3d:modeling

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3d:modeling [2025/03/21 10:51] – created mh3d:modeling [2025/06/02 21:23] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 ====== Modeling ====== ====== Modeling ======
  
-Page just created.+  * **[[3d:modeling:topology|Topology]]** 
 +===== Method ===== 
 + 
 +=== Reference === 
 + 
 +Before starting a composition compile **reference images** and make a **basic sketch** of the final composition in terms of disposition and arrangement.  
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== Boxing shapes === 
 + 
 +Start by boxing out the different elements with very rough primitive shapes until the entire composition is boxed out.  
 + 
 +Pay attention to the scale of items and their proportions in regard to other elements. 
 + 
 +Take every element piece by piece into several level of details : rough, medium, fine. Cycle the entire scene through a level of detail before moving on to the next. 
 + 
 +**Inset faces** and **extrude** them and scale them down along the normal to get quick good looking volumes. 
 + 
 +Loop cuts **''CTRL'' + ''R''** are a fast way to add topology but don't add too much to stay in low poly.  
 + 
 +Beams are useful elements on buildings to join parts together and hide overlaps. 
 + 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== Modifiers === 
 + 
 +Use the **Mirror** and **Solidify** Modifiers to speed up workflow on basic shapes and apply them only to break the symmetry and add finer details (destructive modeling). 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== Randomness === 
 + 
 +Moving vertices around a little randomly and rotating/scaling loop-cuts helps to give character really fast and break the initial rigidity of shapes. 
 + 
 +The **Proportional Edit** tool can be handy in some cases. 
 + 
 +Use **Select Random** and **Randomize** to immediately add a lot of chaotic, uncontrolled randomness to the entire mesh. 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== N-Gons, Quads, Tris === 
 + 
 +Blender converts everything to triangles when rendering. 
 + 
 +Quads are easier to work with because they can be easily loop cut. 
 + 
 +N-Gons are shaded correctly as long as they are on the same surface.  
 + 
 +Generally best to model with Quads. 
 + 
 +If all vertices of the quads are not all on the same plane they will be shaded weirdly. Select all and scale to 0 along local appropriate axis. 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== Linked/Unlinked Duplicates === 
 + 
 +When creating linked duplicates with **''ALT'' + ''D''** any changes made into **Object** mode are instance-specific but changes made in **Edit** mode update all instances. 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +=== Tips === 
 + 
 +Proportional editing **''O''** helps a lot to move/rotate parts of meshes together. 
 + 
 +Duplicate elements **''SHIFT'' + ''D''** and detach **''P''** (to create primitives that will become roofs, windows, doors, etc.) 
 + 
 +Apply all modifiers on a multiple selection with **Convert > Mesh**. 
 + 
 +Trees and landscapes can be sculpted with a finer mesh and then decimated using a modifier to bring them back down to Low Poly. 
 + 
 +To scale down a shape that goes in multiple directions (like a twisted beam), switch to **Edit Mode** and use **''ALT'' + ''S''** to scale along the normals with every vertex selected. 
 +==== Useful Techniques ==== 
 + 
 +=== Extrude along a path === 
 + 
 +Use **''CTRL'' + ''RIGHT CLICK''** to extrude along a path given by your clicks. This is very handy for extruding along crude curves created on the fly (handles, etc.) 
 + 
 +=== Plane and knife tool === 
 + 
 +Sometimes its simpler to use a plane then knife your shape roughly through it making use of mirror modifiers for symmetry and to create thickness 
 + 
 +Use the knife again to break down N-gons into quads 
 + 
 +---- 
 +===== Stone Walls ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:3d-stone-wall.png?direct&340}} | Block out a large, medium and small stone shape. Apply scale. | 
 +| ::: | Add a Bevel modifier. | 
 +| ::: | Add a bit of variations with loop-cuts and randomness. | 
 +| ::: | Fill in one row. | 
 +| ::: | Duplicate the row upwards once with **''SHIFT'' + ''D''**. | 
 +| ::: | Repeat as many times as necessary with **''SHIFT'' + ''R''** to fill in the height of the wall. | 
 +| ::: | Randomize each row manually by shifting blocks around. | 
 +| ::: | Add randomness in object or edit mode. | 
 +| ::: | Polish manually to avoid ugly joints. | 
 + 
 +==== Additional tips ==== 
 + 
 +  * Go into side view and flatten each sides after adding the randomness. They often tend to stick out too much which doesn't look very good in flat shading. 
