How to make a robot face?

[twisted]

I’m trying to model a toy robot from 1960 something.

Here is my model so far.

The curvature of the feet is wrong and the chest display needs work, but the bit I’m stuck on is the metal grid for the face.

I don’t know how best to model an object like that. What I’ve been messing about with is to take a uv sphere, delete all but a quarter of it, stretch it and then selectively delete faces.

Doesn’t seem like that’s the best approach though.

Anyone with a better suggestion?

[FedPete]

It’s a good start!

• use low poly to start with
• make parts - don’t try to make one object
• look for distinctive elements - model or just texture (bumpmaps)
• if it doesn’t work try a different approach. (that’s why you don’t start with complex models)

[VVruba]

Start with a square, give it 10 loop cuts in both directions then delete faces for the slits:

---

Scale down every row on whatever is the horizontal axis in your scene (It’ll be either x or Y):

A good way to do this is to select all the rows above the bottom one and input a value when scaling (for me 0.98 worked), then you can deselect a row closest to the bottom and press Shift+R to repeat the last action. No right or wrong way to do it though, so long as you end up with the right shape.

---

Position your object close to your mesh:

It only has to be roughly in place.

---

Use the shrinkwrap modifier and solidify modifier to align the “square” mesh to your “egg” mesh:

For me [Target Normal Project] mode worked best but feel free to try other modes too, you can also at this point “move” the object back and forth (it will stay aligned to the “egg”) to get the best fit.

[twisted]

@VVruba what a useful technique that is!

Thank you.