How to make a head from a box (part two):

Making the eyelids on the basic head 

This is a tutorial on how to sculpt a featureless head from a cube with a minimum number of steps while attaining a model of  a high level of detail.   Some of the steps may not seem to have immediate purpose, but they're there in anticipation of later steps. This tutorial is meant to walk you through the construction of a generic head  that will serve as template for you to build upon. Almost each step is illustrated in the graphic on the right.

Fig. 0

1. hit tab key to go into metanurbs mode
2. select the rear polygons and hit "-" key to hide the polygons from view
3. go to the front view select the four polygons that forms the eye socket

Fig.1

1. smooth shift (offset 0) the polygons,  
    use stretch to adjust the width of the eyelid inside the eye socket., 
   then go to the profile view
   move the polygons a small distance into the eye socket.
2. go back to the front view
   smooth shift the polygons again
   use stretch tool to adjust the width of the polygons to fit inside the last ring of polygons
   go to profile view 
   move the polygons outwards from the eye socket. 
   adjust points and check with preview window, until eyelids are in desired shape
3. repeat step 2

Fig.2

1. make sure nothing is selected in both points and polygons modes
2. in polygon mode, select the ring of polygons that form the eyelid and eye socket
3. under the "polygon" tab, under "Revise", select the add points tool
4. use the add points tool to create new points parallel to the inner part of the middle horizontal line of the eyelid (do not add points to the ends)
5. switch to points mode
6. starting from an end select the points one by one in sequential order until you reach the other end
7. under the "polygon" tab, under "Revise", select the split tool. That should create a strip of polygons across the eyelid.
8. unselect points and polygons
9. use the drag points tool to shape the slit of the eyelid
10. when done dragging points, switch to polygon mode and select the polygons of the eye slit. 

Fig.3

Copyright © 2001 Mike Ling

fig.1
 

fig.2

fig.3

fig.4

Tools used in this tutorial

• add points
• merge points
• merge polygons
• metaform
• mirror tool
• set value
• smooth shift
• split polygon
• stretch
• subdivide polygon
• triple
  

Making the other side of the head via the mirror tool:

1. make sure the edge of the head is on the center line.
2. If not, use the move tool (t) to position the half head on the center line
3. Then switch to point mode and select the points along the center.
4. Then use set value (control-v) to zero out the positions of the points along the center. This insures that the points are perfectly centered which is what the automatic merge point feature requires..
5. switch back to polygon mode
6. use the mirror tool and then hit the "n" key for numeric input so it will mirror along the center line. hit return key.
7. use merge points (m) to merge the points along the seam between the head halves.
8. hit TAB to see the model in metanurb mode.

  Copyright © 2001 Mike Ling