Sculpting a Mermaid Character with Dynamesh - ZBrush Creature Design: Creating Dynamic Concept Imagery for Film and Games - page 385

eton. From a skeletal standpoint, the female skeleton tends to be smaller and lighter than the male's. The
humerus bones, in the upper arms, are typically longer than in the male. The ribcage is narrower and the
thoracic arch is not as widely set ( Figure 7-2 ). The torso in the female is slightly longer than the male, while
the lower extremities (legs) are shorter and the shoulders and ribs are narrower. There is a common myth
that women have one less rib than men. This is not so, as both men and women have 24 ribs including the
two “floating” ribs.
Figure 7-2: The differences in the male and female skeleton are illustrated here.
The female pelvis is wider than and not as high as the male pelvis. The inguinal ligament is not as defined
in the joint between the hips and the lower extremities. The pelvis may appear to have a slight inclination
forward compared to the typical male pelvis. The wider pubic arch creates a larger space for the abductors of
the thigh to attach. This leaves an opening between the legs in a more slender figure where the inner thighs
are not padded with fatty tissue. This is because the origins of these muscles will be farther from the midline
of the body than in the male ( Figure 7-3 ) .
The measuring point used on the skeleton, the great trochanter of the femur, is generally considered the
widest point of the male hips. On the female, this widest point appears lower due to the differences in the
way fat tissues are distributed ( Figure 7-4 ).
The face is where we will try to incorporate many of the more subtle visual cues. Figure 7-5 shows a
female face of European descent with some typical features called out that feminize the forms. We will in-
corporate elements like the shape of the chin, the more acute angle of the jaw, and the rounder structure of
the cheeks into this mermaid character. The addition of these visual cues should cause the viewer to perceive
the face as feminine despite its absolutely alien nature.
Figure 7-3: The thoracic arch (in red) is wider in the male ribcage and narrower in the female. Also note
how the pelvis is lower and wider in the female.