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Anime Character Creator

Make 3D Anime Characters in Blender

Grant Abbitt and GameDev.tv Team

Want to learn to rig and pose an anime character in Blender? And at the same time, learn the more complex aspects of 3D modelling such as topology and edge flow?

In this course, you’ll learn how to model anime characters and develop skills in box modelling techniques. This is a very technical approach and different to the sculpting workflow, which we cover in other courses.

You’ll make clothing for your characters, and learn basic to intermediate techniques which include rigging the clothing and texturing. These simple, yet effective, techniques will prepare you for more advanced modelling and topology

Read more

Want to learn to rig and pose an anime character in Blender? And at the same time, learn the more complex aspects of 3D modelling such as topology and edge flow?

In this course, you’ll learn how to model anime characters and develop skills in box modelling techniques. This is a very technical approach and different to the sculpting workflow, which we cover in other courses.

You’ll make clothing for your characters, and learn basic to intermediate techniques which include rigging the clothing and texturing. These simple, yet effective, techniques will prepare you for more advanced modelling and topology

This course is aimed at intermediate Blender users looking for more advanced techniques and a “stepping stone” course to make the jump from beginner to pro.

You’ll need a reasonable understanding of the blender interface, ideally having gone through one of our more beginner friendly Blender courses.

You’ll get full lifetime access for a single one-off fee. The creators are qualified and experienced with modelling and coding, so are able to explain complex concepts clearly, as well as entertain along the way.

All students have access to the Q&A where our Instructors, Teaching Assistants and Community are ready to help answer your questions and cheer on your success.

Note: access to this course comes with an optional, free community site where you can share games and 3D models, as well as connect with thousands of other students.

Level up in Blender and create your own anime characters now.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Model an anime character
  • Learn the basics of topology & rigging
  • Box model or build the character from scratch
  • Create clothing for the character
  • Weight painting
  • Texturing characters

Syllabus

Modelling The Face

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Just a quick welcome and look through the plan for the course

Read more

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Lucy invites you to join us in our various community support forums in order to ask questions, connect with other students and share your progress.

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Setting up the workspace with our background images which we can use as a guide for modelling

In this video (objectives)…

  1. start modelling the face by outlining the key areas with face loops

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Creating the edge flow for the nose and the mouth

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Filling in the faces between our outlines

In this video (objectives)…

  1. working on the back of the skull

In this video (objectives)…

  1. continue the head model creating the neck

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Using the sculpting tools to smooth out the head and filling in the eyes and mouth

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Adding in the ears and testing the subdivision surface modifier

Modelling The Body

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Section intro

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Working Down from the neck we start to build the basic shape of the torso

In this video (objectives)…

  1. now we are starting to add detail to the chest and buttocks

In this video (objectives)…

  1. continuing down the body we’ll now start working on the legs

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Finishing the legs by working on the feet

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now making out way to the arms sown to the wrists

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Building the hands and the thumb

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now working on the fingers and joining them to the hands

In this video (objectives)…

  1. With the body almost finished its now time to make the final adjustments

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now finishing off the body by making adjustments to the upper body

In this video (objectives)…

  1. the final edits to the body by making adjustments to the lower body

Hair & Clothing

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Section Intro

In this video (objectives)…

  1. The first place we will start modelling the clothing is the boots as they have a good explanation of all the techniques we will use

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Working on the shape of the lower parts of the boots

Now the shape is complete we can work on the details such as the creases in the knees

Working on the gloves

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Moving on to the trousers

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we start to work on the shirt a deal with the tricky collar

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now to the corset. Should be fairly simple with your new knowledge so i challenge you to make it by yourself

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now working on the belt with a slightly different technique using the shrink wrap modifier

In this video (objectives)…

  1. The last part of the clothing is the belt buckle and i encourage you to make your own design

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now starting to work on the eyelashes and eyebrows

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Last part of the clothing is the drawstrings for the shirt

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now our attention moves to making the hair and we start work on the hair base

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we have the base we can build up the more elaborate and parts of the hair with curves

Texturing

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we look at the second way of rigging the hair with bones. This technique has more control but can be a little time consuming to set up and can also be exported more easily

In this video (objectives)…

  1. In order to texture our model we will first need to unwrap each object. In this lecture we will start the process with the clothes

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we unwrap the body and i talk a little more about texture space

In this video (objectives)…

  1. We finalise the unwrap process by unwrapping the body and the clothes separately

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we need to check our unwrap to see how many pixels each area takes up and resize islands where needed

