Page 2 – Reallusion Magazine (2024)

The 2024 International Book Fair (FILBO) in Bogota, Colombia captivated over 600,000 attendees, immersing them in a vibrant celebration of literature and the written word. Spanning two dynamic weeks, FILBO served as a nexus for authors, exhibitors, and bibliophiles alike, offering a rich tapestry of cultural engagement. From enlightening talks to hands-on workshops, from enriching training sessions to captivating book presentations, the fair was an unmissable gathering for all lovers of literary arts.

An unforgettable highlight of this year’s FILBO was the esteemed presence of Brazil as the special guest country, lending an extra layer of cultural depth and diversity to the event. The eminent Brazilian president, Lula Da Silva, graced the occasion with his presence, inaugurating the festivities and adding his unique voice to the celebration of literature.

Moreover, the event witnessed a groundbreaking collaboration between Reallusion and Libel Academy. Together, they introduced the latest advancements in digital art and animation through cutting-edge Master courses featuring ZBrush and Character Creator. This collaboration underscored Reallusion’s steadfast dedication to the Latin American market, reaffirming its commitment to nurturing innovation and creativity in the region’s burgeoning digital art scene.

FILBO 2024 not only illuminated the power of literature to unite cultures but also showcased the boundless possibilities of digital creativity, leaving an indelible mark on all who attended.

At the event, Libel Academy unveiled its newest Master Course featuring ZBrush + Character Creator 4, a collaboration certified by the Ecuadorian UTPL University (Private Technical University of Loja). Renowned for its expertise in digital art and animation, Libel Academy showcased an array of comprehensive Master Course packages, each designed to elevate skills and proficiency in cutting-edge 3D software.

Attendees were treated to an immersive experience, delving into the intricacies of popular tools such as Character Creator, iClone, ZBrush, Blender, and more. From beginner fundamentals to advanced techniques, participants had the opportunity to explore the latest advancements in digital artistry firsthand. Expert instructors guided attendees through hands-on sessions, offering invaluable insights and fostering a dynamic learning environment.

A standout moment at the event was the introduction of Libel Academy’s newest Master Course, crafted by the skilled hands of Duai Sebastian, a distinguished Colombian character artist renowned for his expertise in Blender, ZBrush, Character Creator, and iClone. Duai’s masterful creation, the ZBrush + CC4 course, centered around his CyberMaya character, represents a pinnacle of digital artistry.

Attendees were captivated by Duai’s live demonstrations, where he unveiled the intricate process behind character creation and repurposing using ZBrush with Character Creator. His expertise brought to life lifelike and dynamic characters, showcasing the boundless potential of these tools in the hands of a master craftsman.

Duai Sebastian’s collaboration with Libel Academy marks a significant milestone, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to delivering top-tier education in digital arts.

During the 2024 Bogotá Book Fair, Enoc Burgos, Reallusion’s Marketing Director, and Gilberto Funez Diaz, Libel Academy’s Managing Director, were invited for a live interview by UTPC University Radio. During the event interview, they discussed Reallusion’s real-time technology and its alliance with Libel Academy’s certified Master Courses.

They shared with audiences how this partnership aims to make modern animation technology accessible to everyone, including Colombian universities looking to modernize their curriculums with faster and more efficient tools compared to traditional, expensive animation methods.

Amidst the bustling ambiance of the 2024 Book Fair, a moment of celebration and recognition emerged as Libel Academy and Reallusion proudly showcased the remarkable achievements of two of their brightest talents. David Pinzón (International Project) and Esteban Cifuentes (Action Figures), distinguished students of Libel Academy, stood as shining examples of the transformative power of education and dedication.

Both individuals, fueled by their passion and armed with their Character Creator skills honed through Libel’s courses, have seamlessly translated theory into practice, contributing their expertise to real-world professional projects. Their success stories serve as testament to the efficacy of Libel Academy’s educational programs and reaffirm the institution’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of digital artists and innovators.

Wrapping up their dynamic presence at the 2024 International Book Fair in Bogotá, Reallusion and Libel Academy once again illuminated the event with their cutting-edge contributions to real-time animation technology. Serving as a hub for professionals, students, and enthusiasts alike, their booth buzzed with live demonstrations, immersive training sessions, and insightful personal interactions.

Attendees were not only treated to the latest advancements in real-time creation but also empowered to expand their knowledge, refine their skills, and forge meaningful connections. The unwavering dedication and collaborative spirit of the entire team at Libel Academy ensured that the event was a resounding success, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the future.

Related Post

• Reallusion’s Participation with Libel Academy in the 2023 International Book Fair in Bogota

On an exclusive tour in Africa, specifically in Côte d’Ivoire, the African champion country of CAN 2023. Franco-Congolese director Dom Fred, director of the animated science fiction film Space Agents: The Mysterious Ax, and his collaborator Alick Macaire, screenwriter and co-producer, were invited by Nancy the General Director of Cinema Majestic CI.

During their stay, they presented to top technology institutes such as INSAAC and Orange Digital Center on behalf of AfroVFX, showcasing the 3D production pipeline of one of the first animated films produced in real-time with Unreal Engine 5, released in 2021.

