(Image heavy post!)
I like images, especially when it comes to showing how things are done... So the following post is a very image-heavy post about how I created a 3d-figurine for a GURPS pen & paper role-playing game. I did one for each of the player-characters because we had decided to use models for the battles, but also because I wanted to try 3d-printing. If you reach the bottom of this post (good luck) you will see the small scale model made on @evilhippie's Ultimaker 2. (If you are interested in 3d-print or any other creative crafts follow his profile.)
The model was made in Blender, a great open source 3d-application on my trusty Mageia Linux machine, and was based on a drawing by the player. I will add some comments below the images, but the images should tell most of the story.
Some simple geometry to start with
Now with shoulders: notice the 3d-pencil that I used as reference.
The neck and the arms added. I only model one side and then the program mirrors it.
Same as above but with the Catmull-Clark algorithm that smooths and doubles the polygons.
The Face is added. I now use the smoothing of the box model constantly to see what is going on.
The head from behind.
Kind of a status image to be compared with the next.
I have added the feet and the arms are prolonged and fitted to the body.
This is done to make the printer build the model without support-columns. The printer builds in layers from the bottom and up. And it can't start out in the open air. By connecting the arms to the body the printer will be able to connect the limbs.
The feet are connected to a temporary base.
First part of the hair.
Second part of the hair.
The head from behind
Hands and a dagger
As explained above the whole thing must be connected and the angle not too flat. There are a few angles here that are too flat.
As I planned to use the sculpt tools I did not bother to make the hands too precise.
Premature try-out with the sculpt-tools - I reverted this version because something important had to be done first. (see next image)
The feet are attached to the base!
Here you can see the unnecessary high resolution I used.
The finished figurine with a new sculpt-finish.
...And another image from the left.
And from behind.
... And a close-up!
Finally the printed version. The Ultimaker is normally used for a bit larger prints, but the model is there and can be used again when @evilhippie buys a fine detail resin-printer (or what they come up with next... )
Edit: please take a look at this post and you can see the Ultimaker 2 machine in action:
https://steemit.com/fantasy/@evilhippie/3d-printing-henna-the-faunette.
brilliant, i got a davinci mini a few months ago, great 1st 3d printer but now i need an upgrade, wouldnt mind being able to print much larger items and better quality, great post keep em coming :)
also considering getting an occulus rift for vr 3d design, what do you think ? :)
Everything 3d I just use the tools of @evilhippie - including the Oculus Rift :)
I am not sure about the oculus for modelling. I have had the opportunity to try it ous because my work has one, and one of the projects I am currently involved in uses it. It was a very nice experience in the sense that it felt very intuitive and it was pretty ok for sculpting. However, it didnt have the full workflow, so I would expect som issues with importing /exporting from another 3d application like maya or blender og mudbox or whatever . On the other hand it is a great toy, so if you can afford one do go ahead :-)
If you want to buy a new printer, the best value for money at this moment i would say is the Creality CR-10
(i want to upgrade to it :) )
Youtubers that make 3d printing video's are extreem positive about this machine and have made very nice review video's about it, and there is a big active community behind it.
It sells for around 400 dollar and can print 300 x 300 x 400mm
Results from this printer:
I didn't do the actual printing myself, but I saw that @evilhippie just posted about how he does. You can see it here: https://steemit.com/fantasy/@evilhippie/3d-printing-henna-the-faunette
And congrats with the davinci - it's crazy fun to be able to print objects
nice work
sweet, must be so nice to see that come through. I've been wanting to try 3d printing for some time myself
Well, it's like this:
A strange and funny process, because the actual work is made on a completely flat screen.
/flails/
That's so cool!!
I've always wanted a 3D printer, ever since I first heard about them = w = )
THEY'RE SO COOOOOOOLLLL JFLAJLFSJLFJSLJFLS
But then, I'm too scared to use Blender since my computer isn't holding up too well lately :v
I'd like to be able to get back into 3D modeling. It can be kind of relaxing! And it's really fun seeing what kinds of things I can put together :3c
I always get a headache :) I am so much a 2d person that my brain have to go on overdrive, but it is fun! Not sure if Blender can implode your computer, but all 3D is heavy loads for the CPU and GPU. But it would be fun to see what you come up with. I think you have a great feel for poses - would be interesting what you could come up with in Blender.
Heh, I actually got into Blender from trying to make my own MikuMikuDance models :D
But then I wound up ditching MMD when I found animating was easier in Blender anyway LOL
I still have trouble rigging up the bone weights, though :/
But I actually use Blender to make backgrounds sometimes! :D
I was working on a commission a while back, and the room was all huge an circular and??? I was having trouble figuring out the proportions, so
Bloop, problem solved! :D
I actually kinda wanna make some 3D models to help with a comic I'm working on, but - again, scared my computer will break down again ; w ;"""
Oh hey, speaking of - when I post comics, is it okay if I just? Kind of like?
Come up to you and ask what you think about it?? XD;;
I don't really know many other comic artists on Steemit, and you seem to know what you're talking about :3c
I'd like to get critiques on my stuff from time to time... well, not just random critiques out of nowhere, those tend to rub me the wrong way? Though usually that's just if somebody I don't know randomly comes up critiquing my stuff even though I didn't ask for it XDD;;;;;
Like, there's a time and place for everything, why is this person coming up critiquing my random fanart on deviantART I just made that for fun it's not supposed to be perfect lfjaljf;sjfksjljas /flails/
But I guess what I'm saying is, do you mind if I ask your opinion on my work sometimes? I thought about asking your thoughts on something recently, but I didn't want to seem like I was just plugging my stuff;;;;;;
No, I don't mind at all - (giving my cocksure opinion). I set up a RSS-feed with the profiles that interest me most and I just added you. I'll try to upvote you on a more stable basis.
