Modeling Heads in 3DS Max

[GnoobSauce]

Hey, I'm having trouble making heads for the models I make. I was wondering if someone knows a good strategy to make heads. I looked at the tutorials over at wc3c and that "origami" type of modeling heads was just way too advanced... or strange for me to understand. I model in 3ds Max 9 and I prefer using a box or cube as my start, but I'm open to other suggestions as long as they are helpful to me.

Thanks,
GnoobSauce

 

[TDR]

poopinmymouth is a beginner's best friend:
http://www.mr-chompers.com/tutorial/video/delilah_04_head_modeling.zip
http://www.mr-chompers.com/tutorial/video/head.zip

Check out all his stuff actually:
http://www.poopinmymouth.com/tutorial/tutorial.htm

 

[GnoobSauce]

Thank you TDR, as these will be very useful when I go to animate my model as well. You've been very helpful to me learning.

 

[HappyTauren]

What I do, is simply starting from the box, then shaping it with max's shaping tools. I don't use any reference images (the ones placed in max itself), because that way you will never improve yourself.

 

[TDR]

dude, you know I respect you and shit, but what you just said there is utter bullshit. THE best way to improve is to use references. Using blueprints for modeling heads is EXTREMELY helpful in the learning process. If you do them from imagination they'll always come out shit, unless you're an expert in facial anatomy. Photo references are not enough. You must do at least one head from blueprints in your life if you really want to become good at it.

 

[HappyTauren]

Really? I never did that, the only things I do is using references from google, and looking at the browser while I model (alt+tab)
But I don't put the reference into background of the main viewport. I guess I should do it sometimes

 

[TDR]

no, you should just chose "View Image File..." from the File menu....

 

[mokkil123]

go look here: http://area.autodesk.com/index.php/tutorials/tutorial_index/human_face_modeling_mouth_part_1

the other parts is in the bottom theres some links to eyelid, nose and face area

 

[BlinkBoy]

The best is the origami's style for beginers. I myself dislike box modeling since you need either references or a lot of experience.

I'll give you a suggestion, the best is to start in box modelling so you get some experience and learn to use most common tools like weld, collapse, chamfer, cut, etc. Then try jigrael's style, it's very good for producing low poly heads.

 

[HappyTauren]

What is jigrael's style?

 

[mokkil123]

no clue...

 

[SuPa-]

If by "style" you mean the way he models, he does edge extrusions I think, that's what I do

 

[TDR]

The best is the origami's style for beginers. I myself dislike box modeling since you need either references or a lot of experience.

You ALWAYS need references, there's no way to make something truly awesome if you don't use a lot of references...box modeling is good when you model something without blueprints, and you want to spend more time on getting the proportions right, and it's easier to do that with just a box. The edge-extrude method is good when following blueprints, because the the proportions are already there, you don't have to eyeball them...though I personally still use box modeling when working with blueprints too, I just like box modeling more.

 

[mokkil123]

i almsot never use references, i think i need to use them a little more, right now i only use them when i model faces and guns

 

[BlinkBoy]

You ALWAYS need references, there's no way to make something truly awesome if you don't use a lot of references...box modeling is good when you model something without blueprints, and you want to spend more time on getting the proportions right, and it's easier to do that with just a box. The edge-extrude method is good when following blueprints, because the the proportions are already there, you don't have to eyeball them...though I personally still use box modeling when working with blueprints too, I just like box modeling more.

Let me correct myself, I need more references in box modelling than in edge folding. I normally use one perspective for edge-folding, when in box modelling I happen to need more( most of the times the 3 perspectives/blueprints, i'm such a noob, ).

 

[TDR]

I don't really get why you need more when box modeling but anyway, everyone has his methods
And again, NOT using references is the ultimate mistake that almost everyone makes...and then people wonder why their stuff doesn't look as cool as the stuff they see on cgtalk...well references make all the difference, trust me...and mastery of the craft too (duh...), but references play a HUGE part.

 

[mokkil123]

yeah i know im gonna use references alot more in the future...

off-topic: CGtalk is the best artist community, CGtalk FTW!

 

[BlinkBoy]

by references you mean blueprints and wallpapers or just blueprints? cause it's true that no one can ever make a model without a single wallpaper.

 

[HappyTauren]

cause it's true that no one can ever make a model without a single wallpaper.

wrong.... It is just much harder.

 

[TDR]

by references you mean blueprints and wallpapers or just blueprints? cause it's true that no one can ever make a model without a single wallpaper.

by references I don't mean blueprints, I mean any kind of picture related to what you want to do. For example, if you want to make some kind of strange freaky alien, you might want to check out various pictures of insects, octopus, other weird sea creatures, caterpillars, etc. It really helps you make everything more believable. Just look how fucking awesome this caterpillar looks:

You could take that head as it is and put it on a freaky body and that's the alien, and no one would ever know . And you have in there all the information you need, the texture, the surface, shapes, etc...
Trust me, EVERYONE in the real industry uses it. There's no such thing as being so experienced that you don't need references anymore. Even the old masters did it, they had models pose for every character in every painting they made, there's barely anything made completely out from their imagination.

 

[SuPa-]

The old masters had no imagination That caterpillar looks awesome! Anway... references are good I usually use other 3d models as references instead of pictures, though xD I don't know why...

 

[TDR]

why the heck to you type everything in magenta!?

 

[SuPa-]

Because I can! And it's the closest thing to my pink name in chat

 

[TDR]

But it's freakin annoying man! makes you look like a terranup

 

[BlinkBoy]

wrong.... It is just much harder.

well I have never made something without a picture or something. I have no imagination for making something out of nothing.

 

[mokkil123]

i usually draw before i model anything, thats why i almost never use references

 

[TDR]

well of course you draw your idea man, I'm not saying now that you must take various parts of various animals as they are and pile them up...that caterpillar thing was a bad example in what I'm trying to illustrate I guess, because what I mean is after you make your sketch, you should look at references for the details and for more inspiration, because I bet you can't capture that in your drawing. And even if you can, using real life reference is always better....if you have a creature with a chitinous shell, look at some bugs and see how that looks...if you have an armor, look at some armor pieces to see the bends and dents and all that details...see what I'm trying to say here?

 

[mokkil123]

yes i see it