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NIkolay Naydenov

So you like making human heads but they tend to look a bit bad?

And you wanna reach a pro level in a few hours?

Hmmm, it is not really possible.

But what is possible is to improve your head sculpting, anatomy and forms with the exercises in this course.

Starting from skull, making a head over it, male heads, female heads and couple of  feedbacks on beginner heads you will bump up your understanding of head anatomy, shapes and forms in a matter of days, instead of months.

Read more

So you like making human heads but they tend to look a bit bad?

And you wanna reach a pro level in a few hours?

Hmmm, it is not really possible.

But what is possible is to improve your head sculpting, anatomy and forms with the exercises in this course.

Starting from skull, making a head over it, male heads, female heads and couple of  feedbacks on beginner heads you will bump up your understanding of head anatomy, shapes and forms in a matter of days, instead of months.

My name is Niko and i am a 3D character artist and teacher with over 20000 students withmy online courses of anatomy, character creation, Blender and Zbrush.

In this course we will go trough the main shapes of the human head. The differences between male and female head. Skull shapes and their importance in the face constructing, sculpting and drawing.

The course is for all levels, it is done in Blender, but you can do it in Zbrush or even draw in Photoshop or Ipad.

In the beginning we will start by doing a test head to see where our starting level is. Then we will make a skull with it's main planes, followed by a more detailed skull, all starting from a sphere. Then we make a head over the skull, explaining thickness of facial features and comparing it to the skull. Then we will make series of planes of the head exercises to better understand the forms of the human head. Then few heads from another artists works and scans. Following i will explain the difference between male and female head by making a female out of a male head. Then we will do couple of female heads, and we will go to the feedback section.

The feedback is very important since it will give you the idea of the most common mistakes and how to directly fix them. There will be around 7 female and male heads, made from different beginner artists, that i will fix and make look almost decent :).

At the end i will even go back and fix some minor issues on my own heads made in the course.

The course is for everyone who wants to improve their knowledge on face and head forms and shapes. Also for those who want to know what exercises to do for fast and efficient level gathering in facial understanding.

Face sculpting or drawing is essential for all character artists, both 2D and 3D, and i see many people struggle with that for a long time, not knowing what to do. That's why i did this course. To help those in need. So if you feel like you can improve your face sculpting or drawing, you are welcome to the Head anatomy and sculpting exercises course.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Anatomy and forms of human head and face
  • Shapes of human head
  • Sculpting human head from sphere tips and tricks
  • Head sculpting exercises

Syllabus

Introduction
Making a sample head without reference
Making the planes of the skull
Making a realistic skull
Read more
Making a head over the skull
Planes of the head exercise
Slightly stylized manly head exercise
Head planes anatomy4sculptors style
Super simple head to anime head
Asaro head exercise
Eyesballs size and studying other artist's work.mp4
Sculpting a head from 3D scan reference
Differences between female and male head
Making a female head from a photo
Studying and sculpting Vimal Kerketta female elf head
Making a male head from photo
Feedback on a male head 01
Feedback on female head 01
Feedback on a not skiny guy head
Female head feedback 02
Female head feedback 03
Feedback male head Arnold
Female head feedback 04
Strong male head feedback
Wrap up and fixing some of my heads
Goodbye

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Provides exercises to improve head sculpting, anatomy, and forms, which are essential skills for character artists in both 2D and 3D fields
Includes feedback on beginner artists' heads, demonstrating common mistakes and how to fix them, which is helpful for those new to sculpting
Uses Blender for demonstrations, but the techniques can be applied in ZBrush, Photoshop, or even on an iPad, making it versatile for different digital artists
Explores the main shapes of the human head and the differences between male and female heads, which is useful for both sculpting and drawing
Requires learners to have access to sculpting software such as Blender or ZBrush, which may require a purchase or subscription

