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Learning

Easy Facial Rig in ZBrush with Face Tools (1/4): Concept & Setup 

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A Step-by-Step Guide from ZBrush Master Pablo Munoz Gomez

Concept and introduction of ZBrush Face Tools

This comprehensive tutorial dives into the world of expression creation and dynamic wrinkles using Character Creator 4, ZBrush, and the Face Tools plugin. Learn how to leverage this powerful combination to create facial rig and breathe life into your characters.

Before we get started with the step-by-step process of how you can create custom expressions for your characters, let’s take a look at an important stage of the process that is sometimes overlooked: The planning stage.

The planning for this project is fairly simple but it is quite important. It is also an opportunity to understand how the meshes from CC4 work and how the expressions and wrinkles are applied so that you can make the most out of it. Here is a simple head project with a texture overlay showing important areas of the face and the clean topology that is used:

These colourful textures are a great way to understand the range of motions and areas where the dynamic wrinkles are applied to create custom expressions. In this case for instance, I’m using the Facial Editor to pull the eyebrows down and towards the centre to produce this ‘frown’ expression:

Using the ZBrush Face Tools plugin, I can easily send the entire head from CC4 to ZBrush and make further adjustments… we’ll get to that in the next section, but here is an example of how simple this workflow is and how well it translates to ZBrush:

Collect the expression reference before using Face Tools

Building a solid reference library is crucial for capturing nuanced expressions in your character, especially during the planning stage. While individual experiences shape unique smiles, the core elements of happiness often involve common muscle movements like raising the corners of the mouth, engaging the zygomaticus major, and potentially crinkling the eyes with orbicularis oculi activation. 

Consider gathering high-resolution photos or video clips showcasing diverse individuals expressing happiness, alongside anatomical studies to understand the underlying musculature. This way, you can reference both the commonalities and variations within the expression, ultimately breathing life into your character’s emotions.

 

To keep things simple but effective, I like to use Pinterest to find my references simply because the algorithm that this platform uses to suggest similar images is fantastic. This is the top results I got from typing ‘Expressions’ in the search bar:

I personally also like to use PureRef to collect all my inspiration and references in one place. So I usually place the browser on one side of my screen and fill the other side with the PureRef board so I can simply drag and drop images from Pinterest into PureRef:

After a few minutes of collecting references, here is what my inspiration board looks like:

I tend to collect a lot more images than what I might actually use as reference — but it never hurts to have more! However, it is important that you filter down your images to just a few that are of high-resolution and that will actually help you to create the expressions.

Set the iconic expression for your character

For this project, I decided to focus on three main expressions. Therefore, I create three small clusters of expressions including ‘anger’, ‘surprise/fear’ and ‘evil laugh’:

Another thing that could be very beneficial is to generate some quick sketches of the expressions you are trying to achieve. This might not be 100% exactly what you will end up with, but it will give you a target to hit and keep your project moving in one direction:

An extra step that I find particularly useful, is to do a paint over using your preferred reference image and the expressions range to figure out how you can adjust the CC4 base to match a reference.

I like to emulate a quick expression using the generic project, in this case, a simple smile:

Here is a comparison of the neutral expression and the simple smile:

After selecting one of my reference images, I utilised Photoshop to overlay the colour distribution onto the photo, examining how I could enhance the base mesh. In the image below, observe the subtle light pink hues denoting the cheeks and the nearly absent red shading defining the upper lip. These visual indicators are crucial focal points I would meticulously attend to when recreating this specific expression with a similar customised character (thin and elderly):

Project setup in Character Creator

To start with the practical steps, let’s set up the project first and get our base mesh ready before we add any expressions or wrinkles.


In CC4, I used Kevin, one of the male default projects. You can use any character from CC4 but I like Kevin as a base because it is a scanned human figure that provides some extra nice details.

With the character selected, you can use the Modify tab to morph the head and body into the shape that you want for your character. You can be very precise and adjust a lot of very specific parts of the body and face:

I wanted something quite different to the default project, so I exaggerated the proportions and facial features. I also like to temporarily turn off the body textures so I can have a better read of the volumes I’m changing.

From the texture tab of the modify window, you can Shift + Click select all the textures of the body and turn them off at once:

If the skin looks too white or overexposed, you can change the Diffuse colour to a darker grey using the swatches from the Material Settings section:

After a few minutes of tweaking (playing with morphs sliders), I landed on this shape for the head of character:

However, I wanted more control over the shapes, and ZBrush makes that pretty easy. Plus, if you decide you don’t want to stick with a human character and fancy turning it into an elf with pointy ears or something, ZBrush is great for those kinds of adjustments.

This step of adjusting the base mesh in ZBrush is really easy. In CC4, you can go to Plugins > ZBrush Face Tools > Face Tools:

Then, select Base Model Only form the pop up window and hit OK.

The next pop-up window allows you to specify some of the parameters to send to ZBrush. In this case, I set the Action to ‘Create New’ so that CC4 creates a new project with the character in ZBrush, then set the subdivision to ‘Level 6’ and finally made sure that the Normal Details checkbox was ticked:

That’s about all you need to do. The Face Tools plugin will take care of the rest and set up the project in ZBrush using the Normal map from CC4 as the details in the highest subdivision levels in ZBrush.

To visualise the normal details that are sent from CC4 to ZBrush you can click on the Detail Layer switch from the ZBrush Face Tools panel (in the Plugins palette). Make sure you are in the highest subdivision level so you can see all the nice details:

In ZBrush you can use the move, standard and smooth brushes to refine the look of your character. In my case, I wanted a flatter head with a shorter forehead and thicker nose so I adjusted the head in the lowest subdivision level to make the process easier.

The advantage of having the multiple subdivision levels in the model, is that you can go back and forth between higher and lower subdivision levels to adjust either large portions of the mesh (at level 1) and define folds and crevices on a higher level (at level 4 o higher):

After a bit of tweaking of the base mesh, this is the character I ended up with:

Once you are finished with the edits to the base of your character, you can simply click on the Update to Character Creator button (at the bottom of the ZBrush Face Tools plugin), and ZBrush will send everything back to CC4.

