Hi all

I've learnt that the only way to really get a awsome look with texture is either zBrush and photoshop and that you should uv map humans because if you use the Maya procedural shades and apply them directly to selected vertices or faces, then there's no blending. Now I understand a little more what UV is about and why it's extensively applied to human faces especially.

I'm quite disappointed Maya doesn't have the direct 2.5D texturing like ZBrush. It just means CG artists like me have to fork out double the cash to get Maya and ZBrush instead of just one app plus of course, the indispensable Photoshop. If Photoshop itself can be included like a plug-in in Maya, then wow..how much easier would UV and human face texturing be doing everything within one application! I really wish Autodesk, Adobe and Pixologic can cooperate together on this to make a more convenient pipeline for the good of CG artists.

UV-ing or shading the head as photorealistically as possible is only the start for me because my objective is to make an animation of a close-up face to face dialogue (as in a conversation). Can you imagine a (future) time when there will be no need for actors anymore because CG artists can make nearly photorealistic heads for animations? Do you think Avatar is taking us in that direction?

P.S. >>
The sample head I'm working on is actually the sample provided by the ZBrush 30-day trial and it has creases and muscle lines (work from ZBrush can get really detailed). I will need to place muscles and align it with the creases in order to make a photorealistic animation as well as align the bump map carefully in UV. Better to do direct painting in ZBrush (Projection Master?) Any tips?

And voila! here's my head at the current moment. Please comment!