New Practice thread

goodmelody491

I decided to create a new thread because my old thread was... embarrassing (´･ω･`)
And I've started to learn how to sculpt in zbrush anyway, last time I just used blender (someone outside of here advised me to start practicing zbrush since I wanted to sculpt at the end).

Right now I'm practicing anatomy, starting with the head.


this was my first head. (there was another head I made in the Technical thread but I deleted it because the next day I realized how bad it was an deleted it out of shame (haha), the file and picture is still in my PC though).


This is my most recent head that I did following a tutorial more closely than I usually do. I'm not finished with it and I'll work on it more later.


Also critiques are ALWAYS welcomed. I definitely need it as a beginner!

goodmelody491

First time sculpting animu.
her head is waaay too wide, and eyes are far apart.
I guess the only thing I "like" about it is the hair and learning how to make small details.

I should watch more speedsculpts and tutorials again tomorrow.

goodmelody491

working more on anime.
used Dynamesh (for head) →　Subdivision levels
a bit lumpy though

Elithenia

For the heads, have a look at 'planes of the face' to get some reference to what needs to be in the face. 


Use this and try to follow it as closely as possible at first, then make changes to it to allow for more stylised options. 

As for the lumpiness of your sculpt. Work on as low polycount as you can. It is ok working with big squares.
Keep the eyes as separate subtools. 

This is one of my speed models for anatomy training. ALWAYS have a reference to work from. In this case, a friend of mine had sent me a photo of an old lady and challenged me to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZggQeSqdz4

goodmelody491

Elithenia said:

For the heads, have a look at 'planes of the face' to get some reference to what needs to be in the face. 


Use this and try to follow it as closely as possible at first, then make changes to it to allow for more stylised options. 

As for the lumpiness of your sculpt. Work on as low polycount as you can. It is ok working with big squares.
Keep the eyes as separate subtools. 

This is one of my speed models for anatomy training. ALWAYS have a reference to work from. In this case, a friend of mine had sent me a photo of an old lady and challenged me to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZggQeSqdz4

thank you for the help!
As for the lumpiness, I realized that I was on dynamesh for the entire time and I could of just got off it after creating the head shape, then do regular subdivision levels for details.

I have trouble following reference or trying to copy something relatively. I assume continuing to make more models will help? (I set up a limit of spending one day for one head model).

Also I saw your video and it's nicely done!

goodmelody491

Here's what I have so far.


the jaw and the sides of it is bothering me the most, along with the eye area.

update: Here's what it looks like now

goodmelody491

I've just finished the model. I think I'll call it done for now.
I'll look for other pictures of sculpture heads with planes tomorrow.

Kulture

Really take a look at anatomy and getting the head shape correct in the early stages.  I agree 100% with what Elithenia said.  Focus on the planes of the head.

Also don't forget about the ears!

goodmelody491

Kulture said:

Really take a look at anatomy and getting the head shape correct in the early stages.  I agree 100% with what Elithenia said.  Focus on the planes of the head.

Also don't forget about the ears!

Yeah I forgot about the ears, it was a silly mistake because it was right in front of me and somehow I missed it.

I guess what I really want to focus on too is knowing mistakes/training my eye to see mistakes. One of my problems/where I'm lacking is not being able to see mistakes or understand what makes a model good.
I'll lurk around google today and search for articles etc. And hopefully take notes on some 3D models and analyze it thoroughly.

Elithenia

I guess what I really want to focus on too is knowing mistakes/training my eye to see mistakes. One of my problems/where I'm lacking is not being able to see mistakes or understand what makes a model good.
I'll lurk around google today and search for articles etc. And hopefully take notes on some 3D models and analyze it thoroughly.

That comes with practice  
Try to do that face, the planes of the face - face, as much as you can until you can see where it differs. 
Look at images of the facial measurements (google) and learn how to measure the proportions of different parts of the face. 
The ears are important as landmarks to get the rest of the face right. Learn to see the big overall picture, instead of the details.
A lot of the new people get into the details far too early in the sculpt, and then they get stuck.

You need to learn to get the primary forms first. Once you have that you can move over to secondary. And only once you've nailed those should you consider moving on to tertiary. 

Image: primary forms (planes of the face) -> secondary forms -> tertiary details (surface details)

By not getting the primary forms right first, and getting in the details from the tertiary stage first... you limit yourself, and you are afraid to actually change things as you would mess up the details... 
By nailing the primary forms, then the secondary, you are setting yourself up for success. It can be really tempting to get the details in early, because you want to see it progress the way you see it in your mind. But this will just hamper you in the long run. 

goodmelody491

Elithenia said:

I guess what I really want to focus on too is knowing mistakes/training my eye to see mistakes. One of my problems/where I'm lacking is not being able to see mistakes or understand what makes a model good.
I'll lurk around google today and search for articles etc. And hopefully take notes on some 3D models and analyze it thoroughly.

That comes with practice  
Try to do that face, the planes of the face - face, as much as you can until you can see where it differs. 
Look at images of the facial measurements (google) and learn how to measure the proportions of different parts of the face. 
The ears are important as landmarks to get the rest of the face right. Learn to see the big overall picture, instead of the details.
A lot of the new people get into the details far too early in the sculpt, and then they get stuck.

You need to learn to get the primary forms first. Once you have that you can move over to secondary. And only once you've nailed those should you consider moving on to tertiary. 

Image: primary forms (planes of the face) -> secondary forms -> tertiary details (surface details)

By not getting the primary forms right first, and getting in the details from the tertiary stage first... you limit yourself, and you are afraid to actually change things as you would mess up the details... 
By nailing the primary forms, then the secondary, you are setting yourself up for success. It can be really tempting to get the details in early, because you want to see it progress the way you see it in your mind. But this will just hamper you in the long run. 

Sorry for the late response/absence.
I just wanted to say thanks for the help! I've been practicing as much as I can, doing different things though

like I decided to create a body (both gendered, meaning it can apply to either gender with specific tweaks) of a child. I'm working my way up to the biggest body (like a tall lanky man or muscular hero type), but I think there's anatomy problems on this model.

I'll go back to practicing heads again since I gave myself a break. Doing the same subject over and over again gives me a headache, I'm the kind of person that needs variety in their practices.

Elithenia

Getting the primary forms is as important in the rest of the body as for the face. 
Just keep on working trying to find them.