AfroVFX

A highly anticipated visit by Dom Fred and Alick to the Orange Digital Center in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with co-founder Éric M’Boua and students of the AfroVFX training program. After several months of virtual discussions with the director of the first science fiction feature film made using Unreal Engine, this in-person meeting at the Orange Digital Careers Training Center was a significant milestone.

This opportunity was made possible thanks to the unprecedented broadcast of the film Space Agents in Africa at the Majestic. The students were able to demystify the technical and creative aspects of the software from Epic Games and discuss with Co-Producer Alick the nuances of the self-production pipeline and the history of the project, which was developed over three years.

This marks the beginning of a creative, technical, and continental cinematic journey, highlighting the abundant talent on the African continent.

Director Dom Fred highlighted the remarkable contribution of Reallusion and its products, including Character Creator, iClone 8, and ActorCore, which significantly enhanced production efficiency and saved time.

During the film screenings at Majestic Ivoire and Prime de Côte d’Ivoire, the audience was impressed by the high-quality 3D renderings. Local media outlets, including Radio Nostalgie, Radio Trace FM, La Chaine Nationale RTI on Allume la Télé by Jean Michel Onnin, La Chaine Lifetv on Wam by Willy Gavara, and the NCI channel on Cheick Yvhane’s La Télé d’ici, welcomed the director to discuss Space Agents and the various production tools used in its creation.

Director Dom Fred emphasized the value of his partnership with Reallusion and the powerful tools they offer to independent studios. He highlighted that these tools enable studios to achieve results comparable to major studios in the animated film industry, both in 2D and 3D. He stressed that the success of animation projects could be greatly enhanced with the new tools from Reallusion.

Dom Fred Film and his team extend their gratitude to the various partners who made the African tour a success.

Related Posts

• 3D Short Film Kiha with iClone, ActorCore and Unreal Engine
• The Stone – Animated Short with iClone, ActorCore, Unreal Engine

Angel Alonso, 30 year animation veteran and iClone animator

This video showcases a render test by Angel Alonso, a seasoned 30 year veteran in animation industry. Angel utilizes Character Creator and iClone to bring characters to life, often employing ZBrush during the creation process for added detail and precision.

For this particular project, he integrated a bit of color grading using Hitfilm to enhance the visual appeal and achieve the desired look.

What sets Angel’s work apart is his unique technique for achieving toon lines. He employs an old macro he developed years ago for Photoshop, which allows him to extract these lines effectively, adding a distinct and stylish touch to his animations.

Angel’s deep understanding of various software and his innovative approach to animation make his work stand out in the industry. By blending traditional skills with modern technology, he creates compelling and visually stunning animations that capture the audience’s imagination.

This render test is a testament to Angel’s dedication to his craft and his continuous pursuit of excellence. Follow along to see more of his creative journey and the fascinating techniques he employs in his projects. 🎨 #Animation #CharacterCreator #iClone #ZBrush #Hitfilm #Photoshop #ToonLines

Discover Angel Alonso’s realistic comic style characters in his Featured Content Developer store at Reallusion:

Follow Angel Alonso:

Artstation:
https://www.artstation.com/angelitoon

Deviantart:
https://www.deviantart.com/angelitoon

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/angelitoonxd

Patrik Forsberg – Stiller Studios

Stiller Studios stands as an internationally acclaimed “tech marvel” production company, boasting a global network of creative talent. Their primary objective is to craft high-end feature films and series characterized by relatable characters and captivating narratives, leveraging their revolutionary proprietary technology. With a steadfast commitment to pushing creative boundaries through innovation, Stiller Studios specializes in developing tailored solutions for virtual production, 3D animation, green screen workflows, and real-time filmmaking techniques.

Located in central Stockholm, their state-of-the-art studio facility is fully equipped to undertake groundbreaking projects utilizing cutting-edge tools such as VR, deep data, and motion capture. Through close collaborations with top talent worldwide, the studio aims to establish itself as a frontrunner in digitally-driven storytelling.

At Stiller Studios, filmmakers are provided with the necessary resources to realize even their most ambitious visions. Their production model revolves around principles of quality, flexibility, and fostering an empowering work environment conducive to artistic exploration. With a core belief in the transformative power of storytelling, Stiller Studios seeks to offer fresh perspectives to global audiences. Recently, for their project REDMASK: Hand Book for Superheroes, team has embarked on using Character Creator, and iClone with Unreal Engine.

With a constant stream of exciting projects in development, the studio actively seeks opportunities to challenge conventional norms surrounding visual storytelling. Together with their partners, Stiller Studios is dedicated to shaping the future of the filmmaking medium.

“Stiller Studios loves technology that makes storytelling faster, more creative, more engaging and more fun to play around with. And I think that is what iClone and Character Creator are doing.”

Patrik Forsberg – Owner at Stiller Studios

Q: Greeting Patrik, and welcome to our Feature Stories. Kindly share with us your journey from using traditional animation tools like Maya, to real-time applications like Character Creator, iClone and Unreal Engine.

