Storyboards: Requesting Basic Character Meshes

Support Modeling
#1

First of all, i am a blender newbie, and also new to these forums. If this was posted in the wrong forum then apologies.

Recently i’ve been getting very much into cinematography and storyboarding and am a media student. The idea of using Blender to create images for a storyboard has got me excited.

Is there anywhere that i can get some basic characters to use? I have MakeHuman but the models it creates are way too complex for what i want to achieve and also need clothing which is a big headache for a newbie like me.

Obviously i have tried making characters yet i find my approach to creating organic shapes doesn’t yield anything useable. So, some advice to modelling people that would suit a storyboard would also be most appreciated.

It’s quite ironic that i’m having fun practising my modelling in detail, yet when it comes to creating something very basic, it turns out an eyesore. :rolleyes:

#2

Hi

Welcome to blenderartists.org forum!

I believe you can find some of the following links useful:
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74704
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=66476
http://orange.blender.org/blog/mancandy-updated/
http://mediawiki.blender.org/index.php/Blender_Summer_of_Documentation
http://www.makemovies.co.uk/

#3

Have you tried doing the famous GUS tutorial? That would yield a very basic man type shape that could be modified fairly easy? And it would be suitable for storyboarding concepts.

You can find the GUS tutorial here:
http://mediawiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual/Your_First_Animation_in_30_plus_30_Minutes_Part_I

#4

3DM has some character models you can download for free. They’re in non-Blender formats, so you’ll have to import them, and probably clean them up some, and maybe add materials, and do the rigging. If its just storyboarding, you might even get away without rigging, just grab the mesh and rotate-move it into position. You might be able to turn them into decent low-poly models using the decimator modifier. Search for “3D character models.” Good luck.

#5

Thanks BeBraw!

The tutorial called Introduction To Character Animation is proving invaluble. It’s giving me a better idea on how to approach character modelling. Plus, i’m learning new little functions like loop-cutting, loop selection and how to texture individual sections of a certain mesh.

I’ll post a picture when i’ve finished him. :slight_smile:

Dreamsgate, i tried GUS in the past but i always had trouble trying to make him into something with a decent human shape. I didn’t know he was infamous. Has anyone made an animated adventure for him yet?

Orinoco, I found two characters that i wanted to use. However, when i downloaded the .zip files they wouldn’t open at all. They don’t show up in windows explorer either.

Thanks for the pointers everyone.

#6

The GUS tutorial is really old and outdated- you should really try the BSoD Introduction to Character Animation. Go to wiki.blender.org and select “Blender Summer of Documentation”.

#7

lol, I know GUS is old, but he asked for BASIC characters and you can’t get more basic than GUS.:smiley:

#8

Well, i have a very basic model just about done to use for storyboards.

I found that after creating that blue alien creature i could go off on my own and model a basic human entirely without going back to the tutorial for reference. I guess that’s testament to it being a great guide.

I didn’t manage to model a satisfying head, however. Couldn’t get the face to look generic and simple so i just used the good ol’ sphere with a cross over the front. At least that taught me the very basics of UV mapping though. :cool:

So, once again - thank you thank you.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2609/basiccharacter1va3.jpg
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3624/basiccharacter2os7.jpghttp://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3628/basiccharacter3vt6.jpg