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3D & MOTION GRAPHICS > BLENDER

Sculpt, Model and Texture a Low-Poly

Skull in Blender
by Karan Shah 9 Jun 2009
Length: Short Languages: English 

Blender 3D
Normal maps are widely used in games to make low poly models look high poly.
In this tutorial you will learn how to create a high res Skull model, generate a
normal map from that model and learn how to apply this to its low poly version.

Techniques covered in this tutorial include multires sculpting, baking a normal

map, baking ambient occlusion and applying the maps to a low poly model.

This tutorial uses the free and open source Blender suite. If you're new to 3D,
following this tutorial in Blender is an excellent way for beginners to get started.
(Don't worry - this tutorial has plenty of techniques for more advanced users too!)

Step 1
We first start with loading a background reference image. I have made sketch of a
skull in front and side profile. You can also download this reference for a good 3D
study of a skull model.

Go to View > Background image and load the image.

Step 2
Select the default cube by right-clicking. Hit F9 to go the editing options. Here, in
the multires panel click on the button 'Add Multires'. Click the 'Add level' button 3
times. We see that the cube's shape has been changed to a sphere.
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Step 3
Place the cube matching the reference image.
Step 4
We now begin sculpting. Select 'Sculpt Mode' from the Mode menu. Blender has
good high res sculpting tools and features. Select the Sculpt panel in the Button
window. You can also access the sculpt tool by pressing 'N' anywhere in the 3D
view. The shortcut for the most commonly used tools in Blender are 'D' for draw,
'G' for Grab, 'S' for smooth, and 'F' for size. You can also adjust the tool brush
settings according to your needs.
Step 5
Use the 'Grab' tool to pull out the basic shape of our object, matching the subject.
Press 'G' and then click drag on the object.
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Step 6
Don't forget the front view. Match the shape with the reference.
Step 7
After the desired shape has been achieved, add 2 more multires levels. We'll
mostly be using the 'Draw tool' ('D' shortcut) in this section. Press Shift to
subtract form. This is easier with a pressure sensitive graphics tablet, but can be
completed with only a mouse. First, dig out the eye socket.
Step 8
Sculpt in and out to form the other basic parts of the skull.

Step 9
Add levels in the multires panel to sculpt in more details.
Step 10
Again, don't forget the front view.
Step 11
Switch between the GRAB and DRAW tools as necessary.
Step 12
We now see the bottom and clear the jaw line. Check the overall form before we
begin with the teeth.

Step 13
Draw the teeth and other remaining details.
Step 14
We will now make a low poly version from the high res model. Go to object mode.
Right-click on the skull and press Shift+D to duplicate it. Select either one.

Step 15
In the multires panel, reduce the level to 4 and press the 'Apply Multires' button.
We now have a low poly base.
Step 16
We will now UV Unwrap the model. Select the low base model and press TAB to
enter the Mesh edit mode.

Select the middle loop of vertices. On the front side deselect the vertices as
shown in the image.
Step 17
Press Ctrl+E and click on 'Mark Seam'.

Step 18
Split the 3D view screen into 2 parts - one for 3D view and other for UV editing.
Step 19
While in the mesh edit mode, Press 'A' to select all vertices. Press 'U' and select
'Unwrap'.
Step 20
You will get UV layout that you can edit in the UV Editor. Rotate/Scale
accordingly.

Step 21
Create a new texture image. Click on Image >New.
Step 22
Type in the dimensions of the image you want, and press OK.

Step 23
Next we'll create our Normal Map. Right-click to select the high res model first
and then Shift + Right-click the base model. Press ALT-G to clear location. What
actually happens here is that both our models are in the same location in the 3D
space, overlapping each other.

Step 24
In the Button window, press F10 to bring out the Render options. Click on the
'Bake' panel. Select 'Normals' and 'Tangent' from the menu. Click 'Selected to
Active'. Click 'BAKE'.

Voila! We have our normal map!

Step 25
All the high-res sculpture details are baked (according the the UV layout) on the
image we created for the Low poly Base model.
Step 26
Save the Image. Don't forget to save the .blend file on each milestone, also.

Step 27
Before we bake the AO map we will use the following Ambient Occlusion settings.

Hit F8 to go to the World Settings. Select 'Ambient Occlusion'. Select

'Approximate' method. Turn on 'Pixel Cache' and enter value '1' for 'Correction'.
Step 28
Again, Select the high res model first, then the low res model. Press ALT+G to
clear location. (Ignore this step if you have not moved the models). Now press
F10. In the Bake panel, select Ambient Occlusion this time. Hit BAKE.
Step 29
Your AO map is now ready. Save the image with a new name.

Step 30
No we will apply our maps to the base model. First, move the High Res model to
another layer, as we don't need it any more. Select the high poly model and press
'M'. Click on the layer block to move.
Step 31
Select the layer in which we have our base model. Select the Model and F5 to
open the Materials panel in the Buttons window. Next we'll apply the AO map. In
the 'Texture' panel, select Tex1. Press UV in the 'Map input' panel. In the 'Map to'
panel press 'Col'.
Step 32
Press F6 to open the Texture Panel in the Buttons window. Select texture type >
Image.

Step 33
Load the AO map in the image panel.
Step 34
Now we will apply our Normal Map. Add New Texture in the Texture panel (press
F5 to bring material buttons).
Step 35
Press 'UV' in the Map input panel. For normal maps we press 'Nor' in the 'Map to'
panel. Move the slider value of 'Nor' way up.

Step 36
Press F6 to open the Texture panel and select 'Image' as the texture type. Press
'Normal Map' in the Map image panel. Load your normal map in the Image panel.
Step 37
Now we will preview our models with maps applied in the 3D view. But first we
will add a few lamps. Press SPACE anywhere in the 3D view to bring up the menu.
Select 'Add LAMP'. Add 3-4 lamps and place them around the model.
Step 38
Now to preview the model, go to the 'Game' menu. Turn on Blender GLSL
Materials.

Step 39
Change 'Draw Type' to 'Textured'.
Step 40
And we now have our model with maps applied!

Play with the AO map in your favorite image editing software and see the results.
Press the 'Reload' button in the image panel of the Texture section (F6) to refresh
the Map. The model is now ready to export.
Final Product

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 Karan Shah
Karan Shah is a 3D Artist and Animator from India. He is a BFA Graduate
with specialization in sculpture. An inclination towards the digital medium
made him a self taught computer artist. He is a currently freelancing..

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JORGENTAL • 7 years ago

is possible to view the same tutorial with the new blender 2.5??
6△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Simkyn • 11 years ago

Only reason Blender's UI seems difficult is not knowing where things are.
I used 3ds MAX for years and wouldn't touch Blender. Last year I decided to force myself
into trying it out for a month. Spent time on a few tutorials and tried things out myself.
Experimented with as many of the features as I could figure out.
After a months time I was hooked and realized Blender's UI is in fact intuitive and quite
fast to work with.
If everyone would just force themselves to try it out for at least a minimum of 2 weeks. I
think they'd change their minds how easy it really is to get things done in Blender.

Some of the best FREE Blender tutorials I've ever found were from this site:
http://www.gryllus.net/Blen...
The video tutorials cover all the basics and a lot of advanced techniques.
2△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

StevenN • 9 years ago

Great tutorial.

I got stuck when baking the model as my image always ending up being 1 single color
(blue). When i select camera instead of tangent i do get the details though....
1△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

kaeru • 11 years ago

Why people have to say "you should've used ("industry standard software" here) instead
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