From the pop-up window, you just need to make sure that the Base Mesh switch is enabled so that ZBrush knows that we want to update just the base model at this stage.

Back in CC4, you’ll get another pop-up window; make sure all checkboxes are ticked (except Texture which should be greyed out since we didn’t tweak the texture yet).

At this point we’ve only updated the base model to make it a bit more interesting. I like to test a couple of expressions on this updated model to make sure the range is good and there are no weird artefacts.

Using the Facial Editor you can just select areas of the face and pull them around to see the effect in real-time.

So to wrap up this first stage of the process, here is a comparison between what we setup in CC4 and what we ended up with after the adjustments in ZBrush:

About The Author

Pablo Munoz Gomez is a renowned 3D concept and character artist, with a passion for education. 3D sculpting, visual development, and other mixed-media form the pillars of his artistic passion which he channels through the various platforms that he owns, including ZBrush Guides, 3D Concept Artist Academy, and 3D Snippets Project. Thanks to his vast online following, he is able to reach artists from around the world and help them advance in a variety of 3D-related disciplines.

Read More

Easy Facial Rig in ZBrush with Face Tools (2/4): Detailing & Polypaint

Easy Facial Rig in ZBrush with Face Tools (3/4): Expressions & Wrinkles

Easy Facial Rig in ZBrush with Face Tools (4/4): Animated Demo

Featured Story

The Stone – Animated Short with iClone, ActorCore, Unreal Engine

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The Stone" is a 3D animated short film
The Stone is a 3D animated short film
Dom Fred – Director / Producer / Editor / 3D Animator
Dom Fred – Director / Producer / Editor / 3D Animator

Dom Fred

“The Stone” is a 3D animated short film, by Maya animator and director Dom Fred, showcasing action cinema techniques, featuring a formidable stone monster under attack by a military team.

Leveraging ActorCore’s motion capture library, Dom and team achieves exceptionally realistic body movements, enhancing the authenticity of live combat sequences.

With a focus on realism, the project seamlessly integrated iClone, ActorCore, and Unreal Engine to produce a cinematic short, boasting detailed rendering of colors and an ultra-realistic environments.

Follow Dom Fred:

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddy-lounana-41015991/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dom-fred-films-81904194/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEVZPzkWUsg9Wti9Cao4Vw

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063571358642

Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/823861782

Learning

Rapid 3D World Building made Possible with iCone 8 Crowd Sim Innovations

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This article is featured on Creative Boom

Crafting an entire 3D cityscape bustling with animated characters engaging in daily activities was a formidable undertaking that consumed months of effort to accomplish. New technological advancements paired with the right tools paint a new and better picture — Today, such a feat can be achieved with spare minutes to the hour.

What is also a boon to the movie and gaming industry represents a paradigm shift in how individual artists express themselves: By harnessing software such as iClone 8 and its newly introduced Crowd Simulator, any enthusiast — regardless of their skill level — can swiftly prototype and execute massive animated crowd scenes. 

iClone 8 Crowd Simulator was designed with the removal of restraints in mind, both in terms of reducing technical complexity and refining user experience. The freedom to bring vibrant worlds to fruition for an individual artist, as opposed to a large production team with extensive time and budget, marks a new era of self-expression that Reallusion is actively encouraging.

Shaking Up the Movie and Video Game Industry

In both the movie and video game industries, the creation of dynamic and populated environments plays a vital role in storytelling and building immersive experiences. Traditionally, this task required extensive work from large teams of highly skilled artists and significant time investments. However, with iClone 8 Crowd Simulator, this laborious process is reduced to mere minutes, empowering a single visionary armed with nothing more than enthusiasm.

The accelerated production times made possible by iClone 8 also open new possibilities for indie game developers and small studios, enabling them to craft rich and vibrant worlds that can rival those created by larger entities. By increasing efficiency, artists can focus on what matters most: bringing their unique visions to life and captivating their fanbase with awe and excitement.

Empowering Indie Creators – like Yourself

But all these pie-in-the-sky concepts mean nothing if individual artists aren’t positioned at the forefront. After all, it’s about basics and practical steps that give results. It is the same practicality that enabled Indie Developer Zeng Xiancheng to create all assets for his video game in just two months — and that was before iClone 8 Crowd Simulation even existed. Just imagine what you can do now.

So, how can creators like you practically utilize iClone 8 Crowd Generation? What better way to learn than through a tailored tutorial by none other than our featured recurring artist and instructor, Mark Diaz.

Crash Tutorial on iClone 8 Crowd Generation

Hey there! I’m Mark Diaz, but let’s fast forward the formalities and dive right in. My mission? To show you the fastest route from zero to hero with iClone 8 Crowd Generation features.

Step 1: Instant City Creation

Alright, so we’re kicking things off with building your very own 3D city in iClone 8, and guess what? You’ve got options! Whether you’re all about getting straight to the fun part or you’re the hands-on, do-it-from-scratch type, there’s a path for you.

Quick and Easy: Grab a City Off the Shelf

So, you’re excited to jump right into animating and not so keen on spending months on modeling and texturing, right? Well, iClone 8’s got your back with a super shortcut. Pop over to the Reallusion Content Store by going to Help menu > Reallusion Content Store.

Go to search, make sure you have iClone selected, and type “Modern City” in the search bar, and boom, you’ll see a bunch of ready-made cities just waiting for you.

There’s this cool one called “Modern City New” that’s just perfect for what we need. It’s $30, but think about it — it’s like skipping ahead two or three months of hardcore city-building work. Just click, drag, and drop, and you’ve got yourself a slick cityscape ready to roll. How awesome is that?

On a Budget? No Worries, We’ve Got You.

