AI Wizard Model A Test

[Maniac]

Just thought I would play Around see where this would take me this is all brought in with AI wizard

I just moved Fenders out

still working on new layout

This is what I got out of my first test

Test Model A 1.mdl

[Rodney]

Nice test!

 

One thing to consider when using the AI and SVG importers and going for precision is importing only the outline and then working from that.

The reason for this is that the importers don't know where to optimally place CPs or connect splines**.

By working with the outline we can add and move CPs around, extrude and finish the model optimally.

An additional reason working from the outline can be ideal is that the drawing brought into A:M via the plugin is in 2D so it can't anticipate how that will project into depth (3D).

So the outline gives the precision of the shape from one dimension and the artist provides the rest.

 

Added: An alternative would be to bring in outlines from each view (top, bottom, right, left, front and back) but that makes for a whole lot of work prior to import that can likely be done just as easy if not easier inside of A:M as modelers work their magic..

 

The outline can be further optimized using the Resample Spline plugin but CPs are evenly spaced using the plugin and that can result in rounded corners that must be manually adjusted or inbetweened by inserting a CP or adjusting the spline's bias.

 

 

**I should have said the importer doesn't know how to change the location of CPs to optimize the resulting geometry.

It simply works with the location of the CPs from the bezier curves which may or may not be placed optimally.

.

[robcat2075]

Looks like a good result!

[pixelplucker]

I wish AM had a cap or close tool that would automatically close selected loops. Then the SVG importer would really shine. Just too tedius to hand click each cp to close a surface.

[Rodney]

I wish AM had a cap or close tool that would automatically close selected loops.

 

 

There is a Cap Wizard but it's pretty basic and... out of circulation, although it is posted somewhere in the forum.

I believe the author is/was Circus Media.

 

A little more esoteric... Steffen created the Connect Plugin after I had posted my thoughts on drawing shapes in Coreldraw and then bring them into A:M (separately) but the magically combining them in A:M. The Connect plugin does a good job (it basically creates a CP for every place two spline cross) but it doesn't account for bias/curvature of splines. I suppose in a perfect world it might average them (?). I dunno.

 

The Connect plugin comes standard with A:M. If you want to test out the Cap Wizard and we can't hunt it down in the forum let me know and I'll post it again.

 

And... for those that like to spline strangely... there is yet another way to automatically close/cap splines.

The method takes advantage of a quirk related to 5 point patches

Normally... a five point patch cannot be created if all the CPs belong to the same spline BUT... if A:M has been used to create that string of 5 CPs then it can be closed via 5 point patch even if all the CPs are on the same spline. I use this method to cap the ends of cylinders (that are lathed with 5 cross sections and create 5 CP circles... that can be reshaped into other shapes... crazy stuff those 5 point patches. The downside is that decals and patch images often don't play nice with 5 point patches so some care needs to be taken to account for surfaces. THE TRICK to closing a spline that has 5 points on it is to use the comma key instead of the / key. Both select all the CPs but only the comma key method allows A:M to recognize the CPs as a valid candidate for a 5 point patch. Using the / key or selecting everything with the mouse often works too but it works 99.9999% of the time if the comma key is used.

 

And... because we have a plugin that can resample splines we can resample a spline that has less or more than 5 CPs and create a 'cap' with 5 CPs that can be closed as a valid patch.

 

This is pretty esoteric stuff so not many people are interested

But if you want a demo of the methodology? Just ask and I'll put something together.

 

 

And to keep this on topic--- related to Terry's post-- Here's me playing with the model he posted (basically just widening the shape to create depth and killing some splines (with K key)):

Edit: Uploaded the model (which is basically just Terry's model).

Test Model A 1a.mdl