Facial Skin Layered Mapping

 

Part 3.3 – Mapping The Face: Screen Test Setup.

Before You Begin

Open the latest version of the mode project file in A:M.

Introduction

During the mapping process you will want to do many screen tests to determine how effective they are.  Maps will sometimes be applied separately to see what effect they have by themselves as well as with other maps to see their overall effect.    You view them in shaded mode to check broad details and quick render for general effect and render single frames to focus on specific areas.  But the final test will be in the chor with the default 3-light setup with the camera circling the head.  The latter is often fired off at night so it can ‘cook’ over night.

 

Note 1: The following instructions are for Windows.

 

  1. Double click on the Choreography icon in the PWS to create a new default chor.
  2. Open the chor properties and set the duration to 8 seconds or 240 frames.
  3. Open the camera properties and set the background color to black.
  4. Delete the ground from the chor and from the Objects folder.
  5. Drag the model icon to the Choreography1 icon in the PWS and drop it.  This will place the model in the chor with the model bone at 0:0:0 and at the apex of the 3-light setup.
  6. Go to a top view and go into ‘Add’ mode (a) and, starting on the left side of the model, draw a new path in a semi-circle around the model.  Click on ‘Show Bias Handles’ and adjust these as well as the points until you have a path similar to the one in Figure 3.2.1.

 

 

Figure 3.2.1

 

  1. Press F9 to return to chor mode, press 4 on the numeric pad for a side view press <shift>up-arrow until the path is centered on the model’s head (Figure 3.2.2).

 

 

Figure 3.2.2

 

  1. Select the camera, right click and choose ‘New Constraint->Path’ and click on the path you’ve just created.
  2. In the PWS expand the camera to locate the Path constraint, open its properties and turn on ‘Translate Only’.
  3. Select the camera again and choose ‘New Constraint->Aim At’ and select the model.
  4. In the PWS select the Aim At constraint, open it’s properties and click on the Target.  Select any bone in the head… right eye or jaw works well.  If no bones exist skip this step.
  5. With the camera selected, go to the camera view.  Go into Turn mode (t) and select compensate mode then, hold down the shift key, rotate the view until the model is centered (don’t worry about how large the model appears yet).
  6. Go to frame 120 and then to frame 240 and repeat the above step.
  7. Save.
  8. The camera view should show the entire portion of the head that you are mapping, as close as possible.  If you need to move the camera closer or further away, go to the top view and select the path and expand it or shrink it as needed and re-center it on the model.  Repeat until the model appears correctly in the camera view (Figure 3.2.3).

 

 

Figure 3.2.3

 

  1. Play the chor.  The model should rotate smoothly from frame 0 to 240, appearing as large as possible while still showing all of the area that will be mapped.  Make any needed adjustments.
  2. Make sure that all materials, actions and objects are embedded and save.

 

Go to Part 3.4 – Mapping The Face: Reference Material