Blender Model Creation Tutorial

Introduction

• Overview of the tutorial on making a model in Blender.
• Video will be long; timestamps and credits available in the description.

Starting Blender

• Open Blender: default view will show various elements in the scene.
• Select and Delete Default Objects:
  • Press A to select all.
  • Press Del or X to delete all objects.
• Setting Up Scene Lighting:
  • Change display settings for better visuals:
    • Click on the circle next to full view and select Cube map.
    • Set World opacity to 50%.
  • Enable Bloom and Ambient Occlusion in the camera icon settings.

Importing Models

• Using Cats Add-on:
  • Supports importing FBX and MMD models.
• Without Cats:
  • Go to File > Import > Select the desired format (usually FBX).
  • Once imported, textures may initially appear incorrect.

Fixing Textures

• Click on the mesh object and review the material settings.
  • If texture is pink or missing, refresh the material:
    • Remove and then re-add the surface material.
  • For transparent textures:
    • Change blend mode to Opaque.
    • Set base color through Image Texture.

Importing and Positioning Head

• Import the head model and adjust origin:
  • Right-click and select Set Origin to Center of Mass.
• To align with body:
  • Use middle mouse to rotate and position the head correctly.
• Merging Head and Body:
  • Ensure merge settings are unchecked for bones unless they share the same names.

Hair Model Setup

• Import hair and adjust origin as before.
• Change bone display to wire for visibility.
• Position hair using the same methods as for the head.
  • Adjust hair materials for transparency using earlier methods.

Weight Painting and Bone Relationships

• Ensure hair and head are parented correctly.
  • Adjust parents in edit mode if necessary.
• Fixing Neck Weight Issues:
  • In weight paint mode, select the head bone and paint weights as needed.

Clothing and Merging

• Import clothing models and position them properly.
• Create necessary weight paints before merging with the body.
  • Ensure clothing items don't clip through the model.
• Merging Clothing with Body:
  • Use the same methods as before, ensuring correct vertex groups.

Testing and Adjusting Weights

• Test weights by posing the model in extreme positions to check for clipping and deformation.
• Use weight paint tools to fix any problematic areas.

Sculpting and Finalizing Model

• Use sculpting tools to adjust facial features and clothing as needed.
  • Create blend shapes for clothing that overlaps.
• Texture Application:
  • Use external software like Fire Alpaca for detailed textures.
  • Import textures back into Blender accordingly.

Exporting Model

• Final steps for exporting the model:
  • Use Cats addon or go to File > Export > FBX.

Conclusion

• General tutorial on model creation; specifics available in future videos or Discord for further questions.