So, I got this idea stuck in my head the other day, about trying to create a model with that specific look, you know, the cat eye syndrome thing. Not really sure why, just thought it looked unique and wanted to see if I could capture it in a digital model I was working on.
Getting Started
First thing, I just opened up the software I usually mess around in. Didn’t start completely from scratch, I grabbed a basic human head mesh I had lying around. Saves a bit of time, you know? The base was pretty generic, which is good, lets you focus on the specific changes.
The main thing, obviously, was the eyes. That’s the whole point, right? I spent a good chunk of time just focused there. Getting that specific iris shape was tricky. It’s not just a simple slit like a cat, but more of a keyhole thing going downwards from the pupil.
- I started by trying to sculpt it directly onto the eyeball mesh. Pushing and pulling verts.
- That kinda worked, but looked a bit rough, a bit lumpy. Hard to get it clean.
- So then, I thought maybe textures would be better.
Trying Textures and Adjustments
I flattened out the iris texture I had and basically painted the keyhole shape directly onto it in my painting software. Made sure the pupil extended down into that gap. That seemed a bit easier to control. I fiddled with the colours for a while, trying to make it look like a real iris texture, just with that different shape.
Honestly, getting the texture to map right onto the eyeball model took a few tries. Sometimes it stretched weirdly near the edges. Had to adjust the UV map a bit, which is always a bit of a pain, but got there eventually.
Then I looked at some reference pics online, just quickly. Seemed like sometimes the eye placement or other features might be slightly different too. I didn’t go crazy technical, just made some small tweaks.
- Nudged the eyes slightly further apart. Not a huge amount, just a touch.
- Played with the ear position a little, lowering them maybe? Can’t quite remember, I undid it a few times.
- Mostly kept the rest of the face standard, didn’t want to overdo it.
Finishing Up (Sort Of)
Added some basic skin texture back on, threw some simple lighting at it to see how it looked. It’s definitely… different. The eyes stand out, for sure. That was the goal.
It’s not perfect, by any means. Probably could spend way more time refining the textures, the model itself. But as a quick exercise, just trying to see if I could represent that specific feature? Yeah, it was interesting. It makes you look at facial structures a bit differently when you focus on one unique detail like that.
Anyway, that was my little project for the afternoon. Just messing around, seeing what happens. Sometimes these random ideas turn into a good learning experience, even if the final thing isn’t a masterpiece.
