3D Modeling-ROBOT DESIGN

14/7/2025-1/8/2025/

Wang Yifan / 0368363

3D Modeling/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University

Final Project-ROBOT DESIGN (HUMANLIKE ROBOT)

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INTRODUCTION

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FINAL PROJECT: 3D ROBOT DESIGN

Project introduction

This was my final 3D modeling assignment of the semester. I used Autodesk Maya to create a humanoid robot. My teacher required the robot to have human-like anatomy, like two arms and two legs. Following these guidelines, I designed a robot resembling a battle mech.

Design inspiration

My design for this robot was primarily inspired by mechas from anime, like Gundam, and military-style robots. I wanted to create a robot that looked like it could fight on the battlefield, so I added two large swords to create an aggressive look. I also wanted the overall design to be symmetrical and powerful, so I used extensive armor on the shoulders, arms, and legs.

Before modeling, I looked for a lot of reference pictures on the Internet.

Robot Reference

This is the first head I made. It's inspired by a mix of Japanese robots and Fruity Robo. I used a sphere and some geometric shapes to create the corners and mask, starting with the core "face".

Preliminary modeling of the head (with wireframe)

Here we turn on smooth preview to see the effect. I have to say that after smoothing, the "technical sense" has increased.

Smooth head preview (no frame)

At this point, I started to build the body. I added an armor-like structure to the chest, and I referenced the blocky structures in some mecha anime for the limbs, trying to maintain a consistent style.

Upper body modeling advancement

I used a block structure to form a robotic arm to maintain the consistency of the overall style.

Adding the left arm structure

In this step I finished modeling the weapon. I used the long thin weapons in the animation as a reference and combined them with simple geometric shapes.

The first version of the weapon is completed

Start building the connection area between the upper and lower body, using multiple cubes and bevels.

Waist structure

In this step, I have completed the modeling of the left leg. Although the right leg has not been made yet, it can be seen from the left leg that the overall shape has begun to take shape.

Complete the left leg structure

At this stage, I further added left and right hand weapon configurations. Finally, the "dual wielding sword" style was confirmed.

Finished

This is the UV unfolding of the robot head.

UV Mapping + Check Texture Flattening

Chest UV expansion

UV unwrapping of the shoulder armor area

Crotch and skirt armor expanded

Legs spread

Full body UV summary map

I started adding colors to the robot, using green as embellishment, mainly on the leaves, shoulders, and knees, to make it look more like a "plant warrior."

Material Region Assignment Preview

I added a blue luminous material to the core area of the chest to make it look more technological.

Add glowing material (chest)

Renderer test glow effect

Material details are being optimized

Final Material Combination Summary

Provides even global illumination across the entire robot, giving the character a natural-looking light without being overexposed or too dark.

SkyDomeLight settings

Material Channel Test Preview

Arnold renderer preview results

Final Wireframe：

Final rendering of the robot：

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REFLECTION

Experiences

This whole semester felt like a modeling survival journey for me. When I first opened Maya, I was honestly overwhelmed—the interface looked super complicated, and even creating a simple cube felt confusing. But as I kept practicing and exploring, I slowly learned the full pipeline: modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, lighting, and rendering. Making a robot was especially tough because of all the mechanical joints and layered parts, but completing it gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. 

Observations

I noticed that my attention to detail has improved a lot. At first, I only cared about “getting things done,” but later I started focusing on shape balance, clean UVs, shader accuracy, and color harmony. I realized that a good-looking robot isn’t just about being cool—it also requires solid structure and careful planning. 3D modeling isn’t about randomly stacking things, it’s about building logic.

 Findings

Although it was hard, I learned so much. The most important thing is that I’m no longer afraid of complicated 3D workflows. From not knowing what to click, to being able to complete a full robot model on my own—I know that’s real growth. I also understand now that technical skills come from effort and time. Sometimes it’s not that you can’t do it—you just need to hang in there a little longer.