Manchester Method (IFRG)
Definition
The combined-anatomy facial approximation protocol developed by Richard Neave and systematised by Caroline Wilkinson (2004, 2010), which reconstructs masticatory muscles anatomically and uses tissue-depth pegs as a surface check. The current IFRG global standard and the basis of the FaceLab digital pipeline.
- Originator
- Richard Neave
- Systematised by
- Caroline Wilkinson, 2004 and 2010
- Muscle approach
- Anatomically layered masticatory muscles
- Verification
- Tissue-depth pegs as a surface check
- Digital pipeline
- Basis of the FaceLab workflow
Common questions
What distinguishes the IFRG version from the original clay Manchester method?+
Wilkinson's systematised protocol formalised the muscle-by-muscle sequence into a repeatable procedure with published anatomical rules, and the FaceLab pipeline later translated the same logic into digital sculpting software, letting the same combined-anatomy approach run on a 3D scan rather than a physical skull cast.
Why use tissue-depth pegs if the muscles are already modelled anatomically?+
The pegs act as an independent check, confirming the modelled soft-tissue thickness at each landmark falls within population-appropriate ranges, which catches errors introduced during muscle sculpting before the final skin surface is applied.
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