Gothic architecture in Blender - Full tutorial

In this video we will talk about how to model some of the basic elements of gothic architecture, such as the pointed arch, clustered columns and the ribbed vault.
Moreover, we will see how to build compound structures using modular pieces while still keeping an efficient polycount.
Timestamps
00:00 - The gothic vault
05:13 - Clustered columns
06:50 - Side panel
08:39 - Quaterfoil
09:39 - Pointed trefoil
10:47 - Real world scale
11:09 - Array & Istances
12:30 - Texturing tips
My contacts:
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[@andrewwoan]

Oh my gosh this is AMAZING! Thank you so much! Can't wait till this channel blows up. There is so little advanced blender tutorials like these out there.

[@hbitproject]

Thank you, I really appreciate it :)

[@bramhastra1538]

It's hard to believe you put all this content out there for free. You're a legend!

[@Fyat69]

I loved the continuous use of modifiers and reuse of preexisting geometry to convert to and from curves! 10/10!

[@haudtalis5036]

A few years ago, someone called Vyusur published a tutorial called "Gothic Arch modelling". In your tutorial, you used your own, original approach to geometric modeling. That's very interesting. I will definitely try to repeat your construction. 👍

[@hbitproject]

It's alway good to try something different, isn't it? :) Let me know what your thoughts are on this process, I would appreciate it 👍

[@haudtalis5036]

@@hbitproject I totally agree with you. I won't be able to report back on this lesson any time soon, because I'm very slowly making progress on your Corinthian capital. The construction of the volute has always stumped me. ☹

[@haudtalis5036]

@@hbitproject So, I repeated this work of yours. It was interesting. You juggle the instances very cleverly, I am delighted. I noticed that you made a few simplifications, which, however, do not affect the theme of the tutorial. The right (outer) side of the right wing of cathedral is of course not identical to the left (inner) side. The right side always has mosaic windows, and the left arches are transitions to the central aisle of the cathedral, which has more than one storey. Once again, I will say that this has no bearing on the task of constructing the vault of a Gothic cathedral. I also found the thickness of the wall excessive, but that's just my impression. I must say that working with ancient architecture makes me feel inferior. Have you seen Glocester Cathedral, its fan vaults? Shock and astonishment! It's not very nice to feel a hundred times stupider than people who lived 1000 to 600 years ago. ☹ Same with people who lived more than 2,000 years ago, because I haven’t been able to build a Corinthian capital yet. 🤦‍♂ Tell me, signor, would you have been able, once you were in Ancient Greece, to build the Antikythera mechanism? I couldn't, although before I retired I was a skilled craftsman in making gears and reducers. And as a teenager I was interested in astronomy. 😃

[@hbitproject]

You got it right my friend, this is simply a base study to be used as a foundation for more complex structures. There's a reason why we take the past as a valuable teacher, but I agree it can be daunting at times! 😄

[@haudtalis5036]

@@hbitproject 👍

[@sanctvslonginvs4417]

Wow, I was waiting for this. Good job!

[@hazchickgames2840]

Omg, the excitement of finding this channel was simply palatable. Thank you so much for making it and these wonderful tutorials.

[@switchsinner]

thank you for taking the time to make a tutorial for us! very well explained for someone at my skill level. deserves more recognition!!

[@KofteciRamiz]

Excellent tutorial as usual! Please keep sharing architecture tutorials. Thank you!!!

[@zana3d]

I just stumbled on your channel and I am in awe! Amazing complex modelling explained very simply and clearly. Liked and subbed.

[@Aerix.3d]

Been looking for this! Thank you!

[@xXXxxfexo99xxXXx]

You make it look so easy, thanks for your videos, they are amazing!

[@daveburrows9876]

This is totally amazing and totally helpful. It's exactly what I was looking to find. Thank you very much!

[@jansalazar6008]

Amazing tutorial. Thanks for sharing and for your hard work. Greetings from Spain

[@nadstunes77]

Wow you have no idea how much this has helped me out....amazing teaching skills and content, you will do very well with this channel....cheers again

[@gatofuji7410]

I learned a lot with this tutorial. Definetely one of the best tutorials I did. Essential, I say.

[@0508Candy]

i learnt so much more in this video.. your tips and tricks are amazing!

[@thierrytitidu2413]

Thank you so much. I'm modeling the churches and castel of my city and your tuto is really very helpful for me. Thanks from France

[@markmilorov5087]

Amazing tutorial man!! Keep up the amazing work, this really helped me.

[@parallax_cgi]

I made it to the end ! Thank you so much for this amazing video ❤‍🔥

[@ReinaDeNegras]

Llevo años con Blender, pero aun asi en tus videos he aprendido un monton de cosas nuevas. Muchas gracias por compartir tu trabajo.

[@nguyenling4478]

OMG. I need this! Thank you so much!❤️I hope you will have the tutorials about the texture!

[@teamavatar6460]

can't get enough of these videos, good job!

[@hbitproject]

Thank you! I'm glad you appreciate them 🙂

[@rhafaarnedo]

Good tutorial , very well explained!

[@benjaminesqueda2100]

Amazing job and thank you so much for sharing the knowledge. Greetings from México.

