Hello modelers, I want to share some thoughts about the connection between the mesh and a proper topology with the rig to be applied in it. I believe its the very same relationship that texturing(shading) has with the lighting. It is a dependance relationship where you cant build one without regarding the other. Consider a facial modeling and setup. The picture shows a bone rig in the face and the bones(muscle and skin bones) follows the topology of the mesh. It is important to consider the rig u want to make before start modeling so when the time to rig comes u have a mesh that is more like a blueprint for the bones... u will just need to place them over the guidelines in ur mesh. Here im gonna show ya some pics of a facial rig following the topology:

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Here you can see the main lines in the topology where i build the rig over.

I Think that this way of working is more organisable and gives ya better control over the subtle and the visible deformations of a face.... Lemme know what u think about it ok? cheers mates loggie

I don't know the first thing about rigging but OMG! that is such a cool model!

I'll second that..

I'm curious how you handle the limits in the face rig joints. Are they set to limit to natural movement, or are they limitless, so you could easily over extend our intended expression? Did that make since? Nice head btw.

Heyas modelers, Thanks a lot for the comments:):):) Electric, they are tottaly free of joint limits so we can pose the expressions the way you want all the time. U can also create poses and save them (in XSI) and then just load the poses in the time line and animate like that.... also u can link morphs to the bones deformations and have even more subtle deformations in the exppression. ALSO again u can link bump maps to bone deformation to go extreme in details in the skin...... It is virtually limitless the options.... cheers loggie

Loggie, do you have a spare room i could stay in while you tutor me?? I cook and clean.... ~bert