A stl workflow

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 13:22

Its my first time doing this.
Its a project, it gonna be carved on wood, it has to be an stl, not too dense, no undercuts and its not my taste exactly. But I had some fun.
The base (not my design) posted as a skp file. Exported and sculpted in 3DCoat (re-topology and UVs) and zbrush (details). Everything imported in blender for a preview render and to export the stl-file. I also exported a low def model (3k + n_maps) for the preview.
I'm posting this here to show how SU, 3DC, Zbrush and blender can be used as a great workflow. Blender was used for cleaning meshes and converting. Any other app can be used instead.

numbthumb · 17 Nov 2010, 13:26

Not bad for a first time

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 14:15

thanks numbthumb, if you have any experience on this stl thing, please, any information you could provide is precious.

artysmedia · 17 Nov 2010, 14:35

It is great! How many polys?

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 15:09

Thanks artysmedia, what we see here is ~3k only plus normal maps (blender render). No displacement.
Its a multi-res model though up to 1M (see the zbrush render). Not much again due to re-topology. A 200k stl export is more than enough. I avoided to use high density in some parts due to the stl machine. Another limitation. Even a 50k stl could do the job, I think so. The worst is that I can't use undercuts.
These caryatids like figures, well, I could use some more fatty figures and more simple but client prefers something like these.

sepo · 17 Nov 2010, 16:49

Looking good Michalis. Good sculpting

boofredlay · 17 Nov 2010, 17:00

Lovely!

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 17:02

Thanks sid, not my taste though (or yours lol) but I had some fun, OK.
I exported stl files from 2-3 apps. When opening these, I noticed that vertices and faces are double. Is this normal? No other issues.

Oh, thanks Boofredlay.

solo · 17 Nov 2010, 17:10

Michalis, I really enjoy your organic works, it shows clearly that Sketchup on it's own is a great tool, but with help from other apps like Blender, Z-brush and 3D coat that anything is possible.
I watched one of your Blender tutorials, and it scared the crap out of me as it was so foriegn to the way I work, however Blender certainly is something I need to learn and hope that I can come to you with questions when I get around to it, as this is the kind of stuff I want to learn to make.

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 17:35

Thanks pete

@unknownuser said:

I can come to you with questions when I get around to it, as this is the kind of stuff I want to learn to make.

Yes, do this, blender suffers from bad or not at all documentation. Its the open source community, remember.
I should write a new tutorial, I've learned much more now. 3DC is the app for you pete, try it. You need a obj to 3ds converter only. Better integration with SU as it can change the topology easily. ZBrush and SU aren't good friends, you already noticed that.

derei · 17 Nov 2010, 17:43

I like the nipples ! ... sorry, it's offtopic
Anyway, good work! A tutorial for that sculpture would be awesome

solo · 17 Nov 2010, 18:24

3D coat to SU would be great if possible, as you said 3D coat works best with SU.
And if you can include the UV mapping in 3D coat, I'd like that.

Thanks.

derei · 17 Nov 2010, 18:26

@michaliszissiou said:

@dereeei: thanks, nipples ha ha, I wish this stl machine can carve these. Even as a simple stroke, it'll be fine.
A tutorial for digital sculpture? On what app? 3DCoat? Zbrush? There're tons of this stuff around.

On what you did this one

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 18:29

thanks numbthumb
My english are bad I know, no misunderstanding here though, I really need some information on this.
@dereeei: thanks, nipples ha ha, I wish this stl machine can carve these. Even as a simple stroke, it'll be fine.
A tutorial for digital sculpture? On what app? 3DCoat? Zbrush? There're tons of this stuff around. A tutorial on sculpture in general? You need an art school, not me. And some years probably. To start with broad strokes is the best way IMO. And stay away from anatomy which is good for details only.

michaliszissiou · 17 Nov 2010, 18:43

@pete
3DC has a better UV editor than blender. You can just import a SU mesh, make UVs and paint on it. No need to drop it to the voxels space at all. Have a tour, they have a nice site.
@dereeei, there aren't much more than the screen capture I posted. Just avoid 'non-manifolds', you know, these internal faces when using 'push-pull' +alt in SU*. And the whole mesh should be waterproof (no openings).
*I noticed that this can cause problems to some renderers as well. This messes UVs actually.

numbthumb · 19 Nov 2010, 10:13

@michaliszissiou said:

thanks numbthumb, if you have any experience on this stl thing, please, any information you could provide is precious.

I wish I could do that, michalis, I was only joking. It was you who gave the informations that helped me to gain more clarity about my future 3D path. Learning apps like Blender and 3DC is on my to-do list.
Oh, and I really enjoy your " workshop ". Always a pleasure to see.

pyroluna · 20 Nov 2010, 02:27

are kids gonna be looking at that?!

right... not my taste either. but the modelling work looks amazing!

oh and the waterproofing can be checked with SU8 in the entity info... if the group is solid, it's waterproof!

Roger · 20 Nov 2010, 04:36

STL ?????????????????????????????????????? Remind me what that means.

d12dozr · 20 Nov 2010, 04:56

STL is a file format used by CNC machines, 3D printers, and other similar machines to make a physical product from a CAD file.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_%28file_format%29

ken28875 · 20 Nov 2010, 05:18

Very nice, Michalis.

Have a great weekend,

_KN