Home General Discussion

Looking for face references (also whole body if possible)

polycounter lvl 3
Offline / Send Message
Stensword polycounter lvl 3
Hello, l am learning how to do realistic characters on Zbrush and my faces seem a bit off (pictures here), I think that's because I never used any references... So now is the time to get my skills on a now level !
I used to go on google image and hunt for references but you very rarely get all points of view for the same person (front + side view) 
So my question is : Would any of you know where I could get a lot of references like that at once ? (like on a specialized website or a cheap pack containing like 50-100 refs ?)

And if anyone also has such kind of references for the whole body(front + side + back) I'll also take it !

Replies

  • oglu
    Offline / Send Message
    oglu polycount lvl 666
    Take a camera and do the fotos yourself. That helps a lot cause you learn what are the most important images.
    And you are able to reshot some images if you need more. You get also images from above which arnt available in most case.
    If you have done several characters its getting easier und you dont need that much images.

    And you can messure some key refs. For example the distance between the eyes.
    Take 25mm big eyes and you have a good base for the start.
  • Neox
    Online / Send Message
    Neox godlike master sticky
    You could also check out 3d.sk or ten24 for photos and actual 3d scans
  • DavidCruz
    Offline / Send Message
    DavidCruz interpolator
    Stensword said:
    learning how to do realistic characters on Zbrush and my faces seem a bit off (pictures here), I think that's because I never used any references...

    TL;DR : here: https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Long version:
     Learning facial land marks and muscular structure would go along way before attempting actual faces, so to practice faces you would just find the general knowledge get those correct and landmarks of the facial structure, like fat placements, skeletal structure and muscular flexibility.  You are basically trying to disect the face and visualise as you go.
    I have yet to utilise these references but hopefully if you are feeling generous purchase the book that these references come from.
    They seem well thought out and very well put together and even give topological structures that help excentuate the facial structure in such a way where i feel faces made with these placements / techniques the references provides would make character faces appeal to me. (Bias: I prefer the look)

    https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Best of luck, look forward to more if i stick around this nightmare of a reality.
  • Stensword
    Offline / Send Message
    Stensword polycounter lvl 3
    DavidCruz said:
    Stensword said:
    learning how to do realistic characters on Zbrush and my faces seem a bit off (pictures here), I think that's because I never used any references...

    TL;DR : here: https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Long version:
     Learning facial land marks and muscular structure would go along way before attempting actual faces, so to practice faces you would just find the general knowledge get those correct and landmarks of the facial structure, like fat placements, skeletal structure and muscular flexibility.  You are basically trying to disect the face and visualise as you go.
    I have yet to utilise these references but hopefully if you are feeling generous purchase the book that these references come from.
    They seem well thought out and very well put together and even give topological structures that help excentuate the facial structure in such a way where i feel faces made with these placements / techniques the references provides would make character faces appeal to me. (Bias: I prefer the look)

    https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Best of luck, look forward to more if i stick around this nightmare of a reality.
    Thanks for bringing this stuff up... I am really tempted to buy it but it is quite expensive and I am hesitating with an other course (likeness sculpting with frank tzeng)... But I am also afraid that these solution wouldn't help and that the only way for me to improve is to take references and practice a lot... Anyway, doing both will probably be the best solution lol
  • Stensword
    Offline / Send Message
    Stensword polycounter lvl 3
    DavidCruz said:
    Stensword said:
    learning how to do realistic characters on Zbrush and my faces seem a bit off (pictures here), I think that's because I never used any references...

    TL;DR : here: https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Long version:
     Learning facial land marks and muscular structure would go along way before attempting actual faces, so to practice faces you would just find the general knowledge get those correct and landmarks of the facial structure, like fat placements, skeletal structure and muscular flexibility.  You are basically trying to disect the face and visualise as you go.
    I have yet to utilise these references but hopefully if you are feeling generous purchase the book that these references come from.
    They seem well thought out and very well put together and even give topological structures that help excentuate the facial structure in such a way where i feel faces made with these placements / techniques the references provides would make character faces appeal to me. (Bias: I prefer the look)

    https://www.artstation.com/anatomy4sculptors

    Best of luck, look forward to more if i stick around this nightmare of wait  reality.
    Thanks for bringing that ! I am hesitating between this book and the Frank Tzeng sculpting course... But I am also afraid that the only solution may be just to take plenty of references and practice a lot.. Anyway, doing both will probably be the best solution..

