Making 3D comics using SketchUp - MOUTHS

Let's draw some mouths!

Use the Rectangle tool to draw a basic mouth shape:

Use the Push/Pull tool to push the shape inwards, forming a mouth. Then use the Paint Bucket tool to paint the inside surface toothy white.

A surprised or anguished expression, maybe.

Another mouth variant. Hit Ctrl-Z (undo) until the rectangular mouth is deleted.

Redraw the rectangle, then select the Arc tool :

Like all arcs, or curves, you need a left point, a right point, then you can shape the arc.

Select a left point on the left rectangle edge:

Now select a right point on the right rectangle edge. SketchUp tries to assist by lining up the points along the red X-axis:

Move the cursor down until the arc line touches the bottom line of the rectangle, and left-mouse-click select:

Use the Eraser tool to delete the lower corner lines so you're left with the outline of a smile:

Use the Push/Pull tool to push the shape inwards, forming a mouth. Then use the Paint Bucket tool to paint the inside surface toothy white:

Let's add a lower lip line under the mouth, using the Arc tool again:

Select a left point below the mouth, on the face:

Select a right point below the mouth, on the face:

Move the cursor down until the shape of the arc follows the shape of the mouth's lower line, and left-click select:

Just thinking aloud... actually there's another way to draw the lower lip line...

Select the lower lip line so it highlights:

Select the Move/Copy tool then select the highlighted lower lip line:

  • Tap the Ctrl key once to switch on SketchUp's copy function, a "+" should show in the cursor.
  • Tap the Down Arrow key to tell SketchUp to use the blue Z-axis.
  • Move the cursor downward, a copy of the highlighted line will follow the movement. Left-mouse-click select when you judge it's in the right position.

Either way gives us a smiling face, in theory:

All kinds of mouth shapes can be made with any line or arc combinations, indented and colored white, e.g.


The last example above, I made the areas to the side of the "teeth" dark to make a snarling or anxious expression (in theory).

Simpler mouths/expressions can be made just by drawing lines or arcs alone onto the face:

SAVE THE MODEL.


Next step: Hair & Ears

Intro | Heads | Eyes | Eyebrows | Copying Eyes & Eyebrows | Noses | Mouths | Hair & Ears