In the 3D character domain, we offer virtual avatars, character rigging, facial animation, lip sync, hair dynamics, fur and fur, as well as clothing with cloth simulation in photorealistic representation.
The offered variety of 3D character applications:
3D CHARACTER DESIGN
You want to bring a virtual 3D character to life. It all starts with a good character concept.
If you’re not sure how your character should look, but you already have some character traits in mind, such as age, gender, etc., we have the perfect solution and years of experience.
Describe your ideas and visions to us, and we will bring your characters to life in a digital drawing. Whether it’s a comic character, an alien, or an animal… we take care of professional character design for you.
CHARACTER CREATION
Below are the three steps briefly explained for creating a character:
SCULPTING WITH ZBRUSH
LOW POLY MODEL & RETOPOLOGY
UV-MAPPING & TEXTURING
Step 1
Since the character’s form has an organic origin, the modeling often begins with digital sculpting. To create a detailed 3D model, we use the latest version of Zbrush.
In the first step, we can create a 3D concept for your character according to your wishes.
If you desire highly detailed figures such as humans, animals, fantasy creatures, reconstructions, etc., we can create them for you.
Alternatively, you can send us your own 2D concept. We will turn it into a professional 3D model.
Step 2
After the model has been created with Zbrush from millions of polygons, it needs to be reduced in order to retain as much detail and form as possible, making it suitable for animation with computer resources.
To ensure the model is suitable for seamless and fluid movements in a 3D computer animation, special attention is given to the topology of the polygons in this step. A new polygon mesh with a reduced polygon count is created around the hyper high-poly 3D model, allowing for easier manipulation/animation by the computer.
This process is called retopology.
Step 3
In this step, the previously grey 3D model is filled with color. Fine details such as pores or fabric textures are applied as textures.
The smallest structural information from the Zbrush sculpt from Step 1 is transferred to the low-poly model from Step 2 as a normal map and displacement map. The color map is created in Zbrush as polypaint or in a texture painting program.
Textures can include photos, procedural textures, and elements manually painted using a graphics tablet. Of course, before texturing, we also determine the UV coordinates.
Sie können die Leistung aus jedem 3D Character Entwicklungsschritt separat bei uns bestellen.
Quality Levels of a 3D Character
REAL-TIME CHARACTER
HIGH POLY CHARACTER
HYPER REALISTIC CG CHARACTER
To showcase real-time characters, the “Engine” program is used, which calculates the ambient light, camera control, and user commands. The interactive method allows the user to interact with the 3D character. This is the case when the user can influence the course of the character’s actions through special keys on the keyboard or a gamepad. The rendering quality of the character is also influenced and limited by the “game engine”.
Since the computer has to calculate rendering changes in real-time, low-poly character models have strict requirements to meet, such as polygon count, topology, number of joints, and rules for skinning. Hair is often created as polygons containing a hair texture. Hair dynamics are animated using bones. Clothing is also bound to the character using skinning, and dynamics are also set in motion using joints.
In contrast to the interactive method, this type of 3D character representation captures the ambient light, materials, and shadows in a static image that cannot be changed/rotated. This computer calculation is called “rendering”. A film is created from several individual rendered images that include characters in motion.
Since we are not limited by real-time calculation for image rendering, we are also free from the tools used in 3D character modeling. Polygon count is not as important anymore. All deformation tools can be used. For example, realistic Maya hair can be used. Clothing animation is physically calculated using dynamic functions. Facial animations can be represented without restrictions using “blend shapes” as well as joints. It goes without saying that these measures result in a much more realistic image and natural movements.
The advantages of “HYPER REALISTIC CG CHARACTERS” are photorealistic images with great realism. Everything that the 3D field has to offer is used here. Like in digital sculpting, details are represented with very high precision. Pores and wrinkles are meticulously modeled so that they appear sharp even at large scales. The UV coordinates are divided into UDIMs to allow the use of high-resolution textures.
To achieve realistic skin deformation during bends and movements, we use a Maya Muscle system. This gives the skin a “jiggle effect” with dynamic calculation. For example, when animating dinosaurs or elephants, the hanging skin folds move in accordance with the body’s movements. Even if our inattentive eye does not perceive it, our brain immediately recognizes whether the 3D character appears realistic or not.
Application
Low poly characters are often used in games. They are also utilized in interactive tours, the medical field, or training processes.
Application
Just like interactive characters, rendered high-poly characters are used in various fields, such as advertising, animation, medicine, and documentary.
In a 3D portrait
the resemblance to the original is required, which demands a very high level of precision. Even if there is insufficient photographic material of the original, we can reconstruct the appearance in the 3D portrait.
For real-time characters, we offer the following options:
Modeling of low-poly characters
Texture creation for low-poly characters
Modeling of low-poly hair
Texture creation for low-poly hair
Modeling of low-poly clothing
Rigging of low-poly characters
Facial rigging
Once we know the requirements of your “engine,” we can create the real-time character in the required format.
For high-poly characters, we offer the following options:
Modeling of high-poly characters
Texturing of high-poly characters and clothing
Dynamic hairstyle/hair (Maya Xgen)
Clothing with dynamics (Cloth)
Rigging of high-poly characters
Facial rigging
Rendering
If you want to integrate a character into a real environment, we can provide camera calculations. You will receive a rendered character with an alpha channel that can easily be inserted into the scene you have filmed.
For hyper-realistic characters, we offer the following options:
Modeling of characters with extremely fine details
3D portraits of specific individuals
Dynamic hairstyle/hair (Maya Xgen)
Clothing with dynamics
UV mapping with UDIMs and textures in the highest resolution
Rigging of the character using a muscle system (Muscle, Jiggle, Sliding, Corrective Blendshapes)
Of course, you can also order individual options for “Hyper Realistic Character Creation” separately from us.
