engraving text into an object

[Master chief]

OK In a part of my movie and giant explosive uncovers an obelisk, now i have been able to create the bas geometry for it but when trying to add the glyph as i would call them it causes two much distortions and there are open patches . i need to know if there is a way to add the glyphs an easier way with out having to use a Boolean cutter to do so

[heyvern]

Depending on how "deep" they need to be "cut" or how far out or "3D" they need to be a bump map could work. If you need more distortion, try using a "displacement map" decal. Displacement is sort of like a bump map but it distorts the actual mesh.... uh... not really but it does show as 3D in preview at higher preview settings (hit page up key) and it shows in render. Displacement I believe is a "polygon" modifier so it looks pretty good even on low density meshes. The "older" displacement method required a higher density mesh.

 

Here's another trick for using booleans if you want to experiment:

 

In the Obelisk model, use the AI wizard to create your "text" or "glyphs". Bring in the art work for those shapes and extrude them. Now assign those glyphs to a bone that is a boolean cutter. Lay them over the shape to cut into. If the object is "roundish" or an odd shape you can adjust those glyphs to fit the shape better. This of course is cut "in" to the shape. If you want to cut them out around the glyphs, having the glyphs "stick out" you would need to use the AI import to create a "reverse mold" of the glyphs. Not as hard as it sounds. Of course you would need access to Adobe Illustrator or a similar application that can create the AI files needed.

 

-vern

[heyvern]

I did these two samples using the same text mesh from the Font wizard. It would work with the AI wizard as well.

 

After extruding the text I just "curved" it using the distortion grid in the modeling window. Just move and rotate the points of the distortion grid to make the extruded letters or "glyphs" line up with the shape.

 

One set was assigned to a boolean cutter bone on one side of the cylinder object. The other just stuck on the other side.

 

In:

 

Out:

 

Project file:

text_carving.zip

 

-vern

[heyvern]

Here's a sample using displacement.

 

I created the displacement map using AM. I used the font wizard to create the text. Made it white with a single neutral gray patch behind the text. Put it in a chor with an orthogonal camera (no perspective) I added a blur post effect to the camera to soften the edges slightly for the displacement (probably too much in this case).

 

After rendering that I imported it as a decal for the cylinder object. Set the decal image to displacement 100%. Worked quite nice for a few minutes work.

(if you make the text black it will cut into the surface. The text must have neutral gray around it. Gray will not displace.)

 

 

project file

text_carving_displace.zip

 

-vern

[Master chief]

well heyvern youve given me a lot to think about , on thing i would like to know you said you used a distortion map to alter the text to look good on the round part of the pillar , is there a tutorial for a distortion map or is it really easy ?

[johnl3d]

Vern Nice job

[heyvern]

well heyvern youve given me a lot to think about , on thing i would like to know you said you used a distortion map to alter the text to look good on the round part of the pillar...

 

Not distortiion "map" distortion grid... actually the tool is called "distortion mode". It's a wireframe cube thingy button at the top between mesh mode and bones mode buttons. You set the grid resolution in the modeling tab under tools/options.

 

For example in my model the letters "Change Your Pants!" should be "round" to match a cylinder. With the results from the font wizard the distortion grid makes this a piece of cake.

 

1. The first thing to do before distorting the shape is to decide how thick the letters or glyphs should be. It's easier to do this now before distorting by grabbing the fronts of the them and just moving them forward or back on the z axis. If you want to do this later it is possible but not straight forward.

 

2. Go to tools/options/modeling. Set the grid to 2, 2, 2. Now select all your letters, click the distortion mode button and view from the top.

 

3. From the top view select all the points of the distortion grid on the right and left. Leave the center points of the distortion grid alone. Now using the cursor keys or the "N" key move those points back on the z axis so the mesh "bends" or curves. The distortion grid will "bend" all the points into a sort of round shape. (make sure you curve the letters in the right direction so they "read" properly).

 

4. Notice the ends aren't right? The right and left side of the distortion grid are still straight on the z axis which isn't creating a good circle shape of the meshes. Select only ONE side group of points of the distortion grid box (still viewing from the top) and rotate those points on the Y axis so they sort of "aim" into the center of the circle shape you are trying to create. Follow me?. Do the this on the other side but rotating in the opposite direction so it points in the center of your imaginary circle.

 

When you get it the way you like it is done. It might be easier to have an actual circle shape as a guide line when distorting the mesh. And maybe depending on the shapes you might find increasing the resolution of the grid in Tools/Options/Modeling will give you more control over the final shape.

 

Keep in mind this is only a GENERALIZED curvature based on the splines and points of the individual shapes in the mesh. It does not curve something that has no points to curve. It won't ADD POINTS to make the curve smoother. For example if you tried to use the distortion grid on a single 4 point patch... not much would happen, it might scale up and down but you won't make it curve because it only has 4 points. However it does a good enough job in most cases that doesn't look too shabby.

 

 

-vern