Cartoon Character Model

I was initially unsure what character to design for Alan and increasingly become more and more distance from the modelling procedure many challenges where awaiting me rigging it and texturing were some of the requirements for the task set. From the character design project a simple character was designed and ready to model taking this in consideration the character was set and ready for me to begin.

A vast amount of time was taken on modelling and developing the structure of the characters face I think maybe too much time and focus was taken on getting the face just right as I was trying to go for perfection although I’m not at the high standard I’d like to be more practise is needed. Thinking back on the modelling phase I had observed myself and noticed the things running though my mind this in turn enabled me to graft a reasonable successful character.

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  Flow - Ways in which the geometry is facing also where the edges are leading.
  
  
  
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  Shape - Making use of quads on my character.(avoiding any triangles) 
  
  
  
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  Size - Correct distance between edges and taking in account volume.
  
  
  

 I believe its true of all cartoon characters they will never be exact or precise here I am referring to the correct proportions (width, height) to the drawing sketches whatever the case maybe in comparatively to modelling in Maya and programme such as this, therefore the process of imagination comes into play in some circumstances you are the sole creator of the character that you have designed which leaves you with the decisions on the scope of the character. I believe this was true to my character he had already been pictured in my mind and now comes to life when modelled.

Fidel Character

Head Detail

Hand detail

Rigging

The greatest challenge I had faced on the is model was the skinning process, I decided from the beginning I was going to paint the weight onto the model although I have recently experienced using the component editor to edit the skinned model and individual vertices, the alternative was painting the weights and therefore this proved to be time consuming as I was still getting to gripes with it. Those of you that are familiar with skinning and rigging this image clearly indicate the deformation of the models geometry when the joints are being animated.

Skinning

Texturing

In some cases the piece that you have created has something missing from it, its evidence that textures that are applied to your model/models bring it to life adding character. In addition to the problems I am facing with Maya in general texturing is an issue that needs to be resolved, on of the way I’m planning on reviewing and going over the 1st years tutorials just to allow myself to come to terms with some of the things that are involved within texturing i.e. maps, nodes, the attrbutes and so on.

Whilst testing a few things using the hyper shade I discovered a quick easy simple way of creating a eye that would have been incorporated with my character, as my the model I sculpt is based on a cartoon character this eye using a ramp 2d texture node works well in relation to simple design.