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Head anatomy and sculpting exercises course with these activities:
Review Basic Anatomy Principles
Reinforce your understanding of fundamental anatomy principles before diving into head-specific details. This will provide a solid foundation for understanding the course material.
Browse courses on Facial Anatomy
Show steps
  • Review anatomy diagrams and illustrations.
  • Study the skeletal and muscular structures of the human body.
  • Take a basic anatomy quiz.
Review 'Anatomy for Sculptors, Understanding the Human Figure'
Study a comprehensive anatomy guide to deepen your understanding of the human form. This will enhance your ability to sculpt realistic and expressive heads.
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on the skull and facial muscles.
  • Study the illustrations and diagrams.
  • Take notes on key anatomical landmarks.
Sculpting the Skull from Different Angles
Practice sculpting the skull from various angles to internalize its structure. This will improve your spatial reasoning and ability to create accurate head sculpts.
Show steps
  • Gather reference images of skulls from different perspectives.
  • Sculpt the skull in Blender or ZBrush, focusing on accurate proportions.
  • Rotate the skull and refine the forms from each angle.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Head Anatomy Study Sheet
Compile a visual study sheet of head anatomy to reinforce your learning. This will serve as a quick reference guide during your sculpting exercises.
Show steps
  • Gather anatomical diagrams and illustrations of the head.
  • Label key anatomical features on the diagrams.
  • Organize the diagrams into a visually appealing study sheet.
Review 'Figure Drawing: For All It's Worth'
Study a classic figure drawing guide to improve your understanding of form and proportion. This will enhance your ability to create balanced and aesthetically pleasing head sculpts.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on head construction and facial features.
  • Practice the drawing exercises in the book.
  • Apply the principles to your sculpting exercises.
Sculpt a Series of Heads with Varying Expressions
Undertake a project to sculpt a series of heads with different expressions to solidify your understanding of facial anatomy and expression. This will allow you to apply your knowledge in a creative and challenging way.
Show steps
  • Choose a range of expressions to sculpt (e.g., happy, sad, angry, surprised).
  • Gather reference images of each expression.
  • Sculpt each head, paying attention to the subtle changes in facial muscles.
  • Share your sculpts and get feedback.
Provide Feedback on Other Students' Head Sculpts
Offer constructive criticism on other students' head sculpts to reinforce your own understanding and help others improve. This will deepen your knowledge and develop your critical eye.
Show steps
  • Review other students' head sculpts.
  • Provide specific and actionable feedback on anatomy, form, and expression.
  • Offer suggestions for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Head anatomy and sculpting exercises course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Character Artist
A character artist creates the visual appearance of characters for games, film, and animation and needs a strong understanding of anatomy. This course on head anatomy and sculpting exercises helps character artists refine their skills, particularly in the creation of realistic and expressive faces. The course begins with the skull, then builds the head, allowing a character artist to understand the underlying structures during their creative process. The course also covers differences between male and female heads, which are essential for creating diverse characters. Character artists will find that the feedback portion of the course invaluable to recognize and address common mistakes.
3D Modeler
A 3D modeler is responsible for creating the three dimensional models of characters, objects, and environments for various media, including video games, film, and advertising. This course focusing on head anatomy and sculpting exercises directly enhances the 3D modeler's skills in creating realistic and anatomically correct human heads. Beginning with the skull and constructing the head over it, this course provides the foundational knowledge for building detailed models. A 3D modeler will acquire valuable insights into sculpting heads from a sphere and understanding the nuances of male and female facial structures, allowing them to apply these skills with more precision and confidence. The course also allows 3D modelers to learn from mistakes through the feedback section.
Digital Sculptor
A digital sculptor uses digital tools to create three-dimensional art, often focusing on characters or organic forms, and this is where the head anatomy and sculpting exercises course is particularly useful. These exercises help digital sculptors deepen their understanding of human head anatomy, enabling them to create more realistic and compelling digital sculptures. The course provides a systematic approach to building heads, starting from the skull and progressively adding detail, which is an essential workflow for a digital sculptor. Furthermore, the course’s focus on the differences between male and female heads will enhance a digital sculptor's versatility. The feedback sections of the course offers guidance on how to improve their own work.
Concept Artist
A concept artist designs the visual style of characters, creatures, or environments, laying the groundwork for other artists, and benefits from a strong grasp of anatomy. This head anatomy and sculpting exercises course directly assists concept artists in building a foundational understanding of human facial structures. The course provides exercises that move from the skull to the complete head, which is essential for a concept artist to accurately and expressively draw or model variations of the head. The course also explores the differences between male and female heads, which are key for character design. A concept artist will benefit from seeing the feedback, helping them identify common anatomical drawing and modeling errors.
Game Artist
A game artist works to create the visual assets for video games, including characters, environments, and props. These assets often include human characters, and a course on head anatomy and sculpting exercises helps game artists create anatomically correct and visually appealing heads. The course begins with a study of the skull and builds the head on top of it, which is key for a game artist who needs to understand the structure underneath the skin. A game artist can learn from the exercises and the feedback sections to refine skills in sculpting and modeling facial features. The course's exploration of male and female heads will be particularly useful in creating a diverse cast of characters.
Animator
