hair cards for videogames

Learn how to create game-ready hair cards that look great and perform well. Master modern workflows for shaping, texturing, and optimizing hair for real-time engines — clean, efficient, and production-ready.

Course overview

Skill level
Intermediate
Software used
Software 1 Software 2 Software 3 Software 5
Number of lessons
5 Modules - 26 Lessons
Duration
6+ (Lifetime)
Teacher
Annabelle Sémaan
Course format
Pre-recorded (Access anytime)

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Program Overview

  • Create game-ready hair for 3D characters using ZBrush, XGen, FiberShop, and Maya
  • Generate hair splines in XGen and convert them into optimized hair cards
  • Adapt the workflow to your preferred software using solid, transferable theory
  • Analyze real references to identify hair clumps and sculpt strong hair silhouettes in ZBrush
  • Navigate Maya’s grooming tools and build a clean, functional hair base
  • Render realistic hair using two different methods, including materials and final presentation

Course schedule

Module 1 - Searching for references and analyzing them

  • Gather real hair images
  • Gather 3D references of hair goal
  • Identify the different clumps
  • Getting familiar with the hair scalp
  • Blocking out the hair in Zbrush
  • Use Zbrush to create the silouette of the hair
  • Introduction to Maya
  • Get familiar with the UI
  • Create Layers
  • Work with live
  • Set up short cut for shelf
  • Creating the scalp

Module 2 - Creating the hair spline for Xgen

  • Using the paint effect
  • Convert paint effect to curve
  • Smooth curves
  • Snap to scalpIntroduction to XGen
  • Setting up the project
  • Scale the head
  • Making the hair descriptions in XGen
  • Create a description
  • Description vs Collection
  • Setting up the hairs visuals

Module 3 - Adding modifiers to the hair

  • Defining the clumps; cut; curl; noise etc
  • Converting the hair spline to curves / introducing curves to card mesh
  • Downloading free Maya plugin
  • Convert splines to curves (2 methods)
  • Show different modifiers
  • Creating the hair cards
  • Using fibershop

Module 4 - Hair base (cards) in Maya

  • Starting the hair base(cards) in Maya*
  • Continuing hair base*
  • Adding direction of hair*
  • Fly away hair*

Module 5 - Rendering methods and presentation

  • Setting up materials and presentation
  • Two methods of rendering: Unreal Engine and Marmoset
  • Project wrap-up

Understanding Hair Types & Structure

Learn how to identify different hair types, clump patterns, and flow directions. Understand how real hair behaves so you can translate it into believable, game-ready hair.

Hair Blocking in ZBrush

Block out the hairstyle in ZBrush using clean silhouettes and strong volume. Focus on shape, flow, and readability before moving into production.

Hair Card Creation in FiberShop & Maya

Create optimized hair cards using FiberShop and assemble them in Maya. Learn efficient workflows for building clean, flexible, and engine-ready hair.

LookDev & Presentation in Marmoset

Set up materials, lighting, and cameras in Marmoset Toolbag to showcase your hair with modern, real-time rendering techniques.

Final Game-Ready Result

Finish with a polished, optimized hairstyle ready for game engines and portfolio presentation, following professional production standards.
Annabelle Sémaan

Annabelle Sémaan

Senior Character Artist @ Panache Digital Games.

Learn from an industry expert

Annabelle is a character artist working at Reflector Entertainment (Bandai Namco). She studied 3D animation in college, allowing her to get familiar with every aspect of a game pipeline (from modeling, to rigging, to animation, etc). Aiming for new heights is always top priority when working on a new portfolio piece. She hopes to share her passion with her students!
Four views of a woman's head with brown hair styled in a bun, on a gray background.
Four views of a knitted hat on a gray background with 'Awakening' branding.
Illustrations of a man with different hairstyles on a gray background

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PRO

$ 99
One time payment
  • Full access to the complete course
  • Download all course files and materials
  • Access to the private Discord community
  • Learn at your own pace
  • LIFETIME access!
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Frequently asked questions

Find answers to common questions below

  • How to create game-ready hair: analyzing reference to find clumps, sculpting the hair silhouette in ZBrush, grooming splines in XGen, converting them into optimized hair cards, and rendering the result with two different methods.

  • ZBrush, Maya (with XGen) and FiberShop. The theory transfers to other tools, so you can adapt the workflow to your preferred software.

  • The course is taught in Maya, but the workflow (clump analysis, texture set, card layering and shading) applies to Blender tools too.

  • You should be comfortable with basic 3D modeling and ZBrush. Maya experience helps, but the course walks you through its grooming tools.

  • Pre-recorded video lessons, with feedback available in the ArtHeroes Discord.

  • Hair Cards for Videogames is taught by Annabel Seeman.

  • Yes. All ArtHeroes courses include lifetime access, so you can rewatch the lessons and download the files anytime.

  • Yes. You get an invoice as soon as you complete checkout. If you need a business invoice for reimbursement, email us and we'll send one.

  • Because the courses are digital products, we don't offer refunds.

What our students say

Real reviews from real students

Marlon gave very good advice and the pace of the course was just right. I learned lots and faster way to learn than just looking around random Youtube by myself.
Momoko Okabe
Canada
The best part is the simple way that Marlon approaches a difficult character, and the way he breaks it into simple steps to achieve an awesome character! Because the course gives you exactly what it offers, you can learn a cool workflow and how to tackle a character from point A to Z.
Martin Carrillo
Ecuador
I learned a lot, so I think it is super recommendable. The workflow and the constant correction of the mentor has given me another view of my work process.
Julio Padula
Argentina
The feeling of improvement the course gives to you - it's the best thing for me. Thanks to the overall organization and Marlon's human and technical skill the process of trial and error was not frustrating but funny and challenging. I've never stayed up so long at night having so much fun in "making 3D".
Francesco Gianfreda
Italy
I loved the length of the videos, it covered enough for me and then let me go off and figure stuff out for myself. The character I had was not the same as in the videos and there was a lot of room to go my own way. For me that was good as I had done enough step by step courses and some things don't stick that way. But using what I was taught in the videos on my own character brought up new challenges and locked a few things into place.
Sean Olsen
Ireland
Outstanding quality and value. The instructors are experts in their field and make complex topics accessible to everyone.
Michael Chen
Singapore

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hair for videogames

Learn how to create game-ready hair cards that look great and perform well. Master modern workflows for shaping, texturing, and optimizing hair for real-time engines — clean, efficient, and production-ready.

 check now