Modeling Objects in Carrara - Q&A - Come One and All

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  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987

    okay try this, in model room select and copy parts of the mesh you want high poly

    then select the whole mesh and use 'merge co planar'

    delete the faces that you want to keep high poly

    paste the part of the mesh you copied back

    use weld vertex command

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,202

    or you can select line instead of the polygon triangle on the right

    select your unwanted lines and edit, dissolve. 

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    Thank you, Th3digit. Turned out I needed to stop trying to be clever and do what they outlined -- polyline + organic worked VERY well, and at much smaller polygons than anything else that didn't look remotely as good.

     

  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,235

    timmins.william, can you import your 'mask' shape into the Spline Modeler as an .ai or .eps file?

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    Here's the result (in Iray).

    I needed to have the wings with volume effects to properly look right, so I couldn't use a plane. I tried to use a cube with a mask on it, but cutouts interfere with the volume effect. Ok, I tried using a flattened cube with other effects masked out, but it wasn't perfect and there was ghosting.

    All the mask -> object methods ended up with way too many polygons (I think I had close to 100k at one point) or looked like complete poo. Polyline! POLYLINE + ORGANIC! Thank you again, Th3Digit

    http://willbear.deviantart.com/art/Dragonfly-fae-696123561

    Also, I'm finding Carrara is my favorite method for generating morphs for Daz, over software that costs way more, once I realized what soft selection did. Heh.

     

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Yes, soft selection can be very useful. Don't forget about displacement painting too for doing morphs, it is not as comprehensive as some other tools, but it is there so why not use it!

  • I've put some more pictures of the armoured car onto the Hexagon thread.

    Speaking of displacement, Hexagon has displacement painting.

    TurretInside.jpg
    1633 x 855 - 101K
    AshtrayThing.jpg
    1649 x 912 - 49K
    AshtrayDisplace.jpg
    1649 x 912 - 70K
  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    Thanks folks for all the questions, good advice and examples. smiley  I've not been able to read for too long... having problems with eyes/glasses and ears. Gotta go renew liscense plates... I dumly missed expiry date... neglected them too long... then I can make a trip to Doc to find out whats wrong.

    Been working on a multi basic part Mini-Tut for creating, placing etc walls and floor.  I've parts 1 & 2 done now but want to add a few more explanations, methods to make easily... there are parts that need more work and don't exist yet... still have at least part 3 to go may even a part 4.  As in the past I'm including all main text along with pics which I hope to keep at 4-6 for each.  I'd add what I have but wish to keep all of them together so as not to get divided up with other topics.  Hmmm...  guess I could link to them if in diff locations... still I'd like to get all done first.

    The next might be ways to join walls which are disconected... going to play with Bridge since it should be quick and easy.  Planning on working on trim for windows and/or door...  might even make a simple roof at the end.

    If anyone has ideas for anything they would like to see let me know... if I know how to it will be included... hopefully.  Oh... guess I should mention that this was my first question... there were a lot of replies and different methods shown throughout the thread...  this will be my attempt to illustrate most of those methods, mentioned throughout this thread.

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    Will,  Good to here you are liking Carrara over others.

    Marcus,  Had to laugh at myself... I couldn't figure out what that last pic was... clicked on it without noticing the filename... looked like an alien face since there appeared to be a nose in center.  More... more... want to see the final version eventually. :)

  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    Just thought I'd post this here,. since it's all made textured and rendered in carrara.

     

     

    close side.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 576K
    M4_Canteen_Oct.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 1M
  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Looks great, Andy, the lighting makes it really atmospheric!

  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    Thanks Phil :)

    I was trying to get some light bleeding internally from the light fittings into the ceiling space ,(showing through the holes where the wires are hanging). but i think it's still too dark, there's just a hint of it there.

    it was fun making some of the little detail objects,. like the foil emergency rations pack,. plus the boxes, bottles, cans, and debris.

    it's also the first time I've modelled a fire sprinkler . :)

    always pushing forward :)

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,202
    edited August 2017

    nice modelling Andy yes

    maybe can be sold elsewhere? wink

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • VyusurVyusur Posts: 2,235

    There is Matrix-like atmosphere there. Beautiful work, Andy!

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    Andy,  Excellent as always!  Like the aged look with the wires hanging out etc.  I am a bit curious as to what the backwall blue/clear texture says... I can only make out a 09?? at far right?  Have plenty more minor questions but won't bother you with them. :)

  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    HI John :)

    my bad,.. being lazy I used duplicate with symmetry to extend the scene,. it also flips the textures,. so it's the same graphic,. just mirror reversed

     

    Thanks for the nice comments :)

    Mebbe once i sort out the shaders to work faster/better i could share

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    Now that I stand on my head I see. :)

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    edited August 2017

    Question:

    I just noticed that I've entirely missed Metaball modeling... having only tried messing with them in the far far past.  Are these considered actual 3D modeling?  With knowing not even how to add one... I was able to... I then, after no modification, converted it to a vertex object and ended up with an odd looking sphere shape with all TRIs.  Oh well... should we even be talking about these or do they deserve their own catagory like Terrains or Clouds?  

    Post edited by wgdjohn on
  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    edited August 2017

    I watched this kewl video again the other night... I'd been thinking that I could not do arched ceilings in Carrara but this Blender Artist has given me hope... might have to learn Hexagon for some of it or see what I might be able to come up with instead in Carrara's VM.  Enjoy... .. .

    Post edited by wgdjohn on
  • TangoAlphaTangoAlpha Posts: 4,584

    There's a whole bunch of different types of vaulted arches/ceilings, & I'd recommend you do a bit of research into how they're constructed & which you want before you tackle one. I did one for the cellar in MH&G. Your brain does flip sideways a few times trying to get your head around it, but once you have it in your head, it's eminently doable in the VM.

  • DUDUDUDU Posts: 1,945
    wgdjohn said:

    Question:

    I just noticed that I've entirely missed Metaball modeling... having only tried messing with them in the far far past.  Are these considered actual 3D modeling?  With knowing not even how to add one... I was able to... I then, after no modification, converted it to a vertex object and ended up with an odd looking sphere shape with all TRIs.  Oh well... should we even be talking about these or do they deserve their own catagory like Terrains or Clouds?  

    Hi John!

    I started to learn with Carrara 1, it was for free with a review and there was a tutorial inside to build a snowman with the metaballs, it was very funny!

    Now, I like the metaballs to build and animate some organic shapes but the manipulations in this room are not easy!

    A special thread should be welcome.

  • DUDUDUDU Posts: 1,945
    wgdjohn said:

    I watched this kewl video again the other night... I'd been thinking that I could not do arched ceilings in Carrara but this Blender Artist has given me hope... might have to learn Hexagon for some of it or see what I might be able to come up with instead in Carrara's VM.  Enjoy... .. .

     

    Vyusur, you are a crazy good modeler!

    Thanks for sharing, john!

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    There's a whole bunch of different types of vaulted arches/ceilings, & I'd recommend you do a bit of research into how they're constructed & which you want before you tackle one. I did one for the cellar in MH&G. Your brain does flip sideways a few times trying to get your head around it, but once you have it in your head, it's eminently doable in the VM.

    Ha... I'd never wandered into the cellar... just did... they look very good indeed.  Guess I'm a bit outdorsey... love to look at all the plantlife you modeled... colour me crazy.

    Reminds me... I stumbled across a 2 part tutorial on making low poly leaf/grass models by DimensionT... gone... drat.  Guess I'll have to get busy and try to remember how they were done and create a mini-tutorial on that also. frown

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    DUDU said:
    wgdjohn said:

    Question:

    I just noticed that I've entirely missed Metaball modeling... having only tried messing with them in the far far past.  Are these considered actual 3D modeling?  With knowing not even how to add one... I was able to... I then, after no modification, converted it to a vertex object and ended up with an odd looking sphere shape with all TRIs.  Oh well... should we even be talking about these or do they deserve their own catagory like Terrains or Clouds?  

    Hi John!

    I started to learn with Carrara 1, it was for free with a review and there was a tutorial inside to build a snowman with the metaballs, it was very funny!

    Now, I like the metaballs to build and animate some organic shapes but the manipulations in this room are not easy!

    A special thread should be welcome.

    I watched a Cripeman video on making them yesterday and was wondering if I'd entirely neglected them here.  If I get the time I'll start something but not before messing with Particle Emmiters first... even knowing only a little about the latter at least I've used them before.  I'm hoping that my Animation thread takes off. :)  Thanks!

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    Hmm. Any tips for working with geografted stuff? I tried to import an item to work on and symmetry wouldn't work and soft select went haywire.

     

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009
    edited August 2017

    I suspect I asked this before, but is there any way to bake Normal maps out of a displacement map in Carrara?

    I've been trying in a bunch of different programs and they all fail hard at accounting for the shape of the figure.

     

    Post edited by Oso3D on
  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    HI Will :)

    they're two different things

    I suppose it's "possible" to take a greyscale (displacement map) image,. into something like Filter forge,. and generate an RGB Normal map,. but it wouldn't generate the same effect,. or look as good as the greyscale displacement...

    Displacement is designed to physically alter the mesh geometry at render time,. (using subdivision) to increase the mesh geometry and distort the shape of the mesh.

    Normal maps should use the meshes Surface Normal direction,. to apply a shadow / light effect,. to create the appearance of details where none exist (like a Bump map)

    Used correctly,. you can create a medium / low density mesh model,. which have the appearance of a highly detailed model.

    :)

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009
    edited August 2017

    Right, but I'm trying to start with a heightmap and then use that to drive the Surface Normal direction.

    But every application I've tried to do it in has left really obvious seams or just doesn't seem to adjust for the figure shape.

    Also, am I missing something obvious? I can't seem to get Bump channel in shader to... do anything. At all.

    Like, I've put natural functions in it, loaded texture maps, tried to use multilayer functions and various values, and everything ends up smooth as a cue ball.

    (I THINK I got it working by using Sampling... but still weird other stuff wouldn't work)

    Post edited by Oso3D on
  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    NM, I THINK I have it sorted out.

    And yet again Carrara (with Baker) is coming to save the day for something I can't get newer software to do properly. Mmm.
     

     

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    I have a free program called NJOB which will convert a bump map to a normal map (and lots of other cool bump related things!). I am not sure what you mean by "adjust for the figure shape". A map is just a map, it has no "awareness" of what shape it is applied to.

    If you are not seeing any effect from a bump map, that is strange - I assume you don't have the bump strength set to zero (confusingly it is in the main shader level, and not the bump channel). 

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