Character Modelling

Reflection & Key Learning

This project provided full experience across the entire character pipeline, from reference gathering to final rendering.

• Major learning outcomes included:
  • building a complete high‑poly → low‑poly workflow
  • improved understanding of Baking, UV workflows, and stylised texturing
  • developing confidence in Blender, Marmoset Toolbag, Substance Painter, and Maya
• Overall, the project successfully resulted in a fully game‑ready stylised character.

Project Overview

• Create a game‑ready, stylised character asset using a full production pipeline.
• Recreate Chibi Spirit Blossom Sett (Popmart x TFT) in an A‑pose for future rigging.
• Use a combination of physical model reference, photography, and AI‑generated proportion guides.

Sculpting (Blender)

• Followed: Blockout → Primary Detail → Secondary Detail.
• Reference images placed around workspace; mirror sculpting used for all symmetrical parts.
• Blockout created using simple primitives (spheres, cubes).
• Clothing + accessories added early: trousers, belt, beads, necklace, cloak.
• Cloak built from two planes → solidify → sculpted trim and leaf motifs.
• Hair created using spline curves, with varied profiles for a stylised chunky look.
• Result: Complete high‑poly sculpt ready for retopology.

Retopology (Maya)

• Low‑poly, silhouette‑focused workflow.
• Model divided into components:
  • Body (torso, head, trousers, feet, belt)
  • Cloak
  • Necklace
  • Hair + ear pieces
  • Left hand
• Simplified shapes, relying on baking for fine detail (e.g., abs, muscles).
• Extra triangles added in knees, elbows, fingers for deformation support.
• Hair split into multiple sections (front, back, top, ear pieces) to manage strand flow.
• Final low‑poly model preserved silhouette while staying optimised.

UV Mapping (Maya)

• Entire model packed into one UV set for a game‑friendly workflow.
• Seams placed along hard edges and natural colour divisions.
• Consistent texel density across shells via Maya’s get/set density tools.
• Large features (face, torso) given slightly higher density.
• Hair UVs arranged in leftover space to maximise texture use.
• Clean checkerboard test confirming alignment and stretching control.

Baking (Marmoset Toolbag + Substance Painter)

• Mesh triangulated before baking for accurate projection.
• Initial Substance bake showed artefacts → switched to Marmoset for better cage control.
• Used paint offset cages for each mesh → noticeably cleaner results (especially hair + muscles).
• AO artefacts (bright edges) fixed using two‑sided baking and manual cleanup.
• Final maps checked and refined in Substance Painter.

Texturing (Substance Painter)

• Fully non‑destructive layer‑based workflow.
• Four main texture groups:
  • Body
  • Cloak
  • Hair & ears
  • Face
• For most details base colour → variation → curvature highlights
  • gold details enhanced with stretched grunge maps
• Cloak patterns created using mirrored spline masks.
• Hair textured with gradient sections and reflective edge highlights.
• Face built using spline masks, anchor points, gradients, and soft‑light blush.
• Left hand assigned a translucent material, set up in Maya.

Lighting & Rendering (Arnold)

• HDRI‑based scene with three‑point lighting:
  • Key light (left)
  • Soft fill lights
  • Strong backlight for pronounced rim highlights
• Custom hexagonal platform modelled and animated for a clean turnaround.
• Additional close‑up renders using camera bookmarks (muscles, belt, face).
• Final composite image created with a different HDRI and aiShadowMatte for clean backplate shadows.

Final Outcome

• A fully game‑ready, stylised character model with clean topology, accurate silhouette, and polished textures.
• Structured presentation including:
  • turnaround passes
  • wireframe / UV / beauty passes
  • close‑ups
• Strong demonstration of a complete game asset pipeline.