Now, if you’re watching those pennies or you’re all about that DIY life, there’s a totally free way to get your city started too. Dive into the Content panel, and follow the breadcrumb trail: Template > Item > Stage > 3D Scenes > Mesh_Medium. Look for “iPlaza_noneCG” — it’s a solid base for practicing crowd simulation and getting the feel of urban design.

Click and drag it to the scene, and you have got a plaza to practice with.

This route might take a bit more time and elbow grease, but hey, it’s all about the journey, right? Plus, it’s a great way to learn the ins and outs of city crafting without spending a dime.

No matter which path you pick, iClone 8 is here to make sure your city-building adventure is a blast. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

Step 2: Path Creation for Characters

Before we dive into path creation, a quick pro tip: make sure your cursor is parked on frame zero. Trust me, it’s a small step that makes a big difference. 

Now, ready to roll out some paths for our animated friends? 
Just head over to the Create menu > Path, and click away in the scene to map out your route.

Need to adjust the width? The Modify panel has got you covered with the ‘MD’ option for that perfect fit. 

And don’t forget to generate that NavMesh — it’s crucial for keeping our characters on track. Just go to Create menu > Generate NavMesh.

You can adjust some settings if you want, and once you are ready, click Generate.

Step 3: Populating the City with Walkers

With the paths set, we populate them using the Crowd Generator tool. Just go to Create menu > Scatter > Generate Crowd.

Then in the crowd generation box, we can click and drag characters that you want to set as the crowd from the Content panel. And if you want to repeat some characters but have them with different colors for the clothes, make sure you check the option “Deploy with variant materials”.

The actors selected for this tutorial are all the characters from the pack “Actor Group”.

Then for the animation, I use the Motion Director feature, by going to the “Motions / iMDs” section, and selecting “iMD.” Then click and drag some Motion Director clips from the Content panel that you would like your characters to be animated with when they walk.

The ones I used for this tutorial are:

  • CrowdSim_Walk_A.iMD
  • CrowdSim_Walk_C.iMD
  • CrowdSim_Walk_F.iMD
  • CrowdSim_Walk_M.iMD

Then, for these characters to walk on the path we created in the last step, we just have Generation Type as Random, Spawn Region as Pick Object, and then we click on Pick Object, and select the path in the scene.

You can tweak some options. I like to have Optimize NavMesh activated, have 14 actors, and have the Direction Ratio set in the middle.

Then you just click Deploy Actors, wait for iClone to process the characters, and there, you have characters ready to be animated.

Step 4: Adding Idle Characters

Animating the inhabitants of our digital city comes with options, each offering a different balance of time investment, cost, and variety. Let’s explore the three ways to bring those idle moments to life, making your city not just a backdrop but a living, breathing world.

DIY Animation: The first route is the most hands-on, animating each character one by one. While this method offers the most control over individual movements, it’s a real time sink. Perfect for those who love to dive deep into every detail, but be warned, it’s a lengthy process that can extend to weeks or months.

Utilizing Motion Clips: A quicker alternative involves using pre-existing motion clips designed for idle characters. This method speeds things up and keeps things simple. However, the downside is a potential lack of variety, with characters possibly repeating the same few animations.

Investing in City Life: For those looking to combine speed with diversity, the “City Life” pack is a game-changer. Priced at $99, it’s particularly suited for game creators or anyone aiming to animate a city with a dynamic, natural feel quickly. The pack offers a wide range of idle animations, from folks chatting on their phones to others enjoying a quiet moment on a bench, bringing an authentic vibe to your urban scene.

For our tutorial, we opted for the “City Life” pack to ensure our city felt as real and vibrant as possible. The diverse animations provided by the pack allowed us to populate our streets with characters engaged in various idle activities, effortlessly adding depth and realism to the urban landscape.

With that in mind, we are ready to use the Crowd Simulator tool again, but here we change from IMD to Motion, then for this tutorial, we pick clips from “City Life” to add a natural variety of personalities.

Now with the settings on random, and spawn region on volume, I click create volume, then click and drag on the scene to create an area with these characters.

Then I set the random orientation all the way to 1. I keep pressing generate placement until I’m satisfied with the positions. And then deploy actors.

Done! If you want, you can reposition some of those actors easily in the scene, by moving and rotating them.

Step 5: Camera Animation

The hardest part is OVER. Now we finish with the last 3 quick steps.

First I position the Preview camera in place, then go to Create menu, Camera > Orbit Camera.

Then I move forward in the timeline and then set the second position of the camera.

Done. The camera animation is ready. You will notice the 2 keyframes of the camera in the Timeline.

You can do some quick adjustments and then we’re on the next step.

Step 6: Add Sky and Sunlight

For the sky, I go to Content panel > Template > Set > Sky, change to Item, And select the “SunsetSky”.

Then just click and drag to the scene.

Then I add a lens flare by going to the Create menu, lens flare. And just position it behind that building near the back.

And just like that, you now have a sky and a beautiful sunset.

Step 7: Add HDR Effects

Finally, you can get some finishing touches by going to the Visual panel, which if you don’t have it you can go to Window menu > Visual Settings.
Then go to the first setting, the Atmosphere, scroll down and activate the HDR effect.

Then quickly play with the settings, and you are done!

The HDR effects add a bloom effect to your scene. Here is a comparison (see if you can spot the difference in the bloom effect):

Conclusion

Through this tutorial, we’ve demonstrated how iClone 8 and the Crowd Simulator feature can revolutionize content creation, making it accessible, fast, and efficient. This process opens up new horizons for creators across industries, enabling them to bring their visions to life with speed and ease previously unimaginable.

Learn more about iClone Crowd Sim

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The original article was written by Tom May and featured on Creative Boom.

Events

Take On Any 3D Animation Challenge with iClone and Character Creator

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Every 3D animation contest presents its own set of unique challenges. In addition to pushing the boundaries of artistry, participants have to adhere to strict deadlines for submitting their final renders. Let’s explore notable entries from three prominent competitions:

  • “ROKOKO TV” Intergalactic Animation Challenge
  • Pwnisher Endless Engines Challenge
  • Pwnisher Eternal Ascent Challenge

The following entries highlight the emergence of exceptional artists and their personal techniques. Their high-quality craftsmanship and ingenuity in character animation are clear roadmaps to transcending the limits of conventional methods.

