Low Poly Mask
Description
Here's a blank canvas for the new you. Or your Halloween costume. Or maybe your audition for store mannequin. Or your general purpose anonymity needs.
Sometime in the future I hope to make a full head version, but I wanted to post what I've gotten done so far in case someone could use it for Halloween 2012. The original idea was to make a papercraft alternative for artists who can't afford the "planes of the head" plaster model, so keep your eyes peeled for further developments.
I'm going to make a mask with dark paper, and use glow-in-the-dark tape to highlight the edges - I'll be Wireframe Man!
EDIT: Since originally posting this, I've seen comments by people stating they intend to make the make the mask using materials other than paper. Please note that many of the polygons aren't true flat planes, and there are a couple of twists that are challenging enough with thick paper. This mask, as designed, is impossible to build using rigid materials.
EDIT: 10/31/12 - Thanks for all the email messages, comments and photos I've been getting! I'm overwhelmed by the response. I had a family emergency these past few days, and the good vibes sent my way helped keep my spirits up.
Instructions
(I've also included the blend file I used to make the mask, and the pdo file for those who use Pepakura).
Print the mask on stiff cardstock or bristol. IMPORTANT: Make sure "scale to fit" (or similar) is OFF when you print. The art will fit on US Letter and A4 (though page 1 is a tight squeeze on A4).
When choosing paper and glue, keep in mind what the humidity from your breath and sweat will do to your materials.
Before cutting out the pieces, score all the fold lines with a straight edge and scoring tool (I've been using a mechanical pencil with the lead retracted, but a paperclip is good too. I wish my real scoring tool would stop wandering off somewhere).
I didn't mark the glue tabs, they seemed self evident. Let me know if I was overly optimistic in that regard.
The mask fits my face fairly well, and the ear hooks work ok. You might need to cut them off and use the traditional elastic band instead.
Enjoy the new, chiseled you!
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i'd love to see a version that allows for glasses to be worn under it
Can you make a "low-poly" paper covering for your glasses and wear them over the mask? I think that'd be kinda' cool. At least it'd be unique.
As for wearing glasses under the mask -- I think it's already something of a nuisance to see while using the mask WITHOUT the added complication of glasses. Perhaps contact lenses are the solution?
This is wonderful. The variation I'd like to see - making a more womanly face. Hell, I'll probably edit it in Blender myself.
This is awesome! I was wondering if you have a 3d version of this with the same topology? I was planning to uv the geometry and it would be great for projection / testing if I could build a blendshape between the flat cut out model and the respective 3d version.
My 3d software does not support blend nor 3ds, but I could import the dxf just fine - maybe you do have a full 3d version of the pieces as .dxf or .obj? Thanks so much, lot's of fun!
hey Kongorilla, We love you design and have made many ourselves here in our office and we also made a printable version too. We were wondering what would you think of a small version about 20mm tall that you could print in metal to use as a pendant, We would use shapeways to print them, What do you think, good idea?
Well, I'm biased, so of course I like the idea. ; ) If it makes someone happy, and the rules of the license are respected, it's all fine with me. I'd love to see a hundred derivative works, especially if they make improvements on the original (which is far from perfect).
Another possibility would be to use it to make a mask in metal sheet. You would have to solder it and file the joints to make sure it had no sharp edges, however.
See my first "EDIT" in the description area above, which was prompted by that suggestion being made a few other places around the web. Because paper is flexible, I felt free to remove fold lines that I didn't like for aesthetic reasons. For something like sheet metal, they'd have to be added back in (it's probably apparent to anyone where they should be, after a little scrutiny). However, it would be better to adjust the original mesh, redesigning it with sheet metal in mind.
Bottom line: Everyone should make a paper version first before considering other materials.
I am planning to donate the images of the mask to the VA Medical Center Craft shop, so everyone can use them to make masks. You could use this to make a mask in suede leather.
Man, it would be great if they get some use from the mask. I never thought of something like that.
The suede idea gives me the willies, though. I'm picturing a 21st century version of "Leatherface" from 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Brrrrr. That said, now that I've been sent so many pictures of people wearing the plain paper version, I've got a constant case of the willies.
done in gold foilboard, it would be a bit reminiscent of Klytus from the 80's version of Flash Gordon.
I made one with a longer forehead. It has 16 LEDs controlled by an Arduino for a Mr. Roboto-like effect. You can watch a demo over at YouTube: http://youtu.be/DGwSBb8qtfs
We had problems gluing the tabs together (Probably because we have sausage fingers here) so we used selotape
What is really interesting about this is that every one looks different somehow, even though it is the same template
Would you mind sharing a dxf for those of us without the right software.
Pepakura is capable of exporting the paper layout as a dxf. Is that what you want? (I know very little about dxf files, I must confess). I'm hesitant to add a dxf to the download section until someone checks out the file. Also, it seems many people are downloading every file in the download section, when they only need one of the zips. I'm picturing 1,000 downloaders coming from the BoingBoing post wondering what they're supposed to do with the pdo file, for example.
Anyway, here's a dxf for you to check out. Let me know if it's useable. Pepakura can also export the pages separately, if that's preferable.
https://www.box.com/s/mxtij0rn...
(P.S. I wish Thingiverse had two download sections - something like "Download Thing" and "Download Source Files".)
Looks great! any chance to have this model released in a .3ds format?
Is it possible to simplify real head scan? F.e with "reconstructme"
Most 3D modelling programs have a feature that will reduce the polygon count for you (in Blender, it's the "decimate" modifier), but the result will never be as good as when you do it manually, especially when reducing to a poly count this low. However, it's very easy in Blender to bring in a head scan and use the snapping settings to draw a new low-poly version of the head using the high-poly as a guide. The new polygons you create snap right to the surface of high poly model. For that matter, you could import both this mask and your head scan, and "shrink wrap" this mask onto the scan.
you could use the pepakura designer app to make our own.
sadly only windows.
awesome feat is if you work by photos while moddeling you get fully coloured output.
This is great! I love to see well done papercraft, please post more here!
I'll be making this for Halloween. I work in printing, and do lots of mockups of die cut packaging.
A handy tool I use for cutting and scoring is an Olfa XA-1 knife. When the blade is retracted, the metal tip that the blade protrudes from makes an excellent scoring tool as it is thin but blunt so won't cut the paper, just makes a nice dent in it.
I'll be printing mine on a paper product called Yupo, it is a synthetic paper product with the consistency somewhere between card stock and light plastic. It is fairly waterproof but can be printed on with a laser printer and cuts and scores easily with normal tools.
Somehow I imagine if corporate entities had faces, they'd look like this.
Man, that mask is creepy, ghastly, and gives me the willies! Perfect for Halloween! Mwahaha ha!!!
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Can you add the shaping for the top of the head as well. I hope to make a mask that doesn't use the ear pieces put sits on your head like a helmet.
It was my intention to *sometime* do the full head. After having moved on and entangled myself deeply in other projects, it's sometimes hard to regain the interest to revisit old stuff. Requests like yours can influence what's swirling in my brain, though, so it could happen. Waiting for me to do it, though, is a bad idea (right now I'm buried in work I have to get done).