Creating the Arms

Autodesk 3ds Max Tutorials > Modeling Tutorials > Modeling a Low-Poly Character > Modeling a Low-Poly Body >

Creating the Arms

In this lesson, you create the arms of the helicopter pilot. For the upper arm and forearm, you can use the same modeling techniques that you used to model the pants; that is, using a cylinder and extruding polygons. To create the hand, you can build it based on a Box primitive. Later, you will attach the hand to the arm and connect the gap using the bridge tool.

Create the arm:

Continue working on your file from the previous exercise, or load the file soldier03.max from \tutorials\low_polygon_modeling.
In the Left viewport, zoom in on the T-Shirt sleeve.
Create a Cylinder centered on the sleeve. Set the parameters as follows:
Radius: 12

Height: 30

Height Segments: 1

Sides: 6
Move and rotate the cylinder in the Top viewport so that it's oriented with the sleeve and protrudes slightly from the sleeve.
Convert the cylinder to editable poly format.
Go to Polygon sub-object level.
In the Left viewport, select the hexagon facing you.
On the Edit Polygons rollout, click Extrude. Drag the selected polygon to create an extrusion for the biceps.
Using Move and Local Scale, adjust the biceps to make them bigger.
Create another extrusion to close the biceps near the elbow. Use the Move, Rotate, and Scale tools to adjust the polygon at that level.
Create an additional extrusion for the elbow.
This allows the elbow to deform properly when animating the character.
Create two more extrusions to create the forearm. Adjust them to fit the reference images.
Right-click the Front viewport to activate it.
Press F3 to set the viewport to wireframe display.
Notice the arm inside the sleeve.
On the Selection rollout, go to the Vertex selection level.
Adjust the vertices in the viewport to get a better flow between the arm and the sleeve.
Press F3 again to return the viewport to shaded display.
Exit the sub-object level when done.

Create the hand:

Continue working on the same scene.
Zoom in on the hand sketch in the Top viewport.
Create a Box with the following parameters:
Use the Move tool to position the box properly in the Top and Front viewports.
Convert the box to editable poly format.
Go to Vertex sub-object level.
Region-select vertices in the Top viewport and move them to follow the shape of the back of the hand.

NoteIt is important to use region selection in the Top viewport to ensure you are selecting the top and the bottom vertices on a vertical edge.
Go to Edge sub-object level.
In the Left viewport, select the three vertical edges separating the fingers.
On the Edit Edges rollout, click the Chamfer Settings button.
This opens the Chamfer Edges dialog.
Set Chamfer Amount to 0.5 to separate the polygons that will be used to create the fingers. Click OK to exit the dialog.
On the Selection rollout, click Polygon.
In the Left viewport, select the polygon that represents the index finger.
On the Edit Polygons rollout, click the Bevel button.
Drag the selected polygon until you reach the first knuckle. Move the mouse downward slightly to scale down the selected polygon.

NoteThe Bevel tool acts like a combined extrusion/scale tool. Alternatively, you can use the Extrude command and then manually scale the selected polygon in a uniform or nonuniform way.
Create another extrusion/bevel for the knuckle.
The extra detail provided here ensures that the finger deforms properly when animated.
Continue beveling the finger all the way to the tip.
Repeat this procedure with the other fingers.
When you are done, the hand should look like the following illustration.
In the Perspective viewport, select the polygon representing the thumb.
Use the Bevel tool to create the thumb, as you did earlier. This time, however, you'll need to use the Rotate tool with each extrusion to curve the thumb slightly.
Go to Vertex sub-object level.
Select all four of the vertices at the tip of the index finger.
Expand the Soft Selection rollout and turn on Use Soft Selection.
Turn on Edge Distance and set its value to 4.

This ensures that soft selection does not extend beyond four edges and therefore will not affect the neighboring finger.
In the Front viewport, move and rotate the finger to give it a more relaxed look.
Adjust the other fingers as well. Use the Move, Rotate, and Scale tools to give the hand reasonable proportions.
Adjust the vertices around the wrist to make that side more rounded.
This will make it easier to connect the hand to the arm later.

NoteYou might want to toggle Soft Selection mode on or off to round off the wrist to your liking.
Exit sub-object level when done.

Attach and bridge the objects:

Continue working from the previous lesson.
Select the Arm object.
On the Edit Geometry rollout, click the Attach button and then click the hand in any viewport to attach it to the arm.
Right-click to exit the Attach function.
Go to Polygon sub-object level.
Select the polygons that face each other on the hand and arm.
On the Edit Polygons rollout, click the small Settings button next to Bridge. A dialog appears.
The default settings should work fine but try out values for Twist and Segments to view the end results. Remember that changes will only be retained after you click OK.
If necessary, go to Vertex sub-object level and fine-tune the area around the wrist.
Exit sub-object level when done.
Rename the object Arm_Right.

Mirror and clone the arm:

Continue working on your scene from the previous exercise.
In the Front viewport, select the Arm_Right object.
On the main toolbar, click the Mirror button
Leave Mirror Axis set to X and set Clone Selection to Instance. Click OK to dismiss the dialog.
Move the cloned arm in the Front or the Top viewport to reposition it properly.
Rename the clone Arm_Left.
Save your file as My_Soldier_Arms.max.