Advanced Facial Animation Capture with AccuFace

Florian Salvesberger’s “Kiss The Cook” 👨‍🍳”

Florian Salvesberger’s submission to the “ROKOKO TV” Intergalactic Animation Challenge stood out for its innovative approach. In his cooking show entry, Florian introduced a captivating twist by showcasing a flying chef bot alongside a meticulously crafted mechanical cook, replete with intricate details. Notably, Florian utilized Character Creator for the creation of the cook character, leveraging its versatile capabilities that seamlessly integrate into his character workflow, whether for conceptualizing art or directly generating 3D models.

To infuse the character with even more vitality, Florian ventured into the realm of AccuFACE Mocap for the first time, and the outcome exceeded all expectations. The ability to receive live feedback in real-time, directly onto the character mesh within iClone, was akin to every CG artist’s dream — a flawless 10/10 experience. After experimenting with various equipment, Florian settled on recording the final performance using the front camera of an iPhone 12 Pro, as it provided superior performance capture data compared to his slightly older webcam.

Following the recording, the character mesh seamlessly transitioned into Blender using the CC Blender Auto Setup plugin, effortlessly integrating with the rest of the scene. Rendering everything in Blender Cycles, Florian meticulously crafted the final composition, incorporating a medley of sound effects recorded within his own kitchen. The culmination of these efforts resulted in a delectable video submission, inviting viewers to indulge in a culinary journey. To that, we say “Bon appétit!”.

Trained and studied in Austria, Florian is a freelance 3d artist with a focus on Environmental Design, Worldbuilding, Matte Painting, and 3D Modeling. For more artwork of Florian, follow his Instagram @salve.vision.

ZBrush sculpting combined with iClone animation

Varuna Darensbourg’s “Void Detectives”

Varuna Darensbourg participated in the “ROKOKO TV” Intergalactic Animation Challenge, submitting the entry titled “Void Detectives”. This entry features a black female detective in the lead role, supported by several robots. Leveraging extensive experience with ZBrush Character Sculpt, Varuna utilized the tool to seamlessly incorporate customized sculpting onto the main character.

As the deadline loomed, COVID-19 unexpectedly impacted Varuna, causing him to be sidelined for the final weeks of the competition. However, he persevered and accomplished a significant amount of work in the last two days of the challenge. This attributed his success to the seamless real-time character workflow. Varuna expressed satisfaction in seeing his efforts through to completion despite the challenges he faced. The native render in iClone8 (using the native engine) stood out. And it also showed how Varuna excelled in crafting the character’s appearance and expressions.

Varuna Darensbourg, based in Toronto, Canada, boasts an impressive portfolio with contributions to several Hollywood blockbusters. His credit can be seen in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Alita: Battle Angel.” For those interested in connecting with Varuna, they can follow his work on ArtStation under the handle @aria_redux.

Seamless workflow with Unreal Engine

Mohammad Khalikh’s “Auto Rickshaw’s Action”

This entry, created by Mohammad Khalikh, was submitted to the Pwnisher Endless Engines Challenge in 2023. Adorned with motion blur effects, the video has the audience immersed in a high-intensity car chase and gunfight sequence. Despite the challenge’s requirement for animating using the provided sequence image, the artist retained the freedom to customize it. And that includes characters, textures, lighting, and applying VFX to enhance the scene. Utilizing seamless integration with Unreal Engine, iClone, and the Character Creator, Mohammad opted to incorporate the car chase characters in this entry, showcasing a seamless blend of creativity and technical skill.

Mohammad Khalikh, trained and educated in India, is a skilled previz artist renowned for his contributions to both live-action and animation projects. His clientele boasts prestigious names such as Lenovo India and Xolair, with one of his previz works notably featured in a war movie available on Amazon Prime Video India. For those interested in exploring more of Mohammad’s artwork, they can follow his portfolio on ArtStation under the username @grizzlyartist.

Ro-Bob Ross teaches AI-generated Art

Nick Shaheen’s “Ro-Bob Ross Teaches AI Generated Art”

Artist Nick Shaheen submitted this entry to the “ROKOKO TV” Intergalactic Animation Challenge. Reflecting on his upbringing when cable or satellite television was not widely available, Nick had a memory of one scene. He recalls the simplicity of Saturday afternoon programming, which often featured bowling or the painting show hosted by Bob Ross. Inspired by Bob Ross teaching text to AI-generated images, Nick whimsically decided to depict him as a cyborg. Embracing the philosophy that in his world, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents. Nick transformed this concept into a 7-second video for the competition.

Using Rokoko suit for Bob’s body animation

Beginning with Character Creator in conjunction with ZBrush and Substance Painter, Nick successfully achieved the desired sci-fi appearance for the character. Following the completion of the body mocap session using Rokoko, he further refined the body animation utilizing iClone motion layer editing tools. The execution of the concept was commendable, resulting in a final outcome that is both impressive and gratifying.

Ro-Bob in action!
Courtesy of Bob Ross Inc.

Nick is a versatile professional, serving as a writer, director, freelance motion designer, and VFX  artist. His portfolio includes the award-winning short film “Honey Romance” and the sci-fi-comedy M.A.R.C. For those wishing to connect with Nick, they can reach out to him via his Instagram account @nickhshaheen.

Best character pipeline for Blender

Jasper Hesseling’s “Ascending from the ashes”

Artist Jasper Hesseling interpreted the theme of “Eternal Ascent” for the Pwnisher contest by portraying a phoenix-inspired transformation. In his submission, the princess ascends from a shattered castle, her dress burnt, symbolizing her rebirth with newfound strength. Jasper utilized his trusted tools from Reallusion – Character Creator and iClone – along with ZBrush and Substance Painter, to sculpt and texture the character. Furthermore, he employed Marvelous Designer for dress simulation and integrated Megascans assets to enhance the depth and visual appeal of the project. Due to the article layout, watch the full version of the entry here.

