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How to Create a Game Ready Character Hexblade Anathema: From Original ZBrush Model to CC4

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Francis Lamoureux

Hello everyone, my name is Francis Lamoureux, and I’m a junior character artist. My most recent professional experience was at Larian Studios, where I worked as an intern for four months. During that time, I discovered Character Creator 4 (CC4) through social media and immediately saw the high potential of Reallusion’s software. I spent time watching many excellent tutorials because I wanted to integrate CC4 into my pipeline to create a game character, which I eventually did.

I ended up developing a workflow that suits me well, and I’m really grateful to Reallusion for the opportunity to share it with you. This workflow consists of six main steps:

  1. Transfer a custom mesh onto a CC4 base mesh topology
  2. Create the high-resolution model, the low-resolution model, and textures for clothing and accessories
  3. Use GoZ to create clothing from the character’s outfit
  4. Clean up the skinning results
  5. Simulate physics
  6. Export to your preferred rendering engine

The first step is entirely optional if you begin your project using the CC4 base mesh. However, before my collaboration with Reallusion, I had already started sculpting the face and body without the CC4 topology. So I had to find a way to transfer my custom sculpt to a CC4-compatible base mesh.

You can find my portfolio on ArtStation.

Step 1. Transform the custom 3d mesh into a CC4 base topology

So, let’s say you’ve sculpted a face in ZBrush and want to convert it to a CC4 topology character to take advantage of all the software features. To transfer your mesh to a CC4 topology character, you’ll need Headshot 2.0, which can be found in the Plugin section of CC4 in the Reallusion Hub. It’s a wrapping tool, and like any wrapping software, the CC4 base mesh will be wrapped around your custom sculpt. But there’s more to it: it also automatically generates a body, eyes, mouth interior, teeth, tongue, lashes, and more, all based on CC4 topology.

Once the custom head information is transferred and attached to a CC4 base mesh, you can use the GoZ tool to send your character back to ZBrush and wrap the CC4 character body around your custom body sculpt. All the details from your custom sculpt can be transferred to the CC4 base mesh using Project History or the History Recall brush.

Step 2: Create the high-poly, low-poly, and textures for clothing and accessories

Once the custom face and body information had been transferred to a CC4 topology character, I took a break from CC4 to finish the high-resolution models of the armor, clothing, and accessories. I also completed the low-resolution versions (including the hair) and created all the textures.

Step 3: Create cloth assets from the premade garment models using GoZ

For this step, I imported the low-resolution parts of the character’s clothing into the same ZBrush scene that contains the GoZ CC4 character. Then, piece by piece, I linked the clothing back to the character using GoZ. By selecting Create Cloth in CC4, the software generates these parts as new assets and automatically transfers the character’s skin weights to them. This is a powerful feature that significantly speeds up the process of animating and posing a fully clothed character.

Once all clothing elements have gone through the previous steps, you’ll end up with a fully custom clothed character that shares the CC4 topology. By doing this, you unlock all the benefits of the software, such as blendshapes, facial and body animation, motion capture compatibility, advanced materials, and asset integration. The possibilities for creating different faces and body types are endless, making it especially efficient for generating a wide range of NPCs. For example: a bulkier version, a thinner version, a taller or shorter one.

You can also use the Morph tools to easily create various facial variations.

Step 4: Clean up skinning results

To achieve cleaner deformation results, you may need to adjust the skinning — especially if the low-poly mesh imported from ZBrush is complex.

Fortunately, CC4’s skinning tools are quite user-friendly compared to other software. In my case, I didn’t need to spend much time on this, as CC4’s auto weight transfer handled about 90% of the work. However, there were areas, like the bag and scabbard, where I needed to manually refine the skin weights.

In the image, you can see that some vertices on the bag are being influenced by multiple bones, causing unwanted stretching when the character walks. To fix this, I selected the affected vertices, selected the hip bone, and clicked the “1” button to assign 100% influence from the hip bone to those vertices.

I applied the same process to the scabbard, adding a bit of smoothing to create a cleaner transition along the belt. (Side note: I used the visibility toggle to manage the different layers of clothing. While all clothing items were rigged using the Create Cloth function, some parts were hidden to maintain the proper layered appearance.)

Step 5: Simulate physics

Once you’re satisfied with the character’s skinning, it’s time to test the physics simulation. Start by browsing Reallusion’s animation assets and drag an animation onto your character to observe how the clothing behaves during movement.

To control which areas are affected by the simulation, you’ll need to import a black-and-white texture map. I exported a JPEG of the UV layout from Maya and painted a weight map in Photoshop (white areas will be simulated, while black areas will remain static).

Next, enable the necessary checkboxes for simulation. You can adjust settings to fine-tune the results until you’re happy. There are multiple presets available as starting points.

Here are a few key parameters you can experiment with:

  • Distance between the simulated mesh and the collision volumes
  • Distance between the simulated mesh’s vertices
  • Wind force and direction

To avoid clipping issues, you may need to add collision volumes to the character.

Lastly, in the Global Physics Settings under Project Settings, make sure to enable Rigid Body and Soft vs Soft Collision to achieve the best results.

Adding collision volumes is quite simple:

  1. Select the character and click on Collision Shape.
  2. Make sure both Collision On/Off and Activate Selected Part are enabled (with a body part of the dummy selected).
  3. Choose the appropriate collision shape for the selected part.
  4. Adjust the position and scale directly in the viewport until you achieve the desired effect.

Then, play the animation to see how the collision volumes interact with the simulated clothing.

Step 6: Export to your preferred render engine

Export settings will vary depending on the purpose of your project. Personally, I use Marmoset for rendering, so I export everything in FBX format, except for the simulated parts of the character. For those simulated elements, I export them as Alembic (.abc) files so that the simulation data carries over into Marmoset. This ensures the physics-based motion remains intact even outside of CC4.

