Introduction

Hello there, my name is Saad Ahmed, I am from Pakistan and with this article I'd like to show you how I created a 3D caricature image of Kamran Saeed, an artist. I'm a huge fan of caricatures and totally fascinated with the realism that artists achieve in their artworks. The idea with this piece was to create a caricature of a real person – to capture a funny look with a modern spirit. The person I based the artwork on is Kamran Saeed, an excellent artist and a very good friend of mine!

Modelling

Before starting, I took plenty of pictures of Kamran to make it easier for me to create a caricature of him in 3D. With lots of reference images at hand, I was then able to continue with the modelling stage, and I found that, for the modelling of the head, it was good to have images of the front and side view of my model (Fig.01).


I created the model with a facial expression so that it was easy to relate to the reference images. Good reference is the key to creating a good likeness! The next step was to give the model a bit of a caricature feel. I used the FFD modifier to exaggerate a double chin and increase the smile (Fig.02 – 03).




Tip: Use the paint tool in the Edit Poly modifier as much as you can – it's very handy and useful for modelling faces!

I created the geometry for the base of the body from a box, using the polygon modelling technique. Once the basic proportions had been established, the whole model of both the head and body was then finished using the same polygon modelling method (Fig.04).

Rigging & Clothes

After completing a normal pose for the model, I decided to make him more expressive. I used a skin modifier and biped to rig and pose the character, and after a few adjustments I got the final pose (Fig.05 – 06).