tutorials

Create a Character Turnaround Sheet in Blender with Grease Pencil

Jan 17th 2025

When you’ve designed a character concept and want to transform it into a 3D model, a detailed turnaround sheet in my experience, is super helpful to have. 

Did you know you can create one directly in Blender? Using Blender’s Grease Pencil, you can draft to scale, refine your character’s details, and hand off a comprehensive blueprint to a modeler with all the information they need.

This article gives you an insight into what you need to know to create a character turnaround sheet in Blender. To dive deeper into the process please check out my Blender Course TURNAROUND now streaming for CG Cookie Members. 

🌟This course was created in Blender 4.2 LTS. A few things have changed since, but the fundamental principles covered are evergreen.

Why Use Blender for Turnaround Sheets?

Blender offers unique advantages for creating turnaround sheets:

  • Precision: Work at real-world scales using Blender’s metric or imperial units.
  • Efficiency: Leverage tools like modifiers, keyframes, and compositors for quick changes.
  • Integration: Combine 2D and 3D elements seamlessly with Grease Pencil.

By working in Blender, you’re not just sketching; you’re creating a blueprint ready for the next stage of production.

Step 1: Refine Your Concept for Missing Details

Before drafting a turnaround sheet, revisit your character concept to ensure it covers all necessary details. For example:

What does the character look like from all angles?

Are there hidden features, like the back of a costume or under armor, that need to be clarified?

In Luna’s case, the back of her armor was missing in the initial concept. Adding these details ensured the modeler had all the information they needed.

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Step 2: Setting Up Scale in Blender

Blender’s Grease Pencil is pre-configured for 1:1 scale, making it easy to create accurate blueprints. Working at a 1:1 scale ensures that proportions are consistent and realistic, simplifying the workflow for modelers who rely on precise references. Here’s how to set it up:

  • Choose Units: Select metric or imperial units in Blender’s scene settings.
  • Adjust Grid: Use the grid to ensure consistent proportions across sketches.
  • Verify Scale: Double-check that your drawings align with real-world measurements.


Scale.jpg

Step 3: Sketching Views with Grease Pencil

Start sketching the front, side, and back views of your character. Grease Pencil allows you to:

  • Create rough sketches first, then refine them with clean lines and colors.
  • Use layers to separate details like limbs, armor, or accessories, which enhances clarity and makes collaboration with modelers more effective.
  • Add separate sketches for arms or features that might obscure other parts of the design, ensuring that no critical details are missed.

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Step 4: Advanced Tools for Efficiency

Blender’s additional tools can save you time and enhance your turnaround sheet:

  • Modifiers: Quickly adjust proportions or replicate elements.
  • Keyframes: Create variations of your sketches for alternate poses or features.
  • Compositor: Render-focused images to highlight specific details.

keyframes.jpg

In Conclusion

Blender’s Grease Pencil isn’t just for sketching, it’s a powerful tool for creating detailed, scalable turnaround sheets.

By taking advantage of Blender’s built-in tools like modifiers, keyframes, and compositors, you can produce professional-quality blueprints efficiently.

These integrated tools not only streamline the creation process but also enable quick adjustments, ensuring flexibility and consistency throughout your workflow. 

Thanks for reading!

🍪 Ready to learn Grease Pencil in Blender? Become a free member today to begin streaming the entire DRAW course. 


Author

Paul Caggegi

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