Final Thoughts

This was a small glimpse into my workflow and how I integrate Character Creator 4 into it. CC4 offers a fun, fast, and intuitive way not only to bring your characters to life but also to experiment with variations in animation, facial features, silhouettes, and more. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to share this pipeline with you (special thanks to Reallusion for making it possible). I hope you found it helpful. And if you haven’t tried Character Creator 4 yet, I highly encourage you to give it a shot and see how well it fits into your own creative process.

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Antareus Studio Reinvents Graphic Novel Production with iClone and Character Creator

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Bringing Historically-Inspired Stories to Life as Digital Comics

Antareus Studio demonstrates how Reallusion’s Character Creator and iClone are not only powerful animation tools, but also exceptional solutions for creating graphic novels and cinematic storyboards. They are also offering a free download of their latest graphic novel.

Adolf Navarro – Antareus Studio

Antareus Ltd. is a creative studio originally founded in 2011 by Adolf Navarro and Izara Masie. Specializing in digital storytelling, the studio produces graphic novels, CGI animations, 3D content, visual effects, and children’s TV series. Utilizing advanced tools like Reallusion’s iClone and Character Creator, Antareus delivers high-quality digital content efficiently. In addition, Adolf Navarro develops a wide range of high-quality assets for the Reallusion Content Store, contributing to the creative resources available to the Reallusion community.

Adolf’s content on the Reallusion Content Store

Michael Mandaville

Michael Mandaville is a writer, filmmaker, and activist known for the Citizen Soldier Handbook series. He has worked as a Line Producer and Unit Production Manager on films like Taken, Havoc, and American History X. He has directed short films and documentaries, including Guards of Honor, and authored novels such as Stealing Thunder and A Cold Death. Mandaville holds degrees from USC and UC Santa Barbara and began his film career at age five, inspired by his aunt, a Hollywood script consultant.

Films Michael has previously worked on

WWII Reimagined as an Online Graphic Novel

Their latest project, Operation Cobra: The Burma Incident, is a WWII-era graphic novel following a squad of American soldiers on a rescue mission in the Burmese jungle. The story takes a supernatural twist, introducing an ancient hidden threat. To ensure historical authenticity, Antareus Studio collaborated with Hollywood producer and WWII expert Michael Mandaville (The Taken Trilogy), who provided guidance on accurately portraying the China-Burma-India theater.

Download the Graphic Novel for FREE — Ends July 6th, 2025!

Antareus Studio and Michael Mandaville have made the complete novel available for free download to the Reallusion community.

Building Characters with a Powerful Character System

Antareus Studio used Character Creator to design all characters for the novel, most of whom were fictional. However, they also created realistic versions of historical figures such as General Joseph Stilwell and Colonel Frank Merrill. Using the Headshot Plugin and a few reference images, the team achieved impressive likenesses.

Character Creator also allowed them to import and apply custom clothing and accessories in FBX or OBJ format. Characters were optimized for performance, with high-resolution versions for close-ups and low-polygon alternatives for crowd scenes or background use.

Cinematic Scene Composition with iClone

The team sourced assets from Reallusion’s Content Store and Marketplace, as well as external platforms like TurboSquid and Sketchfab. These models were imported into iClone or Character Creator for use in building complex scenes.

Key features of iClone used in the process included:

  • Customizable character poses and facial expressions
  • Dynamic camera framing and angle exploration
  • Real-time lighting and particle effects
  • Easy repositioning of props and characters

Animations could also be applied and paused at any frame, allowing the team to capture natural, expressive poses quickly.

Comic Style Visual Pipeline

Once scenes were finalized, they were rendered in iClone and stylized using ON1 Effects and Photoshop Elements. The final comic elements, including text bubbles and visual overlays, were added using Inkscape—a free vector graphic tool.

This approach provided:

  • Consistent character design and scene continuity
  • Easy updates between scenes (e.g., persistent damage, costume changes)
  • High-quality visuals for both close-ups and wide shots

Each panel built upon the last, enabling quick updates and maintaining storytelling flow.

Storyboarding and Previsualization

The workflow also proved ideal for storyboarding film and television productions. With full-scene renders and accurate framing, iClone allowed directors to visualize shots as they would appear in live-action, including actor positions, lighting setups, and camera timing.

Scenes, including virtual cameras, could be exported to Unreal Engine for use in virtual production. This reduced asset duplication and helped minimize post-production costs by reusing storyboard elements in final compositions.

Previsualization for Netflix series, The Night Agent

In Conclusion

Antareus Studio demonstrates that Character Creator and iClone go far beyond traditional animation. They serve as complete creative platforms for visual storytelling—delivering intuitive workflows, professional-grade results, and cost-effective pipelines. Whether crafting graphic novels, cinematic storyboards, or previsualizations, creators gain the flexibility and control to bring their visions to life—without relying on large production teams.

Download the graphic novel for free until July 6, 2025

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How Art Camp used iClone & CC4 in Indochine’s La Belle et la Bête

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Art Camp Studio: A Hub of Creative Excellence

Santiago Carrasquilla – Founder | Creative Director of Art Camp

Art Camp is a New York–based creative studio founded in 2016 by Santiago Carrasquilla and Jos Díaz Contreras, devoted to crafting immersive experiences through video, animation, and design. Guided by the mission to “reach hearts, feel deeper, reach differently, and hear in new ways,” Art Camp approaches each project as a fusion of emotional depth and technical precision.

The studio has collaborated with an impressive roster of clients, including Thom Yorke, U2, and Stefan Sagmeister, as well as global brands like Nike, Telfar, and Hermès. Their work blends artful storytelling with cutting-edge digital techniques, continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in visual media.

For the music video La belle et la bête by French rock band Indochine, Art Camp explored the expressive language of movement from two angles: a folkloric-inspired dance sequence and a contemporary choreographic interpretation. Working in 3D, they created a wide array of environments—from minimalist spaces to surreal, dreamlike landscapes—paying meticulous attention to lighting, camera angles, and cloth simulation to achieve a near-live-action realism.

To power their rapid 3D production pipeline, Art Camp used Character Creator and the Headshot plugin to craft photorealistic digital doubles, iClone for scene layout, animatics, and motion cleanup, and ActorCore for retargeting dance mocap data from Reallusion’s content store. This workflow enabled the team to generate and animate characters in a matter of hours—streamlining production while maintaining creative flexibility under tight deadlines.

