the following is a short tutorial that I've created to demonstrate how to model simple three-finger hand in 3dsmax 5 and 6. It's neither realistic or completely cartoony. Although this isn't an advanced tutorial, those attempting it should be familiar with the editable poly object and the tools within it, such as ring, loop, grow shrink, extrude, bevel, etc.
To begin, we start with a box. Exact dimensions aren't critical, but try to match the proportion of the box in the diagram:
Figure 1.
Convert the box to an editable poly. Marquis select groups of edges in the viewport and move them into the shape scene in figure 2:
Figure 2.
Select the four polygons shown in figure 2. Use the extrude tool to create the 3 digits in the index and pinky fingers. Use the bevel tool as shown in figure 3 to bevel the tips. Create the middle finger in the same manner.
Figure 3.
Select the edge loops(using the loop button) in the middle of each joint as seen in figure 4. Move the edges together away from the palm, to create the finger pad indents and the knuckles.
Figure 4.
Select the raised polygons(knuckles) on the backs of the fingers and scale them up in the z axis as seen in figure 5.
Figure 5.
On the palm side of the hand, select the polygons shown in figure 6 and scale them down in the x-axis.
Figure 6.
Select the polygons of the little finger and rotate them outwards and reposition the selection as seen in figure 7. Tip: Use the grow button at the top of the editable poly parameters to make it easier to increase the selection from the finger tip to the base.
Figure 7.
Next, select the polygon where the thumb will extrude from, and rotate it towards the palm, as shown in figure 8. This rotation will put the thumb in a more natural, downward angle when you do extrude it from the palm.
Figure 8.
To create the thumb, we extrude it in the same way that we did for the fingers. The difference is that we only extrude out two joints. The result of these extrusions is illustrated in figure 9.
Figure 9.
Once again we scale the the knuckles of the thumb inward, exactly as we did with the fingers. The result is shown in figure 10.
Figure 10.
We are now going to add some more loops to the hand. First, select a vertical edge polygons between the thumb and forefinger, and the thumb and wrist. While these two edges are selected, press the ring button to select the two edge rings above and below the thumb. Then press the connect button. This will create new loops above and below the thumb. Take a look at figure 10a if you're lost. The ring button and the connect button are both shown in the panel on the right side.
Figure 10a
In figure 11, you can see where I've added another edge loop in the same way and begun to give the hand model a more natural shape.
Figure 11.
The next step is just pulling out the edges along the top of the palm to create the padded area at the base of the fingers, as shown in figure 12.
Figure 12.
I also pull out the polygons below the base of the thumb to make the shape more natural, as shown in figure 13.
Figure 13.
The thumb needs more geometry to make it appear more rounded, so I've added another edge loop using the ring and connect buttons, as we did for the palm. See Figure 14. You'll also noticed that I've created indents at the joints in the same way that it was done for the fingers.
Figure 14.
Now it's time to add some the contours of the palm. To do this, we select the edges, as shown in figure 15, and use the connect tool to create a new loop connecting them. Both sides of the hand are shown so that it is easy to see which edges are being selected.
Figure 15.
The vertices denoted by blue dots in figure 15 are then collapsed together on one side, and then the other, to get rid of the two triangles(shown in green) created by the connect function. The result is shown in figure 16.
Figure 16.
The palm around the thumb needs some more roundness as well, so we add another loop around the thumb in the same way. See figure 17.
Figure 17.
After the edges have been connected with a new edge loop, the triangles are collapsed in the same way. See figure 18.
Figure 18.
The next step is to add some more detail to the fingers. To do this, select a horizontal edge in the middle of each finger and hit the ring button. The result is three diferent edge rings selected, going vertically along the contours of the hand. See figure 19.
Figure 19.
Before we go ahead and connect these edge rings with a new edge loop, de-select the bottom four edges on both sides of the hand for the index and pinky fingers. Once this is done connect the remaining edge rings with edge loops, by using the connect tool. See figure 20.
Figure 20.
Switch to vertex mode and select the vertices shown in figure 21.
Figure 21.
Use the conect tool to connect them together. See figure 22.
Figure 22.
Collapse the vertices shown in blue, in figure 22. This will get rid of the triangles created by the connect tool(shown in green). The result of collapsed triangles, is shown in figure 23.
Figure 23.
Select the edges shown in figure 23 and use the editable poly remove button to delete them without making a hole in the hand surface. Also delete the left-over vertices that were part of the deleted edge loop.The result is shown in figure 24.
Figure 24.
It's time to add a more natural transition between the 3 fingers. Select the four edges between the three fingers, as shown in figure 25.
Figure 25.
Use the chamfer tool to chamfer them apart a small distance. See figure 26.
Figure 26.
Select the vertices(on both sides of the hand) highlighted in blue in figure 26 and weld them together as shown in figure 27.
Figure 27.
Select the edges created in the center by the chamfer and use the connect tool to connect them. Also connect the end of the edge loops to the vertices highlighted in blue in figure 28. Pull the newly created edgeloop down so that it creates a deeper crevice between the fingers. See figure 28.
Figure 28.
Select the vertices shown in figure 29 and weld them together. The five sided polygons shown in green can be reduced to four sided polygons that will meshsmooth better in this part of the model. If you have a weld threshold of 10.5 you should be able to weld them all together at once, instead of collapsing the vertices two at a time. This is assuming that the original model was done with the recommended dimensions. See figure 29.
Figure 29.
Next, select the polygons highlighted red in figure 30 and scale them down in the local y axis as shown. This will give the joints a more natural look, instead of being sharp creases in the model.
Figure 30.
The hand needs a wrist, so the next step is to select the polygons on the bottom of the hand and extrude them down twice as shown in figure 31. Notice how the bottom of the palm below the thumb is curved where it joins at the wrist. Select and move vertices until you have achieved this curvature.
Figure 31.
Figure 32 shows the edges on either side of the knuckles selected and scaled down on the local y axis. This gives them a more rounded appearance.
Figure 32.
In figure 33, the edges selected near the finger tips are being moved down and inwards to give the finger tips an arched appearance. This is also where one might wish to model in some fingernails, if needed. For simplicity's sake, it is often easier to just model the nail depression and attach seperate nail objects to the mesh after the hand is done.
Figure 33.
That's it really, folks! You can always add more detail if you need it, but for a styized creature, this is a good start. The hand model isn't too heavy for animation and it has the basic underlying structure for good deformations. Figure 34 shows the finished model of the hand from the front and back in a wireframe view. Now that you have the correct structure, keep working with the model, until you are happy with the proportions. A four fingered hand isn't much more of a challenge. You'd just start by creating a box with four width segments instead of three, and proceed from there.
Figure 34.
I hope that you were able to make to this point. If you have feedback, please send it to me at: nipper@3dluvr.com
Good luck!