Is it a tutorial which I can watch to learn how to design and make my own charatcter/model from scratch?
If not, can someone make plz?

Well, trying to take shortcuts in AM is like trying to defuse a bomb with a hammer Trust me, I know ahem, I mean about shortcuts in AM, not the bomb thing.

As with everything in life, you need to master the basics first before turning into the next Michael Angelo.

1. Have you done the tutorials in the book? All of them?

2. Have you searched the forum posts for WIP (Works in Progress) to see what others have done?

3. Have you searched the forum for tutorials? There are plenty to cover everything you need to model a character.

4. Are you going for cartoon style, photorealistic, something in between?

5. Do you have any experience with 3D character modeling?

6. How long have you owned AM?

Sorry to be such a mother hen, but you need to do some legwork before your character takes shape.

Here are some good links:

1. http://www.colins-loft.net/tutorials.html

2. http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4481&st=0

3. http://www.lowrestv.com/arm/

4. http://www.hash.com/sherwood/index.asp

5. http://home.comcast.net/~jtalbotski/tutes.html

You can find others, but this ought to give you a start

Last word: If you don't have the patience to do the tutorials in the book, you probably don't have the patience to be a good modeller/animator

When I was first learning to model, I printed off all of the "Cooper" tutorial (I think the first link Eric gave you) plus a number of others I found on the A.R.M and put them in a binder. I found them better than a video because I could read and re-read and very easily go at my own pace. I also have sections in the binder about animating, hair, cloth, rendering, etc. In fact I'm starting another binder. I spent about 5 months intensely working before I came up with three fully rigged characters I was happy with. Even now while animating I have to tweak them here and there. I'm probably slow, but it gets easier.

That said, I also downloaded any videos I thought were useful as I came across them, but the links you've been given are all strong places to start.
modelling, texturing, rigging, that's the hard part. Like building an armature, body, clothing, hair, etc. for a complex stop motion puppet.
good luck,

S.

well do you have one that works...most of these links are broking and the first doesnt explai the process one step at a time....

Well, do you ever look at the hash.com page, because there are two link on that page, one is for the tutorials in the book, which you should do before going off and trying to make the perfect model. There is also a link to tutorial resources, that have 11 different links, and within those links, are pretty much every thing you could want to learn. Even though some of the tutorials don't go one step at a time, they are still good to see, and you shouldn't complain, because the guys that put the tutorial on the site, don't have to waste their time to make this program easier for you. So, spend a little time reading the Forums, and looking over the tutorials at www.lowrestv.com/arm/, and you won't have to sound like an A$$ when you say everything is broken.

Hmmmmm.....

Destiny;

The cooper tutorial by Colin Freeman and, if your a bit more anime minded, Kriket's tutorials (which can be found on the first page of the anime forum), are really good tutorials. Unfortunately, there really are no tutorials that allow you to follow all of the steps with a precision and end up with a character model. The process is far too complex and subtle to be explained in that fashion. Perhaps you could use a give-and-take approach to learning this subject. Start with the Cooper tutorial (after completing the basics in the TAO:AM series). When you run into parts that have you confused or you feel that you have missed something, post a question to the forum. You'll get help - more than likely from the author. One thing that *I* consider an absolute must is to set reasonable goals. I cannot expect myself to grab the Cooper tutorial and bang out a model that looks and works as well as the original given my current level of technical and artistic ability. What I can do is repeat the process with little twists and changes many times - each time getting better and more proficient. This is not something I could expect to learn in a couple of weeks...

Bill

Another tutorial that is great is the Colin Freeman tutorial, it goes from head to toe, and everything inbetween. The only part that I don't like about that tutorial, and its just me, is the way the head is made. But It is a really good tutorial, however, I still think that before the tutorials are done, it would benefit you, or anyone else to do the exercises in the book. For the most part, it showes you how to use the program, where you can actually understand the tutorials, and wont get confused because a step is left out, you would be able to improvise. Well good luck

Anyways, here is the link to the tutorial
Baby Face (full body Tut)

Well, I've looked trought most of the links that was posted, and I've choosen to follow the Cooper tutorials
...

At teh first picture in the tutorial, teh guy who made the tutorials have drawed a line across teh boys face.
At Step two, he says that I must extrude the "splines to the left. How do I extrude, and what is the splines?

EDIT: And another thing; at the second picture, the models nose are already very detailed, like there are going (I dont know how to say this, doesnt have english as main language:P) two holes up in the nose.
He says this in teh tutorial:

Notice the concentration of points near the nostril? They're there for a reason. They will allow the nostril to curve nicely upward into the nose.

Any easier way to explain that to a newbie?

Ha, I just noticed that I was saying the same thing, I have attempted the Cooper Tut, but I always refered to it by Colin Freeman, I just figured out they were one in the same.

To answer your question the EXTRUDE is the button on the right of the screen, with 6 dots, almost like a die. Or just press E no the key board.

Judging by what you are saying, I am strongly recommending that you do the book exercises, it will answer alot of the questions you have.

You have to crawl before you can walk

If you have any questions about my tutorial... feel free to write me an email. I've helped many people through it before. If english isnt your first language.. I know that its been translated to spanish, and Japanese, maybe German, but I'm not sure.