Hi! Thanks for having us. We started with advanced motion control and green screen workflows back in 2009 where we really found our place within the CGI and VFX world. After we’d worked with that for a few years we naturally ventured into motion capture as well to combine our CG environments with CG characters. Over the years we’ve experimented with practically every 3D and Digital Content Creation (DCC) software out there, even leading new workflows and technology research in some of them, such as Unreal Engine – and tied good relationships with companies like Epic Games to engineer new tools and technologies with them.

We have been going a bit back and forthin DCC softwares, but somehow always found our way back to Unreal Engine as that solution has always proven to deliver what we need for our projects and clients.

As for Character Creator 4 and iClone 8 – we had tried previous versions of iClone a few years prior and found the toolset interesting, but it didn’t meet our needs for the projects we did back then. We then revisited the Reallusion suite for our new projects where we learned about all the new features Reallusion has created for Character Creator and iClone 8.4. Theteam was more or less blown away by how perfectly it fit our workflow pipeline and was super happy to integrateCC4 and iClone 8 intoour pipeline.

“We revisited the Reallusion suite for our new projects where we learned about all the new features Reallusion has created for Character Creator and iClone 8.4. Theteam was more or less blown away by how perfectly it fit our workflow pipeline and was super happy to integratethem intoour pipeline.”

Patrik Forsberg – Owner at Stiller Studios

Q: You mention that your film project REDMASK, while be unique in its style and workflow. For high-end film studios like Stiller, what would you say are the advantages of working with software like iClone, and Character Creator with Unreal Engine? How much speed can you save with the iterative power?

A lot! Coming from traditional live action filmmaking I prefer to work closely with my actors to see their performance to be able to really get the material I want to tell the best possible story. As I can with iClone 8.4 and AccuFACE see their performance in real time, in engine, I can tweak the performance and capture the emotions and movements I need with direct feedback instead of having to wait for animation dailies that can often time take several days for even skilled animators.

To be able to use motion capture and have a DoP set cameras directly after the motion capture shoot saves me an incredible amount of time and I can get going with the first draft of the edit almost directly after the shoot – a workflow impossible in traditional hand animation.

Q: Working with Character Creator and the GoZ workflow to ZBrush, how is it possible to go from a sketch to a fully animatable character in less than a day?

Using the power of the slider workflow in Character Creator, our character artists can quickly start out with the CC3+ base meshes and then using the morph sliders get a rough idea of what the sketch looks like, then they can jump into ZBrush to capture the more stylized details from the sketch, such as the brows, cheekbones, etc.

But as we’re using an already finished super high quality base for our models, our character artists don’t have to go in and do retopo, UV map and all that. They can instead focus on the artistic side of character creation instead of the technical. That is what makes it possible with Character Creator to go from sketch to animatablecharacter in a day. That character we can then use in our motion capture sessions and keep building on it whilst recording motions down in the studio. Iterating and saving time!

“That is what makes it possible with Character Creator to go from sketch to animatablecharacter in a day. That character we can then use in our motion capture sessions and keep building on it whilst recording motions down in the studio. Iterating and saving time!”

Patrik Forsberg – Owner at Stiller Studios

Q: Based on your vast experience with professional animation tools what are the great animation features found in iClone? How would you compare these to traditional handkey animations?

iClone offers a lot of tools found in other DCC packages, things you’d expectin an animation software such as IK/FK rig animation, a timeline for key poses, curve editor with splines, animation layers, retargeting of bones, etc. What makes iClone instantly stand out from the rest is the huge library of premade animations, poses, expressions and motion capture files built in iClone and more you can download and use with ActorCore to get you going forward more quickly with your project.

This puts iClone at an advantage. However what makes iClone not only stand out, but exceed the competition and take a massive huge leap vs. the traditional packages is the incredible workflows found in its artificial intelligence powered AccuLIPS and AccuFACE. I won’t go into detail about what they do and how we use every feature in them here, but let me just say that these two tools have got to be the biggest time saver tools for animation in a long time.

“What makes iClone not only stand out, but exceed the competition and take a massive huge leap vs. the traditional packages is the incredible workflows found in its artificial intelligence powered AccuLIPS and AccuFACE. I won’t go into detail about what they do and how we use every feature in them here, but let me just say that these two tools have got to be the biggest time saver tools for animation in a long time.”

Patrik Forsberg – Owner at Stiller Studios

The results we’ve gotten with iClone in literary minutes really goes above and beyond. Animating a 4 minute long sequence with captivating facial animation perforce and lip syncing would’ve taken even a skilled animator days or even weeks in a traditional DCC software. We can achieve the same result almost instantaneously after setup in iClone 8 – it’s that quick.

“The results we’ve gotten with iClone in literary minutes really goes above and beyond. Animating a 4 minute long sequence with captivating facial animation perforce and lip syncing would’ve taken even a skilled animator days or even weeks in a traditional DCC software. We can achieve the same result almost instantaneously after setup in iClone 8 – it’s that quick.”

Patrik Forsberg – Owner at Stiller Studios

Some cleanup and tweaks will always be needed of course, but it does 90% of the job and time in real time. We can also have someone doing the motion editing in the same project simultaneouslywhilst we’re recording in the studio and even have a DoP set camerasin real time too. All working together in the same Unreal Engine project. Time is money, so you can probably figure out why we love it so much.

