Maned Wolf
I completed this project in june 2026, using a character from my graphic novel.
I wanted to put my Blender knowledge to the test and try something completely new: quadruped modeling. For this project, I brought a prominent character from my visual novel, For Heaven's Sake, to life, a maned wolf named Carrot.
The Character - Amano Mio
Blocking
I started by using a real-life side-view reference of a maned wolf to block out the base mesh. From there, I subdivided the model and applied shade auto smooth" to give it a hand-carved wooden look.
UV Unwrapping
I marked custom seams on the model and used Smart UV Project to clean up the UV islands, organizing them into a compact, clear, and efficient layout.
Texturing
I hand-painted the entire model using a graphics tablet, applying stylized brushstrokes to give the character a completely unique, artistic look.
Toon Shading
I created a custom toon shader using a combination of Color Ramp, Fresnel, Multiply, and Add nodes. This allowed me to achieve dynamic outlines along with vibrant, clear shadows and highlights.
Rigging
I used the Rigify tool to generate a base quadruped rig, adjusting the proportions to perfectly suit a maned wolf's signature long legs before binding it with automatic weights.
Animating
i set up a circular camera rig to showcase the character from every angle, then built a simple environment with grass and a sky to set the scene. Finally, I animated the character doing a strech.
Learning Outcome
This was my first time completing a 3D project entirely on my own without relying on tutorials. The experience massively advanced my problem-solving skills and taught me valuable new modeling techniques. It was also my first time hand-painting directly in 3D, which I found incredibly enjoyable. While posing the character was the most challenging part of the project, making those early mistakes ultimately taught me how to overcome them and achieve a much more natural-looking pose and animation.
Result
Behind the Project