Trimmed surfaces?

# 1 04-07-2008 , 08:35 AM

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Hello all,
I'm just starting out with maya. I want to ultimately be able to do architectural renderings, but I thought I'd start off with something a little bit smaller, a little bit closer to hand and so I'm trying to model my headphones.
user added image

The problem I'm having at the moment is how to do the bracket:
user added image

I really wanted to do it with polys, but I just couldn't work out how to resolve the ends, where the triangle sections turns into a kind of a barrel-vault (?).
I finally realised that, using nurbs, I can extrude the triangle section along a semi-circular curve and then project another semicircle onto the curve, trim it away and then I have the basic shape- but it sucks, because I can't join (stitch?) the three surfaces back together because they're "trimmed." The other problem I have is that everytime I try to manipulate the whole shape- like just moving it around, the surfaces change in a really wierd way, like they're somehow dependent on where they are.

So, if anyone has an idea about how to get around this problem that would be great. Thanks, B.

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# 2 04-07-2008 , 01:54 PM

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Hi,

thinks it's because, the trimmed section is dependant on there the curve is projected on the surface, if you move the object, the curve stays in the same place, so the location of the trim is moving. Try deleting the history on the surface, that should do the trick,

cheers

gubar

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# 3 04-07-2008 , 06:04 PM

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Thanks for the reply gubar!
I have another question though, if anyone can help.

1. To get the rounded end, I projected a semi-circle onto the extruded surface and then trimmed away the bit I didn't need.
2. for the surfaace at the end of the extrude- I extruded the semi-circle and then did an intersection which worked, but I ended up with 3 surfaces...
3. The problem is that I actually have to bevel all the edges, so I was thinking that I need to join the surfaces up somehow- but I can't work out how to?! Can you 'weld' nurb vertices together or something?

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# 4 09-07-2008 , 04:22 AM

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Well, I'm getting a bit closer, and it's all in polygons, so I've learnt a fair bit in respect to modelling polys. Now, I'd like to be able to "bend" the top part of the model for the transition into the head-band. But I don't know how to do that yet. :-(
If anyone can help me out, that would be great!

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# 5 09-07-2008 , 04:53 AM

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Try using a bend deformer or a lattice maybe.

- Genny
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# 6 10-07-2008 , 12:21 AM

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Thanks GecT,
I used a lattice and sculpted it onto a circle- I still have to learn about the bend deformers. In fact I don't know anything about the deformers yet.
I'm getting there with the model though. The head band looks pretty bad at the moment, but the general shape is there:

user added image

and the first render- no lighting or materials (besides a basic cream colored phong).

user added image

I'm already wondering about how I can texture the leather parts? Can I get the creases to show using a bump map?

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# 7 19-07-2008 , 06:52 PM

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Well, hello everyone, I'm still working on the headphones.
I had a look at Genny's modeling of the kitchen in the WIP thread, which inspired me to go back and try and tidy up my geometry a bit, and then I had fun working out how best to do the chord (using the flow/path deformer).

Anyways, I'm pretty happy about the modelling now, but I can't seem to get the texturing right, and I have no idea about how to really create shaders. The leather is especially ugly at the moment, but even the 'golden' headphone-jack is kind of sucking. I downloaded some shaders from highend to try and get some idea about how to create them and they're either really kind of simply and don't look good (eg. the gold), or they're really complicated-looking. So, I guess, I just have to work through the manual, huh?

user added image

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# 8 19-07-2008 , 09:23 PM

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This is looking really good. When ever I make gold or chrome and stuff like that, I start with a dark color for whatever metal I'm making (in the case of gold, I use a really dark yellow, almost black), then crank up the reflectivity and make sure the specular color matches the metal (in the case of gold, try a light yellow) blurring and all that other jazzy stuff is up to you :p With reflective and refractive shaders you can be on the right track and not know it if there is nothing for the shader to reflect/refract.
And I should really get back on that kitchen >.>

- Genny
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