Larger Version: http://www.vitalbodies.com/site/uploads/images/graphics/MakeHuman_Boxes_V1_1920x1080_2.png

MakeHuman(TM) is an open source (so it’s completely free), innovative and professional software for the modelling of 3-Dimensional humanoid characters. Features that make this software unique include a new, highly intuitive GUI and a high quality mesh, optimized to work in subdivision surface mode (for example, Zbrush). Using MakeHuman, a photorealistic character can be modeled in less than 2 minutes; MakeHuman is released under an Open Source Licence (GPL3.0) , and is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

To get the nightly builds to automatically update on your system add these lines to your software sources:

System > Administration > Software Sources > Other Software > Add

For 32-bit:

http://download.tuxfamily.org/makehuman/deb/i386/

For 64-bit:

http://download.tuxfamily.org/makehuman/deb/amd64/

Installing MakeHuman: (The deb name for nightly builds is “makehuman”. The deb name for alpha releases is “makehuman-alpha”.)

Nightly builds: The developer version(s) for people who are actually building or testing the software (makehuman).
makehuman-alpha: What is needed to get the current alpha version.
Stable version: Not available yet – software is still in alpha.
Current non-developer version (end user): makehuman-alpha

In the Terminal (Applications > Terminal) paste this command and hit enter for the end user version:

apt-get install makehuman-alpha

In the Terminal (Applications > Terminal) paste this command and hit enter for the developer version:

apt-get install makehuman-nightly

Note: The makehuman-nightly and makehuman-alpha debs are mutually exclusive, so installing one on the system will remove the other.

Add missing folders:

You will need to add these folders to usr/local/makehuman to make the program work: (at the time of this post these folders were needed)

models (This allows SAVE to function properly)

exports (This allows EXPORT to function properly)

Create folders in your home folder for your saved work and exported models:

Note: Alpha 5 with do this automatically.

mkdir ~/models
mkdir ~/exports

cd /usr/local/makehuman
sudo ln -sf /home/replace-with-user-name/models models
sudo ln -sf /home/replace-with-user-name/exports exports

For the nightly version:

cd /usr/share/makehuman
sudo ln -sf /home/replace-with-user-name/models models
sudo ln -sf /home/replace-with-user-name/exports exports

Start MakeHuman:

In the Terminal (Applications > Terminal) paste this command and hit enter:

cd /usr/local/makehuman && ./makehuman

For the nightly version:

cd /usr/share/makehuman && ./makehuman

AQSIS: Make sure you completely remove AQSIS 1.2 and install AQSIS 1.6 or newer in the System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager  so that make human renders properly.

Check what version you have:

aqsl -version

Where to find the newest version: (You will need libaqsis and aqsis in that order)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/aqsis/files/

Once downloaded you can install them with a right click and then – Open with Gdebi Package installer – or the like.

Shaders: If you need to recompile the shaders (because the renders do not look correct) to the newest version of AQSIS once you have installed that version paste this in the terminal and hit Enter:

cd /usr/local/makehuman/data/shaders/renderman

Then:

sudo aqsl hair.sl
sudo aqsl lightmap.sl
sudo aqsl onlyci.sl
sudo aqsl scatteringtexture.sl
sudo aqsl shadowspot.sl
sudo aqsl skin.sl

I was able to get them recompiled using this method.

The other way that is suggested to to delete the 6 .sl files in the  /usr/local/makehuman/data/shaders/renderman folder and restart MakeHuman.

OTHER NOTES: You should be able to render (in color) and export a mesh with the current Makehuman-alpha version (Alpha4) or later.

Resources:

MakeHuman Site: http://www.makehuman.org

MakeHuman Forums: http://www.makehuman.org/forum/

MakeHuman Docs: http://sites.google.com/site/makehumandocs/Home

To Export MakeHuman To Blender: http://sites.google.com/site/makehumandocs/blender-export-and-mhx

MakeHuman Blog: http://makehuman.blogspot.com/

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VitalBodies would like to thank the MakeHuman team (and Joel Palmius, aka joepal on MH forums for the deb files for Ubuntu) for all of your efforts!

VitalBodies is getting ready to expand our offerings in the Art realm to include 3D graphics. We will be using Open Source solutions that can work well with Blender. We have collected a nice list of open source rendering engines and wanted to share our list. Have you used any of these solutions? Your comments are welcome.

Open Source Rendering Engine Pixie:
http://www.renderpixie.com/
Renderman compliant Rendering Engine…

Pixie is an open source RenderMan renderer for generating photorealistic images. You can compile Pixie on Windows (using Visual Studio 2005), Linux and on OSX (using XCode or unix style configure script).

Pixie is an open source project licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL).

Open Source Rendering Engine AQSIS: Open Source Renderman software that can render from RIB files
http://www.aqsis.org/
Aqsis is a high quality, photorealistic, 3D rendering solution.

Aqsis is a high quality, photorealistic, 3D rendering solution. It complies with the RenderMan® interface standard defined by Pixar.

The RenderMan® standard has been used in film and television visual effects since it’s introduction in 1989. Pixar has used their own implementation for all of their award winning CG features, and provided their implementation for use in the visual effects of most major blockbuster films over the last 2 decades. The Aqsis project offers a way for individuals and organistaions alike to gain experience with the RenderMan® interface without the cost of commercial software licenses.

Aqsis comprises a command line rendering tool, a tool for compiling shaders in the RSL language, a tool for preparing textures for optimal use, and various developer libraries to enable integration with third party tools.

Aqsis is licensed under the GPL license, with some parts under the LGPL.

Open Source Rendering Engine Yafray:
http://www.yafray.org/
Free Raytracing for the masses – Y A F R A Y . O R G

YafRay is a powerful raytracer, under the LGPL license. It enables you to create fantastic images and animations of a photorealistic quality.