• Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Topic: FacePaste demo

I wanted scans of LEGO faces to use in CG work. I couldn't find these online, so I went and built a scanner and programmed an app that turns the recorded footage into a cylindrical map.

I plan to use this process to provide high quality, perfectly accurate vectors of LEGO faces ready for anyone to use in their CG work (and/or for facial animation).

http://i.imgur.com/3GnG39X.png

First I'm going to upgrade the webcam used from my Quickcam Pro 9000 to the newer C910 so as to collect a higher quality scan. Then I'll get vectoring.

See it in action!


[EDIT]

Here's the result using the better webcam. If I slow the rotation speed down it'll be even clearer, so I'll do that next.
http://i.imgur.com/PCPeu9X.png

Last edited by Sean (February 16, 2014 (11:59pm))

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • GEF
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: Right here.
  • Joined: January 8, 2013

Re: FacePaste demo

Thats a pretty good idea, hopefully you can make it work nicely.

  • GHB
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: USA
  • Joined: March 21, 2012

Re: FacePaste demo

Wow! This is cool! I probably won't be using CGI to animate figures too often, but if I ever do, I'll have you in mind!

GHB's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

Fidelity increase was a success. I do, however, want to further stabilise the turntable to eliminate that ever so slight wobble.

http://i.imgur.com/opDvMZQ.jpg

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Location: Vogsphere
  • Joined: November 23, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

one thing I would try to avoid, is having the highlights on his forehead. as this could look very very out of place if he was in a dark room or something....

ACookedCatProduction

Cooked Cat's Website

  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

In other words, configure the lights or clean up the composite in Photoshop

https://i.imgur.com/4b9NnS3.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/GUIl0qk.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/ox64uld.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/v3iyhE5.png

Lechnology's Website

  • Location: Vogsphere
  • Joined: November 23, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

@Lechnology
the lights, I like the fact that it doesnt have a perfect face, there's scratches and all, it makes it look more real for parenting on to a CC Cylinder. yeah, if you where going for 'perfect' look, yeah. but, I just think fix the lights.

ACookedCatProduction

Cooked Cat's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

I might not have been clear. The purpose of these scans isn't to use directly on CG heads - the scans will be providing me a reference image to accurately trace the head in vector, which will then be composited onto a blank head.

So as long as it doesn't get in the way of my ability to trace the decal or figure out colours, lighting doesn't matter mini/smile

[EDIT]

I'll be making an accompanying tutorial series and assets to go with these vectors, one of which will be reintroducing imperfections such as scratches.

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Joined: December 4, 2012

Re: FacePaste demo

Sounds like a very useful set of tutorials, Sean. Will the series most likely be this year?

Willow Tree's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

Sooner than you might think.

[EDIT]

The results of my last scan. I think I've pushed it about as far as I can without going DSLR, so now it's vectoring time!

http://i.imgur.com/tVEq1JM.jpg

[DOUBLE EDIT]

I took the scan and really quickly overlaid it on a photo I had floating around on my Hard Drive, using After Effect's CC cylinder to test the curvature and everything worked properly. It did.

To be clear this is NOT an example of the final product. Merely a "proof of concept" render.

http://i.imgur.com/hPiWq01.jpg

[TRIPLE EDIT - EXTRA LIFE!]

Did a first batch of scans of a handful of heads tonight. Here's a few of them. I'm quite happy with the results.

http://i.imgur.com/JsC9PKB.png
http://i.imgur.com/KMmUjPO.png
http://i.imgur.com/oRvMvra.png
http://i.imgur.com/phVeVoP.png
http://i.imgur.com/Y4s3XZn.png
http://i.imgur.com/kwj6O98.png

[QUADRUPLE EDIT - LUDICROUS!]

Example of a vectored face. I think I got it pretty accurate.

http://i.imgur.com/ONuaZfe.png

Last edited by Sean (February 19, 2014 (12:26am))

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

Well done.

Not to exploit this but: Perhaps we should build a database out of these scans, assuming others can build similar set up and follow the tutorials.

https://i.imgur.com/4b9NnS3.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/GUIl0qk.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/ox64uld.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/v3iyhE5.png

Lechnology's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

Actually, that's almost precisely what I'm in the process of doing.

Right now www.brickheadproductions.com is being developed. It will be a resource site populated by free downloads of vectors of every face I scan, including a variety of mouth shapes for lip syncing. Eventually my goal is for this site to be the #1 repository for LEGO face graphics for CG work (and I suppose they could also readily be used for custom decal work) as well as just being a great, well curated catalogue of LEGO heads.

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Location: Cary, NC
  • Joined: September 14, 2009

Re: FacePaste demo

I started working on something similar a while back. http://aquamorphproductions.com/category/faces/ I'm glad to see someone else doing it.

http://i.imgur.com/O9sIt89.png
Odysee ~ YouTube ~ Website ~ Twitter

AquaMorph's Website

  • Location: City Z
  • Joined: December 17, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

That's actually not a bad idea, Lech. The demo instructions seemed simple enough, but I'm just not 100% sure if I have a good-enough editing software to do so. But, I might just try it sometime.

Have you seen a big-chinned boy?

Mickey's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

At some point down the line I might release FacePaste as an actual app (rather than the pile of code it is at the moment) but that won't be anytime soon. I'd rather focus on scanning in and vectoring hundreds of faces.

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Location: Vogsphere
  • Joined: November 23, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

hey, I've gone a-head and vectored two for a upcoming anti PC film(ironic given I am using one..) done the glasses guy and the first one(of the 'first batch of scans') did you want me to provide them to you? might aswell...

and request, can you please scan in a females head...

ACookedCatProduction

Cooked Cat's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

I've actually done those and have the files waiting for cleanup and upload - thanks for the offer though. On my end I want to do some proper cleanup as well as make and include mouth shapes before releasing them - I'm aiming to have a decent collection ready to roll when my site launches in probably a couple of weeks.

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Location: Vogsphere
  • Joined: November 23, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

ok, well, im about to start working on some phonetic mouth shapes, and, I have gone and done a female head...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8_Dxfb4WG-k/Uw88xsRUPyI/AAAAAAAAAPo/KyApbzMvWwM/w1000-h338-no/LittlemisssweetMain.jpg
^what can I say, I had the best model................. ......

I'd be happy to contribute my mouth shapes when I am done... (that way we have the choice or yours, mine, (I'm going to do both male and female...)and anyone elses...)

ACookedCatProduction

Cooked Cat's Website

  • Sean
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: QLD, Australia
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: FacePaste demo

I'll keep that in mind, thanks dude. I'm working my way through a large variety of mouth shapes for both male and female, as well as unique artwork for appropriate faces (for example faces with beards or stubble that needs to distort).

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Location: Vogsphere
  • Joined: November 23, 2010

Re: FacePaste demo

oh, awesome, Im happy to be a "facepastepartner' as it where, I'll give you a link to this: https://plus.google.com/100263309296526 … vFx84PwvgY
that shows off just a lil bit of what i've done with the eyelids. as with females, thats a important part of the face...

if you do want a hand vectoring them in, I have illustrator, and am very happy to vector stuff in...

ACookedCatProduction

Cooked Cat's Website