Bathtub Modelling

# 1 23-05-2012 , 07:08 AM

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Join Date: May 2012

Posts: 1

Hi there,

I am trying to model a bathtub in Maya but it is proving quite a challenge! I can't seem to find much information about it on the web either, or tutorials that might offer some help so I'm going to see if anyone here can lend a hand.

I've attempted it a few times and so far the results have been a little ugly. I tried to model it first with a plane then extrude the centre down but that didn't seem to work. I should mention that the bathtub is a particular shape (it's for a client visualisation project).

Here is the tub:

user added image

I then tried modelling a cube and extruding down the centre part again. But because of the shape of the tub, I am finding it difficult to get a good smooth result and keep the shape and form of the tub.

Any ideas? Or any references on the net that might help me in some way?

Thank you and I look forward to any advice!

Cheers

Iain

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# 2 23-05-2012 , 10:08 AM

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Location: Michigan, USA

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One method is to use curves and...

1. make a lofted polygon surface (quad, general, spans/iso=1)

2. fill the hole and extrude out the top lip

3. add control edges

4. (optional) split polygon on the planar bottom surface (the hole you filled) to make it quads

Here are screen shots of the process top to bottom....

This is pretty close to the image and I did it by eye very quickly (< 3 minutes). If you use the image to make your loft curves you can make it far more accurate.

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 23-05-2012 at 10:13 AM.

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# 3 23-05-2012 , 10:16 AM

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PS - As an alternative if you do not want to use nurbs curves and lofts which tend to scare people. Start with a 1x1 poly plane and extrude edges from the top view to form the upper rim / lip. then just extrude the inner edges down and adjust them from the top view to form the tub, add support edge to get the desired corner tension, and finally just fill the hole at the bottom and use split polygon to quad up the ngon if you feel you must bow to the all quad god.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 23-05-2012 at 04:00 PM.

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# 4 23-05-2012 , 04:00 PM

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and as yet another option that would not require lofting, you could start with a single poly shape of the bottom of the tub and extrude in stages out and up to the top of the tub, add support edegs, and smooth.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 5 21-11-2012 , 05:25 AM

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Join Date: Nov 2012

Posts: 1

Time and Headache Saver... Thanks

Thanks very much ctbram.

I am also making a tub and was having trouble lofting a set of nearly 12 curves. I had forgotten to set to general and iso. after reading your post, I only needed to rebuild my curves and it worked really well. Thanks for taking the time with that other user.

Cheers,
user added image

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# 6 21-11-2012 , 07:16 AM

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Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Australia

Posts: 4,255

Thanks Rick, you can simply use a cube too. There are so many ways to do it, whatever feels comfortable.

Cheers bullet

P.S not to be outdone or left out user added image

baths EVERYWHERE

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bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

Last edited by bullet1968; 21-11-2012 at 07:58 AM.

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# 7 24-11-2012 , 12:07 AM

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Join Date: Apr 2003

Location: Great Britain

Posts: 1,336

I drew a few curves, rebuilt them to get them nice and even and then used them in a different way to bi-rail the bath tub then convert to poly and merge the verts down the middle of the two pieces.

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Bathtub Modelling

Time and Headache Saver... Thanks

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