Curves/NURBS modeling question

sunseeker · June 23, 2011, 6:49am

Dear Guys,
Sorry for bothering.
I an trying to model a solid, using curves and the taper/bevel objects. I am able to obtain solids like the last picture.
Too bad, I’m not able to model a solid that looks like the second and the first pictures:

to change exclusively the width of the section along the path (I can only scale the section with the same factor on both axis, using the TAPER object)
to twist the section along the path.
Clearly, I realized the first two examples using normal shapes, just to explain the result I wish to obtain using curves/nurbs.

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Enrico

Attachments

liero · June 23, 2011, 8:21am

hi, the first one could be done tilting the curve points, select a point and press ctrl+T then drag or enter a value… the other one i don’t think you can do it with a taper, why not draw the shape and add z extrusion to curve…?

sunseeker · June 23, 2011, 8:51am

Dear Liero,
Thank you! I succeeded to make the first object (Ctrl-T). I didn’t know that option!

The other one… I didn’t understand your explanation, too bad. Can you tell me more about how to do? Is it still using curves/paths/nurbs, or meshes (cubes, cylinders…)? I can’t use them…

Your post have been helpful to me!

Richard_Marklew · June 23, 2011, 9:16am

For the first you can use a SimpleDeform modifier set to Twist
For image two you could use a lattice to deform

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sunseeker · June 24, 2011, 8:37am

Thank you Richard, for answering me.

The twisting is ok, both as you suggested (using Vertex Groups to limit the part of the curve) and as Liero suggested.

Using a lattice could work well for the shape I drew, but for more complicated ones like the one I attach here, I don’t know how to use it…

Thanks again,
Enrico