A little help with character design?

[J-Dude]

Hmm...I'm not really sure I can do that now. Firstly, the ref shows the nose to come together at a single sharp point. But if you can find any DBZ images that contradict this well enough for me to try and change it, please post them, I just don't like straying from the ref if I'm not sure. Also, if you're referring to the red dots as welding points, I'll have to disagree. If you look at the side views, you'll see that the top vertices shape the beginning of the curvature of the head. Removing this wouldn't benefit much I don't think.

I agree with the rest of the edits, but If I use symmetry, which side should I use, the left view side or the right view side?

(Oh, by the way, Jasonc, I hate to go off-topic, but it looks like Goku's chin in your image isn't going down far enough, I can see in the ref, where its supposed to be sharp, its been moved to look rounded. Might want to fix that).

 

[J-Dude]

Really guys, before I continue and switch to using symmetry, I need to make certain a few things:

This would be the only sane opportunity I'd have of adding breadth to the nose if indeed it should be done that way. So if you can just give a single reference pic of Goku, Gohan or whoever with a thickness to their nose, I'll get right on it. I don't like going on whims if I can help it.

Oh, and no more need to worry about which side to use, I forgot that the right side was the one the ref was on anyway, lol. I thank you all for your support, opinions and simply taking time out of your days to lend a hand!

 

[J-Dude]

Okay, I deleted the left view half, added symmetry and made most of the prescribed changes. Its definitely looking good! Now that I have symmetry, I can use it to add thickness to the nose. Again, I'll only do that if I have a solid ref from the show/manga to show this thickness. I hope this is turning out well. It'll be tricky to add the bottom of the jaw and the rest of the head, but I think I'll manage. But that's later. Any more patch ups, anyone? Here's an update...

PS: sorry for long response. Lot's of stuff hapenned last week...graduation, DMV stuff, you know...

 

[-Blaze-]

Wow! you getting better within every update! I don't have crits.

 

[Almighty_Gir]

jdude, please use the edit button. you arent allowed to double post here, let alone triple post.

 

[J-Dude]

My apoligies, I just figured an edit wouldn't be noticed in the forum updates as opposed to a new post. You can delete any that are irrelevent now if you so desire.

Anyway, I'll probably want to begin on constructing the actual mouth. Probably be tricky because I have to extrude a proper opening, but I have experience with creatings mouths and should do fine. I'll have to account for making the mouth as large as possible on the inside so it can accomidate some of the more severe expressions like the yells and the furious teeth-grits, which require quite a bit of stretching on the face.

Making the teeth themselves will be rather tricky due to their unique anime shape.

The eyes will take the cake tho. I'm debating over whether I should detach the eyes as seperate objects to simplify pupil animation, or go through the grueling proces of correctly UVW mapping just the eyes on the face using seperate channels. It would probably be simpler to take the former course, but I'd have to watch out for making the eyes too tall and penetrating the eyebrows at the top when his eyes narrow. It'll be tricky indeed.

EDIT: UPDATE

Okay, no 2x post! Hope this registers!

Anyway, I think I'm going to use just plain character UVW for the eyes, since the map will stay the same while the eyes stretch to accomadate expression.

Added the bitmap for the eyes. I hope its the right size. I matched the position to the ref. It now has a more human feel instead of creepy blank eyes. Its still symmetry tho, so the eyes are not seperate yet.

I created the mouth, exterior and interior. Made it as large as possible inside so I have a large range of facial expression later. colored the inside of the mouth a rusty-red color. Made makeshift teeth. Will add tongue later. I tried to follow the shape of the lips to the ref as well as possible. I think it turned out pretty good! He now looks like a human being instead of a mouthless, pupil-less monster thing. I'm still waiting on the ref for the nose. I'm willing to change it, since the nose is a major feature I don't wanna screw up. Probably add ears soon and begin work on the rest of the head. I'll probably just use another plane and attach it, matych it to the ref and begin some serious welding work and try to get the polyflow to match.