Jasper’s primary goal was to expand his skill set in Blender, and he is thrilled with the outcomes achieved. The CC Blender Auto Setup plugin played a crucial role in seamlessly transferring CC shader and PBR data to Blender, streamlining his character workflow within the software. Jasper takes particular pride in the lighting and eerie atmosphere of his piece, along with the meticulous attention to detail throughout. The depiction of clouds and fire, generated using imported OpenVDB volume data files, put significant strain on his computer, resulting in frequent crashes during rendering with Blender. However, Jasper found the render manager B-Renderon to be an invaluable tool for managing these challenges and ultimately achieving the desired final outcome.

Jasper Hesseling, based in Utrecht, Netherlands, is a freelance 3D artist specializing in character art and various other 3D creations. For those interested in contacting Jasper, they can send him a private message via his ArtStation profile under the username @mastajappa.

Try the tools that these artists have used

If you’re interested in exploring the software and tools mentioned, you can visit the following product links to learn more about these solutions. All Reallusion products offer a 30-day free trial upon registration, with no credit card required. Feel free to test them out before making a purchase. Happy animating!

iClone – Character animation made easy

Rokoko Body Mocap

AccuFace Facial Mocap

Character Creator – Universal 3D Character System

ZBrush Face Tools Plugin: Empower Fully Expressive 3D Facial Animation

Featured Story

Boosting Concept Art Workflow Efficiency for Blender

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Concept artist Jakub Kaźmierczak harnesses synergistic workflow in the creation of his “Battlefield” concept series

Jakub Kaźmierczak

Hello, I’m Jakub Kaźmierczak, a concept artist specializing in environments concept art and key frames. Today, I’m excited to share my workflow that enables you to swiftly create high-quality characters for your concepts. With the combination of Character Creator and KeenTools for Blender, crafting realistic characters has never been easier. This streamlined process not only ensures realism but also simplifies character posing.

Check on Jakub’s Artstation

concept art "battle field"
concept art "battle field"
concept art "battle field"
concept art "battle field"

Prior to concept design: gathering ideas & references

In selecting the theme, I opted for a warzone scene, drawn to its potential for dynamic and action-packed compositions, which I thoroughly enjoy crafting. My process invariably begins with gathering references. 

gathering ideas & references for concept art

For this project, I scoured archival photos for pose inspiration and film stills for insights into color palettes and mood. I typically utilize search engines like Bing and platforms like ShotDeck to curate a diverse array of images. These references serve as invaluable resources, providing answers to questions regarding materials, lighting, and design that may arise during the creative process.

Crafting a character for your concept art using KeenTools Face Builder

I will now demonstrate my process for creating a character for my concept art from scratch. 

We’ll begin in Blender, where I’ll demonstrate how to utilize KeenTools to align the mesh with reference photos and sculpt a face for our character. This intuitive process involves seamlessly integrating parts of the mesh with the reference images, ensuring accuracy and detail.

KeenTools Facebuilder for Character Creator

Once the sculpting is complete, we’ll generate the texture and export it to Character Creator to finalize our character. 

KeenTools Facebuilder for Character Creator

When we have it all done, we can create the texture. I just have to set the desired resolution and pick how many photos we want to use in the process.

KeenTools offers a dedicated option to seamlessly transfer your head model directly into Character Creator, which is really convenient.

KeenTools Facebuilder export to Character Creator
KeenTools Facebuilder export to Character Creator

Exporting it to Character Creator and making the model for the concept art

After a quick import I clean the mesh if some things are still not aligned and attach the head to the body. In my case, I use the “Female” Body Type and “Type 2” Texture Mask.

Female” Body Type and “Type 2” Texture Mask

To further refine the character’s appearance, I employ the morph function to fine-tune each facial feature and add additional details to the head.

morph function in CC

Thankfully, Character Creator offers a wide range of elements such as hair, eyebrows, wrinkles, and normal maps to enhance facial detailing. This is where I experiment with various options to achieve the desired look in the concept art.

Character Creator offers a wide range of elements such as hair, eyebrows, wrinkles, and normal maps to enhance facial detailing

Furthermore, I take advantage of the expression wrinkles feature of the latest release, which proves invaluable in conveying emotions and laying the groundwork for photobashing if needed.

expression wrinkles in CC

Once satisfied with the model, I export it back to Blender via the menu command: File > Export > FBX > Cloth Character.

Export FBX

Reallusion Addon: Blender Auto Setup

For seamless character transfer, an official auto-setup add-on is provided for Blender, accessible via the Reallusion forums. Within Blender, we simply navigate to the Import menu and select Reallusion Character. Once imported, we have the flexibility to fine-tune various parameters directly from the addon tab. This includes adjustments for roughness, subsurface scattering, color, and an array of other options to achieve the desired appearance.

Blender auto setup

Creating Clothing in Blender

With the character now in Blender, it’s time to give her an outfit. Previously, I relied on exporting outfits from Marvelous Designer. However, for efficiency’s sake, I’ve transitioned to dressing the character directly in Blender. It’s akin to dressing up an action figure. Whether modeling custom outfits in Marvelous Designer, sourcing models from online platforms, or even utilizing 3D-scanned clothing items, the objective remains the same: achieving the desired effect promptly.

Creating Clothing in Blender

With this approach, I dress the character, ensuring proper fit with adjustments when needed. When I’m done, I export the entire ensemble as an FBX file.

Importing Clothes into Character Creator

Once that’s completed, I return to Character Creator. To import clothes and attach them to our character, I navigate to Create > Accessory > FBX.

Importing Clothes into Character Creator

After a quick pose adjustment to ensure the outfit aligns the character properly, we proceed to make the clothes adhere to the character.

