Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Modeling/Low-Poly Character over a High-Poly model

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Description

Make a low poly character from a high poly model

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This is a short tutorial explaining one technique to model a low poly Game Engine character over a high poly model. There are many techniques to accomplish this (box modeling, combining shapes, etc) and this is just one of them. Please use your favorite modeling techniqes while following along.

Prerequisites: You know how to model and use the Blender UI.

Set-up

Open Blender and delete the default camera and cube. Select layer 2 and import a high poly model of your choice.

Divide your screen into three views, two 3d views on the top and the buttons view on the bottom.

Choose one 3d view for the front view and one for the side view. Select layer 1 and layer 2. You will make your model on layer 1 over the model on layer 2.

You can make your planes as large as you care to, and as close to the model on layer 2 as you choose.

When you want to check your model, just click layer 1.

Begin

Now place the 3d cursor on the forhead in the front view and check alignment in the side view as show in Fig 1 and from front view, insert a plane.

Fig 2, cursor placement.

With the plane still selected and in edit mode, add a mirror modifier, as in Fig 2, to simplify the modeling task.

Fig 2, add Mirror modifier.

Now grab the plane and move it to the right on the X axis.

Fig 3, adjust plane location.

From the side view, rotate the plane on the X axis to match the angle of the model, Fig.4.

Fig 4, adjust plane rotation.

Select the right edge of the plane and extrude it on the X axis, Fig. 5

Fig 5, extrude on the X axis.

With the right edge still selected, grab on the Y axis and pull it into the edge of the model on layer 2, Fig 6. See how the bottom vertice tips into the model below?

Fig 6, Vertice pulled into the model on layer 2.

Extrude that same edge again on the X axis, and then move the edge in toward the model, Fig. 7.

Fig 7, extrude the edge.

Fig. 8 shows the results of extruding the two top edges of the the two front faces up and toward the back until the planes touch the model underneath.

Fig 8, top edge extrusion results.

Continue in this manner, covering the layer 2 model's head, Fig 9.

Fig 9, continue modeling over the high poly model.

Fig. 10 and Fig.11 illustrate the selection of layer 1 only to modify the existing planes. Two points were selected and merged into one.

Fig 10, two vertices selected…

Fig 11, and merged into one.

Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 illustrate face creation from the selected vertices to cover/close the gap between the faces.

Fig 12, selected vertices to form face.

Fig 13, faces created.

Selecting layer 1 and 2 again, you can see there are some ugly 'points' where the vertice stand out too far from the model, Fig. 14.

Fig 14, some ugly ‘points’.

With some vertice tweaking, the horns are removed, Fig.15.

Fig 16, points removed.

In Fig. 16 the lower edges of the bottom faces were extruded.

Fig 16, lower edges extruded.

Continue in this manner to cover the whole model. Making changes where necessary to cut the polys down.

With practice you may be able to get your low poly model done in about 30 minutes.

If you have problems with points on your model, you may need to sudivide some planes to help smooth out an area.