“ Our goal was to achieve a realistic aesthetic, with careful attention to lighting, camera angles, and cloth simulation, so that the scenes would feel almost as if they had been filmed with real people.”

Santiago Carrasquilla – Founder | Creative Director of Art Camp

Project Overview: Indochine’s La belle et la bête

Over the years, Art Camp has collaborated with illustrious clients such as Thom Yorke, U2, Stefan Sagmeister, and major brands like Nike, Telfar, and Hermès.

For the French rock band Indochine, Art Camp crafted the music video for La belle et la bête, exploring “the language of movement” through both folkloric and contemporary dance.

By working in 3D, the team built environments ranging from minimalist studios to surreal dreamscapes. With a focus on realistic lighting, camera angles, and cloth simulation, they aimed to evoke the feeling of live-action film.

Reallusion Tools: Powering Rapid 3D Production

Art Camp’s 3D pipeline centered on Reallusion software, which accelerated every stage of production:

  • Character Creator & Headshot 2 plugin for photorealistic digital doubles
  • iClone 3D animation for scene layout, animatics, and motion cleanup
  • ActorCore for retargeting dance mocap data (notably from Reallusion’s content store)

These tools allowed the team to scan, generate, and animate characters in hours rather than days, preserving artistic flexibility under tight deadlines.

Meet the Team: Faces Behind the Video

Santiago Carrasquilla (Director & Co‑Founder): leads creative direction, blending immersive visuals with narrative flow.
Flor Monza (Flopa) Argentinian illustrator and 3D artist.
Jonnatan Paz (El Profe): Technical Director from Cali, Colombia.

Why Character Creator Was Key for Digital Doubles

The process began with a facial scan of lead dancer Rhea using the Headshot plugin within Character Creator (CC), which allowed us to automatically generate a base geometry for her head. From this base, the team adjusted facial and body sliders to match choreography-driven expressions.

From there, we used Character Creator to refine the details, achieving an increasingly accurate likeness.

“Character Creator stood out for being very intuitive and easy to use, which allowed us to quickly focus on the artistic work without getting bogged down in complex technical processes.

The vast number of morph sliders it offers—both for the face and the body—was key for sculpting specific details and achieving a truly customized representation.”

Flor Monza (Flopa) – Illustrator and 3D artist

This method eliminated traditional sculpting time, delivering clean geometry ready for mocap and rendering.

This level of control turned the process into a nearly artisanal craft. Another fundamental aspect was CC’s flexibility to export characters to other industry-standard programs like Clo3D, Cinema 4D, or Blender, while maintaining rigs, textures, and skinning data intact. This significantly streamlined our workflow across different software.

Inside the Real‑Time Pipeline: From Mocap to FX

Retargeting in iClone was a fundamental part of the pipeline. We used the motion layer to adjust and refine the movements whenever necessary, and the best part was being able to preview each dancer’s mocap animation in real time.

“Using many Reallusion tools significantly optimized and improved our workflow. Character Creator and iClone let us focus on choreography rather than technical hurdles.”

Flor Monza (Flopa) – Illustrator and 3D artist

Another huge advantage was the ability to create ultra-fast renders directly in iClone, allowing us to review takes immediately and quickly select the strongest segments to export to Cinema 4D and Houdini for the final scenes. This real-time workflow not only saved us countless hours of processing, but also made it easier to make creative decisions on the fly, significantly simplifying and accelerating the entire production process.

Overcoming Hair, Cloth, and Motion Capture Challenges

One of the biggest challenges on this project was coordinating multiple complex technical aspects, such as hair and cloth simulations, handling large file sizes, and achieving precision in motion capture. We were able to overcome these challenges thanks to strong organization and clear project management.

“We faced incredible challenges—cloth simulation, hair physics, dozens of characters—but every step was rewarding. Working with Indochine was a pleasure.”

Jonnatan Paz (El Profe) – Technical Director

Costumes, designed in-house, were simulated in CLO3D, then exported as Alembic caches. Despite working with 60 GB simulation files, careful resource optimization kept the project on schedule.

“Simulating scarves and socks separately solved collision issues. Clo’s Alembic export ensured smooth integration into Cinema 4D.”

Jonnatan Paz (El Profe) – Technical Director

Within the team, there is a culture of trust and openness that allows anyone to immediately communicate if a task becomes too complicated or if support from other members is needed. This active collaboration dynamic helped us anticipate issues, quickly redistribute resources, and keep the workflow moving at all times.

Mocap sessions took place at New York’s ZeroSpace, where three dancers recorded folk and contemporary routines. The FBX files were imported into iClone, which automatically retargeted the data to the Character Creator rigs.

In iClone, layered motion cleanup fixed any intersections or jitter. Real-time playback enabled rapid iteration on camera blocking and timing.

“iClone allows for layered motion cleanup if any body parts intersect with the character, ensuring the movement remains smooth and accurate.”

Flor Monza (Flopa) – Illustrator and 3D artist

Additionally, embracing a flexible planning approach—where we could adjust priorities without losing sight of final deadlines—was key to solving technical challenges without sacrificing the creative quality of the project.

Large-Scale Simulations: Houdini for Crowd & FX

For sequences featuring confetti or “papel picado,” Art Camp turned to Houdini. Its procedural tools enabled large crowds and particle systems—such as paper shards—without crippling render times.

Redshift gave them the speed and quality needed, while cinematic lighting boosted the video’s emotional impact.

The Future of Real‑Time in Music Videos and Animation

We believe that tools like iClone and ActorCore have enormous potential to transform the music and animation industries. They enable the creation of highly realistic digital doubles of artists, as well as a wide range of diverse characters, exponentially expanding the creative possibilities for each project.

Access to high-quality, real-time animation not only accelerates production processes but also opens up new forms of visual storytelling in music videos and animated content. This flexibility allows for rapid experimentation, faster iteration of ideas, and the ability to push the traditional boundaries of creativity in audiovisual projects.

