Introduction to the Digi Double

This week, the 3rd year students of CG Animation and FX Master Degree at ESMA Nantes began an important workshop in their curriculum: reproducing their portrait in 3D in the manner of the double digi in special effects. Both models and modelers, the students were able to practice this practice, which is more and more used in the professional world.

Working from scans of real people is becoming more and more common in the CG modeling industry. It is about creating a virtual double from the face of an existing person.

This technique consists of 3 steps. First, the students are photographed from different angles. In order to remove all reflections on the skin, a polarizing filter system is put in place on the lens and on the lighting, in order to obtain the most uniform images possible. These photos are used as a texture reference.

Next, the students were filmed in 360 degrees from two different angles. Keeping a most neutral expression, the students posed for several minutes to get a complete video of their face.

Last step: modeling. Once their role as models is complete, the students use this footage to extract a 3D model of their face. All the images put together create a volume face by connecting different points. It is important to clean up the scan via sculpting software, to be as close to reality as possible because some parts of the face can be more complicated to scan. The students then have to reproduce all the facial hair as well as the skin texture detail, insisting on each detail that makes up their face so that it is as realistic as possible.

This workshop is very useful for those who wish to work in special effects after graduation and is a real technical challenge.