This book is a comprehensive guide to using Blender to create character rigs for games, breaking down the technicalities of rigging tools and techniques into easily digestible chunks. It provides all the tools needed to go from a static character model to an animation-ready, high quality, and fast performing game rig. Written to be accessible and easy to follow, the book covers character rigging theory that is supported by industry standard examples of how to apply that theory to character rigs for video games. It demonstrates the reasoning behind rigging decisions followed by instructions and examples on how to apply that knowledge to rig creation. It includes chapters that focus on the character deformation techniques that raise the visual quality of the model and subsequently of the animation and game it will be used in. This book will be vital reading to those studying games animation as well as early-career rigging artists, character animators, modeling artists, technical animators, and technical artists.

A complete guide to creating usable, realistic game characters with two powerful tools Creating viable game characters requires a combination of skills. This book teaches game creators how to create usable, realistic game assets using the power of an open-source 3D application and a free game engine. It presents a step-by-step approach to modeling, texturing, and animating a character using the popular Blender software, with emphasis on low polygon modeling and an eye for using sculpting and textures, and demonstrates how to bring the character into the Unity game engine. Game creation is a popular and productive pursuit for both hobbyists and serious developers; this guide brings together two effective tools to simplify and enhance the process Artists who are familiar with Blender or other 3D software but who lack experience with game development workflow will find this book fills important gaps in their knowledge Provides a complete tutorial on developing a game character, including modeling, UV unwrapping, sculpting, baking displacements, texturing, rigging, animation, and export Emphasizes low polygon modeling for game engines and shows how to bring the finished character into the Unity game engine Whether you're interested in a new hobby or eager to enter the field of professional game development, this book offers valuable guidance to increase your skills.

Let this in-depth professional book be your guide to Blender, the powerful open-source 3D modeling and animation software that will bring your ideas to life. Using clear step-by-step instruction and pages of real-world examples, expert animator Tony Mullen walks you through the complexities of modeling and animating, with a special focus on characters. From Blender basics to creating facial expressions and emotion to rendering, you’ll jump right into the process and learn valuable techniques that will transform your movies. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

"No other book to date presents facial animation concepts, theory, and practical application with the authority that Stop Staring does." —TIEM Design Crafting believable facial animation is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding aspects of 3D graphics. Done right, this art breathes life into otherwise deadpan faces. In this extraordinary book, professional animator Jason Osipa teaches you how to achieve realistic facial modeling and animation. Using detailed practical examples complemented with high-quality images and a touch of humor, Osipa leads you from design and modeling to rigging and animation. The CD and full-color insert demonstrate techniques you can use to fine-tune your facial animations. Reviewed and approved by Alias|Wavefront, Stop Staring: Facial Modeling and Animation Done Right, uses the Academy Award(r) winning Maya(r) 3D animation and effects software as the focus for its examples, yet the principles and techniques are described in ways that will be helpful to anyone working on facial modeling and animation. Mastering the Face Start out by getting familiar with the range of possible facial expressions, then focus on animating and modeling the mouth, eyes and brows. When you're ready to bring it all together, you can generate a scene from concept to completion. Topics covered include: Understanding how the whole face affects expression Learning visimes and lip sync techniques Constructing a mouth and mouth keys Building emotion through the eyes and brows Building interfaces to easily connect and control your models Skeletal setup, weighting, and rigging Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

BlenderTM is a free Open Source 3D Creation Suite supporting the entire modeling and animation pipeline – modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking. The program also includes Video Editing and Grease Pencil 2D Animation. The program is free to download and use by anyone for anything. The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics: Modeling and Animation, 5th Edition is a unified manual describing the operation of Blender version 2.80 with its New Improved Interface, New Workspaces and New Eevee Render System. This book introduces the program's Graphical User Interface and shows how to implement tools for modeling and animating characters and creating scenes with the application of color, texture and special lighting effects. Key Features: The book is designed to lead new users into the world of computer graphics using Blender 2.80 and to be a reference for established Blender artists. The book presents instruction in a series of short chapters with visual references and practical examples. Instructions are structured in a building-block fashion using contents in earlier chapters to explain more complex operations in later chapters.

