Let's talk sculpting/modeling likenesses: Tips and tricks

Stirls

Anyone willing to share tips and tricks for when you're working to replicate a likeness, be it from a concept or real-life example? Wouldn't mind some tips towards this sort of stuff.

passerby

Not much to say aside from use photo references, and in the case of mechanical hard surfaces learn how the object is built in real life, and how/why its built that way. Then in the case of characters learn anatomy.

MethodJ

You could always cover your model's face with a grid of tiny dots - modeling from those image planes makes things a snap. This is what helped me most when I was learning to make likenesses. The trick is using something that wipes off your model's skin easily, otherwise they won't be likely to volunteer...

ZippZopp

my one tip is to be very careful with the photo reference you choose to use. the focal length of the camera used to shoot the image has a huge impact on the size and relationship of the features of the face. if you can shoot your own reference you're in pretty good shape because you'll know the focal length and you can match cameras in your 3d package accordingly

jfitch

Take the liquify tool in photshop to your reference and blow up some of the defining features. It will help you to figure out where your focal points are so you know what you need to hit. At least for modeling faces anyway

Stirls

Thanks fellas. Another tip I recently learnt was to figure out the angles of the face, so the distance between the eyes and the nostrils and stuff like that. Perspective is definitely a pain, it drastically changes the look of the model!

Jfitch, that's a pretty great tip. I'll try it out!

SuperFranky

What works for me: identify planes of the face, relationships between facial features, basic proportions. "Draw what you see, not what you think you see" - this is a great advice I've read somewhere and it really helped me with my sculpts.

Goeddy

what i've learned works pretty good for likeness is choosing a single movie and capturing all your reference from that.
usually the camera settings don't change in a movie and the actor doesn't change either cause movies are shot over short periouds of time.

try to capture different perspektives and different light setups. when you are stuck somewhere it can realy help at times to have a reference where the light is shining from the bottom up.

Luke_Starkie

This guy has some good tips

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?95466-Star-Messi-and-Dinosaurs!-%28WIP%29