When I was experimenting with faster “no topology” workflows in Blender, the biggest problem were mesh defects which Dyntopo sculpting generates. About every single attempt of Quadriflow remesh stops because the mesh has non-manifold elements or something like that. Is there a surefire automated way to clean the mesh before remeshing?
If the amount of mesh is large, it seems that a lot of calculation errors have occurred.
Try using Decimate modifiers to reduce the amount of mesh.
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I’ve tried it; doesn’t work all the time unfortunately. Have to separate mesh in pieces, for example, to determine which part has a problem. This losing momentum (and motivation)
You have to be careful during the sculpting session.
When you see, because of a bug with Dyntopo brushes, faces of close surfaces are intersecting : you should immediately try to smooth the surface or remesh it with a simplify brush.
You can quit Dyntopo to use the Voxel Remesher.
When it is too late, to obtain a contiguous surface from smoothing or relaxing or fairing or remeshing tools, ; you can Mask Slice and Fill Holes and/or use Trim tool to replace it by a clean surface to resculpt.
Dyntopo brush is a destructive process. By default, Dyntopo brushes are collapsing too close vertices. So, there should not be doubles.
Using other destructive tools should not be an issue to fill holes and gaps.
So, no hole, no intersecting face, no degenerate one, mesh should be manifold.
Maybe in the process, it is made of several isolated mesh islands. But you can mask and slide them.
Ultimately, if there are isolated edges, you can switch to edit mode to use clean-up menu tools.
If you are careful, during sculpting session ; don’t push detail resolution too far at beginning ; but increase it, iteratively, during detailing of mesh : you should end up with a manifold mesh.
If you have no clue, where the issues are because topology is too dense : that is too late. Selecting Tools and 3D Print Toolbox to detect issues are available in Edit mode.
You need to able to copy mesh, voxel remesh it, copy the copy, subdivide copy of copy and then shrinkwrap copy of copy on original.
Then, you add a multires modifier on copy, and reshape it from copy of copy.
So, solution at this point is rather heavy.
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Thanks for your breakdown. I’ll see if I can muster enough concentration to stick to these rules while sculpting. Topology - light workflow still remains a pipe dream, it seems
As long as you’re using a polygonal modeler like Blender, you’re going to have to think about topology. Have you tried a non-polygonal modeler like Womp3D?
Can Womp3d rig characters or at least export? The reason I’m looking into those wacky workflows is because I would like to create extras for animations fast. I’m capable of making good topology, it is just a huge time sink when it will be for some throwaway character.
Tested this Womp thing, looks like some kind of SDF modeler. Unfortunately, seems to be only good for base meshes, for which there are dozens of ways to make in Blender. All the best models in their gallery are same globohomo Calarts style, so there are definitely limitations. Dyntopo sculpting is so much better. If only it didn’t generate so much bugs