Art Camp’s La belle et la bête demonstrates how integrating Reallusion’s Character Creator, Headshot, and iClone with Clo, Cinema 4D/Redshift, and Houdini creates a real-time, high-fidelity workflow for music videos.

By reducing manual labor and emphasizing creative iteration, the team delivered a compelling, cinematic experience that resonates with artists and audiences alike. Music video directors, 3D animators, and content creators seeking to streamline production and enhance visual storytelling can look to this project as proof that modern toolchains unlock new creative possibilities—no massive budgets required.

Follow Art Camp

Website:
https://www.madeatartcamp.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/madeatartcamp/?hl=en

Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/artcamp

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Eric Scot Dalnes won the 2024 Animation at Work Contest. Learn how he creates captivating 2d farmlife animation with Cartoon Animator and XPPen.
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Winner Spotlight: Cartoon Animator and XPPen as the Linchpin to a YouTube Animator’s Pipeline

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Eric Scot Dales wins honorable mention in the “Education Animation” category of the Reallusion 2024 Animation at Work contest. In his own words, he takes us through the workflow that brought his winning entry, “Why Do We Dream?”, to life.

Eric Scot Dales / BlinkyBarky Animation

Hello, I’m Eric Scot Dales. My interest in computer graphics and 3D animation began between 1989 and 1995, during which I worked on small projects for college. Professionally, I spent my career in government as a computer engineer.

After retiring, I returned to my passion of studying and exploring 2D and 3D software and AI diffusion models. Today, I am a freelancer, laying the groundwork for a small business. I’m also launching YouTube channels to make a positive impact while also building a source of side income.

Follow BlinkyBarky Animation

Entry Concept

I’ve been a fan of Tales From The Loop by Simon Stålenhag and was drawn to its unique blending of what I would call sci-fi in nature. The idea of rural life interwoven with advanced sci-fi technology, used in a way that brings ease and fun, really resonated with me. Inspired by Stålenhag’s work, I introduced technology into my story that you wouldn’t normally find on a country farm. The story centers on the relationship between a grandson and his grandpa. The grandfather gets upset after being splashed by the boy, who finds a clever way to cut corners while doing chores. His reaction of basically grumbling “no respect” served as a comical close to the piece.

The idea began forming in my mind around July 2024. By September, I started shaping the rough story, character concepts, background ideas, and voice lines. In mid-2024, I was preparing for an animation project for a 2024 contest with Reallusion, although I had no idea if or when it would actually be announced. Storyboard development took place over September and October — two months filled with drawings and visual references to help bring the concept to life.

I started basically defining the video project style, characters, props and environment. I used a combination of StoryboardThat online software and Storyboarder software. StoryboardThat gave me a way to get raw concept characters for storyboard scene creation. I used Storyboarder locally on the computer because I liked the structure of the interface and the way to incorporate the various parts of the scenes. I acquired screenshots from Polygon Farm Pack by Synty, I used Unreal Engine to position the view in 3D to capture the screen and bring it into Storyboarder. The Storyboard went through refinements over three months before the contest ended, as I fine-tuned the story scenes in CTA5.

Using XPPen

Currently, I use the XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2). I had other drawing display tablets (1080p models) starting in 2020 and had been considering acquiring a 4K tablet at some point. When the Reallusion contest announcement came out in 2024, and I saw there was a contest for XPPen; Which led me to think about the models XPPen offered, along with their price and feature offerings.

I noticed a sale in late November 2024 for XPPen tablets on their website, with some free financing options. I wanted a 4K tablet that would fit the table I was using and match well with the 4K monitors I had. So, it has only been since December 2024 that I’ve been involved with the XPPen brand.

Using Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo

I started acquiring the Affinity suite of software in early 2020. After I purchased training materials, extra brush packages, and later upgraded to version 2 of their software. I primarily use Affinity Photo 2 and deepened my knowledge while working on a project for a contest.

I’ve always gravitated toward software that offers strong features and a perpetual license model, which is why I chose Affinity back in 2020. My real test of Affinity Photo 2 and the XPPen began in December 2024, during that project. The pen was highly responsive on the screen, making it easy to navigate menus and perform both drawing and editing tasks.

To enhance my workflow, I used a separate 48-key keypad on my left, with custom shortcut keys assigned, alongside the pen to interact with the tablet display. I didn’t transfer those shortcuts to the XPPen remote during the project. My goal was to complete most tasks in Affinity Photo 2 without needing to use a traditional keyboard.

Integrating Cartoon Animator

There are several features that I adore and would like to share. One is the rigging and morphing abilities applied to objects and characters in CTA5. The functions in the 2D Motion Key Editor, Face Key Editor, and FFD Editor were enjoyable to use for achieving the desired result in keyframing. Specifically, when used on the same part of a character (such as the face, as I did with the grandson’s facial movements in a few scenes). The “Transition Curve” feature was especially helpful for smoothing the interpolation between keyframes.

Another feature is the ability to integrate audio, both as background sound and voice clips, and then modify the character’s mouth within CTA5 to match the voice. This was incredibly helpful for achieving a natural voice-to-mouth motion flow. Lastly, Motion Pilot allows real-time motion recording with a mouse or pen and applies the resulting path directly in Timeline editing. This feature greatly enhances animation flexibility and speed.

Affinity Workflow & the CTA 5.33 Update

I saw two videos when they came out on YouTube: the ones that Kai did with version 5.33 , using Affinity Photo 2 and Affinity Designer 2. Kai did a wonderful job outlining the integration flow between the Affinity packages and CTA5, and how to edit in Affinity Photo and bring back changes to selective layers (as in the background shot for the Raster video).

I also saw the new vector tutorial, and again, Kai explains and demonstrates the process with the SVG and the multistep workflow, including working with layers in Designer (grouping parts of an object) when the images come back to CTA5 before bones are added.

Video Compositing

A tip I learned from Mark Diaz, that I always keep in mind, is to split a large CTA project into smaller CTA project files. This approach helps maintain better performance when working on bigger projects. Another important habit is keeping track of which keyframe you’re on while making modifications across the timeline, which ensures more precise edits.

