Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10
Organic Modeling
Exercise 3: Head
Modeling
Modeling a human face and head is one of
the most challenging things you can model
(if you're not used to modeling human
heads, that is). It isn't
difficult
; it is just
very, very exacting. If you give yourself the
time you need to get it done and have
someone show you a path you can follow, it
can be a fun, relaxing, explorative process.
If you're one of those people who really
enjoys falling into the details and noodling
to your heart's content, head/facial model-
ing can be one of the most enjoyable areas
of 3D modeling.
How can something be “challenging”
and yet “not difficult”? Well, we are all
experts on the geometry and landmarks of
the human face. Every day, from the time
we get up in the morning to the time we go
to bed at night, we are surrounded by
human faces. Faces tell us 90% of the
things about a person he doesn't say with
his voice. Our survival on a day-to-day basis
depends on being able to identify the subtle
landmarks
that exist as commonalities to all
human faces and being able to extrapolate
the underlying thought/feeling processes
that alter these landmarks from their
“at-rest” positions. (In industrial design
terms, the “tolerances” of the human face
are measured in hundredths of millimeters.)
We all get gut feelings when something
on a face isn't quite right. While we spend
so much time
looking
at faces, we don't
spend much time at all really
seeing
and
understanding
the structures that create
the complex shape of the human facial
mask.
So, to become skilled at modeling human
faces, we must become skilled at under-
standing the layers, landmarks, and multi-
ple planes that create its complex system of
interrelationships. A human face can look
completely
different when seen from a
slightly different angle. This is because of
the relationships of the many planes that
make up the human face. As the head turns,
these planes create an ever-shifting flow of
silhouettes. In short: We must let go of the
symbolism
of what we
think
we are seeing
and begin to truly
understand
what we are
seeing.
In this simple tutorial, there is little
space for me to do more than show you how
to “stretch” a polygonal mesh over an imag-
inary structure. This tutorial will indeed
result in a completed human head, but it
will not leave you with the understanding of
why the head looks the way it does. If you
find you enjoy the process of facial model-
ing (and there are modelers in studio
environments who specialize in faces and
facial shapes for animation), then let this be
a first step for you — let it be a tool for you
