Body topology

#561

Here’s my joint-placement chart, based on an averaged composite of several young women, who were themselves fairly average to begin with (‘average’ as in ‘close to the norm’, no negative connotation).

Note that it’s a common mistake to place the spine and neck joints too far back. (Like on Pan for instance)

For the spine, I like at least 3 bones, for the neck at least 2. Yes I usually want some rib bones, and scapula bones for that matter. In my last rig I even used ribs in the neck, it enabled me to spend less time weight-painting. (But then it doesn’t work very well with MotionBuilder, even with constraints, so it’s back to the drawing board.)

These are the most extreme spine bends I’ve been able to find, as long as your spine can fit this you should be fine. Note the strong bend at the lower spine, tricky to reproduce smoothly. The spine is less mobile to the side and twisting. (If someone has better reference please post it)

The red line here is the centerline of her back, and the blue one would be roughly where you’d place your spine joints.


OT: Victoria Silvstedt, from my own tiny hometown of Bollnas (but half my age so I’d already left before she was born, so I never met her)

#562

Mr. Stahlberg, thank you so much for starting this thread, it has taught me alot and has made me think ‘outside the box’, plus it has proven a great resource for me and alot of others it seems! :slight_smile:

I’ve just recently seen Shrek2 and was amazed with the visuals, I’d really like to know how to get SSS to work with my renders, and unfortunatly, I’m the worst with web searching, although I do know some great sites, I just havn’t been able to find any information about it. Is there anyone here that can point me in the right direction?

I was going to try your skin shading tut Stephen, but the link for the toon shader was down, and I don’t know any good toon shaders (as I don’t like working on toon shaded scenes) so I was wondering if I might be able to get some help here as well? I will also post my topology here as well in hopes of feed-back soon. Can anyone show how they do the fold of the upper eyelid to make it look decent?

P.S. I hate to ask for so much, but I hope to post helpful information in the future!

#563

go here http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63930

its alot of pages but they tlak about all the sss u need steven’s shader is even mention and adapted to many diff apps as well

#564

For Maya toon shaders galore go to Highend3d.com, Maya, Shaders, scroll down to the T section and there’s a whole bunch. The one I use is the one with the cartoony doggy icon. There are more in the Maya plugin section.

#565

Redid some of the facetexture, I think I’m going along with this one.

#566

#567

(If someone has better reference please post it)

looks like a great opportunity for posting cheesecake pics! maybe this? (borderline contortionism)

i’m not about to draw the joints, i’ll leave that to the pro’s… btw, great thread, i’m truley humbled and inspired by the talent here :bowdown:

#568

Originally posted by morphball
looks like a great opportunity for posting cheesecake pics! maybe this?

I’d hate to see such a great thread get derailed by softcore porn.

#569

I’d hate to see such a great thread get derailed by softcore porn.

wouldn’t dream of it. just thought it was a good example of extreme spine-age, to help illustrate a point.

btw, if that’s what you consider “softcore porn”… :rolleyes:

#570

Yes, it is a good example of back-bending lumbar, thanks. (But not quite at the limit though; I believe most women can bend just a little bit more.)

Regarding topology - since I’m redoing the rigging now I took the opportunity to tweak the upper torso, shoulders, elbows, hands, the way I’ve been wanting to for a while now. Hands are smaller, torso is wider, topology in shoulders is better, clavicles tilted, deltoids/pecs tweaked…

bodyscreen23.jpg700x602

#571

Yep, looks better steven, though I would (personal taste) make the seam on the shoulder muscle to the biceps smoother… Besides that I think you got it going now. topology looks good ofcourse.

#572

Steven - you’re modelling your characters in T-pose? why, if can I ask?

#573

I’m not Steven (again) but I can say something about this: the way the arms are modeled is basically how they will be used in the animation, if they are modeled 45degrees down, the character will more easy give good deformations when the arms are down, like in walkcycles and such. If the character needs to throw a ball or grab something up high, you will probably need to model the arms horizontally.

#574

derbyqsalano - sure, I know, but adding a joint beetween neck and arm can give you pretty nice results when you’ll rotate it (in model with arms 45 degrees down of course). I think it’s pretty old method to achieve better deformations of this region. It’s a way faster than remodelling characters arms I think.

#575

Well then thats your opinion, I’d rather model then paint weights all day… honestly I dont understand your question… you ask Steven why he models them in T and you ask me why I dont model them in T?

#576

I thought that the t-pose is a past of posing characters while modelling, cause there are some methods to achieve similar effects, rigging in “V-pose”;).

#577

Thanks, derby.
I model in the T-stance because of MotionBuilder. If I had my way I’d go somewhere between 45 degrees and horizontal, and all the other joints slightly bent too. But it’s no biggie.

#578

Personnaly I think 45 deg is more natural.

Steven :

Im not the first to say that but I think there is something to fix with the armpit. :stuck_out_tongue:

Im impress to see how good look the model hand considering that your hand topology is very light. Good optimization job. :thumbsup:

#579

Thanks. You’re right, my armpit is too muscular now. Too much looking in the mirror I guess. :slight_smile:

#580

Thanks. You’re right, my armpit is too muscular now. Too much looking in the mirror I guess.

lol. looking good, no doubt.