Doc:Tutorials/Modelling/BSoD/People, People! II

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[edit] The Mouth

Before we start on the mouth, let's see what our head will look like with two halves. To do this, add the Mirror Modifier found in the same place where we added the Subsurf Modifier. Once you've done this, go into OBJECT mode TAB and scale the head by 0.7 in the X axis as it's a little bit too fat. Go back into EDIT mode and note how changes you make to one side of the face will automatically be applied to the other side. However, the nose is not connected in the middle, so select the Do Clipping option in the Modifier settings. Now, move the centre verts of the nose towards the middle of the face, and watch as they snap to the correct position. You may also want to make the eyes a bit narrower, as they have probably become a bit round in the scaling. Next up we need to cut a few more horizontal loops for the mouth. Cut below the nose until you get something that looks like this.

To make the mouth simply select the two verts in the centre two loops below the nose. Move your mouse above them and press V to rip them off. We actually need four verts on each side to create the lips, so select the two verts on the left hand side of the upper mouth and subdivide them, then repeat with the lower lip.

[edit] The Lips

To make the lips, select the upper verts of the mouth, but NOT the corner vert, if you look at your own lips, you will note that both the upper and lower lips come to a point in each corner.

Go into SIDE view and translate these verts out away from the face by about 0.08. Do the same with the lower verts of the mouth. The image you see here will look slightly different to yours, as I have manipulated my mouth into a smile in FRONT view just by translating verts, as shown,.

Next we want to extrude the same verts. The lower lips should be extruded upwards, the upper lips downwards. However, we now have a gaping hole at the sides of the mouth. To fix this, select the corner vert and the next two verts along on the upper lip and create a new face. As a reminder, we create faces with the F command. Repeat this process with the lower lip.

Repeat the above process but with the new verts we've just created. However, instead of extruding up and down like before, once you've selected the correct verts go into SIDE view and extrude them back into the mouth, then create the new faces at the corners. Note how I go into WIREFRAME mode when I need to see behind other faces. This isn't compulsory, again, you need to find what works best for you. Remember to do this for both the upper and lower lips.

Go back into FRONT view and translate the new verts you've just created for the upper lip downwards slightly. Now move the upper verts of the upper lip upwards a bit so the lips are a bit fuller.

[edit] Angles And Stuff

We have most of the features of our face, but it's all a little flat at the moment. We need to angle the face in a bit so it's more angular. We'll start under the eyes. The easiest way to do this is to freely rotate around the head using the  MMB and translate verts using the 3D Widget until a satisfactory shape starts to come out. In general, you'll be moving verts between the eyes and mouth inwards and backwards. Try to get a nice gentle angle, so you don't get creases (folds in the skin). Remember that moving the verts above or below the level you're currently editing will also affect the area, and can be useful to keep the skin smooth. This is the area where you can really personalise your face, giving him (or her) more prominent cheekbones, harsh straight angles or soft rounded curves -- the choice is yours.

[edit] The Chin

Next up, the chin! This is actually the final "feature" of the face, we won't be needing ears as this will be mounted as a frieze style thing. Anyways, we're gonna need one final loop cut just between the lowest two loops of the face in FRONT view, so do that now. Go into SIDE view and translate the middle four verts outwards, then the lower two verts of these four downwards. Now all we have to do is smooth the lower corners of the face out a bit. First though, select the back vertical line of verts in SIDE view and then move them inwards in FRONT view. This will just make it easier to mould the jawline.

Next up repeat what you did in Angles, translating verts backwards and inwards to create a nice angled face. Again, feel free to use your artistic lisense -- you don't need to get exactly the same result as I get here.

[edit] The Final Forehead

Finally, the forehead. Go to FRONT view and make a couple more horizontal loop cuts above the eye. Once again translate verts inwards and backwards to create a domed shape. It's pretty hard to get this part just right, but keep on manipulating verts one by one and the correct shape will emerge. Rotating the view using the  MMB is invaluable here, as is the 3D Widget,

once more.

And that's it for this tut, you probably feel it's a bit... incomplete? But fear not! We shall be creating the rest of the frieze next time when we explore the wonderful world of curves.