Follow Stiller Studios

LinkedIn:
https://se.linkedin.com/company/stiller-studios

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stillerstudios/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/stillerstudios

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stiller+studios

Related Posts

• Maya Animator discovers iClone 8 for Mocap Cleanup and Motion Editing
• Unreal Animation Director and CG artist replaces MotionBuilder and Maya with iClone 8

Learn how talented artist Amelia (Prompt Muse) creates lively Pixar-styled Chun Li and brings her to life with poses. The process involves leveraging user-friendly tools Character Creator (CC) and AI techniques, from reference gathering to character modeling, outfit creation, and final touches in Blender.

Gathering References of Chun-Li using Dall-E 3

Amelia needed to start off by collecting visual references to kick off her project. She does this by using Dall-E 3 to create reference images for her Pixar-styled Chun Li.

Seeking additional inspiration, she scoured Pinterest for more references, compiling them efficiently in Pure Ref — a powerful and free tool designed to gather reference images in one application.

Using Character Creator

To accelerate the process, Amelia opted for a kit bash technique by combining ready-made assets in Character Creator (CC). Utilizing the free CC base model, Camilla, she employed morph sliders to quickly shape the character.

The model was then sent to ZBrush for further sculpting, where the ‘Move’, ‘Standard’, and ‘Smooth’ brushes were used to bring out the signature Chun Li personality.

Amelia seamlessly transitioned between Character Creator and ZBrush, refining the base shape and adjusting details like eyes, lashes, and eyeballs. To maintain a stylized look, she replaced realistic textures with bold, bright, and cartoony designs. Her goal was to enhance the overall aesthetic without having the character’s appearance descending into the uncanny valley.

Teeth and hair underwent similar transformations. She crafted custom teeth in ZBrush and sculpted hair purchased from the Reallusion Content Store, using morph sliders to ensure a cohesive and visually appealing character.

Clothes and Outfit on the Blender Market place

By leveraging kit bashing with clothing found on the Blender Market Place, Amelia quickly found a suitable cheongsam and imported it into Character Creator.

By adjusting skin weights and employing repeated processes for each accessory, she effortlessly brought Chun Li’s outfit to life. To texture the character, Amelia utilized the control painting function in ZBrush to restrict the painting area and painted the UVW map using Photoshop.

Simplifying what would be considered a mundane procedure into a simple click of a button, she was pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of the entire process.

Transfer to Blender

After donning a costume, Amelia posed her character using the edit pose dialogue, adopting a “kung fu pose” and a smiling face using the ‘Facial Profile’ tool.

Afterward, she imported her character into Blender and used “Blender Auto Setup” to easily assign a Blender Metarig to the character.

Final Touches

For the final polish, Amelia fine-tuned the lighting, adjusted a few parameters, and made use of some scene tools to spruce up the backdrop. These finishing touches added additional flair and life into Chun Li.

Hopefully you have gleaned some insights into Amelia’s meticulous workflow of combining advanced tools and creative techniques. In this evolving landscape of character design and animation, her journey from concept to final render is proof that opportunities for artist expression are ripe for the taking.

About the Author

Prompt Muse is a Website and YouTube channel, hosted by Amelia Player & Alex Player, that offers a comprehensive look at the world of artificial intelligence (AI) image generating software, SEO and more. This channel offers tutorials and tips to help users get the most out of the software, while providing a comprehensive look at the industry. In addition, the channel provides the latest tech news and opinions to help keep users informed and up-to-date on the latest trends.

Prompt Muse’s tutorials offer step-by-step instructions on how to use the software, as well as advice on best practices and troubleshooting tips. The tutorials are geared towards both beginner and experienced users, giving them the tools to make the most out of their image generating software.

The channel also provides the latest news and opinions on the AI image generating industry. This includes industry-specific news such as new software releases, updates, and advancements, as well as broader topics such as emerging trends, legal issues, and ethical considerations. This helps keep users informed and prepared for the future of the industry.

Related Posts

• Prompt Muse – Unleash the Power of AI to Create Next-Level Animations
• Iconic Super Mario Princess Peach Made With Character Creator and Blender

Why Use a 3D Character Base Mesh?

Sculpting an anatomical model from scratch (for example, starting with a sphere and manipulating the geometry into your human base body) is great exercise for learning the proportions, forms, volumes, and anatomical landmarks of the body! Building up these forms takes time, but you’ll eventually get faster at it!

If you’re pressed for time, starting with a 3D character base mesh can be a helpful way to speed things along – while a base mesh won’t necessarily have the perfect proportions or exact forms your unique character requires, it will provide a generic starting point to start from that contains all the general human landmarks in place, that you can quickly modify to get your character dialed in!

In this article, we’ll explore the newly released Character Creator Base Meshes ( CC character base ) from Reallusion, available for free download and use in your projects!

First, we need to download the .zip file:

1. Click here to go to the download page.
2. Click the “Download Now” button and watch the 1 minute video.
3. The file will download automatically to your computer!
4. Unzip the contents wherever you’d like, and let’s dig into what we can do!

What’s inside the CC Character Base

After you unzip the file, you’ll see three file formats which we’ll cover individually later in this article, and five varieties of CC character base meshes: a fully neutral base, a realistic male and female, and a stylized male and female. Pick whichever base model makes the most sense to start with depending on what you’re working on!

