[Lunatique]

It seemed to me Sculpt Surfaces was a great idea, until I really used it. Lack of control is how I would describe it. I even toned down the opacity to minimize any dramatic changes too quickly, but it still seems I'd be better off just pulling vertices and CV's.

The red marks it leaves on the screen is just annoying too. I'd have to click for it to go away.

It also seems adding isoparms just to have more sculpting options isn't as efficient as using sub'D?

[ March 19, 2002: Message edited by: Lunatique ]

[Steven Stahlberg]

[shudder]
I've never used that thar sculpting tool, scares me, just lookin at it gives me the shivers...
I like total microscopic control in my modeling, and I'm anal about keeping geometry as light as possible, and topology exaaaactly the way I want it.

Although I can see how it might come in handy if I ever needed to do something very complex but random, with lots of smooth flowing shapes, and that would never have to deform in animation - like a landscape, or an extremely dented and buckled metal wall or something melted and re-hardened. Never had to so far though.

[ruler protractor pen penc]

Im not sure for nurbs...but for polys it's very useful(i just started taking my first 3d modeling class this semester, and i've yet to learn how to model with nurbs). but i mainly use it for last touchups on my model if i need to. it seems to give a kind of realistic effect to the surface.

for example...if you want to model an "apple" for a huge scene and really dont have the time to be anal about the model like steven, you can use the sculpting tool with the smooth option and create a fast, simple, and realistic looking "apple" for your scene.

hmm, what else...bumpy roads? terrains? etc. i love to use it when dealing with human muscles, but very lightly. hope this helps

[Hunago]

My problem with Nurbs sculpt surface tool is it always end up pushing the CVs out of alignment, so instead of staying in a contineous curve. The hull looked like a wiggly mess after I worked on it for a while.

I think there is a option to sculpt the CVs so they only move in just x, y, or z direction, this could give you a bit more control. Also, you could hold down the B key which allows you to change the brush size quicker and interactively. There is also a sculpt mask. I never tried it, but could be useful.

Still, might be better to loft each individual surfaces from curves. Stitching is a beast though.

[Lunatique]

Yeah, I can see how using it as a quick shaping tool can be useful-especially for terrain and random shapes.

Hey, Steven, is it true that sub'D has taken over as your new love for modeling?

[Steven Stahlberg]

Yeah, I love it. Take a belly button for example. in the middle of a fairly flat smooth area on the body, it shows a lot of fine detail. It's a nightmare to try it in NURBS. Hey, it's probably easier in polys, but I was never a poly modeler, I just went straight from NURBS to Subd's.

[Lunatique]

Hehe. I was reading your old tutorial on modeling a chick with nurbs, and I was thinking, "Holy mother of God. This doesn't look intuitive at all. No wonder Steven has moved on to sub'D."

It's probably a good thing that you skipped polys altogether, since sub'D is really just a more advanced poly tool that mimics the results you'd get from nurbs. Having the ability to dial up and down the complexity of your mesh and get localized detail is friggin' awesome. Is your work flow simpler and faster now that you use sub'D?

But isn't it true that sub'D surfaces can't support fur, paint effects, or softbody dynamics? How would you work around that?

[ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: Lunatique ]

[Steven Stahlberg]

Yes, workflow is faster, but the main difference is I can take it further with the detail.

Yes, those limitations you mention apply, but for a human body I don't need Fur or PaintFX to be all over the geometry, so I can use smaller 'stand-in' NURBRS surfaces that are invisible, for that. Eyelashes for instance, Fur on thin invisible strips near the eyelids edges, works great - Fur on a smaller surface means quicker rendering, and the lashes can easily be exported and imported, and very easily edited.

Softbody dynamics, I never use that for the body.

[dave_baer]

I love it. It is very helpful when I want to form bulk areas. Lunatique, the red marks you are referring to are due to low memory. I too have the same problem. The radius image of the tool stays on the model until you change camera position, right? Just get more memory and the problem will go away.

Hunago, after you use the tool, just rebuild the surface with the same amount of UVs and they mesh will be back in line. =)