In this video (objectives)…

A few updates to be aware of in Blender 4

In this video (objectives)…

  1. A few updates to be aware of in Blender 4

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we can start adding the colours to our character starting with basic base colours

In this video (objectives)…

  1. In this lecture we look at how we can paint on only the selected faces

In this video (objectives)…

  1. We start the detailed painting process by starting with the eyes

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we paint the iris. Probably the most complicated object to paint and we can look at paint blend modes

In this video (objectives)…

  1. The face is possibly the toughest part although not to complicated takes a tiny bit of practice. Take your time and try and enjoy the process

In this video (objectives)…

  1. When painting the body the key is getting very soft gradients. In this video I show a new technique using the paint brush

In this video (objectives)…

  1. In this lecture we start work on the clothing. Creating simples shadows

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Using the techniques we have learnt so far we paint the boots

In this video (objectives)…

  1. In this lecture, we learn about how we can hide area we don't want to paint on

In this video (objectives)…

  1. I show you how you can use the multiply brush to paint metal and talk about how we can add the drawstring

In this video (objectives)…

  1. This lecture looks at different approaches to texturing anime style characters

Rigging & Posing

In this video (objectives)…

  1. We use the rigify addon to create an armature for our character

In this video (objectives)…

  1. In this lecture we move to pose mode and set up an IK controller for the leg

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we attach the body to the bones using parenting

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we look at the influence the bones have on our mesh and change the influence using weight painting

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we have the weights correct for the body we can copy that information to the clothes

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Because the weight transfer is not always 100 percent successful in this lecture we look at masking out areas of the body where needed

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we look at the first of 2 ways of rigging the hair. This particular technique uses shape keys

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we need to make a weapon for the character.

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Now we look at ways we can put the character into a pose

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Lastly we take a look at how we can effectively render out our final image

In this video (objectives)…

  1. Thanks for taking the course and final thoughts

Continuing Your GameDev Journey
Bonus Lecture

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Covers box modeling techniques, which are essential for creating clean and efficient 3D models, especially useful for game development and animation
Explores rigging and posing, which are crucial skills for bringing 3D characters to life and creating dynamic scenes
Teaches topology and edge flow, which are fundamental concepts for creating deformable and animation-ready 3D models
Requires a reasonable understanding of the Blender interface, suggesting that learners should complete a beginner-friendly Blender course beforehand
Features updates for Blender 4, which ensures that learners are using current techniques and workflows within the software
Includes weight painting, which is a core skill for rigging characters and ensuring realistic deformation during animation

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Anime Character Creator: Make 3D Anime Characters in Blender with these activities:
Review Blender Interface and Basic Modeling
Familiarize yourself with the Blender interface and basic modeling tools to ensure a smooth learning experience during the course.
Show steps
  • Open Blender and explore the different panels and menus.
  • Practice creating and manipulating basic shapes like cubes, spheres, and cylinders.
  • Experiment with modifiers like Subdivision Surface and Bevel.
Read 'Anatomy for Sculptors' by Uldis Zarins
Improve your understanding of human anatomy to create more realistic and believable anime characters.
View Anatomy for Sculptors on Amazon
Show steps
  • Study the chapters related to the skeletal and muscular systems.
  • Pay attention to the proportions and landmarks of the human body.
  • Use the book as a reference when modeling your anime characters.
Read 'Mastering Blender' by Oliver Villar
Gain a deeper understanding of Blender's capabilities and workflows to enhance your anime character creation skills.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the chapters related to modeling, texturing, and rigging.
  • Follow along with the examples and exercises in the book.
  • Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Model a Simple Object from an Anime
Practice your modeling skills by recreating a simple object from your favorite anime series.
Show steps
  • Choose a simple object from an anime, such as a prop or accessory.
  • Find reference images of the object from different angles.
  • Model the object in Blender, paying attention to proportions and details.
  • Texture the object to match the anime's style.
Weight Painting Exercises
Improve your weight painting skills by practicing on different parts of the character model.
Show steps
  • Create a simple armature with a few bones.
  • Bind the armature to a mesh.
  • Experiment with weight painting to control how the mesh deforms when the bones are moved.
  • Focus on areas like joints and clothing folds.
Create a Topology Study of an Anime Character
Deepen your understanding of topology and edge flow by analyzing the mesh structure of an existing anime character model.
Browse courses on Topology
Show steps
  • Find a 3D model of an anime character (e.g., on Sketchfab).
  • Import the model into Blender.
  • Analyze the topology and edge flow of the face, body, and clothing.
  • Create a diagram or presentation explaining the key topological features and their purpose.
Pose and Render Your Anime Character
Showcase your skills by posing your anime character and creating a high-quality render.
Show steps
  • Rig your character using the techniques learned in the course.
  • Create a dynamic pose that reflects the character's personality.
  • Set up lighting and materials to create a visually appealing scene.
  • Render the final image and share it with the community.

