Asset Bundle - Base Meshes

JulienKaspar · November 23, 2021, 4:44pm

This thread is about the current work on creating a set of base meshes for character/creature creation for the official Blender Asset Bundle:
https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/Blender_Asset_Bundle

The main goal of this task is to create an official Blender Asset Bundle which can be downloaded via the official Blender website under a CC0 licence.
The estimated deadline for this is the release of Blender 3.6 on the 28th of June but the bundle can be updated regularly beyond that.

Feel free to download the assets, give feedback and contribute.

What is needed

Certain qualities need to be accounted for in the base mesh assets to be useful as a starting point for various tasks like sculpting, modeling, surfacing and rigging.
If in doubt, check the existing assets as a reference of how it should be done or ask in the comments.

Evenly distributed quad topology for multi-resolution sculpting
Closed off volumes for easy voxel remeshing
Face sets for fast hiding, posing & reshaping in sculpt mode
UV maps for texturing and shading (UDIMs are welcome)
Separation into multiple objects if necessary (Included as a collection asset)
Low poly model with Edge Creases and Subdiv modifier for planar models (To keep the file size light)

Base mesh assets that we need:

We’ll collect and accept as many of this list as possible but will avoid duplicates.
Even if the set is incomplete, it will still be released and updated regularly.

= Done
= WIP
= Missing

Realistic Human

Stylized Human

Cartoony Human

These character base meshes should be much simpler in their anatomy and topology.
For the design language, take the Sprite Fright blender short film as a reference.

Ecorche Human

Primitive objects for blocking

Very simple multi-object base meshes for starting a new character design sculpt.
Mostly made of subdivided cubes and cylinders.
Take Dylan Ekrens blocking approach as an inspiration for the base meshes.

This can be expanded to creatures as well.

Assembly objects

Objects that can be attached or remeshed with an existing character/creature.
The ideal way to provide these should be via geometry nodes assets, so this is still a part of the base mesh that needs investigation.
But many more assembly blocks can be provided as VDM brushes in the future.

What’s already included

A screenshot of the asset brundle.

Where to get these?

Link below to download the repository of of the latest WIP bundle:
https://svn.blender.org/svnroot/bf-blender/trunk/lib/asset_bundles/

The latest release of the bundle can be downloaded here:

Feedback & contributors wanted!

What are you looking for that is missing from this list?
What do you think might be missing or could be improved?
I encourage anyone who is interested to already download the assets from the SVN repository or comment below.

Also if you’d like to donate models, feel free to share a link.
These will be licenced as CC0 with credit to the original artists in the asset description.

JuanGea · November 23, 2021, 8:15pm

As a little feedback, a volume based blocking model of the bodies and parts could be welcome, instead of the whole joined meshes and already semi retopologized, volume based models, like drafts, could be helpful to have a head start for sculpt, and with that I mean basic volumes with spheres or cubes… or both

P.S.: In any case this is a very useful and cool asset pack

Tonatiuh · November 23, 2021, 10:02pm

Hello I think I can help with the realistic anatomy male and female, but I have to know the time frame I have. In a sort notice I can prepare a sculpt without retopology of a male and a female, also y can separate hands, feet, ears and heads.

Also it can be interesting some sort of realistic ecorche?

Also I think that the retopology characters should be prepare to use with rigyfy with out the need to move arms or legs to mach the pose.

So let me know how much time I have and if there is an interest of me doing it.

JosephEagar · November 23, 2021, 10:03pm

I like to leave out the inside of the mouth in my sculpt models and add it in the retopology stage. It might be a good idea to have separate topology and sculpt models?

JosephEagar · November 23, 2021, 10:08pm

Btw, DynTopo (in sculpt-dev) preserves UV islands now (preserves island boundaries). This is not a good thing for initial sculpt meshes since the uvs will get heavily distorted during the initial blocking stage, messing up the topology and creating nasty glitches during smoothing.

It really might be best to have separate sculpt blocking meshes and ones with final topology/UVs.

Tonatiuh · November 23, 2021, 10:09pm

What do you think about a model made aut of planes, like an Asaro, or a planar skull? Is a nice way to learn about proportions anda also a good starting point for any character sculpt.

JulienKaspar · November 24, 2021, 10:05am

Yes. I’d love to add those next with the 3.1 release when collection-assets will be supported.
These base meshes are best when set up with multiple objects with their own origin point.

But maybe people prefer it to be 1 object?

JulienKaspar · November 24, 2021, 10:15am

If you’d like to contribute that would be amazing!
It’s likely too late for the first Asset Bundle release in 1 week.
But that means there’s plenty of time to prepare for the next release.