A quick pose adjustment to ensure the outfit aligns the character properly

To achieve this, we select the clothing element, such as shoes, navigate to the Modify tab, and transfer skin weights. We repeat this process for each piece of clothing.

transfer skin weight
choose different template for each piece of clothing.

For those seeking a comprehensive guide, Michael Pavlovich has an excellent tutorial detailing the entire process in depth.

Bringing ActorCore Motion & Poses into Blender

Now, it’s time to reintroduce the fully clothed character back into Blender. If you wish to attach additional elements, such as a backpack or gun, simply navigate to edit mode on the skeleton. Duplicate the bone you wish to use, select the desired element, and with Ctrl+P, set the parent to the bone. To ensure the clothes adhere properly to the mesh, I utilize the sculpt tool in Blender.

Bringing ActorCore Motion

Importing animations into Blender is straightforward. In Character Creator, within the Motion tab, select the desired animation. Then, navigate to export and choose Motion and Current Animation.

export to Blender

In Blender, choose Import Animation. To transfer the desired pose, select the skeleton with animation, move the cursor over the timeline, and press G. This allows you to play the animation by moving the mouse. Once you’ve found the pose you like, switch to pose mode and copy the pose. Next, enter pose mode on our character, right-click, and paste the pose.

Poses into Blender

Blockout Phase

Upon reviewing the references, I commence with a rough blockout of my scene. My aim is to establish the composition and initial lighting. During this stage, I alternate between Blender and Photoshop to overlay and quickly iterate on the initial concept.

Blockout Phase
Blockout Phase

Once I’ve completed the blockouts for all the shots I intend to create, I populate the scene with assets and incorporate particles and atmospheric elements.

Blockout Phase

Expression

One of the most useful features for me are expression wrinkles that I exported from Character Creator.

expression wrinkles

In Blender, I can choose from the expression that is the closest to the one i want by moving my cursor over the timeline and planting animation. When I find something that I like I use shape keys to get precisely what I want.

I use shape keys to get precisely what I want.

As for hair, I just simply modify them in Edit mode.

As for hair, I just simply modify them in Edit mode.

After finalizing the scene, I transitioned to Photoshop for the final photobashing and color grading process.

photobashing and color grading process.

In Conclusion

The workflow outlined here provides a comprehensive and efficient approach to crafting high-quality characters for concept art. Through the utilization of tools such as Character Creator and KeenTools for Blender, the process is significantly streamlined, enabling rapid and realistic character creation with effortless posing.

Throughout the process, a delicate balance between speed and quality should be upheld, with continuous iterations and refinements to attain the desired outcomes. This workflow seamlessly integrates 3D modeling, texturing, and posing, delivering both flexibility and efficiency in character creation for concept art design.

News

Professional Handkey Animations for Toon Characters – Exclusive on ActorCore

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Stylized motions that add zest to 3D cartoon productions

Anyone familiar with keyframe animation understands the immense skills involved, even for seemingly basic tasks like animating a walk cycle. While keyframe animation grants artists full control to meticulously craft animations to realize their original vision, the process of creating pose-to-pose animations and then refining the in-between poses with precise timing and pacing is undeniably laborious.

To circumvent this challenge, some animators opt for motion capture animation for stylized characters. While effective mocap animations can seamlessly animate a human model into a dynamic actor within the scene, this approach falls short with stylized characters. Translating human movements onto cartoonish characters dilutes their unique personalities, as their exaggerated actions and reactions lack authenticity, resulting in awkward visuals.

Classic cartoon motions await on ActorCore

Image: Hundreds of cartoon motions available on ActorCore.

While desirable, toon motions can still be challenging to create. ActorCore, the asset store for 3D productions, offers hundreds of ready-made handkey animations. These animations save artists a significant amount of time and effort while ensuring high-quality, realistic cartoon movements. 

ActorCore also provides dedicated categories, allowing users to easily find ideal moves for their stylized actors for a wide range of scenarios. All motions are crafted with seamless transitions between poses, enabling effortless switching of different sequences.

Handkey animations chock-full of personality

Image: ActorCore handkey motions are catered to match different toon personas.

Handkey animations on ActorCore are crafted to accommodate a diverse range of stylized characters, providing unique animation styles suited to various body scales and personalities. Whether it’s a male, female, child, or a character with a robust or slender physique, ActorCore offers specialized motions for all cartoonish performances.

Currently there are over 500 handkey motions available in the ActorCore motion store, from general movements such as walk, talk, run, to paired motions and interactions. Any motion that showcases unique cartoon personalities can be found, including playful, hefty, clumsy, cowardly, and more.

One example is “Clumsy Moves”, is a handkey motion pack designed to infuse uproarious fun and slapstick humor. When applied, the characters come alive and engage in a variety of negligent behaviors resulting in slips, falls, and tumbles. 

The “Chubby Moves” packs offer a range of lively performance animations tailored specifically for plus-sized characters. By incorporating compatible animations (like “Sit Chair” and “Sit Sofa”) across both the “Chubby Moves – Playful” and “Chubby Moves – Bulky” packs, motions can transition from one theme to another, to transcend the performance. By extending this integration to include “Playful Stand” and “Bulky Stand”, different performances can be connected into one dynamically cohesive scene.

Easily find and export the best content to your favorite platforms

3D motions on ActorCore can be conveniently accessed via web browsers and mobile devices. Enhanced interactive 3D viewing experiences are available, accompanied by swift search functionalities and categorical exploration based on keywords and phrases.

All ActorCore 3D motions seamlessly integrate with leading 3D software such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Blender, Omniverse, iClone, 3ds Max, Maya, MotionBuilder, and Cinema 4D. Comprehensive step-by-step guides and tutorials tailored to each program are provided, alongside optimized Auto Setup plugins and import presets to streamline workflow processes. The use of ActorCore assets can benefit both newcomers to the 3D field and industry veterans with their established pipelines and arsenal of tools.