Understanding the various media types available in the “Create Media” dropdown menu, such as Props, Scene, Image Layer, and Background, is also essential. Early in my journey, I made the mistake of importing a background using “Create Media > Background” when I actually needed to modify the image after placing it in the scene. In that case, “Create Media > Props” would have been the better choice, as it allows more flexibility with edits.

For final compositing, I imported all my MP4 files into DaVinci Resolve Studio 19, which I use as my video editor. I made sure that the frame rate (24 FPS in my case) matched between CTA and DaVinci to maintain visual consistency. I also balanced the audio using a YouTube preset in DaVinci, ensuring the final render had proper volume before completing the project and uploading it.

Closing Thoughts

I am glad to spend some time challenging myself after work and come up with this piece. In which I learned a lot from the competition, and there was a lot of back-and-forth checking the tutorials from the CTA tutorial on Reallusion’s LEARN portal. I highly recommend that future contestants bookmark, so you can always come back and learn a new thing in Cartoon Animator by yourself. It is rewarding, and I have become a better creator after this challenge. Thank you so much!

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Learning

From 2D to 3D: Why After 10 Years I Moved to 3D Animation

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Animation Journey: From Drawing Cartoons to 3D Worlds

Entry 1 – Why I Left The Comfort Of 2D 

With a lifetime of passion for drawing cartoons, after stumbling onto Cartoon Animator, I felt I finally found my place in the world.  My name is Garry Pye and for more than the last 10 years I have been a 2D animator and content developer using Cartoon Animator.

What started out as me creating my own silly cartoons to entertain my friends, eventually grew into a full time business as a content developer and role as Community Manager for our animation community.

Now I feel it is time for me explore new territories, so I am opening the doors to the world of 3D animation, and this is my journey. 

Let’s be clear. 

I didn’t leave 2D animation because I stopped loving it. In fact, I’m not leaving 2D animation at all. I still adore it. It’s where I started, where I built a career creating quirky, oddball cartoon characters, and where I found a voice. Cartoon Animator is a powerful tool for 2D animation, and it’s amazing what you can do with a couple of silly shapes and an original idea.

But after over ten years of 2D animation, I became curious. What if I could view my characters from all angles? What if I could light them like in a movie, rotate them like action figures, or create environments that didn’t have to be completely redrawn every time I moved the camera?

That curiosity made me dip my toe into the third dimension. I spent all my free time watching YouTube videos and reading endless social media threads. Then I took the leap of faith and got myself iClone, Character Creator (CC), the CC Headshot plugin, and Blender. I was all in.

And let me tell you, nothing makes you miss 2D faster than trying to navigate your first Blender viewport with the camera upside down and your character’s leg stuck inside their head.

What gave me the confidence to keep going was how surprisingly familiar some things were.

Many of the tools and processes between Cartoon Animator and iClone overlapped. Keyframes, camera controls, body movements. These were all familiar territory. Even though there was a mountain to climb, I realised that coming from Cartoon Animator meant I had already laid a lot of the groundwork.

So I was hooked. Even though I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and I was intimidated by the scope of it all.

I found myself stepping into a space where I was suddenly a beginner again after years of perfecting my 2D skills.

But I could feel the possibilities expanding. Suddenly, I wasn’t just drawing scenes. I was building worlds.

Shifting into 3D has changed how I work day-to-day.

More late nights. More screen time. Juggling all this with existing projects takes commitment.

So I decided to write some articles about my journey from 2D to 3D to help and inspire others like me. Total newbies who see all the amazing things 3D animation can do and want in on the fun.

I don’t expect this journey to be smooth sailing. I’m realistic. There’s a lot to learn, and what I need to know is complicated.

In future articles, I’ll share what goes wrong and what (finally) works. I’m determined to give this everything I’ve got and see if I can make it to the finish line.

I’d love you to come along for the ride.

2D is still in my blood. It’s where I learned to move an audience, one frame at a time.

But 3D? That’s where I’m learning to breathe life into them.

This is the start of my story….

Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator, Cartoonist, Content Developer

Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator | Content Developer

Garry Pye is an Australian illustrator, animator, and Cartoon Animator instructor with over a decade of experience in the animation industry. Known for his unique blend of creativity and humor, Garry’s work spans from teaching animation techniques to creating innovative content that helps both novice and experienced animators improve their skills.

Garry’s enthusiasm for storytelling and animation shines through in all his projects, whether it’s creating animated shorts, preparing educational tutorials, or sharing his expertise by teaching. With a passion for making animation accessible and fun, Garry has built a community of learners who not only appreciate his knowledge but also his infectious sense of humor and dedication to his craft.

Follow Garry Pye’s iClone Page｜2D Animation Page｜2D Marketplace

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Kael Camaris combined Cartoon Animator, Affinity Designer and various AI tools for his animated children songs. The vibrant characters and setting made him the winner of the contest.
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Winner Spotlight: Harnessing Affinity Designer, Cartoon Animator and AI for Next-Level Animation Production

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Kael Camaris combined Cartoon Animator, Affinity Designer and various AI tools for his animated children songs. The vibrant characters and setting made him the winner of the contest.
Kael Camaris combined Cartoon Animator, Affinity Designer, and various AI tools for his animated children’s songs. The vibrant characters and setting made him the winner of the contest.

In this Winner Spotlight interview, we speak with Kael Kamaris, first-place winner of the 2024 Animation at Work contest under the “Education Animation” category. Kael’s winning entry, called “Tiana & Teo – Teaser Trailer – Faith Base Nursery Rhymes,” is made possible with the powerful fusion of Cartoon Animator (CTA), AI tools like ChatGPT, and creative software such as Affinity Designer and Blender. Kael shares insights into his production workflow, character design process, and how AI has become a vital part of his animation toolkit.

Kael Camaris

Hi, my name is Kael Camaris. I am a 2D animator based in the United Kingdom. Coming from illustration books and 2d character background, I know best in turning the 2d concepts into colorful commercial productions and merchandise. With the vibrant color tone setting, I always find it interesting when diving into children’s book production.

