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What software to use for Character Modelling from Photoreferences?

colinmac2colinmac2 Posts: 407
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

I've found some photo reference files which would work well to create a new character.  But I look online and there are more than a dozen software programs for this!  What programs would you recommend?

Comments

  • sura_tcsura_tc Posts: 174

    Any dedicated 3D modelling application has a feature that lets you add a half-transparent image to background where you can literally copy the shape.

    I know Blender has it and some use photo or anime screens to copy and build characters.

  • RedzRedz Posts: 1,459

    FaceGen is really good and easy to use if you can afford it.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,120

    What I wondered is not the geometry modeling part but how do they turn those photographs into those weird Mercator Projection diffuse textures and various types of maps like translucency, normals, bumps and all those others. I searched but did not find a tutorial that said hey, this is a comprehensive high reslution photoset - here is how you turn into into a texture set for a 3D model.

  • jestmartjestmart Posts: 4,449

    Proper normal, bump and displacement maps are baked from an ultra high resolution sculpting of the base mesh.

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715
    Redz said:

    FaceGen is really good and easy to use if you can afford it.

    If I'm not mistaken it only outputs to 2048x2048; not particularly large. G3F figures, as an example are 4096x4096. So it would depend what you need it for.

  • RedzRedz Posts: 1,459
    nicstt said:
    Redz said:

    FaceGen is really good and easy to use if you can afford it.

    If I'm not mistaken it only outputs to 2048x2048; not particularly large. G3F figures, as an example are 4096x4096. So it would depend what you need it for.

    FaceGen will output 4096, provided your source picture has sufficient resolution. That's why I'd recommend it over HeadShop, who's current updated version can only output at 2048.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,120
    jestmart said:

    Proper normal, bump and displacement maps are baked from an ultra high resolution sculpting of the base mesh.

    If that's the case then I then those things would be more accurately generated from 3D body scans or a similar type high resoultion photography and software conversion. Something similar to FaceGen if it added the normal maps. Although, maybe not as flatteringly in the hands of a good portrait 3D artist.

  • jestmartjestmart Posts: 4,449

    Photography doesn't enter the picture (pun intended) with proper normal, bump and displacement maps. These are all a type of height map and the height differences are best defined by the high res mesh.

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715
    Redz said:
    nicstt said:
    Redz said:

    FaceGen is really good and easy to use if you can afford it.

    If I'm not mistaken it only outputs to 2048x2048; not particularly large. G3F figures, as an example are 4096x4096. So it would depend what you need it for.

    FaceGen will output 4096, provided your source picture has sufficient resolution. That's why I'd recommend it over HeadShop, who's current updated version can only output at 2048.

    Ahh my bad, I was mistaking for head shop.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,120
    edited August 2016
    jestmart said:

    Photography doesn't enter the picture (pun intended) with proper normal, bump and displacement maps. These are all a type of height map and the height differences are best defined by the high res mesh.

    Sure it can do so, how do you think displacement maps and models created from 3D scans work? Not via means you infer.

    Post edited by nonesuch00 on
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