Character Head Modelling for Animation

 

If you are a beginner and want to learn in-depth about head modelling animation, then you visited at the right place. This Arena Sayajigunj blog is specially designed for you here you will be going to learn about different types of character head modelling animation and all other things that you should put in your mind while working to create a realistic character head modelling. Creating believable character modelling has been one of the ultimate goals of many 3D artists. So let get started with one-by-one type of head modelling for animation in detail.

 

Click on below Video: Head Modelling for Animation

Different Type of Character Head Modelling for Animation for Beginners

1. Pre-Modelling

• In the first step of process select a good quality reference photograph because in bad quality reference photographs you may face many problems in the modelling process.
• There can be a possibility that your model perfectly looks in orthographic view, but in perspective view, it doesn’t look like a character in reference.
• It is essential to take the reference photo of a character at the right angle or else you will waste your time in adjusting the mesh to make it look perfect.
• You have to take care of your camera’s focal length, the longer the focal length is, the more superior reference photographs you get.
• The model gets thicker than the reference, but you can always set it in the perspective view.
• Before importing the reference photograph in a 3D application, you have to make sure that your image fit with each other.
• If you need correct reference images in Photoshop or any other image editing software, next, you should take care of lighting so that you can avoid losing details.

2. Edge Planning and Topology

• Planning the topology before modelling is essential or else you will get lost in the maze of edge loops or lost control of the poly-count and end up wasting poly on unnecessary parts.
• First sketch the main shape of the head part then the base part. In 3D modelling, a good flow of topology is one of the key elements, especially in head modelling and human face.
• Due to poor topology and skinning, the polygonal shape can turn to be bad.
• With a messed up topology, the head model cannot do a single facial animation and even if it can the expression will look un-natural and distorted badly or it requires a lot of skinning/deform rigging work.
• During the animation, the head modelling has more screen time with many close-up shots that involve complex animation facial expression like smile, anger, sad etc. all bring up a different type of shapes and deformations stages of the face.
• A good topology creates a decent result with less poly count and smart topology helps in head modelling to be able to deform well into to any realistic expression.
• The shape of the head, wrinkles and expressions that are produced by muscles and the shape of the skull and muscles that are produced by the ‘smile lines’. An artist should study the movement and shape of the outside skin, not the muscle. So the topology should be on the major wrinkles which are formed by facial muscles.
• Character head modelling starts with the most identical wrinkles then building up intersected edge flows from that. As most of the human face are about 99% similar to each other in anatomy, so the topology would not change dramatically.

3. Modelling Rules

• Keep Poly-count low. Make use of four sides as much as possible and use triangle when it is needed, triangles help to save unnecessary edge loop and faces.
• Stay away from using more than four sides or poles. You may use poles in an area that is less seen in the model.
• The Polygon should always be in square shape, no long thin nor diamond shaped.
• The extreme bad case on topology is working at 45 degrees and the edge direction should not work across the curvature line of surfaces.

4. Polygon Modelling

• It is the basic and straight forward modelling process.
• Start creating a character face from shapes like sphere, cube or plane. First, cover out the overall shape of the head and delete unnecessary face and edge loop to make a basic topology and then work into fine detail by joining more edge and face around the area like nose, eye, mouth, ear etc.
• Polygon modelling allows you to have direct control over faces, edges and vertices. It requires a lot of editing work and sometimes does not work efficiently with surfaces that need high accuracy. Some of the artists prefer to draw curves that run along the prominent lines of the reference images and then edit the lines to form a head shape.
• Then eject around the lines and start forming separated parts of the face and then connect it together, continue adjusting the object until you get a completed face form.

5. Sub-D Modelling

• This method is similar to Polygon Modelling.
• After having the necessary head model, now you can go into detail by sub-dividing one more level to have more vertex for editing.
• This method helps you to adjust the overall shape of the object by editing at the lowest level of the mesh or object.

6. ZBrush/Mudbox Sculpting Software

• This Software can be used for model character head modelling, beginning from a zsphere or any head model and then continue with details.
• After the detailing, retopology tool can be used in Zbrush or resurface it with the new topology in 3Ds Max software to create a lower poly count model but still keeping the similar look of high resolution model.
• The advantage of this method is that you can detail the head model up to millions of polygon and the job of modelling and topology is separated.
• To create a 3D realistic face, you need to work on a successful model face from the start.

Click on below Video: Introduction to Character Modeling in Blender

 

Hope you enjoy the ideas and to learn more about character head modelling in Vadodara and would like to experience and practice on a more professional level, please sign up today for our Arena Sayajigunj Animation Courses.