Creating a Super Girl Character: Part 6

1. Creating the Outfit

Step 1

Start Maya and open the file which was saved in the last part of the tutorial. Continue with the last tutorial, duplicate body mesh, delete the head and neck faces.

Step 2

Double-click on mesh to select all faces then extrude face. From the polyExtrudeFace attribute, increase the number of Local Translate Z to add thickness. 

Ensure it's not too thick otherwise the model will look bulky and fat. But also not too thin as it should cover the body.

Step 3

Select the edge loop then delete the faces.

Step 4

Double-click the inner part faces then delete. You only need the outer part to model the suits.

Step 5

Adjust the shape of centre of the breasts as they won’t be so obvious when wearing clothes. 

Tip: use Quad Draw tool to relax the vertices, or select the Vertices > Shift-Right Mouse Button > Average Vertices

Step 6

Follow the same step for hips. 

Tip: You can select the Edges > Shift-Right Mouse Button > Edit Edge Flow

Step 7

To make the zip part, insert edge loop to the middle of the suits.

Step 8

Deselect the front edges, then Shift-Delete the selected edges.

Step 9

Hold Shift-Right Mouse > select Multi-Cut.

Step 10

Click and drag on the vertices to draw wireframe. Then press Enter to insert.

Step 11

Select the Vertex > Shift-Right Mouse > Merge Vertices > Target Weld Tool.

Step 12

Drag and snap the vertex to the lower vertex.

Step 13

Try not to have triangle faces in character modelling, snap the vertices to the lower vertices.

Step 14

Select the edge loop. Using Scale Tool (R), scale at the X-axis to straighten the edge.

Step 15

Using Multi Cut Tool, draw wireframe like the image below to fix N-Gon.

Step 16

Select the Faces > Extrude faces.

Step 17

Move the faces inwards. 

If it intersect with body mesh, you can either adjust the shape press B for soft selection, move forward until they are not intersected, or simply delete the hidden body faces.

Step 18

Delete the faces.

Step 19

Insert edge loop as bevel.

Step 20

You can search for some heels footprint as reference, Go to bottom view > View > Image Plane > Import Image.

Step 21

Choose a reference image then place and scale to fit the feet size.

Step 22

Adjust the shape of foot to high heels shape according to the image.

Step 23

Insert an edge loop as bevel.

Step 24

Select the faces as the heels.

Step 25

Extrude faces and move downwards, then scale smaller.

Step 26

Insert an edge loop and scale smaller.

Step 27

Insert more edge loop to form the heels shape.Then we have done for the heels.

Step 28

Start to model the zipper. Create a cube. Scale it to flat cube shape.

Step 29

Extrude one face and scale smaller.

Step 30

Extrude again the face and move outwards.

Step 31

Insert edge loops to create bevels.

Step 32

Duplicate the Mesh > Scale X: -1 > move to lower position. Then select both Mesh > Combine. Adjust the size to fit the suits’ zip size.

Step 33

Select the suit's model, select the middle edges from the zip position.

Step 34

Modify > Convert > Polygon Edges to Curve. You'll have a new curve same shape with the selected edges.

Step 35

Select the Curve > Curves > Rebuild > change the number of spans to 20.

This is to equalise the curves’ vertices distance. Display > NURBs > CVs to display the curve’s vertices.

Step 36

Snap the zip mesh to the top of the curve’s vertex, then rotate to parallel to the angle.

Step 37

Change the module from Modelling to Animation.

Step 38

Select the zip mesh then Curve > Constrain > Motion Paths > Attach to Motion Path option box. 

Remember to freeze transformation before this step.

Step 39

Change the settings to the following image. Since the mesh rotation will be affected, you'll need to complete the following steps.

Step 40

Select Zip model > highlight all translate and rotate attribute > right click > break connection.

Step 41

At the bottom, type delete MotionPath1 in MEL script box.

Step 42

Change the rotation number to a negative value. If the mesh’s rotation number initially is negative value, then change it to positive value. 

Then freeze transformation and delete history.

Step 43

Repeat step 38-39. The rotation of the mesh is correct now. You can see the top of the curve has number 1, and the end has a number 120 (or the last number from the Time Slider at the bottom)

Step 44

Select Zip mesh >Windows > Animation Editors > Graph Editor.

Step 45

Drag and select all the keys and click on Linear Tangents. Then close the Graph Editor window.

Step 46

Select Zip mesh > Visualize > Create Animation Snapshot options.

Step 47

Change time range to Time Slider. Click Apply. You'll have a new group that contains multiple mesh.

Step 48

By default, the number of increments is 1.0, but the meshes will intersect together. 

Undo the previous step, increase the number and keep trying to get the correct number which your meshes would not be intersected. 

Or decrease the number when the distance of each mesh is too far.

Tip

Do not delete the history of the zip after step 42 for the time being as it is required for the next tutorial.

You should always delete other meshes’ history to keep it clean. 

Conclusion

In the next tutorial, I'll be showing you the unwrapping the UV for zip model, and finishing the last part of modelling (outfit’s accessories).