Career center

Learners who complete Anime Character Creator: Make 3D Anime Characters in Blender will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
3D Character Artist
A 3D Character Artist creates digital characters for games, animations, and other media. This course directly prepares you for this role by teaching you how to model, rig, and pose anime characters using Blender, including complex techniques such as topology and edge flow. You'll learn how to create clothing for your characters and apply textures to bring them to life. The course's focus on box modeling techniques, combined with rigging and weight painting skills, provides a comprehensive skillset needed for a 3D Character Artist to create engaging and expressive characters. Taking this course means gaining hands-on experience with the tools and workflows used in professional character creation.
See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Character Artist
3D Modeler
A 3D Modeler creates three-dimensional models of objects and characters for various applications, including games and animations. This course specifically focuses on creating 3D anime characters using Blender, covering key modeling techniques like box modeling, topology, and edge flow. This course emphasizes creating clothing, rigging, and texturing. It provides a strong foundation for a 3D modeler by teaching crucial skills needed to create detailed, high-quality character models. The curriculum's hands-on approach makes this course a logical choice for those looking to specialize in 3D modeling.
See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Modeler
Freelance 3D Artist
A Freelance 3D Artist works on a variety of projects for different clients, often requiring a wide range of skills. This course can help you establish a foundation for roles which need 3D models, as you will learn how to model, rig, and pose anime characters in Blender. You will gain hands on experience with creating clothing and texturing characters. This course also emphasizes important technical aspects of 3D modelling, such as topology and edge flow. This course will give you skills to offer potential clients who want customized 3D character assets.
See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance 3D Artist
Independent Game Developer
An Independent Game Developer works on their own projects, often requiring a wide variety of skills. This course will be valuable to an Independent Game Developer, as it teaches you how to model, rig, and pose anime characters in Blender. You will also gain hands on experience in creating clothing and texturing. The course’s emphasis on the technical aspects of 3D modeling is invaluable to someone creating assets for a game. Taking this course will help you create your own 3D character assets.
See salaries and explore the career path for Independent Game Developer
Character Rigger
A Character Rigger is a specialist who creates the 'skeleton' and controls for 3D models, allowing animators to bring them to life. This course is pertinent for an aspiring Character Rigger as it provides instruction on how to rig and pose an anime character in Blender. This course delves into the technical aspects of character rigging and teaches you how to use weight painting to influence the mesh. The course includes advanced techniques such as rigging clothing. This focused approach will help you work with rigs and the process of animating characters, preparing you for this unique role.
See salaries and explore the career path for Character Rigger
Animator
An Animator brings characters and objects to life through movement and expression. This course helps those who aspire to be an animator by building the skill to rig and pose 3D anime characters in Blender, which is fundamental for animation creation. This course teaches character modeling and clothing creation and texturing, along with weight painting and the important concepts of topology and edge flow. As an animator you will be able to bring your unique creations to life with the help of the knowledge that you gain from this course.
See salaries and explore the career path for Animator
Texture Artist
A Texture Artist is responsible for creating the surface details and look of 3D models. This course can help someone who wants to be a Texture Artist because it teaches texturing 3D anime characters in Blender. In this course you will learn how to unwrap objects, add basic colors, paint details to the eyes, face, and body, and add shadows. You will also look at different approaches to texturing anime characters. The course's focus on both technical and creative aspects will prepare you well for the job.
See salaries and explore the career path for Texture Artist
Technical Artist
A Technical Artist bridges the gap between art and technology in game development and animation and often works with character models. This course is valuable to someone who wants to be a Technical Artist, as it provides a grasp of creating 3D anime characters using Blender. You will gain hands on experience with modeling, creating clothing, texturing, rigging, and posing. A technical artist should be able to understand both the artistic and technical side of character creation, and this course will help you do just that. With this knowledge, you will be able to make technical decisions that also help enhance the aesthetic of a project.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist
Game Developer
A Game Developer is involved in the creation of video games and often works with character models. This course will be useful to someone who wants to specialize in game development, as it gives you the skills to create 3D anime characters using Blender. In this course you will learn how to model, create clothing, texture characters, and then rig and pose them. A game developer might use these character models in their games. This course will be especially valuable as you learn about the technical aspects of 3D modelling, making you a stronger addition to any game dev team.