Topology and UVs

All the 3D character base meshes have nice, uniform quad surfaces, with edge loops built specifically for animation deformations, morphs, and blendshape creation in mind. In fact, each base has identical UDIM UV maps and vertex order, so you can blend between them seamlessly, and are perfect for production pipelines that require vertex and UV consistency between bases.

Textures

The “Topology Maps” folder contains template utility images that you can apply to your meshes that will help you put your facial landmarks and volumes exactly where you want them based on the mesh topology! Inside each FBX format folder you’ll also have base body textures that you can apply to your models: a realistic color map for the realistic bases, and a stylized color map for the stylized bases!

Why use these CC character base?

Here’s the big reason — as highlighted in our previous article, sculpting a character is just the beginning of the excitement. With these character creator bases, once you’ve finished sculpting a static character, you’re just a few button presses away from complete rigging, weights, facial expression morphs. In other words, a character with a myriad of possibilities for animation, simulation, posing… essentially bringing your character to life. You can use them for anything from an animated scene to a posed 3D print, and everything in between!

So long story short, if I make a character and I don’t feel like bringing it to life, no big deal, it’s still a good, predictable, performant mesh to start sculpting on. HOWEVER, if by the time I’m done sculpting my character and I feel like posing it out, have it run around in a scene, or even controlling the characters face with your own using AccuFACE, I’m literally just a few button pushes away from making that happen (some of those button pushes we’ll cover in this article!).

However, if I start with some other base mesh and then decide I want to make it dance around…making a skeleton, skin weights, creating facial morphs, creating a control rig for all that, applying or creating an animation, and more…it’s going to take wayyyyy more than a few button presses to make that happen. So that’s the big plus to me; If I start with these base meshes, animation, expressions, LIFE is right there at my fingertips, seconds away!

CC character base Overview Demonstration

For each base type there’s also a number of file formats to choose from depending on how you want to work, and what type of software you’ll be using. Here’s a brief overview:

• OBJ file: import this single mesh file into any program that accepts .obj files, and begin moving geometry around to transform your initial base mesh into a unique and interesting character!
• ZTL file: this is a ZTool file that you can Tool > Load Tool into ZBrush, and just like the .obj workflow, begin modifying to your heart’s content. Unlike the .obj file, the .ztl file Like I mentioned earlier, the even distribution and quad geometry makes sculpting on this base fun and predictable, and just like the .obj file, once you’ve refined your characters body, you’re just a few button clicks away from bringing it to life!
• FBX file: this file contains a skeletal rig and facial blendshapes, so in order to utilize these you’ll have to import them into a program that recognizes them. So not ZBrush, but Max, Maya, Modo, Blender, or C4D, etc…import this file and modify the assets as you see fit!

FBX

Before we get to the .obj and .ztl formats, let’s look at the .fbx file first. Again, this format has bones and morphs, and also has body textures assigned from its respective folder location. To take advantage of all this, we’ll need to import this file format into a dcc app that supports skeletons and morph targets — Max, Maya, Modo, Blender, C4D, etc… are all good options!

In this case we’ll use Blender to show off basic .fbx functionality, as well to utilize an auto setup plugin called CC/iC Blender Tools. This plugin will not only import our model and ensure the character material and texture setup is authored properly, but also allow us to create a one-button-click control rig for our characters body and face, utilizing the morphs and skeleton found in the .fbx file. This type of auto setup functionality isn’t only for Blender — there’s an expanding suite of options on the Character Workflow Pipeline page, that will allow you to quickly and easily take your creation from Character Creator to Unreal, ZBrush, Marvelous Designer, Sketchfab, and more!

Blender Auto Setup Installation

In this case we’ll utilize the auto setup plugin for Blender, however there are also auto setup tools for other CG software and game engines which you can find on their Character Workflow Pipeline page. To install the Blender plugin:

• Go to this page, click on Latest, and download the source code .zip file
• In Blender, go to Edit > Preferences > Add Ons > Install, navigate, and select your downloaded .zip file
• Check the box for Characters: CC/iC Tools, and in the sandwich menu choose Save Preferences
• Now when you hit “N” on your keyboard, you’ll see a CC/iC Pipeline tab to the right side of your viewport.
• To check for updates, go back to the AddOn window, click the down arrow for your new plugin, and scroll to the bottom — there is a Check for updates button there.

CC character base Import into Blender Using CC/iC Blender Tools.

Instead of going to File > Import, click on the CC/iC Pipeline tab and click the Import Character button. Your character should import with all the proper materials and textures hooked up.

Note – You can use this same method to import any character exported from Character Creator, complete with hair and clothing as well.

Check out the model’s UV maps in UV Editing mode, and get a look at the textures and materials in Shading mode. In the Shading tab you can see the material structure. You can connect the relevant topology map to get a look at how the sections of the body and head are divided

Skeleton, Blendshapes, and Control Rig

Back in the Layout tab, with your character selected, go to the Data Properties tab to see the character’s expression morphs. Our control rig in the next step will utilize these in various combinations to create incredibly detailed facial animation!

