After going through the WIPs, I’m not sure why I’m even bothering, but hey, it’s good practice and maybe I’ll get some good tips from all of the other threads. Well, here goes, don’t laugh too hard.
Yeah, I know the eye is wonky, I’ve worked on it and it’s looking a little better. Will update when I’ve made a few significant changes.
I’m guessing this is your first head? Topology doesn’t look too bad for a first head. I think you have too many loops for the eyes though. Could probably get away with less. Also on the forehead you have that weird quad and a pole. Try selecting all the faces and hitting W and choosing smooth a couple of times and see what that does. Here is a commonly referenced tutorial that may help you out a bit.
Well I read in your Little Bathroom Scene thread you mentioning you didn’t do much human modeling. Judging from that scene and this head looks like you have an affinity for 3D work. Have you done much of it?
Hey, thanks for suggesting I have an affinity for 3d work. I actually got a degree in 3d about 10 years ago, had one job that lasted about 4 months and have been doing web design ever since. I love 3d and art in general, just haven’t had the time to push my skills past mediocrity. I know I’ll never be a chipmasque or Ben Dansie, but I do it all the same.
Ok, this is going really slow. I wish I had another 3 or 4 months…
My question now is, does this look anything like Natalie Portman?
I think I’m going to do Queen Amidala. C & C more than welcome.
In truth, no, not imo, but it is a very interesting face nonetheless, worth pursuing on its own unless you’re sold on the idea of (yet another) Amidala portrait.
Not really sold on anything yet… My reference image was natalie portman from some tutorial I found, the next logical step seemed to be Queen Amidala. I think it would look more like her if it had hair, but that’s probably wishful thinking…
What to do, what to do?
Well I think there is a likeness as I could instantly guess who you were going for. I think the nose,eye,mouth proportions look pretty much right and also their relative positions to eachother. When adjusting parts like eyelids and such where you (like in this case) have a decent amount of geometry, I would suggest doing it by jumping into sculpt and use the ‘grab’ tool with it’s falloff rather than pushing points. I personally find it easier and faster to get the desired shape that way.
Hey Romeo, thanks for the tip, I’ve never used the sculpt mode, I guess I should check it out and see what it can do? Is the sculpt option better than just using the falloff option in edit mode?
Allrighty, after many hours of tweaking, it looks a tiny bit different. I also added eyeballs, which I’m not happy with. (I hate texturing, I can never get the settings right). But, here we go, this is what I’ve got so far. Next will be the ears. Just have to find that tutorial again…
Playing with some basic texturing and lighting. Still don’t like the eyes. I’ve followed 3 different tutorials for eyes, but I guess they are too complicated or I miss something on everyone, because my versions all look like crap.
I think the lips look good and overall face shape too, but the bridge of the nose(where the eyes are) needs to go into the head more, and the shape of the eyes is still off-get a reference picture of some eyes to follow for that.
As for the eye texture, well first off are you going for realism? If so make them more gray-no one’s eyes are that blue Secondly, you need to blur the outer edge of the iris a bit. The sclera(white part) actually sort of sits on top of the iris in a real eye creating a small blending effect there-you dont’ want hard edges! Same with the pupil-iris-just blend it a little bit. Add some veins too
Roja,
Thanks for the tips. I’m using a photo of Natalie Protman as a reference, I suspect that you are right and the eyes are a little off, but I think the shape is pretty close to those of Natalie’s. I knew the transition between iris and sclera and iris and pupil would be too harsh, but I’m trying to do all of the texturing with procedural textures ( I know, that won’t be the most realistic way to texture), so, if you have any suggestions on a good way to transitions between the textures, I’d love to hear it. I actually have veins in the texture, they are just not showing up for some reason. (did I mention I hate texturing) I hadn’t noticed it before, but I think I see what you are saying about the bridge of the nose.
Well, I’d offer some help, but I’m afraid I can’t, as it looks like my knowledge is less then yours.
I made it to the same point you are at in the last render in my blending life thread and found that my first major texturing project definitely shouldn’t be a human head, so now I’m just working extra hard on learning to texture things so I can get back and finish my dude.
From a purely artistic side, looks good, but I don’t like the size of the graininess the skin has.
~ATS
Ears would be good! Personally I think ears give so much character to a face… I knoe they’re complex to model, but it’s generally a good idea to get them in much earlier in the project.
I’m always amazed how monay people get to final render without even doing them!
Your topology looks good, but as a crit on it (probably much too late) the mouth looks “pinched” at the sides… a classic mistake, the mouth should “turn inside” at those corners and the loops should go inside the mouth to avoid this pinch and give a more natural curve…
That said your textured version hides this with the lipstick and ypou “get away” with it.