Error Correction

[malik]

I am trying to model a head, and since I was never very good at drawing, its a struggle.
I keep telling myself that the next one will be better :rolleyes: Anyway, I have made a "pig's ear" of the ear lobe, and the more i try to stretch it squash it and push it into place the worse it looks. I want to get shot of it, and try that bit again. I tried to mask the area around it and smooth it a LOT to enable me to try again, but I still have bits poking out in annoying ways. Can anyone suggest a way to get rid of this bit, or will i have to start again and save the tool more regularly in future?

Paul

[Stonecutter]

Hi Paul...Welcome Aboard! :)

There are two ways to look at this...You could work and re-work the model you have, or start again...
The advantage in my opinion, would be gained by option 2...Starting again.
For one thing, what you have already done, will enable you to get back to the place you are now quicker this time. Each time you repeat the early process, you 'embed' the procedures more firmly in your mind, and that is true learning...Endlessly trying to 'fix' a model that isn't working will just cause frustration, and may very well build in bad habits.
Instead of modelling a head, why not just try modelling an ear first? What you learn from this will stay with you when you model the whole head...
Also you have to STUDY...
I don't mean CG, I mean art, anatomy, color theory, all the things that computers can't make up for if you lack the knowledge. ZBrush makes it easy to model, but WHAT you model depends on the knowledge base you have before you sit down at the computer... ;)

Here is a GOLDMINE of anatomical head references to get you started...
http://coldfusion.art.msstate.edu/camenisch/thehumanhead/reference.html

Put the time in to study, and your CG work will become much more like what you see in your mind when you start to work with the computer, and less disappointing than what you encounter if you depend on the software alone, without that knowledge...I hope you find this constructive and useful...

Stick with it...The payoff is great! :cool:

[malik]

Thanks
I dont mind study
and I dont mind trying again and again
as long as its not hopeless...

:)

[Stonecutter]

Good attitude Paul! :cool:

(And NOTHING is hopeless, except hopelessness... :)

[Polaris30]

Yea,

I am guilty of trying to make something work that is terminaly broken...

Here is a tip for first time modelers...

either initiate the sphere with alot more polys, or Devide the sphere to make more polys...

Dont try to make a lo-poly head the first try...

with more polys you will be able to mold the mesh more like clay, and you can work on your technique of makeing lips, ears, nose eyelids, pimples, and Toumourous growths alot easyer....

I used to spend Hours trying to get lips right and eyes right on a low poly head...
Moveing vertexes and polys around endlessly, and still getting undesired rough effects...

Then I started subdevideing meshes more to start with, and everything is 3000% easyer to make how I want it to look...

well I hope this helps you out... and like stonecutter said... Practice, and also look into NON-computer art techniques (Ceramics,oil painting, chalk pastels, and drawing to name a few)...

Hilights and shadows are realy important to make things look 3d also..

Well enough rambleing on... I am getting back to work makeing Video game charictors...

Hope this helps you out...

[Stonecutter]

I used to use the method Polaris suggests, I called it 'Magic Clay'... ;)
I would maximise the resolution of the sphere tool, then draw, using the ALT key to push in, and just draw to add to the model. I would control the intensity with the ZAdd setting, and use a varied brush size.
Well, thanks to Ken Brilliant, I learned that the way to go is to use a low-rez beginning, and use 'Edit->Move' instead...This lets you model the form efficiently, producing a clean mesh from the start. You then mask and divide as needed, to create more detail where needed...You'll find that a lot of the modellers here use this method to produce a rational mesh.

If you look at your model with 'Quick Edit, and PF' on, you'll see how messy and creased your mesh can become very quickly. Now if you only intend to work in ZBrush this isn't necessarily a problem, but the point is that you can get a clean mesh without all those polys by working methodically from the beginning, and moving points instead of drawing...If you set a higher brush size, and keep 'Quick Edit, PF' on, you can move a group of points...Change to a brush size of one, and you can move a single point, or with 'Symmetry' on, a matching pair of single points. The end result is a clean mesh that takes less time, and you don't have to 'repair' a damaged mesh. In the beginning, it feels like stapling spider web to soap bubbles, but once you learn how to do it, ZSpheres will become a magic shortcut to a 2 Density mesh that is easily detailed to suit your project, producing a mesh that is not only useful in ZBrush, but can be transferred to any other app as well...

Try modelling this way, and you might like the results...Put a low poly sphere into your doc, set 'Quick Edit, PF' on, and move some points...Then click off 'Quick Edit' take a look, then put it back on again. After a while, you'll learn that you can produce sharp edges, transitions of surface, and smooth blending of areas, with MUCH more control than just trying to draw them. For instance, pulling a row of points under another row produces a sharp crease like next to the nostril...Try it! :cool:

[malik]

Thank you both.
I will try both ways and see which works best for me.

Paul

[Polaris30]

Once again,

Stone cutter hit the nail on the head...

I use Ken Brillants method now also...

All I was saying about Hi-poly meshes is that it is easyer to practice Technique is all...

Thanks to Ken Brilliants TUTorial I make Lo-Poly Videogame models now :)