Modeling a toon character : walkthrough

[ravikumar_vsp]

here are the blue prints/ reference images

[ravikumar_vsp]

step 1: image planes

I opened photoshop and made use of the rulers to have a measurement of the image dimensions and make a note of them (might be useful while setting up image planes in maya)

I think you are aware of that.
Now i used the rectangular marquee tool and selected the portion of image i wanted to separate individually.
Then, I cut the selection using ctrl+X and immediately pressed ctrl+N (new file) . Photoshop remembers the selection dimensions and places the new fles dimensions the same . I press ok and simply paste the selection and save a new file (jpeg/ tif/ tga ..)

[ravikumar_vsp]

Now i opened maya and went straight to define a new project. then i selected the front viewport and chose View -> select camera . then View -> image plane --> import image and imported the head( front view). I turned off RGBA and put RGB in the image plane's attributes and also reduced the alpha gain. Heres a screen shot :

[ravikumar_vsp]

I used the create poly tool and went to the side view. I traced an outline of the head's features that are visible when we look from the side view.
Here's a pic for ur reference

[ravikumar_vsp]

i went to component mode and selected "face" mode. Now select the large face created when you made the polygon surface in last step. I chose edit polygons -> extrude face and extruded the face outward a little bit. Then i deleted the large polygonal faces,including with the face at the back side of the head. Modeling half of the head will do as later we can mirror and attach the part already modeled

[ravikumar_vsp]

Hi again,

My ISP had a small problem it seems.
Any way here goes
next I converted the polygonal surface into subdiv by modify ->convert ->polygons to subdiv.
I kept a copy of the original of the base cage in another layer in case i run into any problem
Next, I used the combination of extrude edge, split poly tools and started working to closely resemble the reference as close as possible.
I generally start with the mouth and then i go to the eyebrow/ forehead, and then the nose. I will do the eye seperately.
Heres a ref pic of what i was uptill now

[ravikumar_vsp]

hello again,

I went to the front view and created a polygonal outline of the eye's border using the same create poly tool. the i extruded once the face and deleted it so that i was left with a polygonal ring . U can do the same by using a polygonal clynder with changes to the height segments.
I later converted it to subdiv surface and stated adding more details. I took a nurbs sphere, positioned it correctly at the eyeball and continued adding detail around the eye structure.
here a screen cap of what i have till now:

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