Currently, I also teach private lessons to aspiring animators and illustrators. My goal is to let my courses help students to be completely independent and creative!

Follow Kael’s YouTube

On Leveraging AI Tools And Preparation In ChatGPT

ChatGPT has become an invaluable part of my workflow, especially when I’m looking for creative script ideas, brainstorming content, or even when I’m struggling with writer’s block. It helps me generate concepts, dialogues, and even song lyrics for my animated videos. Having a reliable AI assistant like ChatGPT ensures I can stay productive without getting stuck during the creative process.

The key to writing good prompts is being specific with the details you want. For example, if I’m working on a script, I might prompt ChatGPT with something like: “Generate a 1-minute script for a children’s animation about the letter ‘B,’ incorporating themes of kindness and teamwork.” The more targeted your request, the more tailored the response will be. It helps save time by narrowing down the creative options and getting a starting point quickly.

Leveraging AI Tools: Voice, Songs, and Audio

I chose these tools because they offer a great balance of affordability and functionality. For voices, I use RVC Voice Converter, which is free, and it allows me to create cartoonish voices that match the energy of the 2D animations.

For music, I subscribe to Suno Chirp on a yearly basis, which provides me with a vast library of tracks that I can customize for my animations. Suno Chirp costs around £50 a year, which is a great deal for royalty-free music with high production value. As for sound editing, I use Ardour, which is an open-source tool, so there’s no cost, and it’s perfect for editing voiceovers and adding sound effects to my animations.

On Character Design with Affinity Designer

My characters are designed using Affinity Designer, where I create vector-based illustrations. I usually start by sketching the character’s outline and key features, then break them into separate components, like the body, head, and limbs, for easier rigging. One tip I often use in Affinity Designer is to keep my lines as clean and simple as possible, as it makes the rigging process much smoother. I also make use of the ‘Pen Tool’ to create precise curves and shapes for body parts, ensuring that everything is proportionate and easily adjustable.

My background in 2D illustration is essential for creating well-balanced, aesthetically pleasing characters. I can focus on the design’s artistry and functionality, ensuring characters not only look good but can also be easily animated. The understanding of proportions, anatomy, and perspective that I developed in my 2D illustration work really helps when it comes to designing characters that are both visually appealing and suitable for animation.

When designing characters for animation, it’s crucial to keep movement in mind. I always ensure the design is simplified with separate parts (like limbs, facial expressions, etc.) to make the rigging process easier. For rigging, my tip is to break down the character into as many pieces as possible to allow for smooth and flexible movement, especially for the face. I also recommend keeping the anchor points centered for each limb and part, as this makes it easier to animate fluid motions.

On Character Animation

I use iClone 8 to add 3D motions to my 2D character animation workflow with the plugin that integrates with Cartoon Animator. My process starts by importing character animations from iClone, converting them into 2D motion files, and then refining them in Cartoon Animator. The dos are: always make sure the motion is fluid and matches the character’s design, and test different angles to ensure the 3D-to-2D conversion looks natural. The don’ts: don’t overcomplicate the motions – keep them simple and aligned with your character’s style.

For facial animation, my key tip is to use separate layers for different facial components (eyes, mouth, eyebrows). This gives me flexibility to animate expressions more naturally. Additionally, I like to use subtle movements—small shifts in the eye position, slight eyebrow raises, or mouth corners—because they help create more emotive and relatable characters.

When it comes to body animation, keeping the character’s weight and posture consistent is crucial. I focus on the character’s center of gravity and make sure that the movements are balanced. One of my favorite tips is to exaggerate the movement slightly to give it more life, especially when the character is in motion. This makes the animation feel more dynamic and fluid.

Lip sync animation can be tricky, but it’s all about timing. I always break down the dialogue into individual phonemes and match them to the character’s mouth shapes. My tip is to start with the key poses for the mouth (open, closed, etc.) and then fill in the in-betweens. Also, don’t forget to add subtle head movements to complement the lip sync – it gives the character more personality.

On Compositing

In Blender, I use the nodes editor extensively for compositing and to create more dynamic camera movements. Nodes allow me to control and adjust lighting, color grading, and effects with precision. I also rely on Blender’s camera rigging and animation tools to create more engaging shots, ensuring that the camera smoothly transitions through scenes without abrupt jumps. For optimization, I always use the layers and scene management tools to keep everything organized, which makes it much easier to handle more complex projects.

Closing Thoughts

This competition has been an incredible experience, and I’m really proud of the work I’ve submitted. My advice to future contestants is to focus on your unique style and don’t be afraid to experiment with different tools and techniques. Animation is all about creativity and storytelling, so embrace your personal touch. You can follow my work on another alias Facebook for collaboration inquiries. I’m always excited to connect with fellow animators and creatives!

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Streamline 3D Animations with iClone & Rokoko: Ultimate 2025 Review

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Real-time 3D animation just got a major upgrade with the latest iClone 8.52 update. In this feature review video, Sam Lazarus from Rokoko breaks down how the newest tools in iClone 8.52 streamline and enhance animation workflows. From precise Rokoko body motion capture and AccuFace facial tracking to AI-powered lip sync and the brand-new Timecode plugin, Sam explores how these powerful features come together for seamless, efficient production.

Whether you’re an indie animator or part of a larger studio, this in-depth review shows how iClone 8.52 unlocks new levels of control and speed in real-time 3D animation.

Why iClone and Rokoko are Must-Have for Character Designers and Human Creators

  • User-friendly workflow: Import or live stream motion capture from Rokoko Studio directly into iClone or Character Creator.
  • Robust mocap editing: Adjust shoulders, hands, and more with a powerful IK editing system.
  • Seamless integration: Use Rokoko’s headcam with iClone’s AccuFace for impressive facial mocap from a single camera.
  • Non-destructive editing: Maintain original motion capture data while applying edits to ensure flexibility.

Sam Lazarus Highlights iClone 2025 Features

Sam Lazarus, Creative Director at Rokoko, recently released a comprehensive review of iClone 8’s 2025 updates — and we’re breaking down everything you need to know to elevate your 3D character animation projects.