To see our skeleton, select the top character node in your scene, go to the Data tab and open the Viewport Display section. Checking in front will display your character’s skeleton!

Expand the Rigging & Animation tab in the auto setup plugin panel and click the Rigify button to generate a specialized control rig, complete with a full face rigging! Use the dropdown menu in the upper left corner to switch to Pose Mode, then grab the different control shapes on your rig and move them around to pose your character!

Blender FBX Custom Character Creation and CC Import

Now, as you can see from this Reallusion video, you can modify your character right here in Blender, export through the plugin, and drop the result into Character Creator as a CCAvatar — in fact, there’s an entire repository of Blender resources you can check out that will cover that process in detail, and a lot more! However, I’m not super proficient in Blender, so let’s explore the .obj and .ztl options to make a custom character, then bring it to life using Character Creator.

Workflow Demonstration

OBJ Format

As we mentioned before, in the .obj file format, all body parts are consolidated into a single mesh, making it easy to load and edit in any 3D application that supports .obj format.

Import & Sculpting

Since I’m most comfortable in ZBrush, that’s what I’m going to use to modify this .obj file, but feel free to follow along in your favorite modeling application – all we’re doing is moving around vertices.

First I’ll go to Tool > Import, then navigate to the “OBJ” folder in the “CC Character Base” directory, then choose the bodytype I want to start with (for my case, I searched the “05_Toon Neutral_M” folder). Finally I’ll double-click the “Toon Neutral_M.obj” model to import it.

Again, this file will be a single model without a skeleton or expression morphs. Feel free to move the vertices around, changing the volumes and proportions of your character however you’d like! While you’re doing this, there’s a few guidelines to follow:

• Keep the naming consistent so we can import the finalized model in Character Creator for conversion into a CC3 plus character. This is easy, just don’t change the default name, and if you do, change it back before you export later.
• Do not change the vertex order: no splitting pieces, cutting or extruding faces, etc…
• However, feel free to subdivide your model to sculpt details, which you can bake out as a normal map later! If you do subdivide to create a more detailed sculpt during this process, remember to drop down to the lowest subdivision (SDiv 1 in ZBrush) before exporting

Export

Once you’ve completed your sculpt, return to subdivision level one and use Tool > Export to .obj. Give the exported .obj file a unique name – this will be the one we import into Character Creator in the next steps, if you want to bring your character to life!

Character Creator Import

In Character Creator, load in the neutral male toon base, which can be found in the Actor > Character > Base folder in the Content manager. Since we started with the Toon Male, we’ll use that as our base character; if you started with a different body type, use that instead.

Put your CC model into a bind pose by going to Remove > Restore Bind Pose in the Timeline dropdown menu. Navigate to the Morphs tab, and click the plus button to create a new morph slider.

Enter a name for this morph, then load in the obj file you exported earlier in the Target Morph section. Load in the relevant obj key file in the Checksum File Path section, which can be found in the folder of the base type you used. Finally, ensure that you select “Adjust bones to fit morph” to avoid any bone proportion issues, then hit OK.

Back in the Morphs tab, zero out the Currently Used morphs, then click on the Actor section. Search for the morph slider name you created, and set it to 100. Your updated model is now fully rigged, with bones proportional to the body scale — a fully functional CC3+ character! Feel free to apply animations from the Content tab, and pose your characters body and face using Edit Pose and Edit Facial found in the Motion tab.

To learn more about the amazing things you can do with this character type, you can check out the other articles we’ve made, that will walk you through making a custom base character, baking your high res details to normal maps, texturing it, creating custom accessories and clothing for it, and finally animating it, and even using your own face to drive your characters face!

ZTL Format

Finally, let’s talk about the .ztl file format… This format is very similar to .obj — there’s no bones or morphs, and all we’ll be doing is moving around the existing geometry to create our unique character. However, by going to Tool > Load Tool, and choosing the .ztl file from the body type you want to start from, you’ll see this file format contains multiple objects (subtools in ZBrush), rather than one single file like the .obj.

Just like the .obj, you don’t want to change the naming of these existing subtools. However, you can add as many custom subtools as you want! Shirts, pants, shoes, swords, create and name these as separate subtools, and we can send them over to Character Creator later, along with our body updates.

Sculpt

Mask, move, and sculpt the subtools to create your own unique character. Your “CC_Base_Body” subtool will already have 5 levels of subdivision on it. I usually start on the lowest subdivision, and work my way up through the subdivisions as I add more and more detail. If you need more detail than subdivision level 5 will allow, go to Tools > Geometry and hit the divide button to get more geometry resolution.

Remember, you’re able to append and create more subtools while in ZBrush, named whatever you like, that will send over to Character Creator along with our body changes. Feel free to use polypainting to add color to your high-res sculpt as well.

Sending to CC

Once the sculpting is finished, open Character Creator and click Load Neutral Base. Once again, ensure that the character is set to a bind pose using Remove > Restore Bind Pose in the Animation Player. Go back into ZBrush and press the Tool > GoZ All button to send all of your ZBrush subtools over to Character Creator.

You’ll see the GoZ Options panel appear in CC. Ensure that all of the original sub tools are set to Update, while the new ones are set to Create Cloth. This will bind your custom objects to your body automatically!

