# En3D: An Enhanced Generative Model for Sculpting 3D Humans from 2D Synthetic Data

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.01173 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.01173/

## Key facts

- Cited by 14 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 54 of its 65 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 2 Jan 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 54)

- [High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.10752/) (2021)
- [A Style-Based Generator Architecture for Generative Adversarial Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1812.04948/) (2018)
- [Adding Conditional Control to Text-to-Image Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.05543/) (2023)
- [Analyzing and Improving the Image Quality of StyleGAN](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.04958/) (2019)
- [DreamFusion: Text-to-3D using 2D Diffusion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.14988/) (2022)
- [Improved Techniques for Training GANs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.03498/) (2016)
- [DeepSDF: Learning Continuous Signed Distance Functions for Shape Representation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.05103/) (2019)
- [NeuS: Learning Neural Implicit Surfaces by Volume Rendering for Multi-view Reconstruction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.10689/) (2021)
- [Expressive Body Capture: 3D Hands, Face, and Body from a Single Image](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1904.05866/) (2019)
- [Semantic Image Synthesis with Spatially-Adaptive Normalization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1903.07291/) (2019)
- [Efficient Geometry-aware 3D Generative Adversarial Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.07945/) (2021)
- [Alias-Free Generative Adversarial Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.12423/) (2021)
- [Volume Rendering of Neural Implicit Surfaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.12052/) (2021)
- [End-to-end Recovery of Human Shape and Pose](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1712.06584/) (2017)
- [GIRAFFE: Representing Scenes as Compositional Generative Neural Feature Fields](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.12100/) (2020)
- [pi-GAN: Periodic Implicit Generative Adversarial Networks for 3D-Aware Image Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.00926/) (2020)
- [Differentiable Volumetric Rendering: Learning Implicit 3D Representations without 3D Supervision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.07372/) (2019)
- [GRAF: Generative Radiance Fields for 3D-Aware Image Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2007.02442/) (2020)
- [Which Training Methods for GANs do actually Converge?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.04406/) (2018)
- [Neural Body: Implicit Neural Representations with Structured Latent Codes for Novel View Synthesis of Dynamic Humans](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.15838/) (2020)
- [Learning a Probabilistic Latent Space of Object Shapes via 3D Generative-Adversarial Modeling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1610.07584/) (2016)
- [HumanNeRF: Free-viewpoint Rendering of Moving People from Monocular Video](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.04127/) (2022)
- [StyleNeRF: A Style-based 3D-Aware Generator for High-resolution Image Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.08985/) (2021)
- [Modular Primitives for High-Performance Differentiable Rendering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.03277/) (2020)
- [Pivotal Tuning for Latent-based Editing of Real Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.05744/) (2021)
- [StyleSDF: High-Resolution 3D-Consistent Image and Geometry Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.11427/) (2021)
- [ICON: Implicit Clothed humans Obtained from Normals](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.09127/) (2021)
- [SEAN: Image Synthesis with Semantic Region-Adaptive Normalization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.12861/) (2019)
- [Total Capture: A 3D Deformation Model for Tracking Faces, Hands, and Bodies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.01615/) (2018)
- [Video Based Reconstruction of 3D People Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1803.04758/) (2018)

## Built on by (most cited first, 14 of 14)

- [MIMO: Controllable Character Video Synthesis with Spatial Decomposed Modeling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.16160/) (2024)
- [LHM: Large Animatable Human Reconstruction Model from a Single Image in Seconds](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.10625/) (2025)
- [AniGS: Animatable Gaussian Avatar from a Single Image with Inconsistent Gaussian Reconstruction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.02684/) (2024)
- [HumanDreamer-X: Photorealistic Single-image Human Avatars Reconstruction via Gaussian Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.03536/) (2025)
- [GeneMAN: Generalizable Single-Image 3D Human Reconstruction from Multi-Source Human Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.18624/) (2024)
- [X-Oscar: A Progressive Framework for High-quality Text-guided 3D Animatable Avatar Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.00954/) (2024)
- [Generative Human Geometry Distribution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.01448/) (2025)
- [Dream, Lift, Animate: From Single Images to Animatable Gaussian Avatars](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.15979/) (2025)
- [Creating Your Editable 3D Photorealistic Avatar with Tetrahedron-constrained Gaussian Splatting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.20403/) (2025)
- [PARTE: Part-Guided Texturing for 3D Human Reconstruction from a Single Image](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.17332/) (2025)
- [Human Geometry Distribution for 3D Animation Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.07459/) (2025)
- [VRGaussianAvatar: Integrating 3D Gaussian Avatars into VR](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.01674/) (2026)
- [GenLCA: 3D Diffusion for Full-Body Avatars from In-the-Wild Videos](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.07273/) (2026)
- [TGRHuman: Text-Guided Realistic 3D Human Generation via Diffusion Renderer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.12175/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We present En3D, an enhanced generative scheme for sculpting high-quality 3D human avatars. Unlike previous works that rely on scarce 3D datasets or limited 2D collections with imbalanced viewing angles and imprecise pose priors, our approach aims to develop a zero-shot 3D generative scheme capable of producing visually realistic, geometrically accurate and content-wise diverse 3D humans without relying on pre-existing 3D or 2D assets. To address this challenge, we introduce a meticulously crafted workflow that implements accurate physical modeling to learn the enhanced 3D generative model from synthetic 2D data. During inference, we integrate optimization modules to bridge the gap between realistic appearances and coarse 3D shapes. Specifically, En3D comprises three modules: a 3D generator that accurately models generalizable 3D humans with realistic appearance from synthesized balanced, diverse, and structured human images; a geometry sculptor that enhances shape quality using multi-view normal constraints for intricate human anatomy; and a texturing module that disentangles explicit texture maps with fidelity and editability, leveraging semantical UV partitioning and a differentiable rasterizer. Experimental results show that our approach significantly outperforms prior works in terms of image quality, geometry accuracy and content diversity. We also showcase the applicability of our generated avatars for animation and editing, as well as the scalability of our approach for content-style free adaptation.