Facial Reconstruction

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Facial Reconstruction

• By Jessica Wu
• SBF6-03
• Instructor Ms. Villani

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Introduction

• When skeletons are discovered, it was hard to
  determine who the victim and who the murderer
  was.
• Due to growing technology and experience of years
  there has been progress.
• Facial reconstructions are done for many reasons
  including criminal investigations, remains that
  are considered historically valuable and remains
  of humans and prehistoric hominids.

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History

• Facial reconstruction is one of the four major
  subfields of anthropology.
• Biological anthropology - used in approximating
  the look of early hominid forms.
• Archaeology used in verifying the remains of
  historic figures.

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How To Start

• Skull provides clues to help determine facial
  features in appearance.
• brow ridge
• distance between the eye orbits
• shape of the nasal chamber
• shape and projection of the nasal bones
• chin's form
• overall profile of the facial bones.

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Continue

• Sculptor familiar with facial anatomy works with
  forensic anthropologist in interpreting skeletal
  features to reveal
• anatomical features
• age
• sex
• ancestry

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Circumstantial Identification

• This is constituted when the biological profile
  of a set of skeletal remains fit an individual.
• The identity of an individual cannot be affirmed
  with circumstantial identification since more
  than on person can fit the same biological
  description.

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Positive Identification

• This is constituted when the set of skeletal
  remains correlate with the individuals unique
  biological charteristics.
• It is necessary for the skeletal remains to match
  th medical or dental records, pathologies or DNA
  analysis.

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Two-dimensional Reconstructions

• Hand-drawn facial images based on ante mortem and
  skull photographs.
• Usually requires cooperation between artist and
  forensic anthropologist.
• Commonly used method involves fixing tissue depth
  markers on unidentified skull at various
  anthropological landmarks before photographing
  skull.

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Reconstructing Of Decomposing Body

• Using artists knowledge of face and general
  knowledge of body reaction to decomposition,
  educated estimates can show how an individual
  appeared before death.
• All methods of facial reconstruction help put a
  face on victim to produce quick identification,
  saving man-hours and allowing victims family to
  rest.

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Three-dimensional Reconstructions

• Sculptures created with modeling clay and other
  materials
• High-resolution three-dimensional computer
  images.
• Usually require both artist and forensic
  anthropologist.
• Computer programs are used to maneuver scanned
  photographs of remains, facial features and other
  available reconstructions.
• Usually most effective in victim identification
  since they are not too picturesque or artificial.

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Color on Computer Images

• CT scans cannot record vital surface detail so
  aspects are added on by borrowing physical
  features of living person to paste onto 3D model.
• Color mapping - 3D depiction process using person
  with similar qualities as model skull. Involves
  photographing person and using software to merge
  three views into one strip.
• Does have accuracy limitation like clay facial
  reconstruction. Nose, mouth and ear shape are
  mostly guessed but lighting conditions and
  ability to view different angles of face makes
  computer facial reconstruction very lifelike and
  helpful during cases.

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Superimposition

• Superimposing photograph of individual believed
  to be the owner of skeletal remains over X-ray of
  the unidentified skull.
• If X-ray and photograph are the same individual,
  the anatomical features of face should align
  accurately.

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Reconstruction Case

• April 1995, skeletal remains were unearthed in
  Crawford, Cape Town.
• Lay in shallow grave and entangled in female
  clothing.
• Anatomical features of skull were determined to
  be of mixed racial origin of around 24 years of
  age.
• Reconstruction of the face was carried out on
  plaster model of skull and then photographed.
• Photograph was placed in the newspaper for
  possible recognition which was unsuccessful.

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Case Solved

• Using media exposure, further attempt showed
  photograph on Crime Stop, a television program.
• Led to telephone call from woman living in
  Upington, Northern Cape.
• Daughter had disappeared after attending a
  birthday party in Cape Town.
• Photograph of her daughter was submitted.
• Mother was confident that her daughter had been
  identified.

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Beginning the Reconstruction

• Sculptors need to know depth of skin that
  overlays skull for life-like faces. Around mouth
  and between eyes are heavily concentrated depths.
  Depth measurements are available for people of
  all age, race and size.
• Small pegs are used as facial depth indicators
  and are fixed into the skull or cast. Strips of
  clay that match height of pegs are placed between
  pegs and then clay is used to fill the gaps.
• Effectiveness of clay reconstruction depends
  wholly on the skill of the sculptor.

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Facial Features

• The sculptor then work on aspects of face that
  give the most character and parts that expire
  fastest as the body decays.
• There are certain rules during reconstruction,
  ex ears are around the same length as nose
  though elderly people usually have longer ears.
  When facial features are complete, sculptor makes
  mold from clay head using plaster of Paris
  silicone rubber.
• The facial features of victim present the most
  information on identification.