1. Timecode Syncing

  • Automatically sync Rokoko mocap with other mocap systems or audio using timecode.
  • Ideal for combining Rokoko SmartGloves, with Xsens suits, and more natively within iClone.

2. Motion Trail Editor

  • Visualize and edit the entire character’s translation in real time.
  • Makes complex mocap edits easier and more intuitive.

3. New Filters for Smoother Animation

  • Peak removal to clean up erratic keyframe spikes.
  • Butterworth smoothing for polished, AAA-quality motion.

4. Improved Non-Destructive Timeline Editing

  • Edit mocap without permanently altering keyframes.
  • Essential for iterating on animations without losing original data.

How These Updates Improve Your 3D Animation Workflow

  • Faster turnaround on creating believable, expressive characters.
  • Simplified syncing of multi-source mocap data means fewer headaches in post-production.
  • Higher quality mocap results without expensive hardware investments.
  • Enhanced lip sync animation capabilities via iClone AccuFace, perfect for dialogue-heavy scenes.

Practical Tips to Get Started

  • Use Rokoko Studio to record your motion capture or live stream directly into iClone.
  • Export mocap data and drag it onto your character base in iClone or Character Creator.
  • Experiment with the new motion trail editor to refine large movements.
  • Apply butterworth smoothing filters to clean up jittery animations.
  • Use timecode syncing when combining different mocap devices or syncing with audio.

Why This Matters to You as a Character Designer or Human Creator

The combination of iClone 8 and Rokoko Studio offers a comprehensive toolkit to bring your digital human creations to life. Whether you’re a solo indie animator or part of a studio, these updates reduce technical barriers and let you focus on creativity. The ease of importing motion capture and refining it inside a single software ecosystem is invaluable for:

  • 3D animation software enthusiasts
  • Character designers aiming for lifelike movement
  • Human creators wanting fast, high-quality rigs
  • Animators focusing on lip sync animation with natural expressions

FAQ

Can I use Rokoko motion capture with any character base in iClone?
Yes, Rokoko mocap data can be applied to any compatible character base imported or created in iClone and Character Creator.

How does AccuFace improve lip sync animation?
AcuFace uses a single camera input to capture detailed facial expressions, enabling realistic lip sync and emotion transfer in real time.

What is Butterworth smoothing?
It’s a filtering technique that smooths out jagged mocap keyframes for cleaner, more professional animations.

Is non-destructive editing difficult to learn?
No, iClone 8’s timeline editor makes non-destructive editing straightforward, letting you keep original data intact while experimenting.

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Burn the Darkness: Forging a 3D Sorceress Between Shadow and Flame with CC4

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About Linhai Xu

My name is Linhai Xu, a 3D character artist specializing in game character modeling. I have worked on notable projects such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, NieR: Automata – The End of YoRHa Edition, and Ashfall. In this showcase, I will walk you through the complete workflow of my latest 3D character project, Burn the Darkness, from initial concept in Character Creator 4 (CC4) to final rendering, and share insights that may inspire fellow artists.

Check out Linhai Xu’s ArtStation

Concept and References

For this project, I wanted to portray a sorceress struggling against the impending darkness consuming her. She casts magic to resist the overwhelming force, captured in a dramatic pose and lighting setup within Toolbag 5. The entire process took approximately two and a half months.

A strong foundation in character design begins with well-defined concepts and references. I spent considerable time gathering images from platforms like ArtStation and Pinterest, ensuring a broad spectrum of inspiration covering character silhouettes, costumes, material details, and environmental mood.

Additionally, I frequently browse online shopping platforms to find real-world accessories and outfits similar to my envisioned character. Since product images are often clear and well-lit, they serve as excellent visual references, aiding in accurate modeling.

3D Modeling Workflow

Modeling is the most time-intensive phase of character creation. My process began with a base model in Character Creator 4 (CC4), where I adjusted the character’s proportions to match the concept. CC4’s intuitive tools allowed me to fine-tune the body shape before moving into ZBrush for detailed sculpting.

Using CC4’s motion features, I was able to preview animations directly on the character and refine its movements. This helped in determining the natural flow of fabric and accessories, ensuring they interacted correctly with the body.

High-poly details were sculpted in ZBrush, refining anatomy, clothing, and intricate accessories. For elements like armor and props, I used a combination of Blender and ZBrush to maximize flexibility in my workflow.

Once the high-poly modeling was complete, I optimized the mesh and created low-poly versions in Maya, where I also handled UV unwrapping, leveraging Toolbag 5 UDIM support for complex layouts.

Blender played a crucial role in creating the character’s hair. I utilized curve-bound planes for better control and flexibility, ensuring the hairstyle maintained a natural flow.

For the hand magma effect, I employed Blender’s FluidLab plugin, which allowed for realistic fluid simulations. The results were later enhanced in Toolbag by adding displacement maps to refine surface details.

Texturing and Material Details

Surface detailing is essential for bringing a character to life. Substance Painter was my primary tool for texturing skin details and fabric patterns, as well as generating metallic and leather materials.

I meticulously layered skin textures, using height and normal maps to enhance depth and realism. Clothing textures were developed using a mix of procedural maps and hand-painted details, ensuring a handcrafted look that matched the concept’s dark fantasy aesthetic. To bring out the character’s realism, I focused on intricate metal and leather materials, applying custom shaders and edge wear effects to simulate natural aging.

Since Toolbag 5 was used for final rendering, I continuously exported textures from Substance Painter to assess and refine their appearance. The pen tool in Substance Painter 9.0 proved invaluable for adding stitching and continuous pattern details, achieving a high level of polish.

Lighting and Rendering

I utilized Toolbag 5 to set up the final scene, focusing on dynamic lighting to enhance the character’s presence. The scene’s volcanic landscape was built using Bridge’s rock assets, which added depth and realism to the environment.

Lighting was key in emphasizing the character’s silhouette and emotional tension. The main light source was positioned at an overhead angle to create dramatic contrast, while a subtle rim light was used to define the edges and separate the character from the background.

