A stylised creature head

Level

Intermediate

Time

60 min

Version

Shapeaway 4.0

You need

Tablet recommended

You’ll make

A goblin-like head with big ears, in clay

Files

None, you start from a new sculpt

The habit this tutorial builds: big forms first, then secondary forms, then detail. Resist detail until the silhouette is right from every side.

1. Primary forms

1. Start from a Sphere at Fine detail. Turn on X mirroring (X).
2. With a big Grab, pull the jaw forward and down, and push the back of the skull up and back.
3. Look from the front (Num 1), side (Num 3) and top (Num 7). Fix the silhouette in each before moving on.

2. Secondary forms

1. With Clay Strips (Shift + 1), build the brow ridge, cheekbones and the muzzle in criss-cross strokes.
2. Snake Hook the ears out from the sides of the head, then Grab them into a curve.
3. Carve the eye sockets and the mouth line.
4. Smooth with Shift between every few strokes, so forms flow into each other.

3. Planes and lines

1. Trim (Shift + 6) the brow and cheekbones into planes, so the head reads as bony.
2. Dam Standard (Shift + 8) cuts the eyelid lines and the line between the lips. Use a Curve stroke for long even lines.
3. Crease the wrinkles at the corners of the eyes and the nose.
4. Pinch along the ridges of the ears to sharpen them.

4. Eyes

Objects › New eye adds an eyeball. Move it (O) into the socket, then build the lids round it with Clay Strips.

Tip

Take a turn round the head every couple of minutes. Most problems show up from an angle you haven’t looked from.

Next: Print a figure in parts.