Create reference pictures in 3D Studio MAX according to picture below . Change Left view to Right view.
Start the modeling by creating a plane object in the Front view. Change the width and height segments in the plane object to one. Turn the plane object into Editable Poly (right-click the plane object in modify panel and choose Editable Poly from the menu) Now the object is Editable Poly so you can freely edit it by working in sub-object modes. Activate vertex sub-object mode and move the vertices of the polygon approximately according to picture 1.
Every time you move vertices, segments or polygons or you create new polygons, make sure you check their location both in Front and Right views.
Create 8 new polygons by copying edges:
Activate edge sub-object mode in Editable Poly
Choose the edge you want to copy
Press shift in keyboard and move the edge
Place the new polygons approximately according to picture 2. Remember that you can move polygons in several different ways:
in vertex sub-object mode you can move vertices (the most flexible way)
in edge sub-object mode you can move edges
in polygon sub-object mode you can move polygons
Add symmetry modifier to the model. If necessary adjust the settings of the symmetry modifier. The Symmetry modifier is used to mirror the object horizontally. We still continue to work on the left side of the 3D model and the right side is constructed automatically because of the Symmetry modifier. Now the 3D model should look like in the picture 3.
Choose Editable Poly from the modifier stack and turn on "Show end result on / off toggle ". Now you can see the effect of the Symmetry modifier even when you are working in Editable Poly section.
Add Meshsmooth modifier on top of Symmetry modifier and set iterations to 2. Now you see what the complete surface will look like. While working it's often recommended to turn off the Meshsmooth modifier but turn it on every time you want to see the final surface. If meshmooth modifier is on, the model can be too complicated for hardware and the modeling might slow down.
Create new polygons by copying edges. Activate edge sub-object mode in Editable Poly. First choose 9 edges surrounding the lips and copy them by pressing shift in keyboard and using the scale function in 3DS MAX. (You can always copy objects by pressing shift key and using move, rotate or scale functions). Place the new polygons according to picture 4. Repeat the operation and create another ring of polygons to the mouth according to picture 5. Now the outer side of the mouth is complete.
Activate the polygon sub-object mode and choose any polygon of the mouth. Press shift in keyboard and copy the polygon under the eye according to picture 1. While copying you are asked whether you want the new polygon to be a separate object or part of the current object. Choose the default option (clone to element). Now the new polygon is part of the same object you have been working on so far.
Create 9 new polygons by copying edges and place them approximately according to picture 2.
At the moment there is a small gap between two polygons under the eye. Remove the gap by using Editable Poly's Target Weld function in edge sub-object mode:
Activate the edge sub-object mode
Activate Target Weld mode
Click and hold on top of another edge and move it on top of the edge you want to weld it with. Two edges are welded into one.
Activate the border sub-object mode in Editable Poly. In the border mode you can select all edges that circle the element by one click. Click one of the outer edges to select all outer edges (border) of the eye. Create new polygons by scaling with shift key pressed and place them according to picture 3.
Now the socket for the eye is complete. Later you might be interested about how to create eyes in 3DS MAX.
Create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 4. Start from the corner of the eye and remember to check location of each polygon both in Front and Right views. Use Editable Poly's Target Weld if necessary.
Create four new polygons according to picture 5 by using Editable Poly's Create function. Creating four sided polygons with Create function: Click Create button
Click on top of the first vertex
Click on top of the second vertex
Click on top of the third vertex
Double click on top of the fourth vertex
Divide the two upper polygons into three parts according to picture 1 by using Editable Poly's Cut function. Using the Cut:
Click Cut button in polygon sub-object mode.
Click on the left edge of the left polygon.
Click on the shared edge of the polygons.
Click on the right edge of the right polygon.
Click the right mouse button twice to stop using the Cut.
After cutting the polygons place them according to picture 1.
Fill the hole in the nose by creating 9 new polygons according to picture 2. Create the new polygons by copying edges and using Editable Poly's Create function. Use Target Weld to weld vertices together when necessary.
Create two new polygons by copying edges and place them according to the picture 3.
Always remember to weld edges or vertices of adjacent polygons by using Editable Poly's Target Weld function. There should never be duplicate vertices or edges in a 3D model.
Fill the hole in the lower part of the nose by creating 7 new four edged polygons according to picture 4. There will be a hole in the middle of the new polygons for the nostril.
Fill the hole with one three sided polygon and one four sided polygon. Select the two new polygons and create the nostril by using Editable Poly's Extrude function according to picture 5:
Find a view like in picture 5
Click on the Extrude button
Click and hold on top of the selected polygons and move the mouse
Create 8 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 1. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
Create 6 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 2. Like you notice the location of the polygons doesn't exactly follow the profile in the reference picture. The less polygons there are in the model, the more the form must be exaggerated.
