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Theo
Theo was my first 3D character creation journey from start to finish for my Intro to 3D Animation Course. The final animation features Theo walking beneath the plants when he notices a shadow from above. Frightened by the bigger creature overhead, he runs off screen to find shelter.
Final Animation
Character Concept
Theo Character Model Sheet
My original idea for a character was a timid mouse who is afraid of everything because he has a keen sense of hearing. I wanted him to look scraggly and scrawny, so I made his whiskers, limbs, hair, and tail wiry. Theo's round shape communicates his harmless nature while the straight and jagged lines communicate anxiousness.
Sculpting & Retopology
Theo Zbrush Render
After fleshing out the turnaround drawings, I sculpted him in Zbrush and transferred the model into Maya to be retopologized. One of the challenges I had with the retopology was the thin, long limbs. In the end I recreated those parts in maya and kept them as separate meshes. The textures were painted on in Zbrush and recreated in Photoshop.
Theo Turn Around
Rigging & Posing
Composition & Final Render
The character rig features IK and FK controls. If I were to go back and edit the rig, I would add a reverse foot, better spline rigs for the whiskers and tail, and the option to switch between IK and FK controls in certain locations. The controls are easy to select and contains face controls separate from the rest of the model that allows for simple and quick eye and eyelid controls. This allows Theo to be in lots of expressive and fun poses.
Additional Poses
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