Modeling A Human Body

By: Olli-Pekka Saastamoinen copyright (c) Olli-Pekka Saastamoinen 1999. Homepage: http://www.dlc.fi/~ops In the next 20 minutes you'll learn an easy way to model a human body. We're going to use box modeling technique (with meshsmooth). Requirments for this tutorial are that you have 3D Studio Max 1.2 or later and knowledge of the Max basics. Note: Max 2.5 users might find useful the Cut and Slice options. Also check out Part II: Clothing. |

There's no retouching made after Meshsmooth was applied.

Step 1. Making Profiles

First we have to make (well not have to, but helps a lot) 2 reference pictures (front and side view of what we are modeling).
If you have a scanner you can draw them on paper and scan to you computer. I don't have, so here's how I did it.

I drew the profiles in Max with splines. See bellow.

Click here to see a high res version. You can use that if you want.

Step 2. Modeling Leg

It's easier to start from a leg. Start by makeing a box. Oh and remember that you have to model only the other half.

Now apply Edit Mesh and select a top face. You don't have to enter anything in the "amount", just press up arrow and you'll see the extrusion.

Next picture shows you "have to do" segments.

Those thick red lines shows you where you have to stop the extrusion.
When you hold down the arrow and see the extrusion you have to stop in these lines (you get minimum detail).
In Max 1.2 and 2.0 you have to think in the future, because you can't add more segments afterwards (in middle of the body).
Max 2.5 users can make a whole body first and then add more segments (Cut and Slice)
You also should watch your side view.

Leg extrusion ready. See those segments on the knee area (you should add more segments in knees, start of an arm, elbow etc.. to make it better for animation).

Now It's time for editing the leg. Move vertices so they match with the reference pictures you made. You might see that I placed some segments wrong (on butt area).
That doesn't matter much when Meshsmooth is applied. Max 2.5 owners have no problems, use Slice.

Step 3. Torso

Use the same technique as with the leg.

Step 4. Arm

Start by selecting the face where to start arm extrusion

Extrusion time!

waiting.......... waiting........ waiting

Ready?

Here's what I got.

Click here to continue - Making hand