[tjnyc]

Okay,

Here we start with the basis of shaping our form. I am working on creating a male humanoid.

1. The first thing is of course to start with something. The typical choice is usually a box. Why a box? It is very simple to start with, you should always start with less and build up to your finally form, even when sketching, it is beneficial to start out with some basic shapes, like circles, square and so on to establish you figures gestures, posture, mood, action and so on.



2. Here I like to extrude up and back, keeping the shape relative the same between the extrude. By keeping them the same, I am establishing proportions. Generally, from the side of the head, from the bottom of the shin, to the eyes is your first box, from then the extruded face that went up is from the eye to the top of the head. Extruding back is from the start of the ear to the back of the head. If you look at the whole shape, from the side, it should look like a square with a bottom piece missing.



3. Here I scale out the model to a full head width, which is different than the head length that I was working with in pic 2. The head width will depend on what you are creating, but in my case the HW(head width) is about 2/3 of the HL(head length).



4. Once my basic sets of proportion of the head is done, I start just shaping the head with some tweaking. I also deleted half the head and instance mirror to the other side.



5. Here I select some edges at the bottom of the head to connect.



6. Here I delete the inner faces, because at this point I don't need them while I form the shape of the head. The more unnecessary elements you end up working with will save you time and keep your modeling more effecient.



7. Here I cut 2 edges with the connect tool and I connect the newly created vertices to start establishing some topology. Now this is important, because the sooner you get to establishing your topology, edge loops the faster and you be to forming your shape. While it is still early, you won't have alot to clean up or rework to fix your topology later down the road.



8-12. Here I tweak the vertices to form the shape.



9.



10. I add an edge on one side of the model.



11. More tweaking.



12-13. Once again I am establishing some topology. Here i form the edge loops for the middle of the face, which incompass the eyes, the brows, cheeks and upper nose region.



13.



14. Here I bevel an edge that will be for the eye socket area.



15. I delete the faces in the eye area and I tweak the surrounding shape.



16 - 17. Once again I am creating loops for my topology. This is goes from the middle of the mouth to the forehead.



17.



18 - 19. Again, I am connecting edges and creating edge loops for more estabilshing of the topology.



19.



20 - 22. Now these are just showing varying shots of the head as we are up to til now.


21.


22.


This entire process, should only take about 5 minutes or less for some. As you can see it is a rather simple process, mostly using the connect tool. What I wanted to show here is first, building the basic proportions, and second establshing some topology and edge loops. Now, with the Topology brush and all, why even bother with topology. The reason is simple, creating the basis for your form to be build upon you need to have a solid foundation. Your topology is your foundation, if you just model without establishing the building blocks for your model, in this case your topology(edge loops) the more disadvantages you will have when your shape gets more complicated and heavy in forming the shapes you want and also requiring more added reworking.

This is it for now. The next one will continue from here with more topology work and then to sculpting with soft selection and then to retopologizing with the Topology Brush.

If there is anything people want to go over or suggest, feel free to bring it up.

(Edit: Pics now linked from our server. -Feed)

Cheers,

[billhdz]

Likes it!!!
THANKS!!!

You Da Man !!!!!!

[tjnyc]

Someone brought up a point, which I would like to mention here for everyone. You do not have to follow what I am doing exact word for word. This is more a tutorial of a process. If you want to post something you are making which isn't a human head, but following in the process I am demoing, which is basically, proportions to establishing topology, then that is on-topic of this tutorial discussion.

I don't want to make this discussion tutorial linear. You know, where I do something and then I ask you to do the same thing. That is fine if someone needs to follows along, but there are users that are farther along in their skills and who I believe would benefit more from understanding the process I am demoing, where it could help in their modeling.

So like I said, there are no rules, other than staying on topic.


Cheers,

[mechis]

Between steps 13 and 14, you forgot to say that you connected the brow ridge and mouth ridge and then bevelled.
I'm really liking your process
~Mechis

[Jamchild]

This is sooo much a better way to start a head model than I usually do... (what an awkwardly-constructed sentence I just created there)

[chadtheartist]

Excellent method tjnyc. I think I will adapt this to my workflow, because with such a low-poly start, you have all the building blocks for the face. I'm anxious to see what else you've got planned, especially if you plan to finish the head, i.e. nose, mouth, and ears.

Great post, and kudos to you for sharing!

[Anonymous]

How about a peek at how you accomplished that awesome Mustang?? I know, I know - trade secrets - I'm just a sucker for a sweet Mustang!

Thanks for taking the time to share...
D

[joruiz]

Keep on going Tony, thanks for this great tutorial. This is very useful!

joel