Creating an Action Figure Using

the FreeForm Modeling System

Action figure, "Captain SensAble“

Designed & modeled by Joe Menna
www.freewebs.com/black_irish/

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 1
 This workflow demonstrates the use of the extensive sculpting and
construction features within the FreeForm® Modeling™ system to create a
model of a heroic action figure prototype with built-in articulation. The
workflow is intended to help artists with a traditional sculpting background
maximize their FreeForm sculpting experience and productivity.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 2
The first step of the process is to create a workspace
6 inches high, 3 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. Set
the clay coarseness to "Custom" and select an edge
sharpness of .007 inches.

Looking at the front view of the workspace, create a

construction plane by clicking on Create Plane in the
Planes palette. Select the Sketch On option for the
plane in the dynabar and import the desired
reference image to the plane.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 3
 Use the Sketch tools to outline the basic silhouette of the model.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 4
 Create a plane from the side view and use
the Sketch tools to establish the profile view
of the model.

Select the Wire Cut tool from the Construct

Clay palette. Place the Wire Cut planes far
enough apart to add clay through the full
depth of the model and select the Add Clay
option from the dynabar.

Use the Wire Cut tool again to cut out

the silhouette of the model from the
side view.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 5
 Once these steps have been
completed, the basic "armature"
for the sculpt has been
completed and the actual
modeling can begin.

Use the Sculpt and Smudge tools

to shape the clay to create the
general form of the head, torso,
and legs as one piece.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 6
Once a satisfactory form has
been established, use the
Mirror Clay tool to make the
model symmetrical.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 7
Using the same tools, refine the shapes and sub-forms of the figure to more closely match the design.
Use the reference image on the front plane of the model as a guide while you work.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 8
Create a new piece with the same
clay coarseness as the first and
begin to shape the arms using the
Add Clay tool.

Mirror the arm as it develops using

the same mirror plane as Piece 1.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 9
 After a satisfactory level of "blocking-in" has been achieved,
increase the clay coarseness of the respective pieces to .005
inches. This level of clay resolution will allow for the addition of finer
detail yet not impede the ability to effectively smooth and blend.

Continue to model the figure as seen in the following images.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 10
 © 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 11
 © 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 12
 © 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 13
After the sculpting of the figure is nearly complete, create a new piece for the eyes. Use the Add
Clay tool to place a single eye in the socket and use the Mirror tool to create its companion.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 14
Create two more pieces for the hair and base and add the respective elements accordingly.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 15
 Once the figure has been
completed, use the Select with Box
tool to create a duplicate piece from
the center of the chest. This piece
will be used to create a logo on the
character's chest.

Increase the clay coarseness of the

copied piece to .002 inches to allow
for the retention of detail during the
creation of the logo.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 16
 Select the Emboss Clay tool from the Detail Clay palette and choose the .bmp file titled,
"SensAbleHands.bmp" from the Patterns folder located in the FreeForm Modeling directory. Emboss the logo
into the piece to a depth of .020 inches. Use the Smudge tool to clean out the area behind the logo and
combine the copied piece back into the model, keeping the clay coarseness at .002 inches to retain detail.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 17
 Use the same process to add the FreeForm logo to the base
of the model using the image file in the Patterns folder.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 18
Having completed the figure and
base, proceed with building in the
figures’ articulation as shown in
the following steps.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 19
 Separate the arm from the body by cutting and pasting the clay as a new piece.
To create the articulation pin, create a new piece and sketch the desired shape of the pin itself.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 20
 Place the pin in the location of the
joint and create a positive offset of the
pin to allow for play in the joint.

Use the Remove Clay From option in

the Object List to subtract the mass of
the offset pin from the body, and
repeat the step for the arm.

Delete the offset pin when finished to

create a joint in the figure that
will have built-in articulation in
the output prototype.

Repeat this process where desired

and according to your design and
engineering needs.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 21
Repeat the process of creating the pin to create a free-fitting joint between the figure and base.
Be sure to combine the final pin with the model’s feet.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 22
 This same basic workflow can be
adapted and modified to create any
number of character sculpts.

It has been designed with the traditional

sculptor in mind and generates
maximum productivity using the most
fundamental tool sets within the
FreeForm application.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 23
 Action Figure, “Captain SensAble”,
designed and modeled by Joe Menna using
the FreeForm Modeling system.

© 2007 SensAble Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. except where noted. 24