Modeling a Skull - open to suggestions - Simply Maya User Community

# 1 15-10-2014 , 07:21 PM

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Modeling a Skull - open to suggestions

Hey everyone. Ive just finished modeling my first rough sketch/model of a human skull. Here are some images. Im open to suggestions on helping my model look more realistic. I know there is an issue with the lower jaw. and the fitting of the teeth together. but if there are any other suggestions you all may have i'd love to hear it. my next step will be adding a bone texture, and later animating the skull cracking, falling off, and revealing gears, cogs, and other mechanics along with a ticking clock in replacement of a brain. ready.. GO

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# 2 15-10-2014 , 07:55 PM

EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Toronto

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That's a good start. It looks like it's got some character. If you want to go more realistic, I would suggest taking a close look at more skull references. The front of the lower jaw looks quite flat. The zygomatic arch should be quite narrow and be more of a bridge than a region with an indentation. The orbit (eye socket) should be quite a bit sharper. There are a few other features that seem to be missing or too subtle (anterior nasal spine, mastoid process) but that should give you a start on things to tweak.

-stwert

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# 3 20-10-2014 , 07:16 PM

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what do you mean by shaper in the eye sockets? also, can you help me understand what part of the zygomatic arch should be like a bridge and more narrow. by narrow do you mean narrow vertically or horizontally more narrow. and which part should be like a bridge, the area closer to the eye sockets, as if the indentation were to have a tube towards the eyes from where the ears are?

sorry that i don't fully understand exactly what you are referring to, but i understand the gist of your suggestions. I really appreciate the constructive criticism!

I do intend to add the nasal details as well.

ill re-post photos once i take the jaw in and make it more realistic

anyone else have suggestions??

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# 4 20-10-2014 , 07:28 PM

EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Toronto

Posts: 3,374

By sharper in the eye sockets I mean the transition from outside the socket to inside should be less smooth. As if there is a defined edge. The best way to understand the zygomatic arch is to look at reference. Check out the zygote body: https://www.zygotebody.com/#nav=-0.33,152.14,33.31
Search for "skull" in the search box and rotate around it a bit. You can see that is just a narrow band of bone from the cheekbone to the side of the head.

-stwert

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# 5 17-11-2014 , 11:53 PM

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Update /w UV texture

Hey everyone, I've spend a good amount of hours working on the model, as well as now applying a UV/texture map to the skull. I know the lighting is a bit harsh, and the teeth look a little like porcelain or fake, and i will work on this, but let me know what you guys think about the UV mapping. Still working with merging/sewing some of the UV edges to ensure a smooth texture without lines.

Additionally, for the next step of my project, i would like to have a crane remove the top part of the cranium, revealing a brain structure underneath, that i will illustrate using gears and cogs. My main question is, how should i go about splitting the skull/cutting off the top without it affecting the UV texture mapping. Also is there a good tool to go about doing this besides booleans. I figured i would work with a duplicate and see what happens, but i wanted to get some opinions before i spend another 20 hours with trial and error.

Let me know! thanks!

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# 6 18-11-2014 , 12:06 AM

The thin red line
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I think your model still need some work ie shape and some more detail around the teeth gum area. Yes you most likely are going to have to cut the UVs or create new ones. I would make two models one as is and another with the top cut off..............dave

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# 7 18-11-2014 , 09:34 AM

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thanks for the suggestions. I guess ill begin the tedious process ahead of me with UV mapping. I'm assuming i would just make a cut/new UV map with edges defined by where the skull will be removed and work from there with smoothing the lines.

As for the details, what else would you suggest besides the gums. My next step with detail was going to be using the 3d Modeling tool to form the teeth, nasal holes, and cracks where on the cranium... but are there any other suggestions for starters?

additionally, i was thinking of using a 3d printer to make a model of the skull. This might be a stupid question with an easily researched answer, but I might as well put it out there in case there are any suggestions that might make the process easier. How can I look at the scale in units that would apply to printing my model close to life size. I.e. inches or cm, rather than the units given in maya. Also, with this step, since some of my faces are 2-D and do not have depth, should i consider extruding the faces on the inside, or is there an easier way to create a bevel of some sort in order to give the inside a dimension that would allow for it to be printed with a 3D printer. Right now the inside of the skull is hollow, and i know there is a threshold for printing. This will also be helpful when portraying the skull when cut so that it does not look like a simple line and will have the thickness of a bone, as if the skull were cut to look at the brain.

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# 8 19-11-2014 , 12:10 AM

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I think really alot more observation is required at skulls. Google some skulls and download a few and just observe what the differences are for a while, then adjust the model. I feel theres a lot to still do.

Jay

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# 9 19-11-2014 , 08:50 PM

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Well I'm on a time frame for a final critique since this is an upper division class where i need to present it for critique at UT Austin's Fine Arts school. The realism look is secondary for me right at this moment, Next semester this could be something i could focus more on, as far as realism, but for december 4th i need to have a conceptual sketch at least of what will happen at the end. My professor is satisfied with the skull, despite the realism/lack there-of. my main goal is to separate the cranium from the top of the skull to begin to place my gears inside of the skull. I used the Difference Boolean to create the cut, and then use edit mesh--> separate to end up with two separate parts, the excised top of the skull and the bottom of it. It has created some issues in the polygons, i.e. extra triangles. Is there a better way to make this more smooth of a cut to allow for less distortion in my UVs?

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# 10 20-11-2014 , 12:46 AM

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Hope this helps, im no expert.

Hi ,mmmoneta

This was one of the first things I modelled, I seriously love anatomy modelling. I did the entire skeleton as best I could at the time. ill attach a few images flat shaded with wire frame. I was lucky enough to have a skull as reference although the rest of the model was done with reference images on an image plane. Note the hard Cheek-bone lines and the hard eyebrow ridge. The skull is actually very sharp feel you own face. To get your model looking better id suggest finding some reference materials. get a feel for what your modelling even if its a chicken bone.

also post an image with wire-frame, you can use the simplymaya free tutorial here.
https://simplymaya.com/maya_tutorials...=199&sub_cat=0

Remeber this wont work with unified sampling in maya 2015, use legacy sampling mode

Gl Tony

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Modeling a Skull - open to suggestions

Update /w UV texture

Hope this helps, im no expert.

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