 + 
 +  * Having the stones slightly overlap each other helps to avoid light sources leaking through the wall. 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Floor/Ceiling Planks ===== 
 + 
 + 
 +| {{3d:3d-planks.png?direct&340}} | Create a basic plank.  | 
 +| ::: | Add 2 loop cuts for some variation. | 
 +| ::: | Duplicate along X or Y to cover the zone. Add a little variation. | 
 +| ::: | (Optional) Bring variations in length on the end visible to the camera (some sticking in, some sticking out). | 
 +| ::: | Bevel a few vertices to add notches . | 
 +| ::: | Randomize a bit & rectify where needed. | 
 + 
 + 
 +==== Additional tips ==== 
 + 
 +  * Add dents by beveling a vertex and joining the two unconnected center vertices 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Pipes ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly_pipes.png?direct&340}} | Start with a cylinder.  | 
 +| ::: | **''CTRL''+''RIGHT CLICK''** with a face selected to extrude to click point. | 
 +| ::: | **''ALT''+''E''**Extrude along normals certain face loops to create joints. | 
 +| ::: | Bevel a few vertices/edges to add notches. | 
 +| ::: | Randomize & rectify. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Fast Plants ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly-leaf.png?direct&340}} | Start with a plane.  | 
 +| ::: | Loop cut several times across and once down the middle and rearrange create a leaf. | 
 +| ::: | Set origin to bottom. | 
 +| ::: | **''SHIFT''+''D''** to duplicate and immediately **''R'' + ''Z'' + ''45''** to rotate the duplicate at a 45° angle. | 
 +| ::: | **''SHIFT''+''R''** x6 to repeat. | 
 +| ::: | Randomize & rectify. | 
 +| ::: | Shade auto smooth and colorize. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Tree (Variant 1) ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly-tree-variant-1.png?direct&340}} | Merge a primitive into a **single vertex**.  | 
 +| ::: | Extrude several times to create skeletal structure of tree. | 
 +| ::: | Add **skin** modifier. | 
 +| ::: | **''CTRL'' + ''A''** to scale vertices. Scale bigger at root and smaller at top. | 
 +| ::: | (Optional) Add **Subdivision** and **Decimate** modifiers. | 
 +| ::: | Add icospheres for leaves. Duplicate, rotate, scale. | 
 +| ::: | (Optional) Add **Subdivision** and **Decimate** modifiers. | 
 +| ::: | Apply modifiers to randomize. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Tree (Variant 2) ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly-tree-variant-2.png?direct&340}} | Start with a **low poly cylinder** (6-8 sides).  | 
 +| ::: | Top face scale down, creates the trunk. Loop cut to add a bit of variation. | 
 +| ::: | **Duplicate upwards** for first row of leaves. Take the bottom face and **inset** then **extrude upwards**. | 
 +| ::: | **Repeat** several times making cones smaller and rotating them a bit for variation. | 
 +| ::: | Add some **vertical loop cuts** into some parts to add variations by bringing the created bottom edge upwards. | 
 +| ::: | Use the **knife tool** to create notches. Delete excess face and **''F''** to fill to create the notch. | 
 +| ::: | (Note) the previous step creates N-Gons that can be kept but rectify topology if needed. | 
 +| ::: | Shade auto smooth and colorize. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Tree (Variant 2) ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly-tree-variant-3.png?direct&340}} | Start with a **low poly cylinder** (6-8 sides).  | 
 +| ::: | Scale vertically to full length of trunk. | 
 +| ::: | Loop cut a few times and move around to give a bit of wobbliness. | 
 +| ::: | Add a plane with two loop cuts. Scale loop cut outwards for a sort of leaf like aspect. | 
 +| ::: | Bring center face up and rotate the inner cuts around to break flatness. | 
 +| ::: | **''ALT'' + ''D''** to link duplicate and rotate around the Z 90°. | 
 +| ::: | Repeat twice, each time in **Object** mode rotate a bit the branch to break evenness. | 
 +| ::: | **''ALT'' + ''D''** to link duplicate upwards and rotate a bit around Z. | 
 +| ::: | Repeat up to full height of tree and scale down as you go. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Low Poly Crystals ===== 
 + 
 +| {{3d:low-poly-crystals.png?direct&340}} | Make a shard : Default cube > scale Shift Z > loop cut twice vertically in both X and Y and bring middle vertex up.  | 
 +| ::: | Bevel corners and merge vertices and add randomness. | 
 +| ::: | Duplicate twice to create 3 different shards. | 
 +| ::: | Create a cluster of shards by duplicating the lot and arranging them. | 
 +| ::: | Join all objects together with union modifier (bool tool add-on to do on multiple shapes). | 
 +| ::: | //If problem when joining either select another active object or just move/rotate slightly the active object that failed.// | 
 +| ::: | At this point you might have a few massive N-gons to repair. | 
 +| ::: | Edit mode > Select all vertices > Bisect tool to cut base (Clear inner + Fill ticked). | 
 +| ::: | Rectify topology. | 
 +| ::: | Add crystal material : transmission 1, roughness down. Add a base color. | 
 +| ::: | Add a point light inside the Crystal. | 
 + 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Parenting ===== 
 + 
 +Use **''CTRL'' + ''P''** to parent a selection to the active object (opens the parenting menu). 
 + 
 +It's handy to parent a selection of meshes composing an object to an empty to be able to move the empty to place and move the object easily afterwards. 
 + 
 +When placing such empties, be wary of the origin point of the empty as snapping to faces afterward will use that empty's origin.
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