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The Face

• Reconstruction includes building muscles.
  Sculptors estimate muscle structures by noting
  shape and size of certain facial bones that
  affect shape of the muscles previously attached
  to them. Using their experience, sculptors can
  construct face by shaping each muscle and fixing
  them on the skull. Final step is covering clay
  muscles with layer of clay skin because it
  resembles real skin when smoothed over.

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Limitations

• There are certain accuracy limits that arise
  during reconstruction despite sculptor
  experience.
• Sculptors can guess hairstyles but cannot create
  expressions on a persons face to make sculpture
  completely life like.
• But sculpture can be successful when it assist in
  nudging someone's memory or help narrow down
  search by exempting anyone who does not look like
  the reconstructed face.

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New Developments

• Recently developed F.A.C.E. and C.A.R.E.S.
  computer software programs can quickly produce
  two-dimensional facial approximations that can be
  edited and manipulated with ease.
• Programs may help speed reconstruction process or
  allow subtle variations to be applied to drawings
  even if they may produce more generic images than
  hand-drawn art work.

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Problems

• Insufficient tissue thickness data
• Most pressing issue is data used to average
  facial tissue thickness. Data available to
  forensic artists are still very limited in ranges
  of ages, sexes, and body builds. Lack of
  information hugely affects accuracy of
  reconstructions. Until data is expanded,
  production of the most accurate reconstruction
  possible is greatly limited.

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Problems Cont

• Lack of methodological standardization in
  estimating facial features and individual
  characteristics.
• Forensic anthropologists and artists have
  published individual techniques but official
  method for reconstructing is still not
  acknowledge.
• Presents major setback in facial approximation
  due to difficulty of forensic reconstruction to
  earn wide recognition as legitimate form of
  forensic identification without consistent and
  standard method.

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Problems Cont

• Subjectivity
• Reconstructions only reveal type of face person
  may have exhibited due to artistic subjectivity.
  Position and general shape of main facial
  features are mainly accurate since they are
  determined greatly by skull.
• But subtle details are unavoidably speculative
  since skeletal remains do not tell exact
  appearance. Success of reconstruction depends on
  circumstances of subject under investigation and
  accuracy of technique.

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Bibliography

• Slide 1
• http//nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/Report4/skeleton-2.ht
  ml
• Slide 2
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• http//library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_f
  acial_reconstruction.htm
• Slide 3
• http//www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials/Images/
  news/Skulls.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 4
• http//nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/Report4/skeleton-2.ht
  ml
• http//www.forensicartist.com/reconstruction.html
• Slide 5
• http//nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/Report4/skeleton-2.ht
  ml
• http//www.forensicartist.com/reconstruction.html
• Slide 6
• http//www.longpauses.com/hughes/education.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 7
• http//chattahbox.com/images/2009/02/reconstructio
  n1.jpg

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Bibliography

• Slide 9 -
• http//www.csm.ornl.gov/viz/apps/f-skull.jpg
• http//anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/facial_re
  construction.html
• Slide 10 -
• http//www.michigan.gov/images/Comparison_163259_7
  .jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 11-
• http//ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZX49P64CL.
  _SL500_AA280_.jpg
• http//library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_f
  acial_reconstruction.htm
• Slide 12
• http//www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/oct2000/ima
  ges/teaser.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 13
• http//tnjn.com/content/storyimage/2008/02/12/half
  -face.box.jpg
• http//www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/jan2001/phi
  llips.htm
• Slide 14
• http//ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51r4Boy8LxL.
  _SL500_AA280_.jpg
• http//www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/jan2001/phi
  llips.htm
• Slide 15

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Bibliography

• Slide 16
• http//anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/facial_re
  construction.html
• http//library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_f
  acial_reconstruction.htm
• Slide 17 -
• http//www.laurenspuhler.com/wp-content/uploads/20
  07/11/forensic.jpg
• http//library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_f
  acial_reconstruction.htm
• Slide 18
• http//newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44976000/jpg
  /_44976315_51cfd838-538e-4f31-b228-c0feb745e5b7.jp
  g
• http//library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_f
  acial_reconstruction.htm
• Slide 19
• http//www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/unbrand
  ed/c/unbranded-csi-facial-reconstruction-kit.jpg
• http//anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/facial_re
  construction.html
• Slide 20
• http//www.casdon.com/prod_images/557lg.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 21 -
• http//www.yourbrushwiththelaw.com/fart/SV400147.J
  PG
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_facial_recon
  struction
• Slide 22