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[davdud101]

So I just did these yesterday and today. I don't have much in mind but I don't want to lose any skills I've built since I started!
Comment and crits well received

[Raxx]

These could make for some interesting characters, I hope to see more!

[davdud101]

Thanks, Raxx! I'm continuing working on Rutherford Rat. I've never been much good at making humanoid bodies, much less clothing and limbs, so this is a workout for me!

[davdud101]

legs have always been a difficulty for me.


well, I'm done for a day!

[Raxx]

Clothes make the man I'm always happy seeing people give actual organic modeling a shot. It's hard starting out, but after a while of doing it things like appendages get to be pretty easy.

A small crit for your last update, he's lacking a bit in the pelvis department. Try giving him a groin

[davdud101]

I'm curious- I'm actually considering re-modeling the pants. Is there a particular area of the below-torso that is better to start with?
I'm thinking if I start with a triangle-shaped cylinder, or maybe even a trapezoid... I dunno!

[Josmic8or]

Cool nice to see cartoony characters being made.
Will they be animated?

[Raxx]

I'm curious- I'm actually considering re-modeling the pants. Is there a particular area of the below-torso that is better to start with?
I'm thinking if I start with a triangle-shaped cylinder, or maybe even a trapezoid... I dunno!

Usually, I measure out and model a basic form of the groin and butt first, with a hole for the leg. When I'm satisfied, I just extrude the edges out of that hole to make the leg portion. Then I go back over it all and build up the form and details. Obviously, our methods may differ. All I can say is that the best way to do it is up to you

[davdud101]

thanks for the method, Raxx- I found a 3ds Max tutorial that did it that way and I came up with what's in the image below.
It's pretty imperfect, but it's okay for a first try. I should probably show some more images.

Jos, long time no see! I do like modeling things like this but I'd have to say, animation (beyond facial morphing) is not my strong suit and it's pretty tedious to do in Anim8or, especially to make it look good. I don't think I'll be animating them very soon.

[johnar]

 Hi davdud
 Been watching progress here, and had a thought.
 Rutherford Rat is quite tall.  Either he's meant to be tall, or its happened by following tutorials made for building human type characters. (human ref image?). His proportions are very human, tho arms are perhaps marginally shorter than human arms.
 If he's meant to have these humanoid proportions, then all good, but maybe his tail seems a little small?.
 If he needs some more 'ratty' type proportions, then maybe his legs and arms are a little long?
  But then, maybe not. Just something i thort i'd mention.
 Its good watching characters getting started, and then progressing into 'who they are'...
 Liking Rutherford rat.....appearance and personality can go hand in hand.
 At the moment, i'm seeing a teenager rat. Young, fit, healthy, inquisitive, full of beans. A young Rutherford Rat.
 But if he had a monocal, and a tweed jacket and hat, he'd look more like a resident of some castle type dwelling.  Older, well off, gentlemanly etc..  (eg: Toad of toad hall)
 lol.  Just thinking out loud...
 Good stuff. Hope you keep at him. 

[davdud101]

thar be my "problem", johnar- He's made to no particular proportions but what my eye could tell me. I am going for a lanky young adult character, so definitely straying away from more rat-like proportions, but in addition his tail was made in about 5 minutes so that it'd be there when I made the pants. Guess I should rework that as well.

[EDIT] I adjusted some of Rutherford's proportions. I think he looks a bit more even now; shortened torso, longer arms. Happy Easter!

[davdud101]

So guys, I decided maybe I will give a shot at animating him.
I'm getting ready to add some detail, design some feet, and then try to rig him... I'm looking for some tips.

How would some of you do the hands? Morph targets or bone (maybe making each set of knuckles per finger just attached to one bone, instead of fully articulated hands...)?
Also, how should I do the feet? I'm thinking just shoes, but I'd like something that aesthetically is agreed upon by some 'outside eyes'.

[thecolclough]

i'd say rig the hands properly (i.e. individual fingers); it'll be more work now, but it'll make the figure more flexible and therefore more expressive in the long run.  i've spent far too long working with Lego figures, so i know all about non-flexible hand models!

[davdud101]

Makes sense. I don't think I want to go 'all out' with this character even with how happy I am with how things are going. I put together a basic (incomplete) rig and honestly I totally hate the animation aspect, especially character animation, of 3d... it's so tedious and difficult and error-prone. The image below shows some of his articulation.

[johnar]

There's definately 'knacks' involved with animating in Anim8or.
 Sometimes it seems impossible to get a bone to move just the required amount by dragging with mouse. Having axiss' showing, Changing view angle and zooming in closer can all help, but sometimes you've just got to double click and add the value manually. Graph editor can be handy for tweaking movement.
 Definately rig hands completely. (fingers individually)...imho
 Making 'poses' in sequence mode can really make things easier as you get a collection together.
 The pic below literally took less than 2 minutes to animate with just a few left and right hand poses/sequences added 4 frames apart in scene mode. (LHopen, LHshut, LHpeace, LHpinkydown, RHopen etc...)

 Animating in sequence mode is easier than scene mode, and if you collect all sequences and poses for each character, you can end up with quite a decent library that can save a lot of time and frustration in the future.