One challenge I faced was achieving volumetric depth in the environment. Since Toolbag’s fog system lacked detailed controls, I simulated atmospheric fog using multiple layered mesh planes to replicate a smoky, immersive atmosphere.

Additionally, I integrated ambient particles, such as fire embers and dark burning fragments, to add realism and enhance the sense of movement in the scene.

For color grading, I switched from Linear mode to Hejl tone mapping, which provided better vibrancy and contrast to achieve a strong cinematic impact.

Reflections and Lessons Learned

Having used CC4 for three years, I have witnessed its remarkable growth, and it has become an invaluable tool in my workflow. It significantly optimizes character creation, making the process more efficient and enjoyable.

This project provided valuable insights into balancing technical execution with artistic storytelling. One of the most important lessons I learned was the value of concept clarity. Having a well-defined idea from the start streamlined the entire workflow and ensured all elements aligned cohesively.

Additionally, time management proved crucial; structuring each phase efficiently allowed me to maintain steady progress without unnecessary delays. Lastly, I gained a deeper appreciation for storytelling through character design, realizing that beyond visual aesthetics, the emotional and environmental context significantly enhances immersion.

This project pushed my skills further, especially in balancing character design with environmental storytelling. Moving forward, I aim to invest more time in refining concept phases and maintaining a strong narrative foundation in my works.

For more details, you can view my project on ArtStation and GGAC:

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Actor Capture Syncs Stunt and Performance Mocap with iClone Timecode

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Real-Time Motion Capture Powered by iClone Timecode Sync in Studio 101

The Actor Capture team leads two advanced motion capture shoots in Studio 101 at the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) at Georgia State University. Reallusion iClone Timecode plugin played a pivotal role in synchronizing the motion capture sequences, highlighting its importance in real-time virtual production.

Actor Capture

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Actor Capture is a motion capture and VFX powerhouse known for its work on blockbuster productions like The Electric State (Netflix), Lyle Lyle Crocodile (Sony Pictures), The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.), and Replicas (Entertainment Pictures). The company also caters to the music and episodic world, with notable appearances such as Cardi B and Offset’s feature in “Cardi Tries..,” garnering over 6.8 million views.

Whether capturing high-impact stunts or intimate performances, Actor Capture’s team often juggles multiple motion capture technologies by combining optical, inertial, facial, and hand tracking depending on the shoot’s requirements.

The Power of Timecoding in Motion LIVE Workflows

Motion capture pipelines are complex, especially when syncing data from various sources like OptiTrack, Xsens, Rokoko, and FACEGOOD. The introduction of Reallusion’s Timecode plugin within iClone’s Motion LIVE ecosystem solves one of the industry’s longstanding pain points: data synchronization.

Enabling timecode metadata into multiple datastreams (even without native LTC – linear timecode – support) ensures the alignment of all captured motion, video reference footages, and animation outputs throughout production and post-production. 

The Quad System and Synchronized Visualization

Actor Capture’s unique setup includes a Quad video village display with four critical views:

  • Two RED cameras for video reference.
  • The mocap software interface (OptiTrack, Vicon Shogun, or Xsens MVN Animate).
  • A real-time visualization engine (iClone or Unreal Engine) rendering the retargeted character animation.

This layout offers all stakeholders, including directors, editor, and VFX supervisors an overview of the aligned performances, data, and visualizations. The glue that kept this all together was timecode synchronization.

Timecode-enabled capture ensures “circle takes” and other critical moments are clearly documented and easily retrievable during editorial and VFX processes. With a synced shotlist and detailed notes, each take remains linked to its corresponding data—all essential for large-scale, high-stakes productions.

Session 1: Multi-Actor Capture with OptiTrack

For the first session, four stunt performers comprising two males and two females, were recorded using a 40-camera OptiTrack system with Motive suites. An equal number of avatars were assigned to the actors and streamed live into iClone through Motion LIVE.

Thanks to iClone Timecode and Tentacle Sync devices, even complex scenes with multiple actors and overlapping performances were kept in sync; allowing the editorial and post teams to easily identify, evaluate, and extract the best takes for final production.

Session 2: Multi-Device Capture with Xsens and FACEGOOD Face Mocap

The second session featured a high-energy DJ performance by Ruban “Swift” Vidal. To capture his full-body performance, the Actor Capture team integrated:

  • Xsens Link Suit with MVN Animate for body tracking.
  • Rokoko Smart Gloves for finger capture.
  • FACEGOOD HMC with Avatary for facial capture via dual IR camera feed.
  • iPhone for facial capture via Live Face App.

All data streams were unified through iClone Motion LIVE, synced with Tentacle Sync Timecode devices. While tools like MVN and FACEGOOD supported direct timecode jamming, Rokoko did not; making the iClone Timecode plugin’s ability to assign timecode retroactively a critical component in maintaining a unified timeline.

Real-Time and Post-Production Benefits

Recordings can undergo HD Processing post-shoot to refine body motion. Once enhanced, this data can be reimported into iClone, where iClone Timecode ensures face and finger captures align perfectly with the refined body motion.

Facial data captured with FACEGOOD can be solved in Avatary Studio, where the landmark tracker enables high-precision face tracking. With iClone integration, key poses are instantly visible on characters in real time, allowing precise retargeting for high-fidelity facial expressions.

By embedding and burning timecode across all data streams, Actor Capture ensures a high level of accuracy when delivering takes to animators, VFX vendors, or editors; At the same time, avoiding mismatches and saving hours in post.

Conclusion: A Game-Changer for Real-Time Studios

Reallusion’s iClone Timecode plugin brings professional-grade precision to real-time animation; And the Actor Capture team was able to embrace this technology to unlock the full power of synchronized workflows—even when juggling complex, multi-source mocap data.

In productions packed with long scripts, dense shotlists, or multiple performers, the iClone Timecode keeps everything tight and on track. Circle Takes are called in perfect sync and delivered without a hitch. With it, directors, producers, and animators have the control they need to drive performance-focused storytelling forward.

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