Haven’t had a lot of time to use Blender recently, so I wanted to get back into sculpting. This was a dyno-sculpt, retopod then texture painted and a tiny bit of multi-res. I’d appreciate any feedback on things you think I can improve for the next one.
oh, i love this portrait! the face is sculpted and textured very well, expression is great!..the head is a tad too small on the back skull (as it not goes high and wide enough for the size of face)… the depth blur is too strong for my taste, but the good about it is it adds a painterly feeling to the portrait. maybe one could tweak the balance a little more. …great work, with a lot of personality.
Very impressive! Best one, I should say. May be, some of SSS is lacking? Skin shader looks to plain, imho. Take a look at this: http://agus3d.blogspot.ru/2012/05/blender-cycles-ray-length-node-output.html I believe, it may help.
Anyway, amasing job! =)
I’m so sure I already posted a comment - 2nd one to dissappear in a couple of days. I blamed the computer the first time but I think it must be me 
Anyway, this is amazing! 5* I can’t even begin to work out how you must have done most of this. I highly recommend that people open the full size version (2 clicks because of the strange BA picture system).
p.s. if you have pop ups blocked - I hope you don’t mind but I sent you a PM with an idea.
Pretty convincing portrait, and full of character. Nice work. I don’t really see any technical problems.
Thanks for all the comments. I think you are right on the skull size, I sort of knew that but I was kidding myself it was okay - you have a very good eye Doris to see it from this angle
Now that you mention it 28selves the SSS effect is too low. I actually had it stronger but then the last tweak I made was to increase the rough glossy a lot on the skin to get a more overall shiny white effect and this has washed out the SSS.
I don’t think I’m going to work on this any more. I’m happy with the details and lighting but I’m not happy with the large forms of the sculpt and I’ve been looking at it too long so I want to start on something fresh. Thanks again!
I studied this picture a bit to try to identify what my eyes found “wrong” with it, and I think that it comes down to the right eye. I can’t believe that it would not be in sharp focus also. (No, very specifically, the catch-light in the eye should be sharp.) There’s a lot of very subtle lighting on the right side of the face (and in very subtle contrast to the left side) that you don’t want to lose … and, I think, yes, now that I think about it, I do see what you’re doing with the depth-of-field, too. Very, very nice rim lighting.
So, let me slightly change my suggestion here: make the catch-light sharp, or sharper, or put a tiny sharp-point directly in it. (Yes, you could do that in post.)
I think that you did an excellent job that should go forthwith to the Gallery. The skin tone … the subtle play of light and shadow across the cheek … is excellent, as is the specularity on the lips and (so often overlooked) the inside edge of the left eye at the fold of the eyelid.
The cloth, and subtle touches like the draw-string at the hood, is also excellent.
The actor/actress (this figure is delightfully androgynous) is also putting on a good performance, with the pursed lips, the exaggerated length and curve of the eyelashes, the nose ring (with what looks like a hint of a makeup-line around the nostril), and, above all, an arresting expression that is looking directly at me, perhaps about to say something or do something.
As for “I don’t want to look at it anymore,” or “the sculpt is (blah blah).” Hey, in any project, there does come a time when it’s time to quit. To put the shrink-wrap on the box and send it out the door for the audience to “oooh” and “ahhh” over it like I just did. :yes: You’ll always see the “flaws” (sic …): that’s just part of being the creator. But no one else will.
Yes, yes. Very fine. Definitely deserving of the Gallery, IMHO.
excellent work!!! wish I had your skills
Thanks - you are both too kind I’m not sure how a sharp catch light would work on a de-focused eye, but I’ll definitely think about it. Maybe it doesn’t need to be sharp, just brighter on the right eye.
Could be. Quite honestly, I’d open a layer in Photoshop and add the slightest bright touch of light there, and also, while you’re at it, make sure that the two lids outer edge of the right-eye lid is fully seen to come together at a point. (Right now, on very close inspection, the light of the eyeball seems to “bleed into” the color of the nearby cheek.) These would just be tiny, tiny “re-touches,” and i would do no more than that. Nor would I consider them to be obligatory.
There are “tiny bits of specularity” that really help this shot – such as the underside of the upper lip at the left side of the face, maintaining a clear dividing-line between them and adding to the effect of the person’s wearing lipstick.
The real fun thing about this shot is … you’ve got this person’s full attention, (s)he isn’t pleased, and you don’t know whether (s)he’s going to bless you out or simply kill you. :yes: But the photograph captures this person at the precise moment of action: you know that (s)he’s about to do something, to or at you. And that’s what gives this shot its emotional power.
I’ve looked at this image several times over the past few days since I saw it uploaded; it is strange for me to like an image but not want to leave a reply, especially one that is so well executed as this. I suppose, perhaps because of the subject matter (and the idea of the uncanny valley), I may not have been sure what I thought of it. The deepest regions of the uncanny valley are, after all, associated with uncertainty - knowing something is out of place, but not knowing what exactly.
I like a lot of things about this image! The eyes are spectacularly life-life. The expressions, the hair, the strange numerals, the lips, the materials. There’s so much to take in and admire; you even gave her nose hairs! Very well done.
If I were to offer my own critique, it would be that the skin seems too perfect, too free of blemishes or age. And as doris mentioned, the back of the head does seem far too small given the proportions of the face (but which I didn’t consider until reading her comment). Perhaps this is what makes the image seem unnatural to me at first glance.
Really splendid work, I’m blown away by it- it feels very much like a candid photograph. Exceptionally well done, I’m anxious to see what you create in the future.
So incredible! I just saw this posted on Blendernation, I can’t believe this isn’t already in the gallery. I love everything about it, especially the skin and the cloth material… oh and the eyes… and the… ha ha you get the point. 5 stars for sure!
Thanks! I just saw it on Blendernation too and got a shock
LOL you’re so good man (or woman, I don’t know). The expression of the eyes is stunning. That’s the most difficult I think. I mean, one can model and do everything perfect but to avoid that empty fish looking, it’s not easy. And the texturing of the eyes… It’s late at my country, it helps, but really to see that kind of work with Blender gives me a sincere joy.
It’s a pleasure to see your work.
You have my max rating 