I’d say just share progress and possibly even the file here in the thread as soon as you like.
I can add ot to the bundle and add your name as the asset author.

I would not add a rig to these basemeshes to keep them simple. They can also easily be posed and reshapes using the pose brush.

JulienKaspar · November 24, 2021, 10:18am

It’s very easy for users to change the existing assets and make variations.
Like deleting the inner mouth and filling the hole in the lips.

Tonatiuh · November 24, 2021, 2:02pm

Nice! I’ll se if I can reuse something as son as I can like a starting point and we se if some can go in 3.0 or we improve them to 3.1
Today I can’t but maybe this weekend I can share something.

JuanGea · November 24, 2021, 3:49pm

No, I agree that it should be multiple meshes together with its own center

Tonatiuh · November 26, 2021, 1:54pm

@JulienKaspar I have this 4 assets that can be interesting for 3.0 I can modify them so they fit nicely in each other, and clean them up, also the planar head is based on ASARO, but I can make it unique so we don’t copy anyone.

And for the 3.1 I can finish this ecorche, and also make a base mesh (not detail) and a planar version of this sketch:

I can maybe reuse the same topology as the ones that you made so it is nice an consistent.

Also for 3.1 I can make a female version of all of those models.

JulienKaspar · November 26, 2021, 5:47pm

Those look really great! Well done

For any of these assets it’s important that they are not based on any existing copyrighted content or anyone’s intellectual property.
These must be shared with a CC0 license.
So recreating the Asaro head is not going to work, sorry.
I’d say resuclpt it into something more unique. Something that you’ve made.
But maybe keep it still relatively generic because it’s meant to be a base for others to work on top, or take as a reference.

For the 2 skull sculpts I would say it would be great to have the jaw & teeth as separated meshes. It can still be all 1 object but having them not merged would make it easier to resculpt them into something else.

The full body sculpt look nice! A simple & a planar version of that would be a great addition too.
I can wrap my existing base mesh around that sculpt and re-project the details onto a multires afterwards, if you want.

A female version would also be amazing.
Again, great work!!! This will be super useful to include in the asset bundle

Tonatiuh · November 26, 2021, 6:31pm

@JulienKaspar I assume that we want symmetrical assets? for example the detailed skull, is not symmetrical, that is more realistic, but not very nice as base for sculpting, so I made it symetric.
The detailed skull has island and can be separated as we please, maybe craneum and the upper teeth together and the mandible and lower teeth together,

About the planar head, yes I’ll start from scratch so there is no copyright problems.

I’ll try may best to do as much as I can this weekend and as I go I’ll post here the results.

I’ll try to make a symplified version (with skin) of the ecorche and a planar one, I don’t have a good program to wrap, so if you can wrap them with your topology then I can check that it looks good and reproyect or do the detail myself in multirres. But I can download your topology and wrap it by hand if there is no other way

JulienKaspar · November 26, 2021, 6:42pm

Yes, symmetrical is probably better, at least for the overall, shapes.
Separating the skull like you say sounds good too.

I can wrap topology and reproject the sculpt. No worries.
Also don’t feel like you need to rush. There are still some ongoing discussions on when the asset bundle will be released after the 3.0 launch.
The likely scenario is that the base meshes will be added sometime after or worst case for Blender 3.1.
I’ll share more information once I can.

Tonatiuh · November 26, 2021, 7:29pm

Thanks, I’ll do as much as I can with out any rush, but I’ll try to do the first pass in everything, and then if it dosen’t go to the 3.0 I can refine everything for the 3.1 launch.

ThinkingPolygons · November 27, 2021, 3:10am

wait, those meshes are going to be bundled with blender?

Maxzor · November 27, 2021, 4:05am

Hello, I find the idea of optional sponsored asset bundles a fantastic news!

A suggestion if not done already : what about reaching out to the top-voted posters in the community, be it https://blender.community, reddit, twitter, blenderartists.org, gumroad etc…, and offering them to contribute assets aswell?

Probably little are going to say ok, and I doubt Chris Jones will give his flexpressions to the public, but some might!

Such a bundle idea could also be seasonal, renewing interest?

The 3 reddit posts of the day :

JulienKaspar · November 27, 2021, 8:27am

Not quite. It’s planned as a seperate download right next to Blender.
Most likely as multiple bundles in the future, like a sculpting bundle, materials bundle etc.
Depends on the size and amount of assets.

JulienKaspar · November 27, 2021, 8:28am

Thanks! We’ll reach out to more people and platforms. It would be best if more people are able to contribute.

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