Animating AI-Generated Models: A Step-by-Step Guide - Reallusion Magazine (2024)

• October 17, 2024

Rodin, AccuRIG, and ActorCore inspire the next wave of creativity for 3D artists

José Antonio Tijerín

José Tijerín, a digital illustrator and 3D sculptor, is the creator of the video game “Dear Althea” on Steam and the content pack “We’re Besties” available in the Reallusion Content Store. In this article, he demonstrates how AI streamlines 3D model creation, featuring Rodin and its integration with ActorCore’s 3D motions and AccuRIG, a free auto-rigging tool.

The AI Revolution in 3D Creation

The 3D industry is undergoing a real revolution with the advent of AIs that generate 3D models. Of all the AIs I have tested, Rodin promises to transform the way 3D characters and models are created. In this landscape of technological advances, it is crucial to understand how these types of AIs can not only complement but also be enhanced by established tools.

ActorCore and AccuRIG offer a complete and optimized solution for professional 3D content creation. Together with this AI, these tools offer never-before-seen opportunities for artists without 3D skills to work on projects based on three-dimensional environments.

See my workflow on how these three worked together and created amazing results.

Rodin: A New Frontier of 3D AI Generation

Rodin represents a quantum leap in 3D model generation, using advanced algorithms to create characters with an unprecedented level of detail and realism. This AI is not only capable of generating complex geometries, but also understands and applies textures and materials in a coherent way based on our sketches. Being able to go directly from the conceptual design of a character to the 3D model drastically reduces the time it takes to go from idea to final result.

Rodin, a tool for generating 3D models from images or text, offers artists the opportunity to see their 2D sketches in the form of a three-dimensional model by generating geometry and materials. One of its main distinguishing features is the opportunity to ‘redo’ the model and textures a large number of times in order to find the perfect finish. It also allows 3D control via Bounding Box, Voxel or Point Cloud to manipulate scale and shape. Finally there is a mesh editor for quick tweaks and advanced options such as adding negative cues and pose control that offer far more control than any other AI today.

Rodin stands out for its ability to generate several results based on the same reference, free of charge, from which we can choose the result that best suits what we were looking for. This gives us the control that most of today’s AIs can’t give us and makes the 3D creation process much more creative.

However, its true strength is revealed when it is integrated with tools that have already proven themselves in the industry. This is where ActorCore and AccuRIG come into play, offering functionality that perfectly complements Rodin’s capabilities.

AccuRIG: Perfect Complement to AI-Generated Models

AccuRIG is the best free tool to complement Rodin. Although Rodin can generate complex models, the rigging process remains a crucial stage for these models to be animated effectively. This is where AccuRIG proves its worth, automating rigging with amazing precision, yet also allowing artists to manually adjust the result so that the character skeleton is exactly what we are looking for and the characters can be animated in a coherent way.

AccuRIG’s compatibility for rigging a wide variety of models, from humanoid figures to fantastical creatures, makes it the ideal complement to Rodin-generated character designs. This synergy between Rodin and AccuRIG not only streamlines the rigging process, but also ensures that models are ready to be animated with ActorCore 3D motions that can then be used in iClone. This way we can go from 2D character design to a fully functional 3D model in a Unreal Engine or Unity project in a matter of minutes.

ActorCore: Elevating the Potential of AI with 3D Animation

iClone: the Fastest Real-time 3D Animation Tool

To work with the rigged and animated character, there is no better program than iClone. With its tools we can edit the animation and work with the character to adjust it as much as we want to our needs. Thanks to this, for example, we can make our characters fit into the scenarios of our project or make them interact with each other. When we finish we will see that one of the great advantages of using iClone is its integration with other programs, so we will be able to send our character to Unity or Unreal perfectly configured in less than a minute. So, iClone will save us from having to work with multiple programs and with the tool sets it offers, it will allow us to focus only on what’s important.

Synergistic Integration: Rodin, AccuRIG and ActorCore

Rodin’s integration with ActorCore and AccuRIG can drive a new era in 3D content production. While Rodin brings with it the promise of more creatively generated 3D models, ActorCore and AccuRIG ensure that these models are not only visually stunning, but also fully functional and accurately animated. The real power of this combination lies in the ability of these tools to work together, creating a workflow that maximizes efficiency while leaving more room for creativity and experimentation.

Check out these great tools that bring real innovation to 3D content creators:

• Free AccuRIG auto rigging tool
• ActorCore 3D motion store
• Free trial of iClone 3D character animation tool
• Rodin 3D asset generator

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