Cinema 4D 5: Character Modelling

The task for the workshop was to learn the basics of character design and create a basic character. This was done by creating a cuboid, split into segments (2,1,1). By selecting faces of the cube and using the extrude tool the shape was developed to make segments for the characters body parts. The point selection tool and scaling tool were used to adjust certain points of the shapes, tapering parts of the body in or out to begin giving the character some shape. The extrude inner tool was used on certain faces to create a smaller rectangle within the face, which will then become the extruded shape, this was used to create the arm segments coming out of the shoulders. All of this should still be within the original cube layer. Then create a Subdivision Surface layer and drag the cube (character) layer into it. This should then smooth out all the edges on the box-looking object to make it look more like a character. The next step is to add materials to the character. Temporarily turn off (untick) the Subdivision Surface layer and select the faces you want to be in the same colour and set a selection tag. Then add your two materials to the cube layer, adjusting which material is to cover which section. Then turn back on Subdivision Surface, add an environment and lighting then the character is ready to render out as a jpeg.

To develop this further and make the character move the bend and the twist tools were used. For a short 90 frame animation of the character taking a bow, we added a keyframe at frame 0 and 90 of the character stood up straight. At frame 30 we used the bend tool, to rotate the character forwards, approximately 25 degrees. The twist tool was then used to make the character twist about 15 degrees to the left as it bent. A key frame for this position was added at frame 30 and frame 60. This short animation was then rendered out and saved as an MP4. Below is my character created in the workshop. 

Character from Eve Whelan on Vimeo.