What causes splines to loop back, or do other funny things??

[Roger]

And what can you do to avoid it? I've noticed that in a lot of models that I build, I am getting these problems and I am not sure what I could be doing better to avoid it. I don't think I am doing anything strange as I am building these models, but maybe there is something that I am doing that I am not realizing. Seems to me like I'd have to do a screen capture of one of my work sessions for anyone to be able to tell where I am screwing up.

 

I am probably going to try and do the giraffe tutorial, maybe that will shed some light, however----I was making good progress and would possibly like to have a finished dragon model at the end of the day.

 

help........

 

 

Roger

 

For instance, why the heck does this happen?

 

I'm trying to model this foot, maybe not doing it the best way but I decided to delete a bunch of geometry and start over.

 

Well.......I started with all the splines at the end not being closed off, then I started closing them.

Instead of getting a nice squared off spline, like I have in the other areas, I get this curved goofiness, where I have multiple splines passing through the same cp (or I would if I started to close off the other open areas).

 

[attachmentid=18408]

[Fishman]

Clearly this is an example of a picture being worth a thousand words. If you can post a picture, you'll get more concrete suggestions.

 

I would highly recommend the giraffe tutorial to help you get going on modeling organic objects. Spline flow/continuity is critical to this type of modeling. It is very elegant when done right and frustrating when trying to learn it. When I get into a tight spot, I often study the models on the CD to better understand what the pros do.

 

Scott

[Roger]

Clearly this is an example of a picture being worth a thousand words. If you can post a picture, you'll get more concrete suggestions.

 

I would highly recommend the giraffe tutorial to help you get going on modeling organic objects. Spline flow/continuity is critical to this type of modeling. It is very elegant when done right and frustrating when trying to learn it. When I get into a tight spot, I often study the models on the CD to better understand what the pros do.

 

Scott

 

 

Well, I've got a pic posted of what I'm talking about, the area in question is on the far left. You might have responded when I was editing the post.

 

I guess I will just do the giraffe tutorial today----or I may just modify my hand into a foot and be done with it.

 

But I will have to do the tutorial at some point so that I don't keep running into this.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Stuart Rogers]

Instead of getting a nice squared off spline, like I have in the other areas, I get this curved goofiness

Try holding down the shift key while you're attaching splines. If you don't then A:M assumes the two splines are to become one continuous spline.

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

This is a common new user error and I still do it myself when I hurry. The software doesnt know you want a straight edge, the normal condition of a HASH spline is to curve and be organic. Try the following, extend the splines for what looks like a finger area out slightly past where you want to go. (see UN-argh 01.jpg). Next where you want your straight line add a spline (see UN-argh 02.jpg) making sure you attach it to each extended spline as you go across. Next delete the ends of the extended splines (UN-argh 03.jpg). Is this what you wanted?

[Ilidrake]

I have this problem as well. Check out this web-site for splinemanship tutorials. Real good stuff.

 

http://www.alienlogo.com/tincan/

 

I still make the same mistake so don't worry about it. It gets easier the more you do it.

[Roger]

This is a common new user error and I still do it myself when I hurry. The software doesnt know you want a straight edge, the normal condition of a HASH spline is to curve and be organic. Try the following, extend the splines for what looks like a finger area out slightly past where you want to go. (see UN-argh 01.jpg). Next where you want your straight line add a spline (see UN-argh 02.jpg) making sure you attach it to each extended spline as you go across. Next delete the ends of the extended splines (UN-argh 03.jpg). Is this what you wanted?

 

 

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Are you making the crossing spline in add-lock mode, or do you just create one long spline, with cp's at the appropriate spots, and THEN start hooking it in? Or, just one spline w/ 2 cp's, one at each end, and then use hooks to attach the vertical members?

 

 

Roger

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Are you making the crossing spline in add-lock mode, or do you just create one long spline, with cp's at the appropriate spots, and THEN start hooking it in?

 

For this particular one I would add the points to each spline as I go across - dot, dot, dot, connecting all the splines together and leaving the trailing edges. Then deleting the trailing edges.

 

Or, just one spline w/ 2 cp's, one at each end, and then use hooks to attach the vertical members?

 

I would not try to hook this, although I think you can hook up to four (or is it 3?), I would not do it in this case, especially if there will be any further modelling 'out" from the flat edge.

[Roger]

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Are you making the crossing spline in add-lock mode, or do you just create one long spline, with cp's at the appropriate spots, and THEN start hooking it in?

 

For this particular one I would add the points to each spline as I go across - dot, dot, dot, connecting all the splines together and leaving the trailing edges. Then deleting the trailing edges.

 

Or, just one spline w/ 2 cp's, one at each end, and then use hooks to attach the vertical members?

 

I would not try to hook this, although I think you can hook up to four (or is it 3?), I would not do it in this case, especially if there will be any further modelling 'out" from the flat edge.

 

 

Ok, I did the first thing you said----it worked perfectly. Thanks. I was going to start pulling my hair out soon. I will just have to make a note of that. This is just one of those things that I need to stick on a 3x5 card and keep it near the computer, so if I forget I can refer back to it-----until its automatic.

 

Thanks again.

 

BTW, I'm not sure I'm going to use this foot, I will probably modify the hand but I felt it was important to know why it was happening. Thanks.

[Eric2575]

Roger:

 

You might want to rethink about the way you do your dino foot. As an example of what you are trying to do, I've attached a pic. This is just another way of doing what UnglaublichUSA has described.

 

Try to visualize in 3D. You are obviously still thinking in 2D, the flat section of your foot model. I may do a small tutorial on creating a foot if there is interest in it. Using circles that get extruded will give you much better results than trying to create an organic shape from a flat plane. As a beginning, you could use one extruded tube as the base of your foot, three more for the toes, and another one for the ankle. Splice them all together and you've got the beginnings of a monster foot.

 

Let me know if you want me to do a basic foot tutorial - keep in mind that I may not get to it until this weekend.

 

Keep it up.

 

Eric

[Dhar]

If you go back to TAoA:M, Flower Power lesson, notice how he makes the leaf. He doesn't just connect the cp's to close the leaf, he adds a cp outside the leaf, ,then on the leaf then another one outside the leaf he then deletes the outside cp's and that'll give you a straight spline.

 

Eric showed an excellent example.