This week we build a super-simple humanoid character mesh using metaballs, a new modelling technique. We then rigged the character for animation with a simple armature.

Here are the video instructions:

Here’s a link to the folder where we store all our files . You’ll find a new file in there called humanoid_wip.blend, containing everything we did this week.

As an aside, my wife and I were playing with this character. Here’s what we did:

1. Exported the mesh as an FBX (Select the mesh, File|Export|FBX and choose “export selected”)
2. Loaded that FBX file into Mixamo.com
3. In Mixamo, identified the key parts of the body and allowed it to process
4. Attached a breakdancer mo-cap to the model
5. Exported it again from Mixamo
6. Imported it back into Blender (File|Import|FBX)
7. Added some props (a hat and glasses) and made sure to add them to the head vertex group
8. Texture painted the character
9. Added some basic props, a ground, some cardboard and graffiti walls
10. Animated the camera a little
11. Imagined the music in our heads… 🙂

Hopefully you might be encouraged to try something like this yourself!