Minor Project: Modelling The Samurai's Leg Armour + Waist Improvements + New Project Direction

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 Today I brought the character in to show my tutor. They said that the character is good so far however I need to be careful when modelling around areas such as the waist, which is a high point of flexibility. 

Currently although the character follows along with the drawing accurately, there is not indication that the character has a waist. Furthermore, the placement of the belt currently poses a problem with how the character is going to bend down, in terms of what is realistic and what is possible within the skinning process. 


Reflection of project

Below is an illustration my tutor drew in order to explain what they meant. My tutor explained the importance proportions when modelling the character, especially when referring to my project. As I am completing a fight scene for my project, both my characters need to be flexible to accommodate for the poses they will be doing. For this reason my tutor advised that instead on focusing on creating final models which are fully textured by the end of the minor project unit, I instead focus on completing test models. These models will be less detailed than the final thing and will not need to be textured. Instead they contain every element important to the silhouette of the character and will be rigged and skinned in a basic way. I will then be able to test how the character works and the changes which need to be made before completing the final model. It is important not to waste time on modelling elements which may not be able to be used in the final thing due to them not working with the characters joints. Once I establish if the character works I will then be able to complete both models with the knowledge that they will not break down when it comes to the rigging process. 

My new goal for the end of the project is to complete test models for both characters which I will be able to test how they work through the pre-viz. I will then make any changes needed if they are unusable. In order to show the direction I will take them in for major, I will texture a section of the model in order to show how the final model will look. 




I then applied the change to my character in 3D 


After making this change I then focused on making the armour plates which go on the characters legs. At first I was unsure on how to do this, I knew that the drawings were not very accurate at conveying how the armour goes around the legs. I also knew that the leg needed to be thickened up around the knee and shin so that the model could be properly rigged. 

I started by trying to make the armour out of a tube and although it looked like the shape of the armour, I couldn't figure out how to connect the top half of each piece of armour together. 



After talking to my classmate I decided to instead use the lattice deform tool in order to mould the armour around the characters leg. I started again on the armour, this time using a cube to get the basic shape, with I then smoothed to give it more geometry. I was then able to extrude the face out to create the metal plate. 

The rest consisted of using the lattice deform tool to manipulate the cube until it fit around each section of the characters leg. 
















Although it was a painful process I feel as if it was worth it as I was able to create armour which which is very close to the drawing. I am happy with the results and I am pleased that I was able to solve the problem as to how to make the drawing work in a 3D environment. 



Image of character for reference 


With the empty space left from moving the belt down, I added in the material which wraps around the characters body. I made this out of a tube which I lowered the edges and then manipulated into the cloth shape. 









So far I am really happy with the direction the character is going in. Im pleased that I was able to figure out the leg armour as I was unsure how I was going to translate this idea to 3D. I now feel a lot more confident modelling the rest of the character. 










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