Animating Cartoon Heads

Step 1: Create the Head Primative

Go to Shape>Sphere (or simply press the 2 key), and create a default sphere.

Step 2: Use the Pinch/Pull tool to shape the head.

Enable the VCol constraint. This allows you to work on an entire column of CVs simultaneousely.

Enable only the Y Axis constraint. This allows you to constrain the reshape operations to the Y axis only.

Choose Reshape>Push-Pull ( a key )

Open the Flex Window, and use the settings below. The Flex Settings control how much 'pull' a CV has on the surrounding CVs in either the U or V direction. There are 4 falloff types to choose from.

With the first VColumn of the sphere selected, click and drag downward in the right view until you have something similar to this:

When finished, zero the Flex settings:

Choose Control>Move ( q key ), and move the sphere just above the major xz plane.

Step 3: Form the Mouth

With the first VCol still selected, choose Reshape>Insert ( j key ), and enter the following.

This adds an additional column right next to the pinch point of the sphere. This will be the basis for a set of lips.

Select the new column by either Command-Dragging over one of its CVs, or by using the Option + Up Arrow shortcut.

Enable only the X Axis constraint. This allows you to constrain the pinch operation to the X axis only.

In the front view, drag upwards until the column looks something like this:

With the column still selected, select Reshape>Insert ( j key ), and use the following:

This adds another column just outside of the selected column

Select the 1st V-column ( the pinch point ), and choose Reshape>Remove ( k key)

This creates an opening that we'll use for the mouth.

Enable only the Z Axis constraint. This allows you to constrain the operation to the Z axis only.

The 1st VColumn will be selected.. Choose Reshape>Push-Pull ( a key ), and drag in the right view until the column moves back into the head far enough to give the impression of a mouth:

Step 4: Create the Eye Sockets

Set the Constraint mode to Point, and enable Mir U mode. Mir U will mirror the upcoming adjustments, making the head symmetrical.

Also enable X,Y,and Z Axes.

Select this point:

In the right view, pull the point back and down into the head. Watch the shaded preview as you drag, and notice the point on the other side is also moving in parallel. This is the result of using the Mir U constraint.

Step 5: Form a Quick Nose.

We will need a better representation of the surface for this next step, so increase both the U & V subdivisions in the Object Info Palette to 6. Notice the detail increase in the shaded preview.

Select the point just above the lips on the line of symmetry.

Using the Push-Pull tool in the right view, manipulate this point, and the point above outward until the head looks something like this:

Step 6: Form a Simple Brow

Above the eyes, there are three points that will define the brow. Start by selecting the point just above the left eye.

Push-Pull the point forward in the right view until it extends just past the eye sockets. Select the point in the middle, and do the same. It should look something like this:

Step 7: Eyes

Before we create the eyes, open the camera view options window by clicking the word 'Camera'. Set it to the following. This way, the surface of the head will be visible when the head is not selected, making it much easier to line up the eyes.

Go to Shape>Sphere (or simply press the 2 key), use the following settings:

Choose Control>Move, and position the eye within the eye socket.

Once the eye is in a good spot, Choose Duplicate from the Edit Menu ( Cmd + D ) to duplicate the eye.

Choose Reshape>Flip ( l key ) and flip the eye on the X Axis using Global Coordinates.

This places the other eye in perfect position.

Step 8: Eyelids

From the Edit menu, choose Duplicate ( Cmd + D ) to duplicate the eye.

Select Control>Scale, and scale the eye up slightly, (about 1.100 if you're watching the Info Palette).

Rename the object 'EyeLid', and enter the following into the Object Info Palette:

Be sure to uncheck the 'Close U' checkbox. This creates the opening.

Choose Control>Park to lock in the changes & reset the eyelid's coordinate system.

From the Edit Menu, choose Duplicate to duplicate the eyelid.

Choose Reshape>Flip ( l key ) to position the duplicate.

Your character should now look something like this:

After applying the included shaders:

He still looks comatose!

We'll fix that in -

Part 2: Modeling Facial Gestures