See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer
Virtual Reality Developer
A Virtual Reality Developer creates environments and experiences for virtual reality platforms. This course will help someone who wants to be a virtual reality developer, particularly if you are working with 3D characters. This course shows you how to model, rig and pose an anime character in Blender. You will also gain knowledge and skills in clothing creation and texturing and learn important skills like box modeling. This will help you create detailed 3D models that you can use in your virtual reality projects.
See salaries and explore the career path for Virtual Reality Developer
Concept Artist
A Concept Artist creates visual representations of characters, objects, and environments for games or other media. This course which teaches 3D character creation using Blender, may be helpful to a Concept Artist who wishes to create and showcase their ideas in 3D. While this course is not focused on drawing skills, the skills you will develop in 3D modeling, topology and clothing creation, give you an additional tool to bring your ideas to life, offering a different way to present your concept work to a team.
See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist
Digital Sculptor
A Digital Sculptor creates detailed 3D models using digital sculpting tools. Although this course focuses on box modeling techniques, it may be helpful to a Digital Sculptor who wants to learn more about other modeling methods, especially given that some sculpting tools are covered in the course. If you wish to become a digital sculptor, you will learn a good base of skills from this course and gain insight into other aspects of character design, such as rigging, texturing, clothing, and posing.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Sculptor
Visual Development Artist
A Visual Development Artist creates the overall look and style of a project, often working with character designs. While this course is technical in nature, it may be useful to a Visual Development Artist who wants to explore different media and workflows for character creation. This course covers modelling, clothing creation, rigging and posing, and texturing -- all of which are useful when concepting characters and their final appearance. This course will help you develop your skills to a level where 3D characters are a tool for your visual development work.
See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Development Artist
Motion Graphics Artist
A Motion Graphics Artist creates animated graphics for videos and other digital media. Although this course focuses on character creation, some of the skills you learn can be useful in motion graphics, especially if your work includes 3D characters. This course will teach you how to model, rig, and animate characters in Blender. By developing a strong understanding of the process of character creation, a motion graphics artist can add another dimension to their skill set, and potentially add custom characters to their projects.
See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Graphics Artist
Instructional Designer
An Instructional Designer creates educational materials and courses. While this course is not directly applicable to instructional design, the skills you acquire can teach you how to create your own content. By learning to model, rig, texture, and animate 3D characters in Blender, you can produce videos that you can use to teach future students. As an Instructional Designer, you can use this knowledge to create unique teaching materials, and offer a different approach to teaching.
See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Anime Character Creator: Make 3D Anime Characters in Blender.
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Provides a comprehensive guide to Blender, covering a wide range of topics from basic modeling to advanced rigging and animation. It's a useful reference for understanding the underlying principles of 3D character creation. While not strictly anime-focused, it provides a solid foundation in Blender's tools and workflows. It is especially helpful for understanding the more technical aspects of 3D modeling.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check
Anatomy for Sculptors
Save
Provides a detailed understanding of human anatomy, which is essential for creating realistic and believable character models. While not specific to anime, it helps you understand the underlying structure of the human form. This is especially helpful for understanding how clothing drapes and deforms on the body. It useful reference for understanding the proportions and muscle structure of the human body.
Anatomy for Sculptors
Paperback
Check
Anatomy for Sculptors
Kindle Edition
Check

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Effort
10.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructors
Grant Abbitt
GameDev.tv Team
Language
English
Good to know
Covers box modeling techniques, which are essential for creating clean and efficient 3D models, especially useful for game development and animation
Explores rigging and posing, which are crucial skills for bringing 3D characters to life and creating dynamic scenes
Teaches topology and edge flow, which are fundamental concepts for creating deformable and animation-ready 3D models
Requires a reasonable understanding of the Blender interface, suggesting that learners should complete a beginner-friendly Blender course beforehand
Features updates for Blender 4, which ensures that learners are using current techniques and workflows within the software
Includes weight painting, which is a core skill for rigging characters and ensuring realistic deformation during animation
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