Further Refinement

If you want to continue having fun and refining your character, like baking your high-res detail and polypaint from your body to your CC mesh, check out this article. Fore more information on creating custom clothing and accessories, including adding cloth simulation, check out this article!

Final Thoughts

Thanks for stopping by, and keep an eye out for more articles detailing how you can create cool stuff, then get that cool stuff to move around! Also check out these articles for more information on custom character creation, including how you can transfer old projects that have arbitrary geometry (another base mesh, or even dynamesh concept sculpts), and convert it to Character Creator topology so you can take advantage of all the rigging and animation perks we just covered. And remember there are pipeline tools available to transfer it to any number of applications, from Blender to Unreal, and everything in between!

About The Author

Michael Pavlovichearned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation from RSAD in 2005. Initially, he contributed to the development of environment and character art for popular video games such asMaddenandNCAA Football. Later, he relocated to Austin to join Daybreak Games, where he worked on the creation of art assets forDC Universe Online.

Presently, Michael holds the position of Director of Character, Weapon, and Vehicle Art at Certain Affinity. His expertise lies in implementing iterative pipelines for Certain Affinity artists helping develop renowned video game franchises, includingHalo, Call of Duty, andDOOM. To stay updated on his latest tutorial projects, you can visit Michael’s YouTube or ArtStation page.

>> Check Michael’s Artstation

>> Check Michael’s Youtube Channel

Alejandro de Pasquale

Since the age of 9, Alejandro de Pasquale embarked on a creative journey, crafting his first rudimentary comics and discovering his fervent passion for storytelling. With each passing year, Alejandro honed his creativity, delving into diverse tools and skills to encapsulate narratives across a spectrum of challenges.

From scripting movies to producing motion graphics for various enterprises, Alejandro explored the avenues of storytelling, eventually finding his true calling in breathing life into characters and immersive 3D worlds. It was through the transformative power of software likeiCloneandCharacter Creator(CC)that Alejandro delved into the world of 3D animation, discovering new dimensions to his storytelling prowess.

SOLDIER FILM

In his latest short film – SOLDIER , Alejando has embarked on using several tools.

The concept involved utilizing characters and settings from the Unreal marketplace, depicting soldiers surrounding someone attempting to escape. Alejandro de Pasquale employed various tools for the animation process:

1. Motorica: Utilized for character movements, particularly for creating paths that adapt to the terrain, such as turning corners.
2. ActorCore Reallusion : Rifle Combat – Assault: This pack provided ideal animations for soldiers patrolling the scene. The animations were downloaded in iClone with the Dummy and then retargeted for use on military robot characters in Unreal.
3. Mixamo: Used for additional animations to complement the scene.
4. Epidemic Sound: Provided music and sound effects to enhance the atmosphere of the animation.

This exercise also served as a learning opportunity, allowing Alejandro to become proficient in managing a large number of characters on stage and refining his workflow. For instance, the process involved positioning each character, attaching weapons, executing actions such as shooting, and repeating these steps for all characters. The final assembly was done in Unreal Engine, utilizing Sequencer to orchestrate the movement of characters within the scene.

HOW TO:

Follow Alejandro de Pasquale:

https://www.alerender.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/alerendersoc

https://www.facebook.com/aleRENDER-216423661706643

https://www.instagram.com/alerender_ae

https://www.artstation.com/alerender

Related Post:

Motion Designer’s Powerful Tools for 3D Character Animation

Welcome to Neriverso, where the captivating world of video games meets the expertise of Neri Neto, a seasoned technology journalist and skilled game programmer. Through Neriverso, Neri shares his profound insights and boundless passion for everything he adores, including video game development!

As a dedicated game programmer, Neri has lent his talents to numerous indie projects, crafting engaging mechanics and contributing to the development of captivating titles. Embrace the Neriverse and embark on a journey fueled by Neri Neto’s unwavering enthusiasm and commitment to his craft and community.

In his latest video, Neri talks about an amazing program to create games with Unreal Engine, where he dives into iClone and its new Unreal LIVE LINK 1.3 update that includes:

• Accelerated Asset Transfer
• Sequencer Creation & Management

Follow Neriverso:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/neriverso/

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@neriverso

If you have ever felt the urge or desire to be an animator, there is no better time than now with all the tools and features that are available today. When I got into 3D animation over twenty years ago tools like 3DS Max were thousands of dollars and you would be very thankful to work for a studio that provided a floating license but there was no cheap way to get into 3D animation at the time.

COST PER MINUTE OF ANIMATION

Nor was there a cheap way to produce 3D animation back then either. The cost per minute could be astronomical on even a small production. With real-time tools like iClone, the cost per minute has dropped dramatically. Big studio productions with teams of animators and support staff are still expensive but it is now possible for beginners, writers, producers, hobby animators, and just about anyone to produce animations or pre-visualizations at little cost.

If you are a one-person studio or hobbyist, the cost per minute is the cost of your software and other assets you gather up for a project. I’m not saying your time is not valuable, but that time can greatly offset the cost of production making it feasible to be a 3D animator without a huge budget or immediate commercialization.

