IQ Dynamic Media: Modeling with mesh smooth in 3d max ( Lesson#15 )

Features modeling with smoothing Mesh Smooth

In this lesson we will look at some of the features of modeling in general and, in particular, modeling with the modifier MeshSmooth. In the first part of the tutorial, I'll tell a little bit of the theory of this modifier. In the second (main) part - the theory of practice back it by creating a sofa. In the third part - on the couch impose the appropriate materials.

A bit of theory ...

So, what is MeshSmooth? If you do a lesson about the simulation of a chess knight, then you probably need to remember that this is a modifier that helps smooth out the low poly, angular model and turn it into a beautiful and smoother.

It works like this. Take the low-poly modelka, for simplicity, I'll take the cube:

To it modifier applied MeshSmooth and angles are smoothed cube:

It would seem simple, but there are several points that I would like to pay special attention. For a start, smoothing algorithm works properly only with rectangular polygons. No, of course, if you throw at it any other grounds, he handles it, but here's the result will almost always be bad. For example, let's iron out a modified cube with a large ground at the top:

The result is miserable, the curve of the grid:

With the rough edges at the top:

Fortunately (if you remember the school geometry and apply logic), any polygonal polygon can be sawed into several rectangular and possibly a triangle.

But with the triangle smoothing algorithm works just as bad, and here we must have something to redraw the grid in order to either get rid of the triangles (which is impossible), or move them to where they will have a minimal effect on smoothing. In any case, you should observe the following rules:

No polygons with more than four corners, it is better a triangle;
any ways to minimize the number of triangular polygons;
two triangles having a common edge can form a quadrangle.

Next time - this is the very principle of smoothing. The fact that it is not always required once the site is a smoothed angle, but rather sharp. Consider how the smoothing of the following example:

For convenience, I have identified two groups of edges and mark them in figures 1 and 2. After applying the smoothing, we obtain the following result (orange edges indicate its old geometry):

As you can see the edges bend around a group turned out to large radii, than about the group 2. On the slope of the bending affects the location of adjacent edges: for example, a group is edge groups 3 and 4:

Thus, you can control the sharpness of the bend: the adjacent edges closer, the more acute the angle is obtained (group 5 and 6).

Now let's talk about alternative ways of smoothing the mesh. There is a modifier TurboSmooth, he acts like MeshSmooth, but much faster and consumes less memory. But for this to be paying a very poor functionality.If you are modeling with Editable Poly, then it has built-in smoothing the grid, you only put the checkbox Use NURMS Subdivison and set up a field Iterations:

Typically, this functional enough for most simple models (including for our couch), but in this tutorial we will use it MeshSmooth, as a potentially powerful tool for smoothing.

Modeling the couch

Now all of what is written above, try to use in modeling the sofa. Run 3d max and create a closed spline as shown below:

It is important to keep the number of vertices and approximate their location. Then create another spline on top form, he will look like this:

Now, on the basis of these two splines create a loft object, I hope you have not forgotten how to do it, and if they forget it's an excellent chance to remember:

Transform this figure into Editable Poly, then splines can remove or hide, so as not to interfere. Highlight and squeeze a little bit (with a tool Extrude) this polygon:

Now we need to move these vertices so formed is not a big curve:

You remember that in the model should not be a polygon with more than four sides? Therefore, this large range, select and delete it:

The same operation should be performed with the ground at the other end of the figure. The resulting hole must be closed: it squeeze (by dragging while holding Shift) the upper edge:

After gluing the corresponding vertices must happen:

Repeat this with the ribs below, resulting in a hole must be closed:

Select these vertices:

And move them closer to the edge, thus making this region more sharply:

Now it's time to make a sharper edge on the bottom of the couch to do this, select the polygons on the bottom:

And make a small chamfer (tool Bevel):

Make the bottom of the other details, make this box, please pay special attention to its segmentation, so it will be easier to sharpen its edge:

Convert this box into Editable Poly and move the vertices as follows:

Thus, we do not edge too rounded. On the other hand must move the vertices as follows:

Now attach the bottom of the first received details by clicking Attach:

Remove these ranges:

Next, go into edit mode elements (Element) and make a copy of the bottom:

Moving the upper peaks, reduce the height of the copy so that the upper peaks connected with the bottom:

United need to glue the top, like, here are two peaks:

Then lift up the top three, forming the base back:

