Skull model, suggestions anyone?

* WARNING - CONTAINS MILKSHAPE SCREENSHOTS *

IF LIGHT BLUE BACKGROUND CAUSES NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, TEMPORARY BLINDNESS, OR INVOLUNTARY CLENCHING OF THE ANUS, IMMEDIATELY HIT THE BACK BUTTON AND FIND A THREAD WITH REAL SOFTWARE/TALENT

Anyways, I made this skull model and skinned it. I'm pleased with the model so far. I still need to make the insides, that will be very simple though, since you're not going to see inside it well in-game. The model right now is excessive on the poly count(471, probably will end up around 650 with the insides), but I'm going to simplify it to get the count down. Theres a good bit of detail in there that I can mush out in about 5 minutes and let the skin do the work. Just wanted to make a nice model since I haven't made anything in years... brushing the dust off the old tool kit.

Heres some pics.

Flat shaded:

[Blocked Image: http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/410421/original/skullflat.jpg]

Textured:

[Blocked Image: http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/410350/original/skull2.jpg]

The skin:

[Blocked Image: http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/410422/original/skullskin.jpg]

Yes, the jaw and skull are mirrored on either side for the most part. I changed the crack up a bit going on the top of the head, but other than that they're the same. I didn't think I was going to have room to do two different halves, but it looks like I can crop it together to fit. I may do that, I may not. Its just for an in-game prop, not a big deal. I actually might need the space for another part of the model(I'll get to that later).

The skin looks okay, nothing special. Rather boring, but I wanted a cleanish skull, no big holes or stains or anything.. just yellowed bone. But it still doesn't look quite right, and this is where I'm looking for suggestions. How can I make it look better? The skin just looks too flat, it doesn't seem to be the right texture.. but I'm a photoshop noob and I can't get anything to look better. Help!

Oh and the goal for this model is going to be a lamp of sorts... I'm planning on modeling a simple cast-iron bar that comes off the bottom/back of the skull(spinal cord area) on a 45* angle and is attached to a wall. Stick a simple candle inside and you have a spooky lamp... Hopefully it works as good as I hope. Probably not though, I think I'm getting too fancy. Whatever.

Oh a few more things. I know the upper jaw is missing teeth at the back. I noticed this after I added the jaw, and I fixed it on one side, but not the other... I then pulled the wireframe to make the skin from the opposite side, so my texture didn't match the fixed side.. I didn't have time to fix the skin so I just deleted the added teeth. They will find their way back in though.

The model took me 2 1/2 hours, the skin took me around 6 or 7.

Quote from Swifty-

Texture itself looks already a little blurred, so i'd use my attention to making it sharper, skull isn't soft at all, should be more.. crispy? There's also lot of wasted texture space like ferret said, i guess it should be used effectively. The model itself looks nice to me

I don't think there is, it's just the part in the skull which is lower, milkshape makes it look like unsnapped vertices.

Yeah you're right, theres a recessed part right there.. just a funny angle. I probably will take that out in the final version. Unneccesary detail for its purpose.

I will probably be using that extra space on the skin for the stand and candle. If I have room I'll make it bigger.

It is for a map that is rather surreal and supposed to be shadowy/spooky, so I don't mind if it doesn't look 100% like the real thing. I'm going to play around with sharpening it.

I made those cracks so light because they're supposed to be hairline cracks, they're not terribly visible on a real skull.. but it will probably look better if they are a sharp line. I'll work on it.

Thanks for the suggestions!