One of the most vital sections of any game’s development is designing the 3D characters. Players/Users can identify with main characters, and they will live through the game. They may also feel sympathy or antipathy for others. It is evident that good 3D characters design and proper 3D modeling can create an emotional connection to the game.
For newbies to design, it is complicated. In order to achieve desired results, one should follow many steps. It takes skillfullness and expertise to achieve your goal. It is advisable to seek the assistance of a 3D design professional as they will be able provide customized, expert advice.
You can read the rest of this article if you want to take on this challenge. The next step is to learn about the 3D character designing process. Expert concept artists will make this easy. character design services.
Steps in 3D Character Design
- Concept
It is important to collect enough references so that you can identify the characters and the way they will be designed. It will speed up the design process. Besides, when you are clear on the history of the character or what makes the character unique, you will be able to overcome any “artist’s block” faced while designing the character. Your ideas, or any references you have can be given to qualified concept artists. These artists will create a background that is attractive for your character and also provide concepts for 3D characters in the future.
- Blocing
Blocking is an animation technique that allows you to create a 3D drawing. Sketches are used to illustrate the poses and positioning of characters. As the design of the whole process will depend on it, this step is crucial. If you don’t have the expertise of an expert, it is important to combine the basic forms into the character you desire.
- The art of sculpture
The next step is to use a 3D character-sculpting software. This program allows users to drag, push, pinch or grab their character. The software will help you create the 3D geometry, just as a sculptor would use clay to make a shape.
- Retopology
It can also be described as 3D modeling and has the purpose of reducing polygon count. This method allows for the creation of a low-poly, 3D character using a high-poly model. The 3D character’s topology is a surface structure and it defines the visual characteristics of the 3D character that is designed so far. The most popular way to design the topology for a 3D model/character is polygon modeling. Many people are unaware that polygons come in multiple angles. It is important to choose a shape that allows you to easily animate or edit individual parts of your 3D character.
- UV Unwrapping
This process can be used to create texture mapping. It is a process of projecting a 2D image onto the 3D model’s surface. You have to unfold’ a mesh of the 3D object and the 2D texture will be applied to it. This step is crucial as it makes your characters appear more natural and realistic. Thus, it is recommended that you become well familiar with the UV map which is the flat representation of a 3D character’s surface. Professionals can provide excellent 3-Dimensional character designing services.
- Baking
You will need to save information about a 3D model to a texture bitmap file. This process is known as Baking. The two main meshes involved in the process are the low and high poly meshes. A low-poly mesh has fewer polygons, making it easier to store and render. The high-poly mesh can show HD 3D detail because it has far more polygons. The baking process will give you the benefits of low performance costs as well as high levels of detail for both the high and low poly mesh.
- Texturing
The effect is computer graphics used to make 3D characters look more realistic. You will create small details such as wrinkles and shadows for your character, or folds on clothing.
- Skinning and Rigging
When creating your character skeleton, you should be careful. It is necessary to create a bone or skeleton that can be animated in the future. Next, rigging is followed by skeinning. The skeleton will be integrated with the 3D character and make it move precisely.
- Animation
Model animation is an essential part of a 3D model design. The animation will be done by the 3D characters artists who are experts in the field.
- Lighting
This is a common mistake made by newbies. However, it should be included in the design process. Effective lighting can enhance the character’s visual appeal. The lighting gives the character an authentic look. This step is usually taken into consideration by all 3D expert character designers.
- Rendering
You, the designer, will need to use computer graphics in order to generate a screen to display the 3D model on and to convert it to a 2D image. You will need to change the orientation of your camera and adjust the lighting of the image. You must consider this last step, even though you may not be in control of the scene.
These were the basics of 3D character design. As you can see, it is important to have knowledge of many types and access to specific software and tools. Without the ability to perform any one of these tasks/processes, you may have trouble achieving the desired result. Consider hiring qualified services for concept art character design.
