and sculpting until the model has a high level of detail. Do the same for clothes if the character's clothes are meshes.

5) Retopoligize. Once the model is completed to your level of satisfaction, import a lower resolution model of it into the 3D Package or retopology tool of your choice. Fix the topology of your mesh to contain only quads and have the edges flowing in the direction the muscles will flow so that the deformation will occur probably.

6) Skeleton Setup. Set up the joints/skeleton for the retopoligized mesh that you have. Place the joints in the proper areas, also making sure to fix the orientation of the joints so that axis's face the proper direction for each.

7) Skin Weighting. Paint the skin weights of your mesh so that they deform accordingly when you move the joints. Test often and in every manner and direction that each joint could bend to make sure the muscles are deforming properly. If needed, adjust joint placement if it will allow for better muscle deformation.

8) Rig Setup. Reference the final skeleton & make another copy of the skeleton within the file. You will be working with this copy of skeleton by adding all the rig controls to it. Import a low resolution poly version of your model and constrain each section to it's corresponding joint. Use this to make sure that the constraints on each joint are behaving properly. Start at the root of the character, and work down and up until you've covered all sections of the body. Set up IK/FK controls for hands, feet, and any other sections of the body that will be desired/needed.

9) Apply Weight Painted Mesh to Final Rig. Reference the polished weight painted mesh into the finalized rig file and constrain the joints of the weight painted mesh to the joints of the rig.

10) Final Polish/Blendshape. Continue to work on any deformation issues. Apply blendshapes to help any muscle deformations that are difficult to achieve with weight painting alone i.e. biceps, triceps, thighs, etc. Create blendshapes for the facial expressions as well covering all the mouth and eye shapes.