
This wireframe mesh shows the points that define Giulia’s shape. The mesh is most dense where Giulia’s features are complex, such as her nose and mouth.
The digital model is a virtual wireframe of points and the edges that connect them. It defines the shape of a character. The wireframe model of Lotso below is a visual representation of what a digital model might look like.
Character design starts with artists who create sketches and clay sculptures, called maquettes, to get each character just right. Then a digital modeler creates a virtual 3D model of the character, sometimes digitally scanning the maquette to use as a reference. Digital Modelers have to understand anatomy, as knowing where the bones and muscles sit affects the surface shape.
Modelers create a virtual 3D shape as a wireframe (on the right) based on the concept art (the sketches of Lotso from Toy Story 3 on the left).
Continue to explore using Pixar in a Box, a set of lessons developed by Pixar and Khan Academy. Follow the link for a lesson on Character Modeling or Crowds.
Click for More