Well, before I move on, tell me what I need! You guys are the bosses!

 

[Almighty_Gir]

er.... youve already proven you can edit your posts (im looking at your previous post). so theres no need to double post. you can also delete your posts, in the edit options.

dont do it again, you will recieve a formal warning next time.

 

[J-Dude]

I know, my browser crapped out for a sec. I thought my original post was gone. I saw that it was still there after reposting and edited it with that message. If I could delete my own posts entirely I would.

 

[davidhalo]

..You...can... ? ....

Click edit then in the edit box click delete.

 

[J-Dude]

Ah! Thanks! That helps!

EDIT:

Uh...*nervous chuckle* a little help...even just a ref of a nose...? Anybody...? Tips...? Crits...?


...dirty jokes...?

*UPDATE*

Okay, since I haven't gotten any crits or any refs for the nose, I decided to continue on more inconsequential parts of the head. It was a bit of a pain, but I tried to create the ears (attached and welded) and the rest of the head (not attached; seperate object). I'm rather confident that the main section of the head is innacurate, not having a real pic of his bald head to guide me. I think the ears are fine, just need a map for the details. As you can see, I left the head as only half a head so symmetry can do its job later.

Please draw over wherever you see an inconsitency/problem that makes your gut writhe.

Oh, and don't mind the details to the right of the head in the top view; That's just the inner mouth and teeth (or what are the teeth for now).

 

[-Blaze-]

Looks nice man, keep going. (as you sayd man )

 

[J-Dude]

(Thnx) Well...anybody...? I'm fairly sure the head is messed up...a little help...someone...?

 

[yopyop]

hm..don't model his (back)head..just do teh hair
^_^

 

[Theoboy]

Lookin good. Keep up the good work.

 

[ShadyD]

way too much polys on the back of the head
once you got that down, just extrde them and you have your hair.. after some editing off course

 

[J-Dude]

That'll be interesting for the polyflow, but should be doable (decreasing head polys).

I can't agree with just modelling hair. This character has different Super Saiyan hair too, and I don't want individual models for the Super Saiyan forms. I'll just add the ahir on top, it works fine when cell shaded. My method is to clone the polys of the head, delete everything but where the hair roots begin, and extrude from there as needed.

But I'm fairly confident that the shape of the head is incorrect. I can't put my finger on it, but it just looks wrong.

If anybody knows what's wrong with its shape, please inform me (perhaps with drawover telling me what the head's limits should be on the different sides, like a bounding box) I can't really go off any refs for this. The only bald characters are Krillin and Nappa, and both of them had irregular heads (Nappa's is stretched tall).

 

[TRSS]

well you have a good base, but the head is wayyy to round, and the entire model is riddled with 5 + sided polies, wich im suprised nobody has pointed out yet, also right now most of the face is horribly disfigured, just work on it and well see wat happens

 

[J-Dude]

Five sided polys...? I got rid of those...The eye and eyebrows (not pupil) are geometry, not maps, there are edge divisions between them, if that's what you're referring to. Yes, I agree on it being too round...but I'm not sure how it should look...

Also, I don't see where its disfigured. If you mean the parts that seem to protrude from the cheeks, that's just a viewport bug from the inside polys of the mouth being close. When rendered that isn't seen. So far, imo, the poly flow is working out nicely.

If you'd like to explain further what's wrong, please provide a drawover of what needs to be changed and what I may have missed. That to me is the most helpful form of aid.

 

[TRSS]

actually i was reffering down to the spot next to the mouth, also you shouldnt make the back of the head out of a sphere

 

[J-Dude]

Oh, I edited the above post on that, check what I added.

lol *scratched back of head nervously* you saw that huh? Well, I'm a bit of a beginner here with more humanoid characters. I tried starting out with a plane version, but it got really ugly. I didn't delete it, but I went with this instead. Any idea what I should start with?