Animators bring characters and objects to life through movement, often requiring them to create realistic or stylized human characters whose facial expressions are key to their believability. This course, which focuses on head anatomy and sculpting exercises, is highly relevant for animators because it develops a deep understanding of head structure and form. The course starts with the skull and progresses through adding facial details, enabling the animator to craft heads with more accuracy and expressive potential. Understanding the differences between male and female head structures, covered in the course, is essential for creating a variety of characters. The animator will gain awareness of common mistakes through the feedback portion, allowing them to improve their animations.
Illustrator
An illustrator creates images for various media, such as books, magazines, and websites, and often includes human figures. The head anatomy and sculpting exercises course can be valuable to an illustrator, helping them understand the structure and form of the human head. The course begins with the skull and builds the head step by step, giving an illustrator a strong foundation in drawing or digitally painting accurate and expressive faces. The examination of male and female head differences in the course can help an illustrator add variety to their artwork. The feedback section of the course will help the illustrator better understand anatomy and improve their drawing skills.
Texture Artist
A texture artist creates the surface details, including color and patterns, for 3D models. The head anatomy and sculpting exercises course enhances a texture artist's understanding of the underlying structures of human heads. The course helps texture artists develop a greater understanding of how the forms and planes on a human face dictate the application of textures, resulting in more realistic and believable models. A texture artist benefits from the course's exploration of the differences between male and female heads, which makes their textures more nuanced and varied. Furthermore, the feedback section of the course offers a practical guide for texture artists to refine their approach to this work.
Toy Designer
A toy designer creates the concept and design of toys, and this can include dolls and action figures that require a strong understanding of human anatomy. The course on head anatomy and sculpting exercises will help an aspiring toy designer develop the skills to create appealing and anatomically sound toy heads. The course begins by building the skull, which provides a fundamental insight into the structure of the human head. A toy designer can benefit from the course's detailed exploration of different head shapes and features, including the differences between male and female forms. A toy designer will find the feedback portion of the course helpful for refining their designs.
Medical Illustrator
A medical illustrator creates visual materials for medical textbooks, publications, or educational materials. This course on head anatomy and sculpting exercises may provide an excellent foundation for a medical illustrator, given its emphasis on the forms and anatomical structures of the human head. The course's exercises, which start with the skull and then build the head, can help medical illustrators gain the knowledge needed to create detailed and accurate medical illustrations. The medical illustrator may find the course's feedback section useful for identifying anatomical inaccuracies and making more precise illustrations. This role typically requires a graduate degree.
Special Effects Makeup Artist
A special effects makeup artist uses makeup techniques to create characters for film, television, or theater, often including prosthetics that alter appearance. A course in head anatomy and sculpting exercises may be useful for a special effects makeup artist as it enhances their understanding of the underlying structures of the human head. The course enables a special effects makeup artist to construct realistic facial prosthetics by starting from the skull and working outwards. The course also explores the differences between male and female head structures, which are key to creating a variety of character effects, and the feedback section helps refine techniques.
Storyboard Artist
A storyboard artist creates visual representations of scenes for film, television, and animation, and often includes human characters in these scenes. This course in head anatomy and sculpting exercises may be helpful for a storyboard artist looking to refine their ability to draw expressive and accurate character heads. The course can help a storyboard artist understand the planes and forms of the head, which is important when composing a shot from various angles, and in drawing varied expressions. Though the course focuses on 3D, a storyboard artist may adapt the techniques to their work. The feedback will help a storyboard artist catch common mistakes.
Visual Development Artist
A visual development artist contributes to the overall aesthetic of a project, often in animation or video games, by designing characters and environments. This head anatomy and sculpting exercises course may provide a valuable foundation for a visual development artist. The course provides exercises based on the shapes and forms of human heads, and the understanding of underlying structure gained from it helps a visual development artist build a wide variety of characters. The course also covers male and female head differences, which is useful for developing a diverse cast. The feedback section may help a visual development artist create more compelling and refined designs.
Forensic Artist
A forensic artist uses artistic skills to create reconstructions and depictions for law enforcement, often working with skeletal remains. A course in head anatomy and sculpting exercises may be helpful for a forensic artist because it focuses on understanding the forms and structures of the human head. The course begins with a study of the skull, then adds soft tissues, which is a useful method for a forensic artist to approximate a face from the skull. Although this course does not specifically cover forensic techniques, a forensic artist may find that this course helps them model the human head with greater precision and realism. This role may require an advanced degree.
Cosmetic Artist
A cosmetic artist works on makeup and beauty applications, and a course in head anatomy and sculpting exercises may provide some knowledge about facial shapes and structures, which can be useful in their work. By understanding how the skull forms and supports the face, a cosmetic artist may gain insights into how to enhance facial features through makeup. The course provides a systematic approach to building a head, which may help cosmetic artists better understand facial dimensions and proportions. The feedback section of the course may help a cosmetic artist to recognize how makeup can interact with the shapes and structures of the face to achieve different effects.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Head anatomy and sculpting exercises course.
Provides a comprehensive guide to human anatomy specifically tailored for sculptors and artists. It covers skeletal structure, musculature, and surface forms in detail. It valuable reference for understanding the underlying anatomy that influences the appearance of the human head. This book is commonly used by art students and professionals.

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