In this tutorial the goal is to use as little polygons as possible but still to create reasonably realistic head. Remember that the final surface is formed only when the Meshsmooth modifier is turned on. You should try the effect of the Meshsmooth modifier every now and then.
Create new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 3. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
Fill the hole in the face by creating new polygons according to picture 4. Now the face is complete and it should look approximately like in picture 4. This is a good stage to fix characteristics of the face if necessary. Next you will model the back of the head, the neck and the ear.
Create 10 new four sided polygons to the lower part of the jaw and place them according to picture 5.
Create 10 new polygons by copying edges according to picture 1. A hole will be left to the location of the ear at this stage. The ear is modeled and attached to the model later as a separate object because of its complexity.
Create 12 new polygons by copying edges according to picture 2. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
Create 20 new polygons to the back of the head by copying edges according to picture 3. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
Create 6 new polygons to the neck by copying edges and place them according to picture 4. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
3D model of the head is now complete besides the ear. This is a good stage to fix characteristics of the head if necessary. Finalizing the forms of the head is easier now that the model is complete. The model should look like approximately like in picture 5.
Hide the 3D model of the head and create a new plane object in the Right view. Change the width and height segments in the plane object to one.
Turn the plane object into Editable Poly and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 1.
Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld function to weld polygons together when necessary.
Create 4 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 2. Remember to check the location and orientation of the polygons both in the Right and Front views.
Select 8 edges and create 8 new polygons by copying the selected edges inwards according to picture 3.
Create 8 new polygons to the deepest part of the ear according to picture 4. Notice that all 8 polygons are four sided (quads) even though some of them might look like three sided.
Select 11 edges and create new polygons by copying selected edges inwards according to picture 5. Notice that two vertices must be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld in the location marked with yellow circle.
Select 10 edges and create new polygons inside the ear by copying edges according to picture 1. Notice, that in three places (marked with yellow circles) vertices have to be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld.
Select 11 edges and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 2.
Finalize the inner part of the ear by creating new polygons according to picture 3. I count 15 new four sided polygons. Don't worry if you create more or less than 15 polygons. At this stage it's not that important how many polygons there are but how the ear looks like.
Select 14 edges and create new polygons by copying edges towards the head according to picture 4. Notice that in four places (marked with yellow circles) vertices have to be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld.
Select 13 edges in the back of the ear and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 5.
Create 8 new polygons to the back of the ear according to picture 1. The idea is to decrease the amount of polygons so that it would be easier to attach the ear to the 3D-model of the head.
Now the ear is complete and next you will attach it to the 3D model of the head. Activate the border sub-object mode and select all the edges surrounding the hole according to picture 2.
After that click Editable Poly's "Create Shape From Selection" button. Choose Linear as a Shape Type and click OK. You just created a new spline object. Hide the ear and unhide the head. The situation should now be similar to picture 3.
Activate vertex sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's Attach button to attach the spline object to the head. Spline object will disappear and its vertices are now part of the 3D-model of the head. Activate polygon sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's Create function to create 13 new polygons according to the picture 4. Now there is a hole in the head which matches exactly to the hole in the ear.
Unhide the ear and attach it to the head by using Editable Poly's Attach function. Now the head and the ear are the same object but there are duplicate vertices in the seam which must be welded. Select all the vertices (24) in the seam and click Editable Poly's settings button next to the Weld button. Rise the Weld threshold value big enough so that the amount in After is 12 less than the amount in Before. Click OK.
Move vertices in the ear and around it to make the ear look as natural as possible. Also fix other parts of the head if necessary.
Activate border sub-object mode and select all edges surrounding the eye hole and create new polygons by copying edges inwards according to picture 1.
Select 9 edges surrounding the hole in the mouth and create new polygons by copying edges inwards according to picture 2.
Activate polygon sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's "Hide Selected" and "Hide Unselected" buttons to hide all polygons except the ones surrounding the mouth. Create new polygons inside the mouth according to picture 3.
Unhide all polygons and finalize the head. The head is now easier to finalize because all polygons have been created. The complete 3D model could look for example like in picture 4.
Start the modeling by creating a plane object in the Front view. Change the width and height segments in the plane object to one. Turn the plane object into Editable Poly (right-click the plane object in modify panel and choose Editable Poly from the menu) Now the object is Editable Poly so you can freely edit it by working in sub-object modes. Activate vertex sub-object mode and move the vertices of the polygon approximately according to picture 1.
