how do you model heads?
(Reached a comprimise, got a friend to design characters for free! But I still gotta model them.)
How do you go about modelling people's heads? I'm really stuck. I've been using reference images, and I match it up, but it looks really weird even though it's matched up to the dimensions of the reference, even worse when put in perspective mode. I measure, tweak, remeasure, get it as accurate as possible yet every time the entire thing looks incredibly deformed.
How do you do model heads?
How do you go about modelling people's heads? I'm really stuck. I've been using reference images, and I match it up, but it looks really weird even though it's matched up to the dimensions of the reference, even worse when put in perspective mode. I measure, tweak, remeasure, get it as accurate as possible yet every time the entire thing looks incredibly deformed.
How do you do model heads?
Replies
http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials/max/joanofarc/joanmenu.php
I just went over it like 3 or 4 times, it's kinda tedious after the first time but just getting the workflow down should help get the techniques cemented.
After you've done it once or twice, try it with your own reference images of different heads, either drawn or photo and use the same technique.
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Good luck!
I found that playing around with a sculpted head helped too, so making some parts really stretched etc to see how and why they look wrong.
Get a mirror and look at your own face, feel your jaw with your hand and see how it gets thinner as you get closer too the chin (not on square jaw characters but you get the idea).
It's sometimes hard to model off image planes like that because you don't get the full picture without the plan view too.
But yea best advice I have had is keep it simple, get the proportions looking right etc at low poly then start adding edge loops and shaping it more.
I was wondering the same thing...This guy created the entire head model out of a skull in XSI and the only question I was left with was. "how the hell do you know what you are doing by just looking at the skull? Without the ref image?"
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To expand upon this...
Think about what the skull is - a framework upon which muscles and other fleshy bits work with each other to define the character of the face. (I know some medical students and other people would haggle me to no end for what I just said, but whatever) Because the skull is just the underlying structure, it's not as useful a modeling reference as a fully-formed human head with all its muscles and skin and such.
As for Nitewalkr's question, there's actually a reasonable answer. If you're familiar enough with the structure and layout of the muscles and skin and other properties of the face, you can extrapolate from a skull what a person might look like.
But modeling heads? Well, there are a ton of different techniques. My favorite is to do a high-poly rough model and then retopologize it with good geometry and logical edgeloop placement. Box modeling heads is a little more complex, but it's still a good idea to start with a rough shape and then work to more specific details. creationtwentytwo linked to a good starter tutorial for people who've never modeled characters before.
What a horrible way to model a head.
Edge modeling all the way, following the ref image, for me. Espacially when it comes to the Head and face modeling.
I usually start from a subdivided cube (subdiv sphere), i do bevels, cuts, and more bevels. Bevels are uber powerful!!. And Working with subdivs, always in "stages" of detail.
Stage 0 - defining volumes and loops with a very very low poly subdiv model
Stage 1 - Subdivide x1 and improve shapes.
Here's an example that i'm sure will help. Notice how simple are the hands.
The model on the right is the one on the left subdivided x1. Subdivs are tricky, and if you understand the technique, it can save you a lot of time.
Not all the people have the same skull, the best is to grab references and train our eye, our perception. Furthermore, in a skull you won't see the facial loops...
Now, I really don't know how people find sculpt+retopology to take more time than go edge modeling from the start. You don't have to have a finished sculpt, just get the proportions right, it shouldn't take more then 30~60 minutes, then you retopologize it in your software of choice, wich should be very quick cause the hard part is already done.
Actually I've always fancied the idea of 3D sculpting and would love to make more use of it, but in my experience sculpting is harder and takes a lot longer:
I have to get it right first time, there's no easy way to make big changes to a sculpture if I suddenly realise a mistake made earlier on.
Have to go up to a really high level of resolution to get basic smaller details in, like an eyelid for example. And making creases and sharp corners takes forever...
When sculpting, it's always best to start at the lowest subdivision level possible and work in as much detail as you can. Then, and ONLY then, should you move up a level and do the exact same thing.
It beats labouriously adjusting each vertex. Sculpting is just more fun.
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=bridgeman's%20anatomy&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi
euhm yes it does,
the shape of a skull defines a lot of the final silhouette of a face.
when sculpting a face the first thing you should do is actually trying to get those shapes in there and then after that worry about muscles etc...