As for the 3d - It is really a great tool and I have used it successfully for backgrounds in cartoons (films) with very simple geometry, basically just boxes. It is a very fast way of getting the right lines, and it is easy to add windows and decorations without actually modelling them. It can also be used as a guide for lightning as you have done in the circular room.
I think that it is a good idea to use as many lines from the geometry as possible. The small upper left window has polygon lines in the ceiling and the cirkular building, and some of those lines would give a better impression of the room.
Ah, thank you!;; I'll do my best to post more nice things! ><;;
How does an RSS work, though? Does it notify you if somebody posts something?
I've seen RSSes before, but I've never been totally sure what I was looking at LOL
Oh, I didn't know you did animation too! What kinds did you do? Do you post anything to YouTube? :3c
But yeah, with the room? I'm not sure having the geometric lines would have made sense, even if it'd look nicer XD
It's supposed to be a sort of smooth stone surface? Although now that I'm looking at it, those areas do look kind of plain lol.
Though parts of it are covered with webs in the final picture. It's [here] if you'd like to see it o 3 o)
The RSS is just a file that you can get via a feed reader - there's lots of them - I just use the one that i native to my Linux windows-manager. The site streemian.com creates rss feed for all profiles... Here's yours: https://streemian.com/rss/@platonicsironic - you can get your reader to check the file and notify you with say 30 minuttes - an hours interval... 5 minutes if you like, too. It's quite handy, actually.
As for animation - I did some back when I did not hide behind the Katharsisdrill-mask - all kinds of things mainly in 3d-studio MAX. But I had a friend that did all the character animation and one that did the rigging, which is completely impossible in my opinion. If you want to know more about it try to see if @evilhippie posts something about it - he's the expert - and if he is too much into swords and hammers just ask him - I am sure he will be glad to make something about rigging characters.
Here's a low-budget video I partook in making. We were three making it and for once I wasn't the director. It's nice sometimes to just be a private taking orders. But I made the 3d animations, 3d modelling and about half of the artwork.
One last thing - I am working on a post about creating backgrounds for my comic and I want to ask if I can use your two blender images above as an example of using 3d-references - Then I could mention you and your profile.
dizzy
What is a reader? I've never used Linux before, I've just always used Windows, haha;;
*is not ver tec-saavy
*at all oeL
Oh, but I do like swords and hammers :3c Well, I'm more of an axe person myself lol. But thanks, I'll check them out!
and yes, character rigging is the worst aljflsjlajfs
wistles Wow, this is a LOT of effects! Reminds me vaugely of one of Zebrahead's videos... except with a totally different tone XD (just the effects and the visuals kinda remind me of it a bit lol)
And sure! I wouldn't mind :3c
Though the second image isn't a blender image LOL. I traced over it for the drawing XD
Here's a few more shots, if you need them:
Cool! I hope to do 3d in the future. I have tried some free programs online and it's really fun to experiment with. Good job on this, I love how it's printed out too (3d print is still alien here!), are you coloring the printed version?
No, I just let them (there are 5 figurines) stay in the grey finish, but you can easily paint them. Good luck with the 3d :)
Man, this is so cool!! I wish I could afford a 3D printer, I have so many things to print :p
Printing models for RPG are freaking cool!! And I'm gonna start to save money for a DIY printer :3
And thanks for the information, my 3D modeling abilities are rubish so this will help!!
This specimen was my first work in Blender for a long time - I will try to post some of my later works... later. But it does give an idea of how to build thing in the Blender Catmull-Clark box-modeling method.
Good luck with the printer - you can of course have it made by others, but if you really need to make many things buying the printer yourself could be the cheapest solution. Also... you can start printing for other to have you r expenses covered.
This was a very good instruction,
on creating a figurine with the help of a 3d printer!
I was at first skeptical about some of your steps,
while looking solely on the images.
For example,
why would you connect the dagger to the whole body?
But thanks to your small explanations below the images, I was able to understand the idea behind it
in other words, what you had to do, to achieve a good result!
I'm deeply interested, where this will all lead to.
Keep your good work up!
One can see, that you put in a lot of work and effort!
In theory every part of the figurine shall be connected to the base and with an 45° up-slope. There is a very good add-on for 3d-print: https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Modeling/PrintToolbox
Thank you for telling me that!
The chances, that I will pick-up a 3d printer in the future, are high.
This might prove to be very helpful in the future!
Thank you, I enjoyed this!
I'm glad :)
I've seen people sell these online for a pretty penny. Great use of a 3d printer and if I get more serious about DnD with my friends I'll definitely need something like this.
yep there are even some company where you can get them cast in silver or bronze. This one was "just" in pla.
This was special game-master service :) But it actually really add to the game that the figurine is customized and made specially for the player. I had to stop them when they began moving the pieces around like they were toy-soldiers... I mean... role-playing is very close to children's play - I wouldn't want them to go all infantile.
Haha! yeah for sure.
very nice and detailed, just resteemed it ;D.
Thanks :)
Upvoted & RESTEEMED :]
Thanks mate!
❤
amazing work congrats
Thanks!
Amazing thanks!
thanks for your info
Your welcome!