Every time you move vertices, segments or polygons or you create new polygons, make sure you check their location both in Front and Right views.
pic-1
Create 8 new polygons by copying edges:
Activate edge sub-object mode in Editable Poly
Choose the edge you want to copy
Press shift in keyboard and move the edge
Place the new polygons approximately according to picture 2. Remember that you can move polygons in several different ways:
in vertex sub-object mode you can move vertices (the most flexible way)
in edge sub-object mode you can move edges
in polygon sub-object mode you can move polygons
pic-2
Add symmetry modifier to the model. If necessary adjust the settings of the symmetry modifier. The Symmetry modifier is used to mirror the object horizontally. We still continue to work on the left side of the 3D model and the right side is constructed automatically because of the Symmetry modifier. Now the 3D model should look like in the picture 3.
pic-3
Choose Editable Poly from the modifier stack and turn on "Show end result on / off toggle ". Now you can see the effect of the Symmetry modifier even when you are working in Editable Poly section.
Add Meshsmooth modifier on top of Symmetry modifier and set iterations to 2. Now you see what the complete surface will look like. While working it's often recommended to turn off the Meshsmooth modifier but turn it on every time you want to see the final surface. If meshmooth modifier is on, the model can be too complicated for hardware and the modeling might slow down.
Create new polygons by copying edges. Activate edge sub-object mode in Editable Poly. First choose 9 edges surrounding the lips and copy them by pressing shift in keyboard and using the scale function in 3DS MAX. (You can always copy objects by pressing shift key and using move, rotate or scale functions). Place the new polygons according to picture 4. Repeat the operation and create another ring of polygons to the mouth according to picture 5. Now the outer side of the mouth is complete.
pic-4
pic-5
Activate the polygon sub-object mode and choose any polygon of the mouth. Press shift in keyboard and copy the polygon under the eye according to picture 1. While copying you are asked whether you want the new polygon to be a separate object or part of the current object. Choose the default option (clone to element). Now the new polygon is part of the same object you have been working on so far.
pic-1
Create 9 new polygons by copying edges and place them approximately according to picture 2.
At the moment there is a small gap between two polygons under the eye. Remove the gap by using Editable Poly's Target Weld function in edge sub-object mode:
Activate the edge sub-object mode
Activate Target Weld mode
Click and hold on top of another edge and move it on top of the edge you want to weld it with. Two edges are welded into one.
pic-2
Activate the border sub-object mode in Editable Poly. In the border mode you can select all edges that circle the element by one click. Click one of the outer edges to select all outer edges (border) of the eye. Create new polygons by scaling with shift key pressed and place them according to picture 3.
Now the socket for the eye is complete. Later you might be interested about how to create eyes in 3DS MAX.
pic-3
Create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 4. Start from the corner of the eye and remember to check location of each polygon both in Front and Right views. Use Editable Poly's Target Weld if necessary.
pic-4
Create four new polygons according to picture 5 by using Editable Poly's Create function. Creating four sided polygons with Create function: Click Create button
Click on top of the first vertex
Click on top of the second vertex
Click on top of the third vertex
Double click on top of the fourth vertex
pic-5
Divide the two upper polygons into three parts according to picture 1 by using Editable Poly's Cut function. Using the Cut:
Click Cut button in polygon sub-object mode.
Click on the left edge of the left polygon.
Click on the shared edge of the polygons.
Click on the right edge of the right polygon.
Click the right mouse button twice to stop using the Cut.
After cutting the polygons place them according to picture 1.
pic-1
Fill the hole in the nose by creating 9 new polygons according to picture 2. Create the new polygons by copying edges and using Editable Poly's Create function. Use Target Weld to weld vertices together when necessary.
pic-2
Create two new polygons by copying edges and place them according to the picture 3.
pic-3
Always remember to weld edges or vertices of adjacent polygons by using Editable Poly's Target Weld function. There should never be duplicate vertices or edges in a 3D model.
Fill the hole in the lower part of the nose by creating 7 new four edged polygons according to picture 4. There will be a hole in the middle of the new polygons for the nostril.
pic-4
Fill the hole with one three sided polygon and one four sided polygon. Select the two new polygons and create the nostril by using Editable Poly's Extrude function according to picture 5:
Find a view like in picture 5
Click on the Extrude button
Click and hold on top of the selected polygons and move the mouse
pic-5
Create 8 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 1. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
pic-1
Create 6 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 2. Like you notice the location of the polygons doesn't exactly follow the profile in the reference picture. The less polygons there are in the model, the more the form must be exaggerated.
