User Guide > Modeling > Techniques   

Beveling Facial Features

The PolyBevel tool is also very useful when working with organic models. In this lesson, you will add several bevels to a face model that will help define the eye, mouth and nostril.

To complete this lesson, you will require the following lesson file. This file includes the partially completed head model shown above.

Load Start File


1. Triangulate the area around the eye

Press i to go into the head object. Press tab > Polysplit, click on the following three points then RMB-click to accept.

Press q to repeat then click on the following three points then RMB-click to accept.

The goal is to bevel the centerpoint of these polygons. Triangulating the area around this point will help create a more detailed eye socket.


2. Bevel a point

Press tab > Poly Bevel. Press 1 to change your selection type to Points and select the centerpoint of the triangulated polygons. RMB-click to accept then adjust the Relative Inset value either using the MMB value grid or the Parameter pane.

If you want to repeat then press q then press 4 to change to Primitives and click on the primitive in the middle of the eye. RMB-click to accept. After reshaping these points to form the eye socket you can come back and apply more bevels.


3. Bevel an open edge

Press q to start another bevel. Press 2 to change to edge selection then click on the first edge in the mouth area. If the red arrow is pointing in then press r to reverse it. Press f once to expand the edge selection. RMB-click to accept then adjust the Relative Inset.

To add another bevel, press q then click on one of the outer edges of the new mouth area. Press l to start an edge loop which will stop at the corner of the mouth. Shift-click on the next edge then press l to finish the loop. RMB-click to accept then adjust the Relative Inset.


4. Create the nostril

Tumble the view to look up the model's nose. Press tab > Poly Extrude then press 4 to chose Primitive selection and select the two faces under the nose. RMB-click to accept then before dragging the handle, RMB-click on the handle and turn off Local Control for the handle. This will let you manipulate the two faces as one. Scale the faces in then press q and RMB-click to create a second extrusion. Push this up along the Y axis to form the nostril. You may also want to scale it down.


5. Bevel a looped edge

Press tab > Poly Bevel. Press 2 to change to edge selection then click on one of the edges at the tip of the nostril. Press l to create an edge loop. RMB-click to accept then adjust the Relative Inset.


Conclusion

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