3D Model Creation

I’m planning to develop a series of 3D modeling videos related to miniature creation. While those are being developed, I’ll provide a quick overview of my workflow and link a few existing tutorial series that I found very informative.

What software do I use?

Gathering Reference Material

The first step to any 3d model is gathering appropriate reference material. I use a free software called PureRef to keep them all organized and easy to view. It’s basically a big freeform canvas that you can paste, scale and rotate photos on for easy reference. It has a ton of powerful features but at its core is fairly simple. You can check out the below tutorial for a more detailed explanation on how to use it.

To collect reference material I go on Google and search for my subject matter (15th century English Longbowman for example). I like to grab references from a variety of sources to ensure my design is unique and realistic. Make sure to get reference photos from all different sides if possible. Simply drag a photo over to PureRef and it’ll appear on the canvas ready for future use!

Initial 3D Blockout

I typically use 3ds Max as a starting point for most initial blockouts that are more mechanical in nature. Things such as mechs and vehicles. If you don’t have access to 3ds Max then Blender is a great free alternative which excellent community support and a robust toolset. If you’re a student you can typically get a student license to 3ds Max for very cheap. Some companies also have access to it if they are in the CAD or Interior design fields.

When it comes to blocking out organic shapes, such as creatures and curvy armor, Zbrush is my software of choice. Again, Blender has a sculpting environment and is a perfect alternative.

During the blockout stage, I use a combination of spheres, cubes and cylinders to get the overall shape and proportions. I also make sure to get the real world scale correct at this stage. But that I mean making sure I’m modeling in a scale that will be the same once it’s 3d Printed. I test this by exporting a cube with a known dimension, say 2 cm x 2 cm x 2cm and then importing it into my slicer (Lychee for me) and making sure it’s the same size. This will save a lot of headache down the line. Once I have the scale set I usually save this for future use to start 3d scenes off pre-scaled.

Detailing and Posing

At this stage, I take the blockout and detail out the various pieces in Zbrush as well as pose the minature. This is the most fun part in my opinion and when the 3D model really starts to come together. The Medbury Miniatures folks have made a great YouTube tutorial series in which they detail a miniature using Zbrush. I’d highly recommend watching it if you are just starting out.

Preparing 3d Model for 3d Printing

One of the aspects not often talked about is preparing a completed 3d model for 3d printing. Even the best artists commonly forget this step and it leads to holes in models, unconnected parts, overly large files size and more. This is what takes a good miniature designer to the next level.

This section is being expanded upon and will be completed shortly!

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