A curve in a curve

Support Modeling
1

As you can see in the first image, there is a curve made out of vertexes. What I want to do is something similar to the second image except that each of the spokes coming off of the original curve should be perpendicular to the curve by there respective vertex… I could just do it manually, but I was wondering if there was something that would do this for me to save time. Any ideas?

Attachments



2

when scaling s-Key do alt-S and select normal
i think this should fattend or skring as per the normal!

but not certain if it can works perfect it’s curved !

Salutations

3

Littlebob,
I’m not sure I understand what you want to achieve, but to extrude perpendicularly, just limit the extrusion by specifying the axis you want to use (i.e. E, X, drag to extrude along the X-axis).

/ Mats

4

ok i think the way is the shrink fatten command
but don’t remember whre it is ?

anybody knows about that one

Salutations

5

Alt+S is not always working for this effect.
I think Littlebob is looking for an Offset function, which to some extent relates to Width parameter in Curves panel.
Here is an example made with this work-around in Blender (see attacment)

However for more complex offsets I strongly advize using Dynamic Offset function in Inkscape and importing the result in Blender:

Attachments

temp.jpg1024×524 53.2 KB

6

Syziph is right, that is exactly what I wanted. I guess I will have to download Inkscape.

Thanks for the help!

7

Is there any way to export .svg’s from blender? The part of the model that I would need Inkscape for has no Z axis.

8

This will work: http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=132048

9

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Scripts/Catalog

Export (svg) and Object (cross section) sections

10

anybody has the command for shrink and fatten command ?

can’t remember where it is ?

Thanks

11

Hello,

The curve idea is a good one here is a breakdown:

  1. In edit mode select all the the vertices in your line.
  2. From the Mesh menu choose Scripts then Edges To Curve.
    (You will now have a second object which is a curve)
  3. Now in the Curve and Surface panel increase the Width by
    the amount required. i.e 1.2
  4. Very important you reduce DefResolU to 1 from the default 12.
  5. Now press Alt+C to convert your curve to a mesh.
  6. Now select both of your meshes and press CTRL+J to join them.
  7. Press TAB and press a twice to select all of the vertices.
  8. Press F and select Skin Faces/Edge Loops.

Et Voila you should have what you desire. I did run into problems
with 3D curves, this can be solved by:

  1. After step 2 press TAB and select all curve control points by pressing a twice.
  2. Switch to your side view by pressing 3 on your number pad.
  3. Then pressing R then 90 and return. This rotates the control points 90 degrees.
  4. Continue with instructions above from step 3.

Cannot fault the advice on using Inkscape.

Hope this helps,

Rgds,

Pixeltwister

12

RickyBlender

Whoops forget shrink and fatten is ALT+S.

Rgds,

Pixeltwister