3D Modeling in Character Creator
About This Block
A hands-on introduction to creating 3D characters using Character Creator. Students learn character modeling, sculpting, texturing, lighting, and rendering. By the end of this block, students will model and render a 3D character or environment object, building foundational skills for game development and animation.
Program Summary
Block 5 marks the transition from 2D to 3D as students enter the world of three-dimensional creation with Character Creator -- a professional-grade 3D character design application used in film, game development, and animation. This is one of the most transformative blocks in the curriculum, as it opens the door to game development, VR/AR content creation, and 3D animation.
Week 1 orients students in 3D space -- learning to navigate the viewport, manipulate objects along X/Y/Z axes, and manage a 3D scene. Week 2 introduces character modeling techniques: body morphing, facial customization, and character design workflows used to create detailed characters. Week 3 shifts to sculpting, where students shape organic forms like character heads and creatures using digital sculpting brushes and symmetry tools.
Week 4 covers texturing and materials -- skin textures, PBR material creation, and image textures that make 3D characters look realistic. Week 5 focuses on lighting and rendering, teaching three-point lighting, HDRI environments, and rendering techniques. The mini-project challenges students to model, texture, light, and render a complete 3D character or environment object. The skills from this block feed directly into Blocks 6, 7, and 8 -- animation, character creation, and game development.
Mini-Project
Model and render a 3D character or environment object
Class Schedule
- Monday & Wednesday: 2 hours per day
- Saturday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Optional Overflow Days (If Needed): Tuesday & Thursday
Maximum of 20 students per class for quality instruction
At the end of each 6-week block, students receive a Certificate of Completion recognizing the skills they have learned.
6-Week Curriculum
A structured, hands-on program from fundamentals to final project.
Week 1
Introduction to Character Creator
- Navigating the Character Creator interface and 3D viewport
- Understanding 3D space: X, Y, Z axes and coordinates
- Basic object manipulation: move, rotate, and scale
- Adding and deleting objects in a scene
- Saving projects and setting up workspace preferences
Week 2
Modeling Techniques
- Edit mode: vertices, edges, and faces
- Extrude, loop cut, bevel, and inset tools
- Box modeling workflow for creating objects
- Modeling simple props: chairs, tables, and tools
- Practice: model a detailed everyday object
Week 3
Sculpting & Organic Forms
- Introduction to sculpting mode and brushes
- Sculpting organic shapes: heads, creatures, and terrain
- Using symmetry and smooth brushes
- Retopology basics for clean mesh from sculpts
- Project: sculpt a character head or creature
Week 4
Texturing & Materials
- Introduction to UV unwrapping and UV mapping
- Creating and applying materials and colors
- Working with image textures and procedural textures
- Understanding PBR: albedo, roughness, and metallic
- Practice: texture the models created in previous weeks
Week 5
Lighting & Rendering
- Types of lights: point, sun, area, and spot
- Three-point lighting setup for studio renders
- HDRI environment lighting for realistic scenes
- Rendering with EEVEE and Cycles engines
- Camera setup, composition, and render settings
Week 6
Mini-Project: 3D Character or Environment
- Planning and sketching the final 3D project
- Modeling, sculpting, and texturing the final piece
- Setting up lighting and camera for final render
- Rendering high-quality images of the completed model
- Certificate of Completion presentation