[@peacefusion]

This video is 13minutes, but its like 2 hours deep. Great process. I might share mine thank you.

[@readytobebolder]

Holy shit, this tutorial changed the way I do ANYTHING in Blender. I keep coming back to this because it's just THAT good. Thank you so much! I'm using so many of these techniques for my portfolio pieces!

[@jayedr8728]

One of the best tutorials out there, quality material, quick yet informative, this channel deserves way more recognition! thank you for such gems!

[@hbitproject]

Thank you very much! 😊

[@funkeymonkey9017]

that curve trick is super clever.

[@tuna98khan]

wow, super. I hope you continue to do similar tutorials, my friend.

[@toxicaristotle3052]

Recently found your channel. It’s an absolute gem bro. Keep it up

[@hbitproject]

Thank you mate! 🙏 🙂

[@JavierSam_Uy]

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.

[@joopert]

Beautiful, this will be very helpful, you have my gratitude.

[@andrewdeacon4384]

Very interesting and efficient modelling.

[@S9universe]

all your tutos are high value tutos thank you so much

[@hbitproject]

It's nice to hear you found them helpful!

[@robertliebe1730]

Your Blender skill is far beyond :0

[@qulzam685]

what a wonderful tutorial ...

[@unzipme5891]

wow this is amazing what did I just stumble upon haha

[@Xeranxies]

Wow, I love this so much.

[@nelson3d867]

Brilliant!!!! Thank you.

[@PixelForgeLab]

Such a pleasure watching your videos

[@hbitproject]

Grazie caro! 🙂

[@PixelForgeLab]

@@hbitproject prego ;)

[@AI0799]

❤有意义而且伟大的工作🎉

[@DaShiungJ]

excellent skill , really helpful, thanks a lot

[@polynightingale3969]

Subbed bro you are amazing keep going !!

[@derivepi6930]

Excellent! Now for the fan vault...

[@Vassily_Andrzejczak]

This is truly the best video of gothic architecture modelling. You're doing a real lesson of architecture here as you take your time to detail every step, a massive thank you for this masterpiece 👏

[@hbitproject]

Thank you for your kind words 😊🙏

[@Vassily_Andrzejczak]

@@hbitproject you are welcome ! :D

[@skeletonking4119]

Thank you king!!

[@adalissaaa]

Inredible video. even tho it took me 3 days to create it myselfe. . Thanks alot

[@YJPLAPI]

Quality tutorial! I learned a lot! One tip that might help: You can let the bevel of the curve follow an object outline. This is the same as extruding the profiling you do at the last step, but here you don't need to convert the mesh. This makes it a bit more of a non-destructive workflow :)

[@hbitproject]

Hello and thank you! That's absolutely true, I'll try to implement that kind of workflow in one of my next videos 👍

[@alexmazvi]

Just great.

[@ChadNobark]

amazing video

[@EduardoRiganelli]

Many thanks for sharing the file!!

[@Vimanikoos]

Очень хорошая работа, мэн!

[@luxdei7186]

Wish I could like this 100 times

[@jasamadam]

11/10🤩

[@Nusoipoopie]

You are so amazing

[@guizezao]

😮You are a monster of Blender. Could you make some more especific vídeos explaining each of this technics you used on this vídeo? I'm a beginner and don't even knew that this could be made that way.

[@hbitproject]

Hello and thank you! A video on workflows/modeling tips is definitely on my to-do list 👍

[@user-nc2vq6nu4v]

Thank you for your efforts, very useful content. Please, I really, really ask you to make a tutorial about texturing🙏

[@hbitproject]

I have something like that in my backlog 👍

[@real2late]

niiice!

[@karimazalay9092]

you are Monster !

[@pm682]

if any one comes across the issue of F key not working, first thing try checking if F2 pluggin is enabled at Top Menu > Edit > Preferences > Add On > (search F2 and check if enabled). Another issue I came across is that the F hotkey (fill face from edge) works if elements are of the same object, would would have to try and "join" the archs into one object before you try to use the F hot key i.e select all the archs > Top Menu > object > join and then retry to use the F hotkey to fill the faces

[@nikolas4749]

Great video Could you a rose window video ?

[@azunatkozoember2388]

ty, its a good tutorial! but a little bit need to use my creativiti :D

[@tutorialapplewindows]

i would be nice to have also compositing ... but great vid

[@draudeky4508]

how do you came up with the number 24 for the vertex count on circle? never mind, you subtracted from the original circle, nice guid for this kind off suff, thank you!

[@Landekar]

13:33 how did you create a render of a wireframe view of your cathedral?

[@SacredJourneyWithin444]

So good, would love if you make it abit slower and more friendly to follow

[@hbitproject]

A tad fast, I admit it :). I'm planning a series of more in depth (and slower paced) videos to be released perhaps as a course. Would love to hear what you and other think about it 👍

[@Fyat69]

You can always change the speed of the video to something more fitting for you!

[@Nusoipoopie]

Havent you consider to use the boolean at 7:56 or something why not

[@paulpolaire8487]

excelent as usual

[@experimentationchris]

7:40 - Why when I do this does it created warpness with shadow.. etc, in your one its creating a flat surface no?

