Abstract: Recently, the face modeling method based on the knowledge of prototype face, the morphable model, is proposed to reconstruct 3D face from facial images automatically. This model uses the linear combination of the 3D prototypes to interpret facial image. And the model succeeds in applications of image analysis, face recognition and expression animation, etc. The authors review the study of morphable model and its' development and applications, and presents the prospects for the future research on the model and its' application.