Modelling Heads

#61

I used to do only box modeling and was amazed and perplexed that anyone would use the point extender method. It seemed so utterly unintuitive. Box modeling is like sculpting and Modelers box modeling tools are kick @$$.

But then… hehe… I tried the point by point method to see what all the fuss was about (after the Dan Ablan book came out EVERYONE was doing all those damn point by point heads!!). Man what a SURPRISE. Point by point was quick and easy and made nice clean meshes without much clean up needed. I’ve done several point by point heads since and one body. It’s definately my favorite way to model humans now. I still use box modeling for most other things though.

One of these days I’ll give splines a go.

#62

Ive mentioned this before in other threads… :slight_smile:

Ive been character modeling for years and Ive taught it for years.
Generally I find that people doing this fall into 4 categories;

  1. Total newby who has little 3D experience and a limited art background. This is probably the most common one I have run into.
  2. Newby to 3D but has a pretty good art background. This is the 2nd most common type I run into.
  3. Experienced in hard surface modeling ie mechanical or architecture stuff or non organic plus some kind of design background/web graphics etc. A lot of this type are people doing logo animations etc etc.
  4. Experienced in 3D with an extensive art background. Good artists with an understanding of form and flow. This is the most rare type I run into.

I have found that people who fall into the first 3 categories have the most trouble with the point by point method of modeling. The reason is that most of these people are trying to learn 3D as well as the artistic/anatomical principles that will drive the 3D modeling. They generally dont have a strong art background and have a lot of difficulty figuring out the proper proportions. Most of the tutorials Ive seen start out with an eye and a face is slowly built up by detailing out. This can work well for an experienced artist who already knows and understands facial proportions but fails most of the time for those who dont know where theyre going before they even start.

Most good drawing books start with the big picture then works into the details. This is the way most traditional drawing or sculpting courses follow. This is a tried and true approach that has worked for centuries. One of the methods I teach my students starts this way with only a single polygon and slowly builds into the details mimicing this more traditional approach.
Its worked very well and is easy to remember and repeat. Its been the most successful approach Ive seen for people learning to organic model things like heads.

People who fall into the 4th category (experienced artists) can generally use any technique and make it work. Experienced traditional artists find the technique I use very familiar and take to it quickly.

Again I have some quicktimes up on my site showing the technique in the early stages plus how to control the flow in a face.

#63

Gollum: it’s been said a few times that although the head was sculpted and scanned, it was only used as a reference. Bay Raitt then used Mirai to build and UV map the mesh, starting from a cube.

I think it’s faster to build such a cage from scratch then to cleanup a digitized mess of points :wink:

#64

I agree, cleaning up a point cloud doesnt seem nearly as fun. :slight_smile:

#65

That’s the biggest problem I have.

When you have such a high poly mesh the points are just too scary to work with.

All I can say is hello magnet tool!

#66

Gollum is exceptional…I`m waiting for TTT extra…there will be one DVD containing creation of Gollum.

#67

I have bought the extended pack with the gollum miniature and the additional DVD called golum creation. This DVD is disappointing if you are looking for any CG model. In fact, it is rather a commercial for the statues that you can buy at their site.

One interesting thing is the talent of Weta sculptors.

#68

Weta is just simply amazing!

Does anyone else know what else they have done?

#69

Here’s a model I started recently using pretty much point by point: http://vbulletin.newtek.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13038

I would say I prefer working this way but I’m also trying to learn box modeling. However, the more I get into box modeling, the more I’m convinced we need better edge tools in Lightwave. I saw a video of Bay Raitt modeling in Mirai recently and he started with a box. I think it’d be great to be able to work that way.

I like working with splines in modeling but I don’t use them for characters. Usually by the time I would have my splines laid out like I want, I could also have the mesh laid down in rough form from other methods so I leave splines to non-organic objects.

#70

Originally posted by AndrewE
[B]Weta is just simply amazing!

Does anyone else know what else they have done? [/B]

I have found no reference on their site

#71

thx, I searched for it in google after I posted that msg.

But I didn’t get that site. That’s great!

Thanks a lot!

But yeah.

I’m trying to box model a head again.

Is there any programs that helps slices? Other than bandsaw and knife?

#72

Originally posted by AndrewE
[B]thx, I searched for it in google after I posted that msg.

But I didn’t get that site. That’s great!

Thanks a lot!

But yeah.

I’m trying to box model a head again.

Is there any programs that helps slices? Other than bandsaw and knife? [/B]

Theres also quickcut, FI’s Jigsaw, FI’s_Wrinkle and several others.
Some split polys and some split edges.

#73

Awesome, this thread is getting better and better!

SOO much info!

#74

this head i have done with spline patching


#75

Not working…

:cry:

#76

i fixed it
this thread helped me so much

#77

AWESOME!

Good job man!

Is this your first head?

And yeah, the biggest thing I’m happy about in this thread is the wide turnout from almost everyone!

Thanks everyone!

#78

Originally posted by tejani
i fixed it
this thread helped me so much

Hey, Pretty good! :slight_smile:
The biggest thing is that you need to work on proportions but it looks like you have the general idea.
Can we see the spline cage?

#79


yes this is my first head
and i will try to update it as i can

#80

OOO!!

Thats pretty!