Character Image To 3d

Character Image-to-3D Skill

Prevents the four biggest failures in AI-driven character modeling:

1. Wrong body proportions
2. Lost silhouette / character identity
3. Bad deformation topology
4. Overbuilding before structure is validated

Run this skill before writing any Blender geometry code.

Pre-Flight Checklist

Before touching Blender, confirm all of these:

• Reference image analyzed (Phase 1)
• Reconstruction assumptions documented (Phase 2)
• Silhouette strategy defined (Phase 3)
• Construction strategy chosen — Low / Mid / High Poly (Phase 4)
• Primitive plan mapped per body part (Phase 6)
• MCP staging rules understood (Phase 10)

Phase 1: Reference Image Analysis

Analyze the reference image and document:

Character Analysis:
- Style: [Stylized Anime / Realistic / Cartoon / Game-ready / ...]
- Body Ratio: 1:[N] (head-to-body)
- Dominant Shape Language: [Rounded / Angular / Organic / ...]
- Clothing: [describe layers]
- Complexity: [Low / Medium / High]
- Rigging Difficulty: [Low / Medium / High]
- Hair Complexity: [Low / Medium / High]
- Accessories: [list]
- Dominant Colors: [list per zone]

Never skip this phase. Never assume. Always document.

Phase 2: Multi-View Reconstruction Planning

One reference image hides information. Infer and document assumptions before modeling:

Reconstruction Assumptions:
- Symmetry: [X-axis symmetrical / asymmetrical elements: ...]
- Hair volume: extends ~[N]cm behind skull
- Shoe sole thickness: ~[N]cm
- Backpack/accessory depth: ~[N]cm
- Hidden limb positions: [describe]

Phase 3: Silhouette Preservation

Silhouette is more important than surface detail.

Viewers identify characters by outer shape, head profile, hairstyle, shoulder width, clothing mass, accessory placement — not by wrinkles, pores, or fabric stitching.

Lock the silhouette before adding any detail.

Rule: If the silhouette fails, the character fails.

Phase 4: Construction Strategy

Choose one strategy and document it before any geometry work:

Chosen Strategy: [Low / Mid / High Poly]
Modeling Style: [Box Modeling / Sculpt / Hybrid]
Retopology Required: [Yes / No]

Phase 5: Construction Order

Never build the full character at once. Build modularly and validate proportions after each stage:

1. Torso blockout       ← screenshot + validate
2. Pelvis
3. Legs                 ← screenshot + validate
4. Arms                 ← screenshot + validate
5. Head                 ← screenshot + validate
6. Hair
7. Clothing             ← screenshot + validate
8. Accessories
9. Placeholder materials
10. Rig preparation     ← final screenshot all angles

Phase 6: Primitive Plan

Map each body part to its starting primitive before generating geometry:

# Head
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_uv_sphere_add(segments=16, ring_count=12, radius=0.15)

# Torso
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cube_add(size=0.4)

# Arms / Legs
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cylinder_add(vertices=8, radius=0.04, depth=0.35)

# Eyes
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_uv_sphere_add(segments=12, ring_count=8, radius=0.03)

# Hair — start as mesh, shape with proportional editing
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_uv_sphere_add(segments=16, ring_count=12, radius=0.17)

# Backpack
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cube_add(size=0.25)
# then add bevel modifier

Phase 7: Topology Rules

Animation-safe topology is mandatory.

Required edge loops around: eyes, mouth, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles

Avoid:

• Triangles in deformation zones (joints, face)
• N-gons anywhere that deforms
• Stretched quads

Maintain:

• Evenly spaced quads in deformation areas
• Clean directional edge flow
• Symmetrical topology via mirror modifier

Phase 8: Stylization Preservation

Do not drift from the source style. Common failure: stylized → accidental realism.

Actively preserve:

• Exaggerated eye size
• Oversized head relative to body
• Simplified cartoon hands
• Non-realistic limb proportions

Stylization consistency > anatomical accuracy.

Phase 9: Material Zones

Extract material zones before building shaders. Use flat placeholder materials first:

# Assign placeholder material per zone
mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name="CHR_Hoodie_placeholder")
mat.diffuse_color = (0.2, 0.3, 0.8, 1.0)  # approximate color from reference
obj.data.materials.append(mat)

Material Map (document before building):
- Hoodie    → matte fabric   (placeholder: flat blue)
- Boots     → rough leather  (placeholder: flat brown)
- Hair      → semi-gloss     (placeholder: flat black)
- Eyes      → glossy         (placeholder: flat white + iris sphere)

Do not build PBR or node shaders until geometry is finalized.

Phase 10: MCP Execution Rules

Phase 11: Blender MCP Tool Reference

Geometry creation and editing

Use execute_blender_code for all mesh ops, modifiers, and transforms:

Blender:execute_blender_code(code="...")

Visual validation after each stage

Blender:get_screenshot_of_area_as_image(area_ui_type="VIEW_3D")

Call this after every major stage. Mentally black-fill the silhouette and compare to reference.

Object state validation

Blender:get_object_detail_summary(name="CHR_Body")

Check transforms, modifiers, materials, and parent/child relationships before proceeding.

Scene inventory check

Blender:get_blendfile_summary_datablocks()

Verify all expected objects exist with correct names before adding a new stage.

Debug layout issues

Blender:get_screenshot_of_window_as_json()

Use when the viewport is missing or areas are misconfigured.

Phase 12: Screenshot Validation Workflow

Required screenshot angles: front · left · right · back · perspective

# Switch to front ortho view before screenshotting
import bpy
for area in bpy.context.screen.areas:
    if area.type == 'VIEW_3D':
        for space in area.spaces:
            if space.type == 'VIEW_3D':
                space.region_3d.view_perspective = 'ORTHO'
        with bpy.context.temp_override(area=area):
            bpy.ops.view3d.view_axis(type='FRONT')

Then call get_screenshot_of_area_as_image. Repeat for LEFT, RIGHT, BACK. Switch to PERSP for the perspective shot.

Silhouette check rule: If the shape reads differently from the reference when mentally filled solid black, fix it before continuing.

Phase 13: Rigging Readiness

Before finalizing, verify:

# Ensure origin is at world center
bpy.ops.object.origin_set(type='ORIGIN_GEOMETRY', center='BOUNDS')
bpy.context.object.location = (0, 0, 0)

# Confirm pose is T-pose (arms extended, palms down) or A-pose (arms 45° down)
# Legs straight, feet flat on ground plane

Rigging checklist:

• T-pose or A-pose
• Origin at scene center (0, 0, 0)
• Clean X-axis symmetry
• Edge loops at all joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles)
• Fingers separated (not merged)
• Mouth loop clean and closed

Common Failures and Fixes