    Edit : after looking at all the offers I think form of the head and neck could be the most appropriate resource but I'll have to wait December
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
    Offline / Send Message
    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    Keywords you should look into:
    - Bony Landmarks of the Face
    - Planes of the Face
    - Color Zones
    - (Primarily a drawing thing) Measuring the Proportions of the Face
    - Anatomy 4 Sculptors

  • Stensword
    Offline / Send Message
    Stensword polycounter lvl 3
    Keywords you should look into:
    - Bony Landmarks of the Face
    - Planes of the Face
    - Color Zones
    - (Primarily a drawing thing) Measuring the Proportions of the Face
    - Anatomy 4 Sculptors

    Thanks a lot for those information ! Drawing things are definitely of a great help, when I was learning the body anatomy drawing the muscles groups made a huge difference.
    And about Anatomy 4 sculptor I am really hesitating should I go for the facial expression one or the other ? I also wander if the likeness sculpting with Frank Tzeng course would be a better choice. Which do you think would be better ?
  • DebendraRoy
    Sketchfab is another fantastic reference for scans of humans as well as classic sculptures - all for free, if you are only interested in viewing them in your browser. I also believe the publisher (?) of 'Anatomy for Sculptors' has some models on there as well that deal with anatomy. Just check it out, :) .

    You could also google for ten24 free head scan & for digital Emily/Ira. Those are free to download.

    Use the split screen feature in ZBrush & compare your sculpts with these scans side by side. You could also use the Topology Brush to draw lines on the surface to understand the contours. You could also just slice & hide parts of the model to see different cross sections.

    & just be patient. I'm a beginner when it comes to head sculpts as well. For me, personally, drawing a head is a bit easier than sculpting it in ZBrush. It's always just a bit mushy in ZBrush. Plus, adjustments in profile drastically affect the front, & vice versa.

    So experiment a lot with the technical side of ZBrush as well, because it still is a 2d screen. For instance, you could maybe go high res early on, contrary to what most say. Or you could use an instance via array mesh to see the front & profile together.

    Lastly, don't forget that ZBrush has in-built demo heads & a skull as well. You could stick the skull in your sculpts & see how things are lining up. Think about likenesses only after you have a firm handle on a generic face, imo. 

    **I'm in a similar position & struggling with heads & likenesses. So I just laid down my current thoughts & probably unnecessarily rambled on. So just take what I've said with a grain of salt. These thoughts aren't of a person who has mastered portraiture, :) . Nonetheless, HTH.**
  • Stensword
    Offline / Send Message
    Stensword polycounter lvl 3
    Sketchfab is another fantastic reference for scans of humans as well as classic sculptures - all for free, if you are only interested in viewing them in your browser. I also believe the publisher (?) of 'Anatomy for Sculptors' has some models on there as well that deal with anatomy. Just check it out, :) .

    You could also google for ten24 free head scan & for digital Emily/Ira. Those are free to download.

    Use the split screen feature in ZBrush & compare your sculpts with these scans side by side.

    & just be patient. I'm a beginner when it comes to head sculpts as well. For me, personally, drawing a head is a bit easier than sculpting it in ZBrush. It's always just a bit mushy in ZBrush. Plus, adjustments in profile drastically affect the front, & vice versa.

    So experiment a lot with the technical side of ZBrush as well, because it still is a 2d screen. For instance, you could maybe go high res early on, contrary to what most say. Or you could use an instance via array mesh to see the front & profile together.

    Lastly, don't forget that ZBrush has in-built demo heads & a skull as well. You could stick the skull in your sculpts & see how things are lining up. Think about likenesses only after you have a firm handle on a generic face, imo. 

    I'm in a similar position & struggling with heads & likenesses. So I just laid down my current thoughts & probably unnecessarily rambled on. So just take what I've said with a grain of salt. These thoughts aren't of a person who has mastered portraiture, :) . Nonetheless, HTH.
    Thanks for the advice... After having learned to sculpt the whole body, I feel that the face is on a whole new level of difficulty.
  • DebendraRoy
    @Stensword Yes, I agree. & it always makes me wonder when 3d artists say that achieving a likeness isn't all that difficult. Maybe it feels like a struggle initially? & once you climb the initial hump, it gets easier with practice? 

    Anyway, I'm glad you could at least read my comment, because it seems to have disappeared! :)

    Edit - I'll just add that you could use the Topology Brush on the scans &/or slice the model up & hide the parts to understand the cross-sections. That reveals a lot. 

    (This edit led to my earlier post (that you quoted) disappearing. So I'm just putting this here for the sake of completeness, :) ). Cheers!
Sign In or Register to comment.