how can i make my model symmetrical.
i want to animate it and put it on my youtube channel.
but i need to know how to make the right and left side of the body the same.
how do i do it.
im not sure if this is even the right forum. this is only my second ever post.

(EDIT) Preface: this is an old habit method, see stonemetal's post below mine for another option.

There are some great tutorials around that step you through this process, but you essentially create half of the model and instance a copy that's scaled by -1 in (usually) the x-axis. This assumes your model is symmetric with respect to the y axis.

In Blender, once you've created your "half model" (I usually start with a basic cylinder for organic models) by deleting all the faces on one half of the model, select the resulting object, go to the "Object" panel (which is the cube button on the right toolbar in Blender 3.5a). Under "Groups" hit the "Add to group" button, and name it whatever you would like.

I find this next step works best from the top view (numpad 7). Make sure the cursor is snapped to the center of your object, then add a new instance of the same group, and scale it by -1 in the direction of your desired symmetry. Now, as you edit the one half of the model, the changes will be reflected in the copy. Once you've tweaked and modeled everything you want, delete the instance, and just Duplicate the half-model.

Scale the duplicate in the same direction as the instance by -1, connect up the seam that's left on the line of symmetry, and then make sure to re-calculate your normals (since the opposite half will essentially be "inside out" otherwise). And you're done: one symmetrical model.


I'd check youtube and places like 3dtotal.com for some video tutorials that cover the same process, since actually writing it all out results in a lot of reading which might (read: probably does) confuse people.

[Edited by - BCullis on September 13, 2010 9:07:24 PM]

The control you want to look for is the mirror modifier. You don't need to do the duplicate and negative scale thing in any current version of blender.

Agreed on the mirror modifier... What i usually do is start with a box or a plane and apply the mofifier mirror to it. I personally like to stick model around concept work so from there i would do the following: Tab into edit mode, and pull the plane on the x axis away from the x center. Then I hit the button do clipping. This welds verts when they touch the object center. I find it handy to turn this on and off depending on what im trying to accomplish. You can also do the same with box modeling if you like. Start with your cube, tab into edit mode after adding a mirror modifier, subdivide the cube down the middle (along the z axis) and delete the other half. Then from there just click do clipping on the modifier toolbar and go to town. When your all done modeling the one half, add in your seams and (if your creating a game model) tab out and click the button "apply" on the modifier toolbar this will fill in the rest of the mesh on the other side of the object center. From there you can add in non symetrical parts if required etc. Anyway i know this was answered above but i though i might go into depth a little more. Good luck!