Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 1 08-02-2003 , 10:14 PM
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Head Modelling - Asking the Experts.. you guys.

Hi all,

I guess I could call myself still a newbie at Maya still , but I've been trying to model a female head for like 4 months now. And the more and more, I try the different tutorials the more my head's don't look like when they're supposed to at the end. I tried the "Hobbit Guy's", and some of the poly tut's out there.

I think I find it harder to learn from a sterile webpage, so I figured I'd attempt to ask you all, you tend to model a head every challenge and do a great job everytime. I was wondering if you could tell me your method on how you start to model a basic poly head. If it be starting with a sphere, a cylinder the Hobbit Guys etc. I'm sorta curious what the rest of you do. I'd appreciate any participation.

Thanx

# 2 08-02-2003 , 11:24 PM
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I start off with nurbs sphere and sculpt it to my refrenece pictures as close as i can. Once the nurbs head is in proportion i covert to polys to start cutting out the eyes mouth etc. Than its all about tweaking your model, going back and forth from sub-d to poly to start adding detail.... Once i learn who to video capture ill do a mall tut for you....


I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb
# 3 09-02-2003 , 12:17 AM
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Kurt, Mike's way is to start with poly cube then start cutting it to the shape, but what tool is used for cutting and how dose it exacly work?

btw, your way isn't weird, in fact it sounds easier to mike poly method.


Yeah, but no but yeah but no....
# 4 09-02-2003 , 01:06 AM
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If you Go to the help menu for Polygons>Average Vertices, there is a section called "Emulating Subdivision Surface Workflows." I use use this method since I don't have subdivisions to work with. Your face will always be smooth and it's easy to manipulate everything. I have also seen magnificent faces made through patch modeling, although I don't believe many people here at Simply Maya use that particular technique. Here's a site that explains a lot about patch modeling if you're interested. I personally hate it. https://coldfusion.art.msstate.edu/ca...ead/NURBS.html

The navigation for the site is in the upper left hand corner.

# 5 09-02-2003 , 01:23 AM
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Great site darkware. Will help me out a bit=)


I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb
# 6 09-02-2003 , 04:57 AM
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It's all a matter of preferences and workflow. user added image

# 7 09-02-2003 , 08:55 AM
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Kurt: I am very interested in your modelling technique and use somewhat the same method (swithing from sub-d to poly and vice versa).

I think it would be cool if you gave us the opportunity to se how you work by making a video tut. Some inspiration would be appreciated.

Go ahead - make us a tutorial


Kühl
# 8 09-02-2003 , 09:02 AM
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there is one tutorial @ maya3d.dk

thats the way that is easier according to me.... start out with a cube extrude extrude and split split split, move the vertexes and faces along... finally smooth it out.... works great...

check the tutorial out: maya3d.dk

hope it helps,
Tariq

# 9 12-02-2003 , 01:32 PM
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head modelling

Hi,

the approach I use is as mentioned above>

nurbs sphere>poly>cut/chop, etc>then use CPS poly tools for Maya.

Another cool and FUN thing to do is to duplicate your original head at unsmoothed level several times. Smooth/Sub the original head and use the other 'unsmoothed' head to create a blendshape node on the base SubD head.

Create some extreme shapes on the duplicated meshes and then, here is the fun part>

Sculpt, in real time, the base SubD head using blendshape with sliders from the blendshape panel. When your happy with a new shape just freeze the geomety and you have a wonderful new base head shape.

Hope this helps

re Jim


Mayan elder......only in years.....
# 10 12-02-2003 , 03:31 PM
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the technique with the most success i had was to model the area around the eyes first,then the nose separately as well as the mouth....when these are through i connect them all to form a mask..thn i make the ears..after that is thru i sculpt a oly sphere to make it like the shape of the head then dlete some polys and connecting them to form a head...delete some more from the bottom then extrude it...this will be the neck


:-)
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