The correct placement of ears is very important because if they are misplaced, the proportions of the face will be thrown off. If you recall from earlier in this topic, in traditional sculpture, many facial measurements are taken from the ear. The ears act like landmarks from which the rest of the face can be measured. The following are guidelines for placement and size of the ear:
• If the ears are placed too far back, the head will look narrow.
• If the ears are placed too close to the front, the head will look flat from the front.
• If the ears are placed high, the lower half of the head will look too long.
• If the ears are placed low, the lower half of the head will appear too short.
• From the side view, the orientation of the ear is not completely vertical, but instead follows the slant of the bridge of the nose.
• The highest point of the ears is usually aligned with the eyebrows.
• The lowest part of the ears is usually in alignment with the underside of the nose.
• The ears are not flat against the head but are angled away from the head.
If they are not angled enough, the face will look too thin.
We never really pay attention to our ears, but these little fleshy folds of skin and cartilage sticking out from the sides of our heads have a specific structure and anatomy. Take a moment to learn the structures of the ear because they will be referred to in the next section (Figure 3.53). Also study the variations in ears by looking at photographs, looking at people’s ears, or by simply feeling the shape of your own ears.
Shaping the Back of the Head and Positioning the Ears
Create a new layer and name it as Ear and keep the subdivision level at 4. Like you did when sculpting the eyes, you will use mirroring across the x axis to sculpt both the ears at the same time. Because the model already has a very basic ear, make sure that it is in the right place on the head by checking the reference sketches in the Front and Side cameras (Figure 3.54).
FIG 3.53 Anatomy of the Ear.
FIG 3.54 Check the Sketch for the Alignment of the Ears.
Use the Grab tool to position the outer edges of the ears until they match with the reference sketches. Pay special attention to the jawline in front of the ear. Look at the model from above and push in the sides of the head just in front of the ear. Smooth and shape this area so that it is round and continuous with the cheeks. Sculpting the area in front of the ear will help with sculpting the ear and will also make the head look more natural. If you are not quite sure about this step, try this: put your hands on your own cheeks, with wrists toward your lips and fingers to the ears. Notice how your fingers curve back around your face past the cheeks, before touching your ears (Figure 3.55).
Now that you have shaped the head in front of the ears, you will shape the head behind the ears. Use the Grab tool to make the back of the skull more round as seen from the top. And, if necessary, refine the shape of the neck so that it is more proportional to the head. These steps are important to create the correct distance between the ears and the back of the head (Figure 3.56). Switch to the Side camera and use the reference sketch as a guide to draw the general structures of the ear.
Sculpting the Back of the Ear
In this next step, you will carve away the space between the ear and the head. The back of the ear has two main shapes: the back of the helix and the back of the concha. With an inverted Bulge tool, slowly push in this space so that the back of the helix and the concha are suggested. Remember that you can use the Freeze tool to control which areas are sculpted. If for some reason the shoulders and chest get in the way of viewing and sculpting the ear from below, simply select and hide them as you did with the top of the head in the mouth section (Figure 3.57).
FIG 3.55 Push In the Sides of the Head In Front of the Ears.
FIG 3.56 Shape the Back of the Head to Make Sure It Is Round and Refine the Shape of the Neck if Necessary.
Take time to verify that the ears are still in the correct position by comparing the model with the reference sketches in the Front and Side cameras. Also use the photographic references to ensure proper placement and proportions. And just as you did with the nose, mouth, and eyes you may find that you need to continue to define other features on the face and head around the ear. For instance, look at the relationship of the jaw, the neck, and the back of the head as compared with the ear and revise these areas if necessary.
Sculpting the Ear
For these next few steps, it is important that you know the anatomical terms of the ear, so review Figure 3.52. Using the reference sketch in the Side camera and outline the basic shapes of the ear, such as the helix, antihelix, tragus, and concha, just as you did with the parting lips of the mouth and the outline of the eyes. Now, you will give dimension to the ear structures (Figure 3.58).
Use an inverted Sculpt or Bulge tool to create the furrow between the helix and the antihelix. Then, use the Wax tool (with Steady Stroke turned on) and fill in the helix around the outer edge of the ear. With an inverted Bulge tool,rough in the concha as it goes into the inner ear. Notice the shape that looks like a question mark. Carve that shape out. Then, with the Bulge or Wax tools create the antihelix down to the antitragus. Next begin roughing in the tragus on the other side of the ear (across from the antitragus) (Figure 3.59).
FIG 3.57 The Shape of the Concha and Helix as Seen from the Back of the Head.
FIG 3.58 Outline the Parts of the Ear.
FIG 3.59 Roughing In the Helix, Antihelix, Antitragus, Tragus, and Concha.
As a reminder, do not sculpt the ear from only one direction or plane when carving out deep structures like the concha or the scapha. Rotate the camera so that the sculpting tools can carve deep and so that you can clearly see what you are doing. Also remember to sculpt and smooth as you work.
Add some definition to the antitragus and tragus using the Bulge tool and an inverted Bulge to indent the area in front of the ear. Notice that when viewing Amy from the front view, the antitragus extends out farther than the helix. While viewing the model from the front and back, use the Grab tool to pull the antitragus out. If when viewed from the front, the ears stick out too much or not enough, use the Grab tool to adjust their position, but don’t flatten the ears against the head.
When sculpting the intricate shapes of the ear like the scapha or if you are to emphasize areas like the concha, remember that you can use the Freeze and Invert Freeze to freeze parts of ear while you sculpt on others. This will help you to indent and pull out specific areas without changing the surrounding structures (Figure 3.60).
Once the basic structures are roughed in, it is now only a matter of continuously refining those shapes. At this point, you should be able to decide which tools work best for what you are trying to do. Continue to check the Front and Side camera references to make sure that the ears are in the correct position. Also use the reference photographs to ensure that your model’s ears look like Amy’s ears as best as possible. If you find that you need to move the ear or reposition areas once again, use the Freeze tool and reposition the ear with the Grab tool on a high setting (Figure 3.61).
FIG 3.60 Refine the Shapes of the Ear by Continuing to Sculpt Its Inner Structures Using the Freeze Tool Liberally.
FIG 3.61 If Necessary, Reposition the Ear or Areas of the Ear to Fit Your Reference.
FIG 3.62 Traditional Sculpture of Amy’s Ear and Sculpted Profile.
FIG 3.63 Adding Hair to the Mudbox Model.
