For this final project, I decided my goal would be to achieve what I had dreamed of learning from this class: how to model a character. Since I was never ever truly able to learn how to do this from this class due to the COVID-19 ruining it all, I decided it was time for me to explore the idea and learn it myself. Starting out with the goal of modeling an original character, I tried the following programs to see what would be easiest to learn from in less than a week:
- First Program: MeshMixer (FAILED)
- Second Program: Sculptris (Knew how to use it, but still not that easy for modeling)
- Third Program: Daz3D: (FAILED)
- Fourth Program: Fusion 360 (Was going to use it in conjunction with another program, but it was taking too long to model a more organic form like a character)
After trying out programs for about two hours, I decided to look everywhere on my apps on my laptop for some possible 3D software that I had not yet used and could help me realize this idea or a similar one for this final project. That's when I finally found a software that has been in front of my eyes this whole time and I hadn't even thought about using: Paint 3D.
Now, this program is probably one of the stranger 3D softwares to work with. This program puts together not only your drawing skills, but your ability to visualize something as a 3D model as you create it. This program is a very simple one: it offers varying brushes to color on the model, a tab for creating 2D drawn shapes, a 3D tab for extruding, editing and adding 3D forms, stickers, texts to add, an environment tab for editing lighting, and even the options to export images, videos, and the 3D object itself (although not compatible with other 3D softwares). Below is a picture of the looks of it:
After working it out and trying the program, I realized that a human character was going to take a lot longer to create for the small amount of time I actually had for the project itself, so I decided instead to model another kind of character: A cute, female penguin. To do this, I had to think in my had about how I would draw and model each part of the penguin. For example, the beak would need to be drawn from the side view, the feet from the top view, the bow from the front view, and so on. Here is a picture of the beginning of my process:
After many hours of drawing, modeling, fixing and adding small details with brushes, I present to you my final product in multiple lightings:
As an added bonus, here are some renders of her with the guitar from Disney Pixar's Coco that I modeled in a previous project in Fusion 360 (although customized for her):
Although not the character I had originally intended on modeling, I am very proud of how this turned out! Until I can learn on my own how model characters in more professional and complicated 3D softwares, Paint 3D will be by new go-to software to create more 3D models for practice, for my personal project, and just for fun! This will help me for when I soon have to take Intro to 3D animation, where my characters will come alive and take on a life of their own! Overall, I am happy with how much I have progressed in modeling 3D objects! This will be very helpful to my future career and greatest goal in life: to become a concept artist in character design or animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios and to have my personal project(s) come alive into actual Disney movies of the future! Thank you for everything:)