Image: Select “Handkey” to see cartoon motions designed for stylized characters.

Visit ActorCore Handkey Motion Store today and explore the fine collections of toon motions.

Product Release

Fully Rigged CC Character Bases Download for Free

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Reallusion, a trailblazer in simplifying character creation processes and breaking down animation barriers for 2D & 3D artists, is excited to announce the release of its highly praised Character Creator (CC) character bases, now accessible for free download. Recognized for their well-balanced and fully rigged topology, these animatable character bases facilitate effortless customization for a wide range of scenarios.

Five Character Bases for Free Download

Figure 1.  Five bases including both cartoony and realistic male and female characters

To familiarize more individuals to the benefits of CC bases, Reallusion is generously offering five sets of CC characters for free. Interested parties can easily register on the official Reallusion website to access these valuable resources. The five bases encompass both cartoony and realistic male and female characters, as well as a neutral character. Each base is provided in three file formats — OBJ, FBX, and ZTL — accompanied by high-resolution textures. These bases can smoothly integrate into any 3D software, like Blender and ZBrush, thereby streamlining workflows. 

The free CC character base is accessible for both personal and commercial purposes, encompassing applications like filmmaking, animation, gaming, 3D printing, and education.

Five Character Bases with high-res textures

Well-balanced Topology for Morphing and Animation

Distinguishing itself from other bases on the market, CC character bases feature exceptionally balanced topology, making them not only ideal for animation but also for morph design and sub-divisional sculpting. Additionally, they come pre-loaded with 150 facial morphs meticulously crafted for expressive and accurate lip-sync animation.

Figure 3. Well balanced topology 

Full-facial and body Rigs for Posing and Motion Control

Furthermore, owing to their fully rigged nature, users can effortlessly transition from sculpting in other software to animating in Character Creator, utilizing its built-in skeleton for seamless motion creation.

Figure 4. Fully- rigged face and body

Custom Character Design for Game, Film and 3D Print

The download package includes a ZBrush ZTL file that includes subtools for eyes, brows, teeth, and tongue. This segmentation facilitates easier manipulation, adjustment, or hiding of individual elements within the ZBrush subtool list. The updated character can seamlessly GoZ to and from Character Creator while retaining its bone rig for animation and game production.

Reallusion has also dedicated significant effort to enable ZBrush designers to pose and animate their models effectively. Whether sculpting for animation, posing for 3D printing, or detailing expressions, a comprehensive character pipeline between ZBrush and Character Creator is provided.

Figure 5. Sub tool in ZBrush 

For those eager to delve into an enhanced character creation experience, Reallusion warmly invites users to download Character Creator for free. Enthusiasts of all skill levels can unlock advanced functionalities and a wealth of content for a deeper engagement in the creative process.

To access further details and download Character Creator, please visit Reallusion’s website.

Learn More

Learning

Installing iClone Unreal Engine Live Link

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Reallusion’s Unreal Engine Live Link plugin has been a real boon to animators seeking to utilize the great rendering capabilities of the game engine. While iClone concentrates on providing animation tools, Unreal Engine is known for its cinematic rendering and life-like characters when combined with the proper lighting. 

One-click transfer of assets from iClone to Unreal Engine saves time eliminating any rebuilding of the scene in Unreal. Combine this with the ability to easily send a prop or set piece from Unreal to iClone for reference and you have a more efficient means of going back and forth with assets.

Transversely you can build the scene in Unreal Engine, send over some landmark props, and use iClone for the character animation with only a bare-bones scene in iClone. It depends on your needs.

There is a new, streamlined process for transferring assets from iClone to Unreal Engine that eliminates the need for the popup Command window. Unreal Engine will provide popups showing the process along the way.

While a command window isn’t something we all use or even think about it had become a part of the process and I don’t miss it, but it did seem strange the first time I tested the new transfer method and didn’t see the command line interface popup. The new method just seems “cleaner” for lack of a better term.

UPDATE LIVE LINK & AUTO SETUP

Recently Reallusion released an update to this valuable plugin along with the equally important Auto Setup for Unreal Engine. It can be a little confusing because there is a difference between installing Live Link and Auto Setup for the first time versus updating an existing installation. The new updates are Live Link 1.3, Live Link Plugin 1.6 for Unreal Engine, and Auto Setup 1.33.

FIRST TIME INSTALLATION

If you have never installed Live Link, then the process is straightforward.

For first-time installation:

  • Download and Install Unreal Live Link Plug-in for iClone version 1.3 from the Reallusion HUB.
  • Download and Install the iClone Live Link Plug-in for Unreal Engine to version 1.6 from the Unreal Marketplace.
  • Download and Install Auto Setup to version 1.33. More on this later in the article under the Copy and Pasting Auto Setup Files section.

▌Reallusion HUB – from here you can install the Unreal Live Link controls in iClone, you can access it from the iClone PlugIn menu.

▌Unreal Marketplace –  from here you can install the iClone Live Link plugin into Unreal engine, once the installation process is complete, the addon icon appears on Unreal engine’s top menu.

▌Auto Setup – download Auto Setup in a zip file from this page, and manually copy the “Plugins” and “Content” folders to your Unreal project folder. Once you reopen the project, the Auto Setup addon icon appears on Unreal engine’s top menu.

Icons of iClone Live Link & CC Auto Setup on the Unreal Engine’s toolbar.

UPDATING AN EXISTING INSTALLATION

THE OUTDATED PLUGINS

It is easy to identify the outdated plugins by going into Plugins from the EDIT menu in Unreal Engine. Select Reallusion on the left side panel or search for “iClone” in the search box. As you can see there are two plugins listed and any plugin with this date or earlier is outdated and will not work with the new features.

THE NEW PLUGINS

The new plugins are version 1.33 for Auto Setup and 1.60 for Live Link. As of this writing, this is the only version that works with the new features. Follow the information below on how to properly update your existing installation.