I have a newer version that isnt linked to from my site. its got better hair and some changes to the description of things. You can find it at...

http://www.colins-loft.net/new_coop_tutorial/tutorials.html

this version doesnt include anything on rigging so you may have to go back and forth on them.

heres the japanese translation...

http://dms.sbrain.org/CooperTutorials_jp/tutorials_jp.html

and heres the spanish...

http://cole3d.net/am/curso/archivos/colin/intro/

my email if you have any questions is cfree68@earthlink.net

Colin

Can you be more specific about the broken links? I realize a lot of links are broken on the ARM site... I plan to address that real soon... <sigh>.

All the links in the previous thread are working properly though and are a great resource.

--------------

If you want a step by step tutorial... I don't have the link right here... but look for the "kricket anime" tutorial.

It is on the ExtraCD that was being given out and is available for download on the forum.

Although it focuses on anime character modeling... it is also a good basic character modeling tutorial that goes step by step.

The main difference between modeling for the toon renderer and more realistic render is the patch count. The basic concepts of "building" the character from scratch are similar... just use more patches for more detail.

Everyone... and I mean everyone... has their own way to build a character... start with a lathed torso and stitch on arms and legs etc... some... use extrusions to build the body... more than one way to skin a cat so to speak.

p.s. I have never skinned a cat so I don't know how many ways to do that... although... I could start with the neighbors annoying screeching feline that hates me.

Vernon "!" Zehr

Hey Colin! Thanks for the "author's input". Question - What is the relationship between the new Cooper tutorial that you posted above and the one on the Extras CD? Content differences?

Bill

Hey Bill,

they are one and the same. I did the new one for version 11 so that they could include it in the Art of AM.

Fixed some inconsistincies, new hair... and took out lame references like the one about Bob Ross ;-)

I'm long overdo to do a new tutorial with some things I've learned over the years, but then I'm long overdo on a lot of things ;-) (I'll be working on one of those things this weekend as a matter of fact ).

For the record. Vern is correct there are many ways to skin a cat, and filet them as well :-P

Thanks very much, the new Cooper tutorials were much easier to follow^^

I'll just continue asking here in this thread if I get problems with anything else...

I will keep on crawling until I can walk, then I will try to run^^


Edit: Well, I've got to a problem already... I've taken a picture, or SOME pictures of myself in different views... How can I complete this part?:

"bring in a front view rotoscope and a right or left view rotoscope and line them up so that they are positioned correctly in there respective views. In other words make sure that the eyes meet and the mouth and nose are at roughly the same location in each view."

I do also have some problems with: "Sculpt the splines into the shape of the nose and upper lip.
Then pull the points up to create the nostril."

Thanks=)

lol.. I know I know.. I take way to much for granted. Sorry. I'll see if I cant find a better way to say those as well... I'm also open to suggestions ;-)

First lining up the rotoscopes.. thats pretty easy actually. Draw a spline across the eyes at the center of the pupils.

another at the point of the nose, the crease of the lips and the bottom of the chin.

Now go to the side view and line the points up by moving the side rotoscope. they wont line up perfectly but you should be able to get them close. If you cant you will have to do some distortion in photoshop of some other tool to make them line up better. I think that I mention that the best way to shoot your rotoscope photos is from a distance so that perspective doesn't make them unusable.

Another idea is that Photoshop CS and some other tools have lens distortion correction tools that might help take some perspective out of your photos.

(I will create my Rotos in Photoshop and do the "line" alignment there as well that way my rotos are the same size and I can just align them with the grid.

The other thing is to make sure that the Front rotoscope is centered on the Y in the grid of the modeling window.
The Side one will be on the same Y position (assuming the same size) but might be slightly forward or back from Center depending on the shape of the head. I just usually start at center and Model till it looks off if it is off.. I'll shift the side rotoscope a little to try to make it better. But thats just crazy old me ;-)

The sculpting and shaping thing just means that you should try to make the shapes follow the Rotoscope of the muzzle of the subject. There will probably be some splines centered at the nostril holes (If there isn't you are either a modelling genius or you've used to few splines to get the job done) Just grab those points and move them upward and back... That usually is a good start for nostrils.

I purposely left most of the detail out on that part because, well to be honest theres not much to describe. Just pushing and pulling points to make the shape.

Colin

Hey Alwin

This is another example of why you should go through the basic exercises in The Art of A:M first....the Giraffe modeling tutorial would have answered your question...I know exactly where you're coming from as I'm just the same ie REALLY impatient to get on and do my own stuff, but believe me (from bitter experience) if you want to avoid hours of screaming frustration and near suicidal despondancy it's a great idea to do the basics

Good luck

Trevor

Here's a silly tip that I use for lining up rotoscopes... IN AM of course...

The rotoscopes need to be the exact same size.

Scale and position one rotoscope. Now drag/copy it in the PWS (On Mac I think you option drag the rotoscope in the PWS... don't know how to drag/copy on PC). You now have the same rotoscope image... in the same position and scale.

Now just change which view it "belongs" to and change the image shortcut and you only need to change the horizontal position in the PWS properties settings... no need to line up on the grid... or use guides... which is what I use to do...

Vernon "!" Zehr