Build from a single cube, separate objects, both or other?

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
#1

I’m just curious about your workflows.

For some reason, part of my problem is that I got into the mind set that everything should be ed from a single cube. However, I’ve been running into problems with this approach, which has stunted my learning. Even if I don’t end up doing 3D animation as a career (probably won’t), I’d still love to have a collection of s and animations to put together in a short demo reel.

Question:

I’m wondering how many of you guys start with a single cube and model the whole object from that, or start with a cube (or other mesh) and add in separate objects?

(I asked a similar question not to long ago but this is broader and a more succinct way of stating it.)

Thanks

LC

#2

Hey L C,
as i read your question, I couldn’t help but think of the countless (blender) tutorials that start with the opening line: “First, let’s get rid of the cube”.

I start about a third of my models from an half cube with the mirror modifier applied to it, another third from a “circle” and the rest from a plane with the vertices deleted so that I can place them freely where they need to be based on an reference image.
If i have to, I seperate part of a mesh and continue from there but hardly ever add a second object to complete the model. The exception is adding a sky sphere to frame the render.
The reason why i use the circle so much is that I do a lot of car modeling and for me it is easier to have the wheels in place before i start with the body.

I’m curious what others think about this, especially those who make tutorials with the opening line: "First let’s …

#3

Sometimes I use random tools to make the cube into an abstract shape and add interesting materials and lighting.

Other times I start expanding the cube into what I want it to become.

Sometimes I get rid of it and add another primitive to start with

Sometimes I start with a verticie

#4

I’m wondering what other softwares have in their default scene. Are they blank? Seriously, all that you need in the default scene is a camera and a lamp. :evilgrin:

#5

Good point lol! :smiley:

I start about a third of my s from an half cube with the mirror modifier applied to it, another third from a “circle” and the rest from a plane with the vertices deleted so that I can place them freely where they need to be based on an reference image.
If i have to, I seperate part of a mesh and continue from there but hardly ever add a second object to complete the . The exception is adding a sky sphere to frame the render.
The reason why i use the circle so much is that I do a lot of car ing and for me it is easier to have the wheels in place before i start with the body.

I’m curious what others think about this, especially those who make tutorials with the opening line: "First let’s …

Interesting.

When I was typing the thread I was thinking of this timelapse video from Montage Studios, where they used more than one object.

#6

I don’t remember having ever worked with any other 3D suite that has default geometry on program start-up. How ever, that is easily changed if you know how to “control yourself” :wink:
What’s actually weird in blender is the fact that the lamp is not in the right spot for a quick render of the scene which students new to blender, don’t catch right away.

Laughing Cheese,
there is nothing wrong with using multiple objects but when time is money, it is (usually) faster to split existing geometry than to drop a new obj into the scene and make all the adjustments.
For example, say you have a mirrored mesh that has also a sub surf modifier on it. What ever you split off the existing mesh will automatically carry over those settings plus, it will be the same size, radius and number of faces.

The time saver lays clearly in starting with one piece of geometry and shaping it into what it needs to be. Depending how complex the final model is and the texturing requirements should maybe be taken in consideration too, it’s OK to have one mesh.
There are other advantages too, especially when going to export geometry to another program for additional adjustments or rendering.

#7

My default Blender set up is a camera, a camera target and a lamp, and no objects.

If I’m modeling organic, I’ll generally start with one object and keep extruding it to get the shape: everything is a single mesh. If I’m modeling background, buildings, street scenes and such, almost everything will be separate objects (the array modifier gets a work out with things like cobblestone streets or tile roofs.)

Frequently I’ll merge object like windows, to include the frame, the panes, the sills, window hardware and so on, so I can duplicate the whole thing easily, but the modeling starts with either separate objects, or a set of vertices that is duplicated and turned into a separate object.

Once I’m in the middle of modeling buildings, I generally don’t add extra objects from the ADD menu, but will duplicate, say, a door frame’s interior verts to make the outline of the door, that just happens to fit exactly into the door frame! imagine that.:wink: Then I’ll separate those door verts into an object while I work on the door. I’ll only use the ADD menu if there’s a shape that’s not already in the scene nearby, for example, a cylinder to make a door knob for the door.

#8

Ha. lol. :slight_smile:

The time saver lays clearly in starting with one piece of geometry and shaping it into what it needs to be. Depending how complex the final is and the texturing requirements should maybe be taken in consideration too, it’s OK to have one mesh.
There are other advantages too, especially when going to export geometry to another program for additional adjustments or rendering.
To further refine my question, I guess what I’m really wondering about is the proverbial square peg in a round hole problem.

If you start your model with a cube, and parts of it are angular while parts are smooth and curved, how do you get a curved part?

#9

That can not be done … or can it?

There is a trick and if you want to master it, you must do this.

  1. be alone in a dark room … if possible with a black cat or two.
  2. put on the scariest Halloween costume (a witch one works best for this)
    2a) add a cube to the scene and apply the Sub Surf Modifier. Quickly crank the “Levels” settings from 1 to 3
    2b) press Tab and in “Edge Mode”, select the edges you would like to harden
  3. Now hold down “Shift + e” with one hand and then:
  4. close your eyes and mumble something in a foreign language. While you do that, move your mouse slowly away from you.
    Open your eyes and be amazed! YOU have now magical powers … but use them only when you absolutely have to.
    No peeking or this trick does NOT work and your cat(s) might attack!!

http://vga-studio.com/images/news/cube.jpg

#10

I guess what I’m talking about is blended shapes.

Here’s some examples:

Jedi Starfighter

Its wing is triangular, but then the fuselage slopes upward toward a somewhat oval pit.

Or the Millennium Falcon:

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/4/40/Falcon-SAG.jpg
Falcon-SAG.jpg1000×800

It has rectangular prongs protruding from a circular main section.

#11

Cubes are a grand design idea waiting to get out.
Forget the cats, they’re not interested in blender cube modeling ----- unless the cat is modeled with cubes, preferably subdivided.
I once saw a subdivided cat on the road, it looked more like a plane.
Cubes are good, long live the cube.
Every possible shape you can envisage has a cube as the outside or inside.
Cube = the Holy Grail of modeling.

#12

Laughing cheese, juts do whatever is easiest. If I understand your question correctly, there is no black and white answer. Take a model of R2-D2. There’s a few ways of modeling it that are just as good as each other. One way is to create a sphere, cut it in half, then add a cylinder under it, while another is to extrude the edge of the sphere after cutting it in half. Or you can use cubes and the subsurf and edge crease modifier. Or you can create a cylinder, extrude the top end, and subsurf/edge crease it. There’s probably other ways too.

Just use the easiest way for the model you’re making.

#13

heh, it reminds me of the blender symbol

For sculpting I usually start out with a cube and make loop cuts and extrusions to get a basic shape of what I want

And for everything else I usually start with a plane(with some exeptions)

#14

I have often thought of the same question and I think the only way to find an answer is experience.

Here is a similar question: when is it better to “Crease Edges,” then to use “Edge Loops? (when they would do the same effect)”

#15

A, A, Delete, Enter, Space, RightArrow, Enter, Tab

#16

Short and sweet, nice!:eyebrowlift2:

#17

Normally I just start from an edge, then poly-by-poly model from that.

#18

I was just thinking, that objects that are constructed separately in the real world should be constructed separately in the virtual world.

Seems like a good general rule of thumb to me.