Facial Modeling Concepts
Facial modeling is one of the most important tools in 3D animation. You need as realistic an image as possible when you model faces, which are detailed. It can be difficult to identify a face without the proper details (e.g. complexion). The most important concepts in facial modeling are those that relate to the basic structure of the face, although skin tone and eye color are important as well. Does this Spark an idea?
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Symmetry
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Symmetry is the most important concept in facial modeling. Humans faces are bilaterally symmetrical. Bilateral symmetry means it is the same on the left and right sides. Bilateral symmetry is contrasted with radial symmetry, which refers to something that can be cut into numerous equal-sized pieces. While human faces are not perfectly symmetrical (identical on both sides), they are generally symmetrical, as they have the same features on both sides. When modeling human faces, it is important to get as close as possible to the symmetry of the face being modeled.
Size
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Size comes into play in two places when modeling the human face. First, is the size of the face itself. This comes into play when modeling life-sized faces, as a life-sized face must match the length and width of the real face for it to be realistic. Second, are the relative sizes of facial features. For a modeled face to match a real face, the relative sizes of features -- for example, the ratio of eye width to nose width -- must be identical on the model as on the real face. Otherwise, the model will not be recognizable.
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Topology
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The topology of a face is the profile of protrusions and indentations on the face. Much like the planet has a topology consisting of mountains, plateaus and valleys, the human face has a topology consisting of various features. Protruding features include the nose and the lips, while indentations include eye sockets and dimples. Topology modeling is the hardest part of facial modeling, because it requires that you capture precise measurements and emulate them by modifying the squares on a 3D grid. This process usually takes hours, if not days.
Texture
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Texture is an important, but often overlooked, concept in facial modeling. In 3D modeling, the term "texture" refers to the pattern of color and shape seen on the surface of a 3D object. Texture can be seen in skin quality, facial hair and eye color. For example, the pattern of pores on the skin is a texture, because it is a patterned surface feature. It is important to model texture accurately, because these subtle details play an important role in determining whether the image looks like the face it models.
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References
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