Zbrush Head Study advice
polycounter lvl 5
Hi Guys,
Can someone give advise how to improve this.
The references I used are at the bottom of this post.
The thing I'm not sure how to do is the eyelid, do I use the pinch brush. I used the pinch brush for the eyelids, but I don't like the result. I also struggle in seeing faces of planes so I mostly spend time just looking at the reference, about 90% of time I spend is looking at references. Also, one thing I hate, is that I can't get the nose correct.
Anyway, all my other models ended up looking non human, this is the first model that looks vaguely like a female. But, I don't know what to do next.
I might just start another sculpt, but if you look at the zbrush model and look at the reference and they don't look the same.
http://img06.deviantart.net/480b/i/2015/115/4/9/head_turnaround___top_to_bottom_profile_by_robynrose-d4zgpqn.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7a/57/e7/7a57e72870c4b8ab69b93571e07802ff.jpg
Can someone give advise how to improve this.
The references I used are at the bottom of this post.
The thing I'm not sure how to do is the eyelid, do I use the pinch brush. I used the pinch brush for the eyelids, but I don't like the result. I also struggle in seeing faces of planes so I mostly spend time just looking at the reference, about 90% of time I spend is looking at references. Also, one thing I hate, is that I can't get the nose correct.
Anyway, all my other models ended up looking non human, this is the first model that looks vaguely like a female. But, I don't know what to do next.
I might just start another sculpt, but if you look at the zbrush model and look at the reference and they don't look the same.
http://img06.deviantart.net/480b/i/2015/115/4/9/head_turnaround___top_to_bottom_profile_by_robynrose-d4zgpqn.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7a/57/e7/7a57e72870c4b8ab69b93571e07802ff.jpg
Replies
If you are using ZBrush, you can import images as reference which would really help you when you are roughing shapes out -->
[ame]
So it looks like some of your proportions are out. I have done a bit of a quick/messy paint over and I will explain my scribbling below
front on -->
-eyes tend to have "one eye length" between them
-the center of the eye tends to line up with the corners of the mouth
-the edges of the nose tend to line up with the inner part of the eye
Side on -->
-fore head needs to be much bigger, brains are kept in there :P
-top lips tend to overhang bottom lips and chins
I did see that the lady you were using as reference had quite a wide nose - but once you get the basic "normal human" set up going you can play with them a bit to make your model look like your reference.
I hope that helped!
Here is a little tip : in Zbrush activate the floor on X and Z, and go to the DRAW menu ( should be on the left, under Brushes ). In the darw menu you'll find another menu with front-back and right-left. You can load your referneces here and they will be displayed on the grid. Then you can adjust the settings and all, the overdraw opacity, etc. You can just activate/deactivate the floor to show/hide the refs. You can also save the Zgrid once it's in place so you don't have to set this up everytime ^^.
It will be really usefull to get all the shapes and proportions right, but don't forget to switch between perpsective and ortho to check if it still looks good.
Then maybe you shold start wit a skull to get the right structure ? I really helps me sometimes, you start with a skull and you add the muscles, the flesh, etc.
Don't even try to have something clean with such highpoly, it's better to have a good topology for that. Honestly you could just do a basic character, do a clean retopo and use it as a basemesh for everything. You'll save a lot of time.
https://www.anatomy4sculptors.com/anatomy.php?menu=194
I know how to import a references into zbrush. I just decided not to do it. My reasoning is that if I import a references and get used to using it to get proportions correct, it will hurt me in the long run. Sort of like you are tracing over a picture.
Thanks for the draw over that really helped. I can see where I can improve the model. I will spend another 10-15 hours trying to make the modifications. I really don't like the side view of my sculpt so will be working mostly on that.
On getting the basic human down, I tried to get most of the shape down at a low subdivision. I assume since she has a weird looking nose, I should get the lower subdivision looking like the nose, instead of trying to shape a normal nose to look like a wide nose.
I didn't get a stage where the face was planar on this sculpt. I might do a study of a planar face.
I always use perspective to model. I can't see where you would use orthographic and it looks weird.
I have done a skull study. I will add it to the list of things to do a skull study, then add the muscles to the skull. I will probably do face of plane study.
I'm thinking if i get good and practice hard enough, I should get to the stage where I can create a decent base mesh in zbrush in 10-12 hours.
//
P.S. Thanks for the help guys I can see where I can improve now. Will try and spend another 10-15 hours on this and then move onto a study of planes of faces.
Do you think it is worth it to buy that book?
I have some anatomy books for 2d art. On that sculpture. I don't understand how you are mean't to use that. It doesn't really look like a human. I will do a study of planar faces next, but I always feel like it is a waste of time. No human looks like the references you used.
When it comes to the planar head, it's really not about how human it looks (although this one looks pretty human to me :P). It's all about the planes and transitions of the face. They are a great starting point and without those your heads will always look blobby. I am still struggling with that myself actually.
Best of luck
EDIT: A good approach is to mark the planes a lot in the first subdivision levels (maybe even use some hPolish) and soften them up later on when you add more resolution.
2nd EDIT: As for the features, just notice how much this guy talks about the planes of every individual facial feature. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtG4P3lq8RHHFhiyjXP4UT-yUo7pC13GQ
3rd EDIT(I seriously need to get my thoughts in order...): Very useful http://i.imgur.com/u1dbEvj.jpg
from this reddit thread http://www.reddit.com/r/ArtFundamentals/comments/2kt551/lesson_7_the_head_and_face_from_the_front/
so there is tons of proportion rules and and and
and NEVER refuse to use a ref... its just not true that you will not learn and get a feeling from using them... its nearly impossible to achieve perfect likeness without tracing over the ref photos... your eyes have to have a perfect feeling for everything and thats not gonna come by not using refs. its coming by using hundreds of refs a thousand of times to model millions of pieces
Thanks for the advice I tried my best to make suggested improvements and push myself.
I've only made some small changes in the past two hours so I'm really stuck on seeing where to go next with this. I suppose I should attempt to sculpt the hair and eyebrows. I can't see the mistakes in the anatomy above, but I'm sure there is.
I'm also starting to see how to use the planes of faces model. Plus looking at the first post can see all the mistakes now. So thanks for the help.