Fix shading after boolean

[BlenderSplendor]

I’m making a curvy wall for a skate park design. After cutting some holes for windows with the boolean modifier, the shading got tons of artifacts which isn’t ideal. I’ve tried using the data transfer modifier to copy normals from a duplicate of the wall without holes, but, surprisingly, that made it worse. Is there a way to make the shading perfectly smooth? If so, what are my options here?

Can I copy the normals from this…

…to this (to eliminate the shading artifacts)? Or is the data transfer modifier not meant for correcting shading problems?

[MarioPeper]

DataTransfer is rather general, normally you use Weighted Normal. If that is not enough you can install Y.A.V.N.E. But Weighted Normal works almost always.

[BlenderSplendor]

Thank you for the feedback. I already tried weighted normal and it didn’t work.

I can’t figure out how to install Y.A.V.N.E…
I installed all the scripts, but it didn’t show up in the add-on menu.
It looks like a great fix though.

[MarioPeper]

This is the link to the 2.80+ branch, maybe you have the 2.79 installed.

fedackb/yavne

Under “code” download the .zip you can install as any other addon under preferences.
Y.A.V.N.E. you only see in edit mode in the N panel
I also use “Fluent” which has its own function for this.
So if you do hard surface more often it’s worth the addon.

[GrimZA (Armand)]

If you want to do it the lazy way without cleanup, you have to increase the subdivisions of the wall.

Holes.blend (623.3 KB)

Also turn on auto smooth.

[BlenderSplendor]

Thanks! I like this method! It makes the shading issues small enough that they’re hard to notice, unless you’re looking for them. This is close enough to what I’m aiming for. It looks pretty smooth. Maybe I’ll stick in some window frames, so I don’t have to bevel after boolean.

Beveling them would be ideal though… I’m dreading having to hand model them all in quads.

[amdj1 (Amad Junaid)]

try using the Bevel After Boolean addon… it has helped me in a similar scenario

[BlenderSplendor]

Lots of great suggestions coming from you guys! I decided to do it the long way. I modeled it in quads…

Then I used the subdivision surface modifier, bevel modifier, and curve modifier (in that order).

I think I got rid of most of the shading artifacts, but it took me forever.
Hopefully the minor rounded shading artifacts won’t show with a paint texture…

Edit: Adding a weighted normal modifier got rid of the rounded shading artifacts for the most part.