To ensure accurate images for the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) process, it was crucial that Kermit stood straight for the photographs. However, due to the plush nature of the character, Kermit's soft structure made it difficult to maintain a stable pose. To address this, we devised a practical solution to keep him in place. We used a foam base as a platform for Kermit to stand on. We then inserted a larger needle into the backside of the plush and attached a stick to it with tape. The needle was anchored into the foam, allowing Kermit to stand upright with his feet off the ground.
Despite the successful photo session, the area where the needle and stick were attached to Kermit left a noticeable hole in the 3D model. This issue arose because photogrammetry relies on photographs to reconstruct a 3D model, but the software does not have an understanding of the object it is capturing. The software can fill small gaps by referencing the surrounding geometry, but it struggles with larger holes. Instead, it simply sees an absence of texture and geometry, leaving a gap in the model.
In Blender, a 3D modeling software, we manually added geometry to fill the hole. However, we faced issues when trying to apply the texture over the new faces due to the UV mapping of the model. The unstructured UV map of Kermit’s model made it difficult to align the texture correctly because the model’s texture was not consistently organized.
Instead of spending more time adjusting the texture, we chose a quicker method. We copied a section of geometry from another part of the model and placed it under the hole. While the texture difference was visible up close, it became almost invisible from a distance. This solution allowed us to cover the hole quickly while maintaining the overall visual quality of Kermit’s 3D model.
Through this process, we were able to ensure that Kermit's pose was captured correctly and the final model was both accurate and visually appealing.