3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Anna Gerber

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Outline

• Tonight: 3D Sculpting Action Heroes– Generating base models

– Slicing into parts & adding joints

– Customizing via 3D sculpting tools

• 3D Printing Action Heroes– April 17th

– Preparing parts for 3D printing

– 3D printing

– Cleaning up 3D printed parts

• Adding electronics to 3D printed Action Heroes– April 24th

– Make them interactive

– Electronics & coding

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Generating Base Models

• Use character mesh generators to save time:• Make Human

– Free & Open Source

– http://www.makehuman.org/

– License of generated characters: CC0

• Mixamo Fuse (Now owned by Adobe)– https://www.mixamo.com/fuse

– Free preview requires Adobe account

– Royalty free use of generated models allowed for 3D prints but you cannot sell the generated models directly

• AutoDesk Character Generator– http://area.autodesk.com/products/charactergenerator

– Free & Paid Subscription service

– Unrestricted usage of generated models

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Other sources for models

• Thingiverse

– http://www.thingiverse.com/

– Use Creative Commons licensed models

• Model Resource

– From games, for personal use only

– http://www.models-resource.com/

• Create a model of someone's head

– Use 123DCatch app to create model from photos

• http://www.123dapp.com/catch

– Use a Kinect & Microsoft's 3D Scan app

• (Windows only)

• http://microsoft.com/3d

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

MakeHuman

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Fuse

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

AutoDesk Character Generator

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Export the character model

• Export model as OBJ format model

• AutoDesk Character Generator exports FBX –

convert these to OBJ using AutoDesk FBX

Converter or other 3D software

• Online converter:

– http://www.greentoken.de/onlineconv/

• We're using AutoDesk Meshmixer for 3D Sculpting:

– http://www.meshmixer.com/

– Free software for Windows, Mac or Linux

• Alternative sculpting programs include Sculptris & Z-

Brush

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Import OBJ model to Meshmixer

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Scales

You'll need to scale your model to Action Hero

size. Popular scales:

• 1:4 (18") common for collector dolls

• 1:6 (12") i.e. original G.I. Joe scale

• 1:10 (7") currently the most popular size

• 1:12 (5 -6") 90s Action Toys

• 1:18 (4") kids action figures e.g. Star Wars

We'll use 1:10 scale i.e. around 15 – 18 cm tall

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Scale Model in Meshmixer

• Adjust scale via Edit > Transform so that the model

is around 15 – 18 cm tall

• Red = X

• Green = Y

• Blue = Z

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Ball Joints

• We're using a ball joint system:

– Ball joints fit into sockets

– Parts held together with elastic

• Alternative joint systems include:

– Print-in-place ball joints

– Snap together joints

e.g. see Open Source Action Figure

by Jason Welsh http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:116571

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Slice model into parts

• Use the Plane cut tool to separate limbs

• Use Select brush then Edit > Separate for more

control

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Add balls joints to parts

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Add ball, use Transform tool to scale to appropriate size and move into position

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Combine & Make solid, then use sculpting tools to refine model & blend joint onto part

Joints for elbows & knees

• Elbow & knee joints can be created as separate

parts if desired, for maximum flexibility

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Add sockets to parts

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Place ball (slightly larger than joint ball), then use boolean diference to subtract

Hollow out parts

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Also use boolean difference to Create hollows in parts

Add holes for elastic

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Use a cylinder and boolean difference,Use sculpting tools to round edges

Split head cap from head

• Use select brush for precise selection or use

slice tool for flat cut

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Hollow out head & eyes & add magnet

mounting points

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Customize parts

• Use sculpting tools to refine and modify parts

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

Next steps

• Drop into the Fabrication Lab or download

Meshmixer at home to continue working on the

models:

– http://www.meshmixer.com/download.html

• If you will be participating in the 3D printing

workshop, please bring your models along then

• We'll be focusing on preparing the models for

printing, exporting to STL, and printing them on

the 3D printers

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes

License

• This slide desk was authored by Anna Gerber,

April 2016 and may be shared or adapted under

a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike (4.0

CC-BY-SA) license:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Anna Gerber

3D Sculpting Action Heroes