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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.

SOME BASIC SCRIPTING

1. To better judge the results, you often need to change the subdivision level from 1 to 2. Because You have great speed with level 1 and great visual feedback with level 2, you need to switch rapidly from one to the other. This is the main goal of Scripting : automate repeatitive tasks. Switch to XSI default layout.

2. From the scene explore button on the transform panel click the subdivide operator icon on the subdivided head.

3. Open the Script editor from the bottom bar.

Clear the history log.

4. Change the subdivision level. Note that the change has been logged in the history.

From the view menu create a custom Toolbar. With that toolbar opened, drag the line from the history log to the toolbar. You are prompted to give a name, enter subdiv1 if you changed to level 1.

5. Drag the line from the history log to the script editor (bottom pane). Change the last number to 2.

After the first polymsh node add a *. This way all the meshes that have a name begining by polymsh will have their subdivision level changed. Drag this line into the toolbar. Name it subdiv 2.

6. Right mouse button over the subdiv1 button and choose edit script. Don't save the content of the script editor. Edit the script to behave the same as the 2. Save.

7. Go to keyboard mapping.

In the Custom script commands you should have the 2 subdivs scripts ( if not save your custom layout, or restart XSI ). You can assign them keyboard shortcut to speed feedback.

EARS

1. Just make a basic extrusion on the side of the head.

2. Split edges to refine. Tweak the points with Ref and Plane manipulation tools to avoid too much deformations.

3. The final ear.

THE EYE

1. This part of the head is really important for great facial expressions There is no specific modeling tasks to do but adding and collapsing edges. You will have to work with shade and constantly change the subdivision level to appreciate the pleats.

2. The eye region once finished.

THE MOUTH

1. This part is much like the eye. Just subdivide and add edges to get the shape you want.

2. For Gums just extrude twice and tweak the points. We will refine when we add the teeth.

3. The hard part is that for the moment XSI cannot hide some faces, points or edges. So you will have to work with complex parts all visible. Turn X ray shading if you want or modify the far plane of the camera. We 'll have to wait for soft guys to bring us other great tools.

4. Before starting teeth, turn off preserve planarity when creating polygon on the user preferences interaction tab. Another tool missing is the ability to detach / duplicating some faces ( making them element or another object ). Well, we are going to create a polygon from scratch.

5. In the snap panel, toggle on points and faces and off grid snaping. from the menu toggle on ignore backfacing components. Switch to camera view (ortographic view enable 2D snap / camera 3D snap).

6. to create a full new object, deselect all. Press N to call the add/edit polygon tool. While pressing control (supra key for snapping) create a polygon on the surface of the Gum. Now extrude this polygon and add edges to refine the tooth.

7. You can now create other teeth by duplicating and snaping precisely or moving with ref/plane help. To make each tooth slightly different, select one and press B, this show the manipulator. You can scale/rotate/translate with a lot of options (Ctrl / Shift )

8. Once you are satisfied with the half teeth, you can group them, instantiate and mirror to complete the lower jaw. Then, you may subdivide them to get more rounded shapes.

9.You should now have something like this. Here the Doo Sabin algorythm with tris, quads and polygones.

10.To get a single piece dog, just delete the head and body subdivided meshes and merge the Low poly head and body. You can then have a first Level 1 Doo Sabin subdivision from the merged mesh to have a closer shape. Finally a geometry approximation of level 1 for that mesh will take you to a level 2 of subdivision in Catmull clark with texture propagation.

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.
SOME BASIC SCRIPTING 1. To better judge the results, you often need to change the subdivision level from 1 to 2. Because You have great speed with level 1 and great visual feedback with level 2, you need to switch rapidly from one to the other. This is the main goal of Scripting : automate repeatitive tasks. Switch to XSI default layout.
	2. From the scene explore button on the transform panel click the subdivide operator icon on the subdivided head.
	3. Open the Script editor from the bottom bar.
	Clear the history log.
	4. Change the subdivision level. Note that the change has been logged in the history.
	From the view menu create a custom Toolbar. With that toolbar opened, drag the line from the history log to the toolbar. You are prompted to give a name, enter subdiv1 if you changed to level 1.
	5. Drag the line from the history log to the script editor (bottom pane). Change the last number to 2.
	After the first polymsh node add a *. This way all the meshes that have a name begining by polymsh will have their subdivision level changed. Drag this line into the toolbar. Name it subdiv 2. 6. Right mouse button over the subdiv1 button and choose edit script. Don't save the content of the script editor. Edit the script to behave the same as the 2. Save.
	7. Go to keyboard mapping.
	In the Custom script commands you should have the 2 subdivs scripts ( if not save your custom layout, or restart XSI ). You can assign them keyboard shortcut to speed feedback.
	EARS 1. Just make a basic extrusion on the side of the head.
	2. Split edges to refine. Tweak the points with Ref and Plane manipulation tools to avoid too much deformations.
	3. The final ear.
	THE EYE 1. This part of the head is really important for great facial expressions There is no specific modeling tasks to do but adding and collapsing edges. You will have to work with shade and constantly change the subdivision level to appreciate the pleats.
	2. The eye region once finished.
	THE MOUTH 1. This part is much like the eye. Just subdivide and add edges to get the shape you want. 2. For Gums just extrude twice and tweak the points. We will refine when we add the teeth. 3. The hard part is that for the moment XSI cannot hide some faces, points or edges. So you will have to work with complex parts all visible. Turn X ray shading if you want or modify the far plane of the camera. We 'll have to wait for soft guys to bring us other great tools.
	4. Before starting teeth, turn off preserve planarity when creating polygon on the user preferences interaction tab. Another tool missing is the ability to detach / duplicating some faces ( making them element or another object ). Well, we are going to create a polygon from scratch.
	5. In the snap panel, toggle on points and faces and off grid snaping. from the menu toggle on ignore backfacing components. Switch to camera view (ortographic view enable 2D snap / camera 3D snap).
	6. to create a full new object, deselect all. Press N to call the add/edit polygon tool. While pressing control (supra key for snapping) create a polygon on the surface of the Gum. Now extrude this polygon and add edges to refine the tooth.
	7. You can now create other teeth by duplicating and snaping precisely or moving with ref/plane help. To make each tooth slightly different, select one and press B, this show the manipulator. You can scale/rotate/translate with a lot of options (Ctrl / Shift )
	8. Once you are satisfied with the half teeth, you can group them, instantiate and mirror to complete the lower jaw. Then, you may subdivide them to get more rounded shapes.
	9.You should now have something like this. Here the Doo Sabin algorythm with tris, quads and polygones.
	10.To get a single piece dog, just delete the head and body subdivided meshes and merge the Low poly head and body. You can then have a first Level 1 Doo Sabin subdivision from the merged mesh to have a closer shape. Finally a geometry approximation of level 1 for that mesh will take you to a level 2 of subdivision in Catmull clark with texture propagation.
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