Refining the Head and Neck

Modeling a Low-Poly Head

Creating the Helmet

 

Autodesk 3ds Max Tutorials >  Modeling Tutorials > Modeling a Low-Poly Character > Modeling a Low-Poly Head > 

Creating the Ears

In this lesson, you take a minimalist approach to modeling the ears by using very rough shapes. This is one area that is often voluntarily simplified by choosing simplicity over needs. When your character is geared towards game production, a detailed texture converted into a normal map can be an alternative to achieve the same results.

Extrude the ears:

1. Continue working on your file from the previous exercise, or load the file Low_Poly_Head06.max found under \tutorials\low_polygon_modeling.
2. Go into Polygon sub-object level. On the Edit Geometry rollout, click Cut and draw a series of edges around the tragus and ear canal.

   

3. Select the polygons resulting from your last cut. Then, On the Edit Polygons rollout, click the Extrude Settings button.
4. In the Extrude Polygons dialog, set Extrusion Height to 10. Click OK.

   This gives the ear its volume.

   

   Next, you'll expand and shape it to match the reference image.

5. Select the polygons all around the extrusion except those in the front of the ear.

   

6. Click the Extrude Settings button again. In the Extrude Polygons dialog, set Extrusion Type to Local Normal and Extrusion Height to 15. Click OK.

   Each selected polygon is extruded along its respective normal. This defines the general mass of the ear.

   

7. Keep your current polygon selection and move it slightly away from the head.

   

Refine the ears:

1. Go into Vertex sub-object level. Click Target Weld and merge down the ear vertex highlighted in the following image:

   

   Before Target Weld

   

   After Target Weld

2. Repeat the same step for the following vertices:

   

   Before Target Weld

   

   After Target Weld

3. Use the same technique two more times to merge redundant vertices at the starting point of the helix, which borders the ear.

   

   Before Target Weld

   

   After first Target Weld

   

   After second Target Weld

4. Click Cut and, starting from the head's existing edge loop located near the ear's anterior notch, divide the ear horizontally in half by going around the helix rim until you reach the other side, where the ear and head connect.

   

5. Adjust the ear's vertices to match the reference images.

   

6. Connect two vertices behind the ear to nearby head vertices.

   This breaks down the head polygons into manageable quads (four-sided polygons).

   

7. Using the same technique, connect the edge loop travelling through the ear to the back of the head.

   

8. Use Target Weld to merge two separate sets of vertices behind the helix rim. This removes some expandable polygons.
   TipTo get a better view, use the Perspective viewport to look at the ear from within the head.

   

   Before Target Weld

   

   After Target Weld

9. Save your file as My_Low_Poly_Head_Ears.max