In this tutorial the goal is to use as little polygons as possible but still to create reasonably realistic head. Remember that the final surface is formed only when the Meshsmooth modifier is turned on. You should try the effect of the Meshsmooth modifier every now and then.
pic-2
Create new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 3. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
pic-3
Fill the hole in the face by creating new polygons according to picture 4. Now the face is complete and it should look approximately like in picture 4. This is a good stage to fix characteristics of the face if necessary. Next you will model the back of the head, the neck and the ear.
pic-4
Create 10 new four sided polygons to the lower part of the jaw and place them according to picture 5.
pic-5
Create 10 new polygons by copying edges according to picture 1. A hole will be left to the location of the ear at this stage. The ear is modeled and attached to the model later as a separate object because of its complexity.
pic-1
Create 12 new polygons by copying edges according to picture 2. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
pic-2
Create 20 new polygons to the back of the head by copying edges according to picture 3. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
pic-3
Create 6 new polygons to the neck by copying edges and place them according to picture 4. Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld when necessary.
pic-4
3D model of the head is now complete besides the ear. This is a good stage to fix characteristics of the head if necessary. Finalizing the forms of the head is easier now that the model is complete. The model should look like approximately like in picture 5.
pic-5
Hide the 3D model of the head and create a new plane object in the Right view. Change the width and height segments in the plane object to one.
Turn the plane object into Editable Poly and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 1.
Remember to use Editable Poly's Target Weld function to weld polygons together when necessary.
pic-1
Create 4 new polygons by copying edges and place them according to picture 2. Remember to check the location and orientation of the polygons both in the Right and Front views.
pic-2
Select 8 edges and create 8 new polygons by copying the selected edges inwards according to picture 3.
pic-3
Create 8 new polygons to the deepest part of the ear according to picture 4. Notice that all 8 polygons are four sided (quads) even though some of them might look like three sided.
pic-4
Select 11 edges and create new polygons by copying selected edges inwards according to picture 5. Notice that two vertices must be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld in the location marked with yellow circle.
pic-5
Select 10 edges and create new polygons inside the ear by copying edges according to picture 1. Notice, that in three places (marked with yellow circles) vertices have to be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld.
pic-1
Select 11 edges and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 2.
pic-2
Finalize the inner part of the ear by creating new polygons according to picture 3. I count 15 new four sided polygons. Don't worry if you create more or less than 15 polygons. At this stage it's not that important how many polygons there are but how the ear looks like.
pic-3
Select 14 edges and create new polygons by copying edges towards the head according to picture 4. Notice that in four places (marked with yellow circles) vertices have to be welded by using Editable Poly's Target Weld.
pic-4
Select 13 edges in the back of the ear and create new polygons by copying edges according to picture 5.
Create 8 new polygons to the back of the ear according to picture 1. The idea is to decrease the amount of polygons so that it would be easier to attach the ear to the 3D-model of the head.
pic-1
Now the ear is complete and next you will attach it to the 3D model of the head. Activate the border sub-object mode and select all the edges surrounding the hole according to picture 2.
pic-2
After that click Editable Poly's "Create Shape From Selection" button. Choose Linear as a Shape Type and click OK. You just created a new spline object. Hide the ear and unhide the head. The situation should now be similar to picture 3.
pic-3
Activate vertex sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's Attach button to attach the spline object to the head. Spline object will disappear and its vertices are now part of the 3D-model of the head. Activate polygon sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's Create function to create 13 new polygons according to the picture 4. Now there is a hole in the head which matches exactly to the hole in the ear.
pic-4
Unhide the ear and attach it to the head by using Editable Poly's Attach function. Now the head and the ear are the same object but there are duplicate vertices in the seam which must be welded. Select all the vertices (24) in the seam and click Editable Poly's settings button next to the Weld button. Rise the Weld threshold value big enough so that the amount in After is 12 less than the amount in Before. Click OK.
Move vertices in the ear and around it to make the ear look as natural as possible. Also fix other parts of the head if necessary.
Activate border sub-object mode and select all edges surrounding the eye hole and create new polygons by copying edges inwards according to picture 1.
pic-1
Select 9 edges surrounding the hole in the mouth and create new polygons by copying edges inwards according to picture 2.
pic-2
Activate polygon sub-object mode and use Editable Poly's "Hide Selected" and "Hide Unselected" buttons to hide all polygons except the ones surrounding the mouth. Create new polygons inside the mouth according to picture 3.
pic-3
Unhide all polygons and finalize the head. The head is now easier to finalize because all polygons have been created. The complete 3D model could look for example like in picture 4.
pic-4
