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This tutorial was based on XSI 1.5. Some features have changed since then although the core principles and elements discussed below remain essentially the same.

The labrador tutorial will get you through modelling basics in XSI and introduce you to subdivision surfaces.

You should now have something like that.

INSTATIATION , MIRRORING AND MERGING

To better appreciate your work while modeling in front and user view:

1. Select the dog

2. Press Ctrl+I, this will instatiate the dog

3. From the transform menu in the Scale X text box enter -1, this will flip the mesh.

4. Enter translation mode, turn to global submode and while pressing Shift translate to the left in X. This will ensure perfect alignment with the first mesh. In translation, Shift key will move per increment. (you can modify from the transform option panel)

5. In order to merge, we need to delete the inner side of the first half dog. Select the dog and press U, this will activate Polygon raycast mode. While clicking left button pass on the polygons to select them.

6. Press Del to delete these polygons

7. Return to object mode (space bar). With one half selected Create > Polymesh > merge and pick the other half. Right click to exit. The property editor appear, let the values to the default and close. A new polymesh is created that is linked to the 2 others.

From a schematic view you can clearly see the relashionships between the meshes. You can even select a relashionship and press enter to modify its properties.

SUBDIVIDING

1. Select the merged dog. From the context menu select subdivision. This will create a Subdivided mesh from the merged one. Select your rule of subdivision, you can interactively see the changes. I will choose Doo Sabin ( if you choose Catmull - Clark rule you 'd better go for Geometry approximation. (ie: subdivision tutorial ).

2. Open a schematic view. Set Show option to operator links and link to selected nodes only. This way you can understand the relashionship. Double click on the cube and rename it left half.

3. Put the top right icon of the editor into Focus, now click on the other half. Automatically, the property editor display the name property. You can therefore change all the names.

SETTING WORKSPACE

1. From the schematic, select the cube instance and the merged Polymesh and press H. The black squares are now just transparent to show you they are hidden.

2. Select the first cube and from the right click context menu choose explore. Expand the hierarchy to the display properties. Click on the display icon. Choose to duplicate to local properties.

3. From the display properties editor choose wireframe for all the dropdown lists , selected and unselected.

4. From the view display menu toggle off override object properties. This way the view 's display properties won't take precedence over local ones. Now you can view in shade mode the first half in wireframe over the final sudivided merged dog.

ADDING DETAIL

1. We got a pretty good overall shape, we will start refining the dog. The rear leg has 3 main points of detail : the tight, what would be the knee and the paw.

2. Start the main muscle adding an edge through 2 or more sections.

3. Select that edge and choose bevel from the context menu. Adjust the ratio. Collapse one or more edge if necessary.

3. Try to give "the knee part" this look for exterior and inner side. This is a two bones part. First add edge, then bevel and collapse.

4. This is the goal for the paw.

Start by selecting some edges and subdividing them 4 with connection.

Now activate edge mode ( E ) press shift + Ctrl + F to clear the selection with filter and press F9 to pass in freeform selection mode. Drag over the vertical edges.

When selected choose extrude along axis. Change lengh to -1 and close. You've got a first paw. Now you can tweak points, add and collapse edges to give it a more pawlike look.

5. The paw after several passes of detail.