[@ericstorm4613]

Piu Lento 😆

[@mysteriousstranger9496]

When adding the mirror, sub d, bevel modifers at 2:10, I ended up with 2 meshes.

[@hbitproject]

Hello, could you share a picture?

[@bloqueado]

Thank you so much! For free? For poor artists like me? You're my hero lol

[@dormancycui410]

❤Your tutorials are really amazing! I learned so much from your channel. I am interest in Gothic architecture and trying to build them in Blender, but I had some trouble in modeling the pointed arch with tracery, I tried to build them with moulding and curves, but I found there was a connecting problem with 3 vertex of the crossing member, they always separate to 2 parts and couldn't connect like a branch, those curves seem like they can't work while I using the moulding. I really wanna know how can you create a tracery in Blender, thanks a lot！

[@hbitproject]

Hello and thank you! Do you have a .blend file I can check? I'm not really sure I understood your issue 👍

[@dormancycui410]

@@hbitproject Yes I have one, but how can i show it to you?

[@hbitproject]

Send it to me via email 👍

[@dormancycui410]

@@hbitproject Thank you so much, I had sent the file with email to you!👍

[@denberzfan5759]

Wish you explained step by step

[@qingsheng4616]

Hi, During the mirror part, may I ask why when I delete the empty reference, the object got deleted too?

[@hbitproject]

Hello, I'm not sure I got it. You mean the entire object or just the mirrored part?

[@SuperSuperka]

8:14 there is obvious mistake in the structure ("roof" profile misaligned with gable profile), it was there already in 4:38.

[@hbitproject]

That's interesting. I looked into it and there is a simple solution: at 1:54 select each vertex of the diagonal rib and (with global space orientation and snap enabled on vertex) align them (on the Z axis) to the vertices belonging to the frontal curve. Good catch!

[@kling_sor6038]

No, that's just the way gothic vaults work. The diagonal ribs were following either a half-circle or a pointed arch. They wouldn't have followed the gable profiles because that would have led to far too complicated geometry, i. e. parabolas, which they weren't able to compute. So the version in the video is actually more historically accurate.

[@lorenzobendoni4841]

@6:02 i cant scale along any axis, can someone help me with this problem?

[@hbitproject]

Hello, can you send a picture/.blend file?

[@omerrudnick8195]

Whenever I try to shade and subdiv at 2:00 it always comes out weird. Any reason why?

[@hbitproject]

Hello, have you checked your normals?

[@neovin_]

How to do it? 8:29 - 8:30

[@hbitproject]

You mean the extrusion or the creasing?

[@CheyBarrett]

What is this music?

[@hbitproject]

It's from an Italian composer (Mattia Vlad Morleo) 👍

[@CheyBarrett]

@@hbitproject thanks man! Btw kudos and thank you very much for these amazing tuts 🙌

[@Domi6994]

I'm having issues with the side panel. At 08:29 he's doing something with those borders, but it seems like he skipped some steps. To me it looks like it's extruded out, but then he extrudes it back the other way??? I'm not getting the same results for those edges and it's frustrating. Any help is appriciated!

[@Domi6994]

Everything has been super clear until up to this point. I'm probably just still a noob, but I'd love to understand what I'm doing wrong and how to fix it. Awesome tutorials!

[@hbitproject]

Hi Dominique! I simply separated the outlines and extruded them back into the panel. If you are having problems figuring it out I could share the .blend file. Let me know!

[@Domi6994]

@@hbitproject Thanks for the quick reply! Some people never answer these questions or it takes weeks haha. So that's cool! And I really want to understand, so for now I'll try on my own. But if I keep failing, your blend file would be really cool to take a look at! But to be clear, what do you mean with seperated the outlines? It's something else instead of duplicating outlines and separating them like in the previous steps? And you did extrude those parts out first, right?

[@hbitproject]

I simply took the contours, separated them from the rest, moved them a bit away from the panel and then extruded the outer outlines back into the panel. Let me know if this is giving you issues 👍

[@Domi6994]

@@hbitproject I still don't get it, and I'd love to finish this piece. so by separated you mean you duplicated them and seperated that selection? So it's a different object from the entire sidepanel? Or is it still one mesh? To me it seems like it's still part of the mesh, and I can't wrap my head around it.

[@LousyCake]

For some reason 8:30 isn't working for me properly can i get the blend file please?

[@hbitproject]

Hello, there should be a link to a shared folder somewhere in the comment section 👍

[@LousyCake]

maybe it got deleted but thank you so much for reaching out. can you create a new link? thank you :)@@hbitproject

[@hbitproject]

@LousyCake here it is --> drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UiOFRfH51Y5YpJrpRwLVPSSdoCiorP0E

[@Highcastle_of_Geek]

Noob mistake and I should know better, but make sure you apply your transforms to the arches before applying the mirror modifier at 2:00 or it will come out backwards and wrong.

[@elwiwi2840]

ty man

[@abdulmajeedalsawas1140]

I do all this in sketcup in one minute

[@cellmaximumcorporation4991]

🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