The drastic drop in cost, including the associated software, opens the field for a lot of new animators, including hobbyists.

NO DRAWING SKILLS REQUIRED

Let’s get this out of the way. 3D animation is not cell animation or hand-drawn 2D animation. It is unique and being a 3D animator does not require drawing skills. It does require eye-hand coordination but nothing near fine art abilities. Imagination and problem-solving will be much more important.

EASY BUTTON

At present, there are a lot of ways to animate but there is still no single “Easy Button” to click that takes care of everything. While the future holds a lot of promise for innovative animation tools, software like iClone for animation and Character Creator for custom characters (actors/avatars) are already available. At present, few applications, if any, rival iClone and Character Creator’s ease of use for beginners and adaptability for professional animators.

When I say there is still no easy button, I don’t mean animation is as complex or as difficult as it used to be. Quite to the contrary, almost anyone with the desire and strong basic computer skills can become an animator. With iClone and its drag-and-drop motions, you can have your first animation produced within hours of downloading the software.

A FEW THINGS TO BE AWARE OF

It’s a learning experience that depends on the 3D application you choose. The learning curve itself can be greatly reduced by applications like iClone and Character Creator where you start animating immediately and improve as you learn.

Animation is about bringing ideas to life. Creativity and strong storytelling skills are crucial for engaging audiences.

Whether dramatic or comedic, timing is a critical skill. You must understand and grasp the flow of storytelling. This doesn’t mean you have to be smooth and have perfect camera movement or animation. It just means you need to understand how things flow together to create a good animation.

By now some of you may be saying “Wait I’m not a storyteller I just want to be the animator”. YOU ARE a storyteller as an animator. It doesn’t matter if it’s your story or someone else’s, if you are an animator, your animations will shape (tell) the story.

3D animation can be time-consuming and complex if you let it get out of control. Develop good time management skills and be patient with the learning process. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are great animations. Animation can involve collaboration with other artists, animators, and directors. Networking within the animation community can lead to opportunities for learning, feedback, and collaboration on projects.

TOOLS, TUTORIALS & CONTENT

Some new animators can fall into the trap of starting with tools that are overly complicated, slow, and lack real-time functionality and feedback. While these tools like ZBrush, Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, and 3DS Max can turn out great animations they require equally great skill to do so. If you are just starting on your animation journey don’t over-complicate your learning experience with software that even some pros struggle with from time to time.

iClone and Character Creator have a huge library of tutorials. First, there are Reallusion Courses, the official and free tutorial resources that strive to provide as much information as possible in as short a time as possible. There is also my “WarLord’s Beginners Guide” section in Reallusion Magazine which is filled with articles and tutorials to get a quick start. Search YouTube and you’ll find many more iClone tutorials from users both amateur and professional. There is no shortage of tutorials available for Reallusion products.

Moreover, you get direct access to over 2,000 3D embedded assets with iClone and Character Creator. Characters, scenes, props, accessories, and other assets are available for download via the Smart Content Manager which keeps track of your free and purchased items.

TERMINOLOGY

I’m not going to list everything here but if you can learn the terminology of 3D animation, you will be ahead of the game. You are not expected to work at the level of detail concerning most of these terms as iClone and Character Creator take care of this for you. You need to be familiar with these terms as they will be mentioned frequently in tutorials and articles.

• Modeling:
  Mesh: A collection of polygons that creates the 3D shape of an object.
  Vertex: A point where two or more edges meet in a mesh.
  Edge: A line connecting two vertices in a mesh.
  Polygon: A basic building block of a mesh, usually triangular or quad-shaped.
  UV mapping: Assigning a 2D image texture to a 3D model.
  Normal Map: Another method of detail projected by the map instead of vertex modeling. In the image below you can see the detail of the rifle improve as the normal and diffuse maps are applied. It is typical to model these details into the original mesh then saving the details as a normal map that is applied to a lower resolution version of the mesh to cut down on computational overhead as a map takes less resources.

• Animation:
  Keyframe: A point in time where the pose or position of an object is defined.
  Tweening: The process of automatically generating frames between keyframes for smooth animation.
  Rigging: Creating a bone structure to control the movement of a character or object.

• Materials and Textures:
  Material: Defines the surface properties of an object, like color, roughness, and reflectivity.
  Texture: An image map applied to a material for detailed visuals.
  Bump map: Adds surface detail without changing shape, affecting lighting and shadows.
  Displacement map: Physically displaces the geometry of the mesh based on the image information.

• Rendering:
  Render: The process of generating a final image or animation from a 3D scene.
  Resolution: The number of pixels in the rendered image, affects quality and file size.
  Anti-aliasing: Smoothing out jagged edges in rendered images.

If this all seems very confusing at this point, don’t worry. As you gain in 3D animation proficiency, knowing the terminology beforehand can make the learning process easier when it all comes together over time.

SUMMARY

Community is key. Connect with other animators online and offline for support, feedback, and inspiration. Find your niche. Explore different animation styles and specializations to discover your passion. Have fun! Learning should be enjoyable. Let your creativity flow and celebrate your progress. You can be an animator with the right software, a little time, determination, focus, and creativity.

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

WarLord’s Workshop