Get up and running with Blender 3D through a series of practical projects that will help you learn core concepts of 3D design like modeling, sculpting, materials, textures, lighting, and rigging using the latest features of Blender 2.83 Key Features • Learn the basics of 3D design and navigate your way around the Blender interface • Understand how 3D components work and how to create 3D content for your games • Familiarize yourself with 3D Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Rendering and Sculpting with Blender Book Description Blender is a powerful 3D creation package that supports every aspect of the 3D pipeline. With this book, you'll learn about modeling, rigging, animation, rendering, and much more with the help of some interesting projects. This practical guide, based on the Blender 2.83 LTS version, starts by helping you brush up on your basic Blender skills and getting you acquainted with the software toolset. You’ll use basic modeling tools to understand the simplest 3D workflow by customizing a Viking themed scene. You'll get a chance to see the 3D modeling process from start to finish by building a time machine based on provided concept art. You will design your first 2D character while exploring the capabilities of the new Grease Pencil tools. The book then guides you in creating a sleek modern kitchen scene using EEVEE, Blender’s new state-of-the-art rendering engine. As you advance, you'll explore a variety of 3D design techniques, such as sculpting, retopologizing, unwrapping, baking, painting, rigging, and animating to bring a baby dragon to life. By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to work with Blender to create impressive computer graphics, art, design, and architecture, and you'll be able to use robust Blender tools for your design projects and video games. What you will learn • Explore core 3D modeling tools in Blender such as extrude, bevel, and loop cut • Understand Blender's Outliner hierarchy, collections, and modifiers • Find solutions to common problems in modeling 3D characters and designs • Implement lighting and probes to liven up an architectural scene using EEVEE • Produce a final rendered image complete with lighting and post-processing effects • Learn character concept art workflows and how to use the basics of Grease Pencil • Learn how to use Blender's built-in texture painting tools Who this book is for Whether you're completely new to Blender, or an animation veteran enticed by Blender's newest features, this book will have something for you. Table of Contents • Introduction to 3D and the Blender User Interface • Editing a Viking Scene with a Basic 3D Workflow • Modeling a Time Machine - Part 1 • Modeling a Time Machine - Part 2 • Modern Kitchen - Part 1: Kitbashing • Modern Kitchen - Part 2: Materials and Textures • Modern Kitchen - Part 3: Lighting and Rendering • Illustrating an Alien Hero with Grease Pencil • Animating an Exquisite Corpse in Grease Pencil • Animating a Stylish Short with Grease Pencil • Creating a Baby Dragon - Part 1: Sculpting • Creating a Baby Dragon - Part 2: Retopology • Creating a Baby Dragon - Part 3: UV Unwrapping • Creating a Baby Dragon - Part 4: Baking and Painting Textures • Creating a Baby Dragon - Part 5: Rigging and Animation • The Wide World of Blender

Leverage expert advice, step-by-step guidance, and comprehensive visual aids to pave your way towards excellence in the art of 3D character rigging with the help of this part-color guide Key Features Learn how to use automatic and manual weight painting to merge skin and bone Enhance any rig with a sweeping host of automatic controls and aids for animation Keep your rigs efficient and clean for an optimal end user experience Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionIn the intricate world of 3D character rigging with Blender, aspiring artists often find themselves grappling with the daunting challenge of achieving results akin to seasoned professionals. This book is your guide to overcoming that very challenge, providing you with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in this complex art form. As you embark on this creative journey, this book will guide you through a carefully crafted flow. Beginning with the basics, the first part of the book will teach you how to add structure to an empty canvas and master the art of weight painting in Blender. You'll delve into the intricacies of rigging humanoid characters, gain a deep understanding of the essential buttons and techniques, and discover invaluable success-boosting tips. Starting with simple mesh deformation using a single bone, you'll progress steadily toward the mastery of fully rigging a human character, all while comprehending the reasons behind each step in the process. Furthermore, the book leaves you with a selection of advanced techniques, fully explained, paving the way for a natural progression in your artistic journey and allowing you to continuously refine and enhance your skills. By the end of the book, you'll excel at crafting character rigs, seamlessly meeting professional pipeline demands in diverse teams and studios.What you will learn Understand the basic terminology of rigging and learn how to create and modify rigs Find out how bones interact with topology Get to grips with weight painting through the mesh Know when and how to add constraints such as Inversion Kinetics, Point To, and Child Of Make rigs visually appealing with advanced techniques such as shape keys and bone drivers Familiarize yourself with advanced techniques used by industry leaders Who this book is for If you are an animator, modeler, or someone who wants to start rigging with a solid foundation, then this book is for you. You’ll need no prior knowledge of Blender to get started with this book, as we’ll go step by step with shortcuts and UI pointers provided.