[CRITIQUE] Head sculpt and retopo

millicow

(I'm very new to Polycount, so if I'm posting this in the wrong place or something, let me know.)
I've challenged myself to make a new head (almost) every day, sculpt, then materials or retopo or both if I have time. I want to improve my sculpting skills and learn how to make decent characters that aren't weird or uncanny valley. I don't know very much about this and need some advice, tips, roasts, critiques, whatever on my anatomy and edge flow/topology.

Here's my first attempt. I made a sculpt, then used the pointiness output on the geometry node for some basic color variation and vertex colors to mask the lips, and attempted to make a skin material. The blend for this one is too big to upload to pasteall.

My node setup:

I'm going to skip to my third sculpt now, and first attempt at retopo. I eyeballed this one as well, no reference images, to see how well I could do. Didn't have time for materials.
http://pasteall.org/blend/index.php?id=47603

I'll skip to my most recent one now. This is my first one using reference images. I didn't texture this one either.
Time lapse: https://youtu.be/gE2ZcKgJxvc
http://pasteall.org/blend/index.php?id=47602

(the middle is the sculpt,  the left is my original retopo, and the right is the retopo with an applied subdivision surface modifier)

(the YT thumbnail, using matcap)

How can I improve? What am I doing badly? Is my topology good? Is my sculpting okay?

Thanks in advance.

carvuliero

Hey there millicow ,
They all look flat to me but it can be just the camera 
How can I improve?
:: My suggestion for you are :
- sculpt few skulls first this way you have a better understanding of the head 
- do few simple heads as attached (male female short tall whatever )
- practice on individual features alone and then try to combine simple head and features 
Is my topology good?
:: There are only few important edge loops , rest is up to you  (check attached image )
Is my sculpting okay?
:: They are lacking depth (check second image )

Best

millicow

Thanks for the tips and picture! I'll keep them in mind, and I'll make a skull or two for my next sculpts.

Here are some side views for a better look. I didn't think to put any in the post. I guess they are kind of flat.

So I guess I got the most important edge loops right? Mouth, eye, muzzle, then the one around the forehead/jaw/chin?

Is it important how I make the topology on the nose? That part always confuses me, finding a way to get enough geometry for the nose and get its shape without adding excessive edge loops on the rest of the face. I kind of just wing it until I get something that looks okay. Should I try to avoid poles as much as possible?

carvuliero

One more thing I forget to mention before , it will be extremely beneficial to learn the face in planes 
About topology you pretty much got it right but that's not the point , you kind of putting carriage in front of the horse right now , first learn how to make a beautiful sculpts then worry about topology.
You should isolate star vertices(vertex which is connected to more then 4 edges ) at locations which doesn't deform or has minimal deformation 

Best.

millicow

Oh wow, thanks! That image will be very useful.