SubD examples and models

garydorn

@garydorn said:

Is SubD something that could be used to smooth out and simplify the surface better than what I've modelled so far. - some of my surfaces are still too dimply.

Car modelling has been my main interest for QFT and SUbD. You can see a test model in the beginning of this thread: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=397%26amp;t=63826#p584865

That car you got there would be really fun to model. I've been thinking that I want to model a rounder car like that. (Was thinking Cobra is similar.)

The AC Aceca is the coupe version of the AC ace, which was the basis of the ac/shelby cobra 260/289 ( ac ace with flared wheel arch ) which became the large flared 427 cobra.

I working on a AC 260/289 body version - the curves are quite challenging to get visually right.

ac ace

cobra body in progress

massimo

@thomthom said:

I used that, but when clicking save it omitted the edges...

You have to pick "SketchUp image" in the "save as" drop-down menu.
I have an older version of the plugin installed atm so I don't know if something has changed.

@ntxdave said:

@rich o brien said:

I find Presto AO to be best for quickies...

Nice looking Rich. What is Presto AO?

Presto is a hybrid CPU+GPU engine.
Have a look here

Rich O Brien

@box said:

It makes such lovely surfaces for rendering.

JQL

@thomthom said:

I used that, but when clicking save it omitted the edges...

@thomthom said:

Hey, how do you guys save out the renders with the wireframe? After doing a Thea render in the viewport with edges and saving it the edges where omitted. (I'm digging up all my ol' render licenses...)

@rich o brien said:

That's how I typically do it. Unless I'm missing a setting somewhere too?

You have to save "Sketchup Image(*.png)" on the image file options... If you want to render at a different resolution from your screen you have to separate your renders and do a non interactive render. Then, saving sketchup image will export the sketchup image as a png at the render resolution instead of screen resolution so you can easily blend in an image editor.

Thea+SU Edges.jpeg

JQL

Sorry Massimo, missed your post...

Box

It makes such lovely surfaces for rendering.

ntxdave

@Box that is some really nice rendering of those parts. I assume they were done with Thea. Is that true?

You guys make me feel really jealous. I wish I could come up with stuff that looked like that. I am wondering how some of my car wash equipment would look if rendered like that.

Something else for me to go try to learn............although I am learning, I am still struggling a little with the quad stuff. I think I am going to give up on trying to write my intro for beginners because I am still trying to learn how to use the tools correctly.

thomthom

@ntxdave said:

You guys make me feel really jealous. I wish I could come up with stuff that looked like that. I am wondering how some of my car wash equipment would look if rendered like that.

Here's a quick and dirty example by just opening your file and replacing some of the materials with the standard Thea materials. Other other work done.

ntxdave

@thomthom said:

Here's a quick and dirty example by just opening your file and replacing some of the materials with the standard Thea materials. Other other work done.

Boy - I really like that. A couple of things:
Should I download the trial version of Thea for SketchUp or the version that I can use "kid of forever" but not for commercial purposes? Is the trial 30 days?

I put that silly part in the glass jar just to see the transparency. I was not able to figure out how to put a liquid in the jar (which is what I really wanted to do).

What adjustments did you make to the drawing itself.

I appreciate you guys putting up with me trying to learn how to do this stuff however, as was mentioned earlier in this thread, maybe some of the "how to" and mentoring discussions should be in a separate thread so as not to dilute the original topic of the thread. I am sure there are others in my category who want to learn. I do not want to be a pain in the rear. I am really enjoying this though.

@Rich is there a way to have that kind of quality/rendering in Edg3d?

Box

@ntxdave said:

@Box I assume they were done with Thea. Is that true?

No, it's the Hobby version of Twilight.

leminilab

Hi,

I love modelling now!

A couple of things really transformed my approach: Vertex Tools, Quadface Tools and Subd of course!
But not only. I recently saw this tutorial by Claas Kuhnen and it really made me understand a lot:
Youtube Video

I hope it can help someone else as it did for me!

I wish SubD could have a toggle on/off for an entire model or having control over the level of detail on selected objects (<-this is the worst sentence I've ever written I think... Tall me if you really didn't understand....

Again, thanks a lot for these wonderful add-ons!
Nicolas

eames wire-proxy.png

eames wire-proxy.skp

thomthom

@leminilab said:

I wish SubD could have a toggle on/off for an entire model or having control over the level of detail on selected objects (<-this is the worst sentence I've ever written I think...

Yes! This is high up on the list for next release. Multiple selected objects - and I was going to explore allowing groups containing SUbD instances as well to propagate the toggle.

thomthom

Love this Eames model by the way! In my previous job I battled this chair so many times when the architects wanted to add it to their models - grabbing the super-high-poly from the manufacturer's website including all the screws and their threadding. sigh
This SUbD version would have saved me so much grief when populating a large model.

I'm adding a screenshot of the wireframe here cause it'd wonderfully simplistic.

Thanks for sharing that video as well. I got a collection of external links/videos for reference material that I'll be adding to the website.

Rich O Brien

[edg3d:1jrvm4kp]6dOQrvWoC7Uy1vP[/edg3d:1jrvm4kp]

leminilab

@thomthom said:

@leminilab said:

I wish SubD could have a toggle on/off for an entire model or having control over the level of detail on selected objects (<-this is the worst sentence I've ever written I think...

Yes! This is high up on the list for next release. Multiple selected objects - and I was going to explore allowing groups containing SUbD instances as well to propagate the toggle.

This would be awesome!

In a group, if you have models with different level of details (some at 1 level of subdiv, others at 2 or 3), would the each model's lOD be retained?

But then maybe it would be nice to have an option to apply the same level of detail to all the models within a group...

Well, let me say it again: I already thank you a lot for all your hard work on this: it's really appreciated!

Box

For those few of you that aren't bored with my doodles. Here's a very fast nose to play with.

Nose.skp

ntxdave

I downloaded the model and, to me, it represents the real key for those of us trying to learn quad modeling. You need to be able to visualize what you are drawing in basic quad configuration. I think your other drawing of a person where you show the steps from just boxes to the eventual shape of the person are the real keys. You can learn to use the tools but if you cannot "see" where you are going, you are going to struggle immensely.

Thanks for sharing this.

thomthom

@box said:

For those few of you that aren't bored with my doodles. Here's a very fast nose to play with.

Keep'em coming! Loving these models!

garydorn

@ntxdave said:

I downloaded the model and, to me, it represents the real key for those of us trying to learn quad modeling. You need to be able to visualize what you are drawing in basic quad configuration. I think your other drawing of a person where you show the steps from just boxes to the eventual shape of the person are the real keys. You can learn to use the tools but if you cannot "see" where you are going, you are going to struggle immensely.

Thanks for sharing this.

I'd agree with you on this, begin able to see where the lines ought to go is a significant ability that will enable the simplest number of quads to produce the desired result.
In my efforts so far, I seem to be modelling the full complexity of the shape, adjusting the vertexes, then retracing over with less lines, and deleting the now redundant lines/quads.

I also wandering whether zorro might be a way of generating some the grid lines?

xiombarg

This may have already been addressed, but it seems that if you want to keep the number of subdivided polygons in a more permanent form, such as exporting solids for 3D printing, I think all that needs to be done is to explode the group while subdivided.