  • Download and Install Auto Setup to version 1.33.
  • OPEN THE REALLUSION HUB: Update the Live Link plugin. Press the refresh symbol if you do not see an update to the plugin.

NOTE: The new Auto Setup 1.33 “ensures maximum compatibility with the Unreal Engine, and also takes into consideration the most efficient use of R&D resources; The Auto Setup plugin will only work with the latest 3 official release versions of the Unreal Engine.” More information at the website.

COPY AND PASTING AUTO SETUP FILES

This is the most difficult part of the process but by the time most of us reach this point we understand copy and paste, which is all this is. There is no installer-based installation of the Auto Setup files as they are project-dependent and must be copied to each project. This is not a big deal though.

Below is a quick look at transferring the files which is also covered, in more detail, in the Reallusion tutorial at the link towards the bottom of this section.

CLICK HERE to go directly to this section of the Reallusion tutorial.

ENABLE LIVE LINK PLUGIN & AUTO SETUP IN UNREAL

Now we need to go into the Unreal Engine editor and enable the Live Link and Auto Setup plugins. This requires checking the box on each plugin and restarting the Unreal Engine editor. Make sure to save any progress before restarting.

CLICK HERE to go directly to this section of the Reallusion tutorial.

OPEN THE LIVE LINK PANEL IN UNREAL ENGINE

The Live Link panel will not be open by default so you will need to open it to interact with the plugin.

CLICK HERE to go directly to this section of the Reallusion tutorial.

CONNECT & TRANSFER CONTENT

Connecting is a two-step process requiring Live Link to be activated in both iClone and Unreal Engine. After connecting you can then seamlessly transfer iClone content to Unreal Engine while Auto Setup takes care of the shaders and other aspects of the transfer.

Below is a quick look at the new transfer process:

Note that any accessory that is Hidden in iClone will be visible in Unreal Engine such as the earpiece/headset on the above character.

CLICK HERE to see the same installation process in the previous update. The tutorial below is still relevant even though the method of transfer has changed in Live Link 1.3v.

With the various plugin versions and depending on if you have a previous installation of Live Link, it can get a bit confusing for even the most advanced users. Just follow the info in this article and the Reallusion tutorials then you’ll be up and running with your first Live Link session.

REALLUSION COURSES

iClone Live Link Tutorials

Intro To Live Link, Data Link & Timecode Sync

Auto Character Setup for Unreal Engine 5

MANUAL

Installing Live Link Version 1.2 and above

Unreal Engine

iClone Unreal Live Link Plugin

Reallusion Website

Auto Setup for Unreal Engine

iClone Unreal Live Link

MD McCallum - WarLord

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

WARLORD’S WORKSHOP
Featured Story

Creating My Digital Self Into A Game Character To Use In Fortnite

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Jonathan Winbush details his workflow with Character Creator and iClone to create a custom character for Unreal Engine Fortnite

The Beginning of a Digital Transformation

The journey into the digital realm is both thrilling and intricate, especially when you’re crafting a character that will inhabit the vibrant world of Fortnite. Jonathan Winbush, a maestro in 3D creation with Reallusion iClone and Character Creator has embarked on an extraordinary venture to transform himself into a fully-fledged game character. The fascinating process, from the initial scanning of Jonathan’s head to the final steps of integrating his character into Fortnite is detailed in the video released on Jonathan’s YouTube channel where he shares his insights and tips into working with 3D tools.

Capturing the Essence with Creality Ferret Pro

Jonathan’s adventure began with the Creality Ferret Pro 3D scanner, a tool known for its precision in capturing high-resolution images. This initial phase was crucial as it laid the groundwork for creating a digital avatar that truly resembled him. The scanner meticulously recorded every contour and feature of his head, ensuring that the digital representation was as close as possible to Jonathan.

Crafting the Persona in Character Creator 4

With the head scan complete, Jonathan turned to Character Creator 4 to sculpt his avatar. In this phase, he designed every aspect of the character, from the facial expressions to the attire, making sure that each element was a reflection of his personal style and flair. The goal was clear: to create a unique character that would stand out in the Fortnite universe.

Bringing Emotions to Life with Rokoko HeadRig

To animate his character with facial expressions, Jonathan utilized the Rokoko Head Ring for facial motion capture. This technology allowed him to record his facial movements and expressions in real-time, ensuring that his digital counterpart would emote just like him. This step was vital in breathing life into the avatar, making it more than just a static figure.

Animating the Character in iClone

iClone was the next tool in Jonathan’s arsenal, where he finalized the motion capture process. Here, he animated his character, infusing it with dynamic movements that would translate well into the fast-paced action of Fortnite. The software’s robust capabilities allowed for seamless integration of the previously captured motions, resulting in a fluid and realistic animation.

Integrating into Fortnite with Unreal Engine (UEFN)

The culmination of Jonathan’s efforts was the integration of his character into Fortnite through Unreal Engine (UEFN). This powerful engine enabled him to blend his avatar seamlessly with the game’s environment. The character was now ready to partake in the epic “Battle for Wu-York City,” an original Fortnite experience crafted alongside Method Man from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan.

The Epic Battle for Wu-York City

“Battle for Wu-York City” is not just a game level; it’s a fusion of hip-hop culture and gaming, set in the heart of a fictional city. Players can expect intense battles, hidden easter eggs, and an immersive experience that Jonathan helped bring to life through his digital creation.

Conclusion: A Journey of Digital Creation

Jonathan Winbush’s journey from a real-world individual to a character in Fortnite exemplifies the power of modern technology and creative vision. Through his use of advanced tools like the Creality Ferret Pro, Character Creator 4, Rokoko HeadRig, and iClone, coupled with the capabilities of Unreal Engine, he has not only transformed himself into a digital avatar but also contributed to the rich tapestry of Fortnite’s universe. Stay tuned to witness the full process, discover tips and tricks, and see the birth of Jonathan’s digital alter ego. Join him in this creative odyssey and explore the boundaries of digital artistry and gaming.

https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanWinbush

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