Select the polygons back grounds:

And squeeze them:

Now let's try to make the seam to the edge of the scroll:

This is not seen in the figure, but an edge on the back of the sofa is also highlighted. Preserving the separation, continue to provide an edge in the inner part:

Then use the tool to do the Chamfer these edges as follows:

After all these manipulations extra polygons formed, they must be removed. Pay special attention to two small triangular polygon marked with yellow circles:

Now select the polygons are obtained, but did not leave the selected polygons in the handle:

Now, quite a bit of squeeze these polygons inside:

If we were squeezed in the area of polygons and the handle is also, in some parts they would not be squeezed inside and out. Therefore, extruding polygons we will handle right now. But first we must remove the two small poligonchika, which were formed after the extrusion of the remaining polygons:

Now select the remaining polygons and extrude them to handle as the rest of the polygons inside:

Remove the resulting small poligonchiki:

Now we need to glue the top so that the resulting weld together into one groove is continuous, unfortunately the picture is very difficult to see (I do not know how better to show), but I hope you will understand how to do:

Remove unnecessary polygons, the resulting extrusion:

Select the four vertices in the handle:

And lower them:

Now we can apply the modifier MeshSmooth, to see what we do (though perhaps it could have been done before). Choose from the list of modifiers MeshSmooth and configure it as follows:

Using this modifier, you increase the number of polygons in the model, it is unnecessary notch sites and are smoothed. The more polygons, the smoother will be the model. Iterations parameter just determines how much will be generated new landfills. Usually put a value from 1 to 3, is no longer required, the result is not shown, but the memory consumption and increase brake computer at times. Jackdaw near the Show Cage allows you to see the original geometry of the object, and even edit it, just seeing what would be the result.For example, try to move these four peaks to understand how it works:

Sometimes it is very useful, often switch to this mode in order to understand how the model will look like after the smoothing. Still probably worth telling about the parameter Control Level (even though we use it today, will not). Increasing this value will increase the number of nodes available for editing. Ranging from 0 (initial geometry) to the numbers affixed to the field of Iterations (the final, smoothed geometry).

Think back to the editing of the original model, and go to edit polygons. Select these polygons:

And squeeze them:

Move the group of vertices to round the resulting projection:

Then select the next group of vertices:

And a little slide them out, to finally form a smooth transition from the handle to the back:

Then select and extrude this polygon:

Gently lift the top two on the back:

Then, moving the top of the picture, make out a curve in the upper back:

Select the two vertices:

And move them to the inside, forming a rounded back:

We proceed similarly with these vertices:

We turn to the creation of the joint between the handle and the back. To do this, move the vertex

so that the edges in the following figure stood in a straight line:

Apply them Chamfer. After that, once formed a landfill, it must be eliminated:

Then select these edges:

And apply them Chamfer:

Further, the yellow circles ukaznyh places are likely to have formed the extra polygons, they must be removed (look closely, you could be somewhere else, there were similar polygons)

It looks and is eliminated as shown in the following pictures:

Select the polygons are obtained:

And push them inside, as well as last time:

If you now switch to anti-aliasing, you can see here is the ugly joining of seams:

To fix this, please send two edges in the place of closing seams:

And do well, very little Chamfer in this place:

As a result of the joining place of sutures should recover:

We have a lot of unnecessary polygons in the middle of the couch, all they need to be removed:

Congratulations, we have finished half of the sofa. Let's make the second half. But you first need to align the top halves of the joint in place for this, select these vertices:

Select the Select and Non-uniform Scale:

Right-click on this tool and type in a floor value of Y 0 (field Y because the Y-axis is perpendicular to the interface, you may need to put 0 in the other field):

It should look like this:

Make a copy of half of the sofa:

Flip this half with Mirror:

Combine both halves of the button Attach:

Slide the two halves and carefully glue the top in the middle:

At the junction of the site to do one more stitch to do this, select an edge and make a Chamfer:

After that, the top of the seam is formed once the polygon, it should be removed:

Well, then, as before, select the new polygons and extrude the inside:

In place of the junction of seams formed is such a mound of extra polygons:

Highlight it, then delete:

Then you need to create in their place new landfills, but only right. To begin, select an edge at one end of the seam:

While holding Shift, drag these edges, creating new landfills:

A similar operation must be repeated with the other two ends of the seam, do not forget to glue the corresponding vertices. The result should look something like this: