Lightwave Stencil Equvilent in Maya

# 1 13-11-2003 , 12:11 AM

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So some of you may know about the lightwave stencil too. As far as i can tell it's like the "project curve on Surface" command for polys but its got a catch. The area inside the curve becomes a new poly object. I'd really like this funtunality in maya but i can't figure out how to do it. I'd like to be able to draw a curve and project it on a poly surface and have the two new surfaces.

Now if i've been unclear i'll give a small example. Say i have a poly plane and i draw a circle over it. I want to stencil the circle into the plane so that the the is a circle on the plane yet it and the plane are two different objects. Some of you may have seen this effect in some converted Lightwave models. I've found it's good for modeled detail like little marks that need to be flush with the surface yet a different color. Hence why it needs to be seperate objects. If anyone can help me out or point me to a plugin somewhere i'd be very gratefull.

Thanks,
Dberry

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# 2 13-11-2003 , 01:31 AM

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The tool you're looking for is called make hole. However, you cannot use a curve as your stencil, you have to turn your curve into a surface first (try using the Planar tool).

I havn't used it, but I've seen it done by a lightwave guy who was learning Maya.

Hope this helps.

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# 3 13-11-2003 , 05:52 AM

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Um i'm not quite sure how you are thinking about implmenting that. I can extrude the curve and have that surface intersect the plane but how can i get it to work. Also make hole seems like the wrong tool. I'm not trying to delete part of the plane i'm trying to make it a different object that's still flush with the plane. Any lightwave converts out there that have over come this limitation? This is probably the one thing i'll say lightwave has a leg up on maya with. It's an extremly usefull tool. So any other ideas folks?

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# 4 13-11-2003 , 02:36 PM

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can you elaborate on the scene a bit more? maybe you should make 2 nurbs surfaces and align them.

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# 5 13-11-2003 , 04:12 PM

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I'm not sure how to describe it best. Anyone familiar with the stencil tool would know what i'm talking about. I can though show a result of this tool in action. The pic below is from a converted lightwave model. Notice how the surface and the red marking are flush even over the little edge. Now in the second pic notice how i can select the red marking. It is it's own object. Also, when i move the marking up there seems to be a hole left in the first surface. That's what the stencil tool does it turns a certain defined area either by projected curve or interscted surface into a seperate object that still remains flush with it's parent. I hope this clears up what I'm trying to do. Again thanks for the help.

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# 6 14-11-2003 , 05:02 AM

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Maybe i wasn't too clear in my last post. This is the what i want to acheive but can't. does anyone know how this can be done in maya?

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# 7 29-02-2004 , 01:15 AM

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i know what youre trying to say. i dont know any equivalent tool like that for maya. hmm its been awhile since this post was made, have you found a solution?

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# 8 29-02-2004 , 07:19 PM

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So far nothing working quite as an equivilaent. I've talked to LW and other maya users and the stencil tool, while nice for putting on decals and such, actully end up making the mesh not as poly eficent as it can be. The closest thing i've found is boolean operations for cuts i nees to make and for andything like windows or grid lines i can use displacment mapping.

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# 9 29-02-2004 , 08:28 PM

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yeah. i mean i can do it with boolean but i have to do alot of things to prepare the mesh such as delete history and what not, and its not as efficient. i mean it is possible..but i want to do it straight right off the bat without having to delete history or duplicate the mesh just in case the boolean doesnt work or whatever. ahh maya... thats what we pay for such a powerful program.

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# 10 01-03-2004 , 05:06 PM

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why would you be worried if something that is flush has 3-dimensional depth? Wouldn't a map work since it is basically just a plane of faces anyways?

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# 11 01-03-2004 , 08:44 PM

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maps do work but they need to be a pretty decent resolution to look good especially for close up shots. This stencil decaling TW users do is kinda a way to cheat having to apply a map.

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Lightwave Stencil Equvilent in Maya

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