We got back into 3D modeling pretty recently, and one of the key things that's stuck with me is how to work with splines. Where has this been all my life? Splines are basically 2D lines and shapes in a 3D program. As far as 3ds Max goes, they're incredibly easy to create–easier, ironically, than working with a pen tool in most 2D programs I've used–and can be converted into 3D objects using modifiers like lathe and extrude. This has given me so much more freedom to create unique shapes; I honestly really wish I had worked more with splines earlier. Lathe, especially, has been incredibly useful. It's essentially spinning a 2D shape and around an axis to make a 3D shape. This means I can make any kind of rounded object with ease. So far that's included bowls, candlesticks, plates, wineglasses, cups, and even a table. I've currently got a model of a flan (or a gelatin mold, depending on your point of view) in the works, and I'm working out in my head how I'm going to make a character I dreamed up when I was younger–the clothes and hat are essentially completely rounded, which will make it easy to draw a cross section and lathe it. A few modifications to the newly created 3D meshes should take care of whatever the splines can't. Unfortunately the normals on lathes tend to freak out, and I've ended up with huge dark patches on some of my models where the shading didn't work. The extrude modifier has also been helpful, though it does have its downsides. The sides of an extrusion are always flat, and as I haven't yet discovered how to get more vertices on the inside of a spline shape, I ended up with some awkward looking spoons and forks, as well as an unfortunately blocky coffee cup handle that looked like it would be uncomfortable to hold. The flat sides should be pretty easy to fix with a simple chamfer modifier. As for the internal spline vertices, I'll have to experiment and see if I can find a way. I'm still dissatisfied with that spoon; it looked like a bent spatula, because the only way I could get the middle to sink in was to lower points on the sides of the spoon as well, creating a tool that might help you dig through dirt–or maybe beans–but couldn't hold soup without spilling it. In addition to these two modifiers, I seem to remember something else I used a year or two ago, something similar to extrude but where you have to pick a spline shape that will determine the circumference of the extrusion. I've been digging through the modify panel, so far with no luck, but I'm sure I'll find it. So, to summarize:
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AuthorI'm moving on to my 4th (and final) year as a Game Art & Design student at Durham School of the Arts. I'd like to call myself an artist, but I'm a programmer at heart. Archives
February 2020
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