Modelling Tricks - Curved Complex Shapes

During my stream I just did a quick demonstration on how I do curved complex shapes using creasing. I block out most shapes this way.
/ andrewhodgson3d
/ andrewhodgson3d

[@andretreee]

I found your channel and work just yesterday and i'm still amazed! Thank you so much for this short videos.

[@Silas237]

So helpful! Been struggling over these kinds of shapes for a while now, thanks for the great techniques🙂

[@TheGreatArlei]

You are so chill dude. Loving the content.

[@saralapuram]

Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. I was struggling so far, without knowing this trick.

[@OnMars3D]

I just came to your channel to see how you approach complex/organic shapes. This is really great! And I agree 100% on NURBs in Maya

[@OnMars3D]

@clementine No, my car modeling tutorials don't use nurbs surfaces. I instead use Nurbs curves as guides/reference in 3D.

[@fawkeshagrid]

This just clicked for me after hearing you talk about the technique during the Autodesk streams. Thanks for elaborating!

[@RavenWhiteThibaultV]

Very good stuff ! I would love to see the next step, like how you add reinforcement edges to replace your crease in some tricky parts

[@jakobkardoeus9866]

Even if i am doing compositing, i love to watch your modeling videos!

[@GeorgeLikoudis]

Would love to see a small demo on a car using this method!!! Thank you for the great Video!!!

[@ferencszabo3504]

It's a good thing that you make references to Blender because the audience can relate to it.I know there are sometimes periodically releases from paid software with the stripped down version.But still,I rather go the a. Blender way.3d modeling is more popular than ever these days ,and that's awesome.Your videos are very interesting.Keep streaming them,thx Back in the Lightwave days the software was awesome but the user base was small!

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

Blender can be as popular as it wants and people can use it at home all the want (I do) but if people want to work in the larger VFX studios they will still have to learn Maya. Somethings popularity online isn't necessarily always the best thing based on a persons career goals

[@ferencszabo3504]

@@AndrewHodgson3DYou're right. The work pipeline is nearly cemented for the industry, that's not gonna change soon.Just wanted to point it out that parallel references are good,and the pro’s experiences are the most valuable asset(until some AI not gonna make a better models😀,and let's hooe to not)

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

@@ferencszabo3504 Correct. When I tell people they need to learn Maya people assume I hate Blender. I dont, i think Blender is a great intro tool to 3d and I use it for my personal work as a replacement for Cad modelling and making Machined parts. At the end of the day we work with the tools our Employer provides. That is why i find the die hard software wars so frustrating, It doesnt hurt having knowledge of multiple software.

[@ferencszabo3504]

@@AndrewHodgson3D Yup,still no magic bullet in sight , everybody needs to keep learning , to be the most versatile as he can for the job.BTW.the Houdini AI assisted terrain generation gives me chills

[@RyoMassaki]

@@AndrewHodgson3D When I actually started to branch out and learn a multitude of softwares that are used in a 3D production pipeline, something changed and I became better at learning itself and much faster too. It opened doors in my mind that were closed before as if my brain got rewired. Before I was doubtful in my own abilities, now I am confident In my ability to learn and understand. It was the push I needed to get out of my stagnant comfort zone and make it bigger by staying out of it. I got addicted to that kind of thrill and it served me well. It may not be as useful for an hardcore specialist, but I would still recommend it.

[@JustRYMND]

Hey man! Great tip/tutorial, If I'm not being so rude, can you share how you set an absolute value in crease into hotkey, because I tried replicating it in script editor but ended up failing since I can't get it to work. Thank you so much in advance haha

[@aldo_3d]

Your channel is a gold mine :D

[@hectorescobar9450]

NIce I use that exact same technique in but in Blender. Is great for adding subdivisions with out breaking the form or collapsing the bevels/supporting edgeloops. Yeah I always scratch my head when people say that Blender is faster because of Hot keys.. I think is faster, because of addons like Hard Ops and box cutter as well as having access to a modifier stack. You can create a general modifier stack with commonly used tools like the bevel, mirror, subdiv, etc.. and just copy it to what ever object that benefits from those.

[@otherworlds9677]

How do you do this in Blender? What specific settings, if you don't mind? Appreciate any help you can give me.

[@hectorescobar9450]

@@otherworlds9677 my setup would require a tutorial to explain. 9maybe will make one at some point). But for the basics. Make sure you have ‘Copy Atribures’ on in the addon settings to copy set ups from object to object. In the modifier stack, make sure to have bevel modifier above the subdivision modifier, change the bevel type from pinch to Arc and segments to 2, make sure the you change the setting from Angle, to weight. 9this way you can ad bevels only to edges that you mark as weighted and you are able to change the bevel amount according to the weight amount you sign to each edge, finally in the subdiv modifier, turn off creases. This will give you the perfect sub-div set up that you would get with adding supporting edge loops. For the low poly set up, turn off your bevel modifier and in the subdiv modifier options, turn on creasing. This will for most cases hold up your form and edge loo sharpness without deformation.

[@otherworlds9677]

@@hectorescobar9450 Thanks.

[@KarribuCG]

I'm really struggling with a shape where two cylinders are intersecting at weird angles. Trying to retopo but can't avoid triangles which causes horrible pinching. Any suggestions?

[@YALW0506]

Thank you for these tips 🙏.

[@The9PointStar]

Thanks! the same concept can be used in 3ds max?

[@tuongnguyenan6408]

this is really really useful sir. thanks so much for the video

[@davidmccabe1544]

Always love your vids and trust your advise. I have been working on a car model for Film and TV. The model is 300k polys with no subD and is UV unwrapped. My question is should I sub divide before or after texturing the model for best results? I'm torn between what to do as they both seem to have pros and cons. I'm also unsure what the usual practices are in the film industry for this so anyone with experience feel free to jump in.

[@MintyMan]

really awesome tip!

[@rajatk12321]

amazing technique Sir .

[@virajvakharia6759]

How did you subdivide the object ?

[@hiwa9980]

This may be a stupid question, but I use creasing all the time but it always occurs to me and I've never thought to ask anyone and I always forget about it as soon as I get the thought...does the crease translate into other programs like substance or unity?

[@ДругЧеловека-е5ч]

Thank you man for useful advice

[@ChaosWolfNinja]

Awesome! Just curious how you now take it to the next level

[@ViralKiller]

I tried to learn Maya so many times and gave up...but I did stick with Houdini lol go figure

[@threefirstnames123]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!

[@shawnpatapoff5846]

thanks for sharing! really appreciate it!

[@magedafra]

Pretty valuable channel 👌

[@mickflury]

did you crese edges before extruding? difference between creasing and bevel?

[@jeanolivier9280]

Hello thank you for your time ,and share your skill thank alot

[@hamidsalami7022]

Amazing! is it possible to replicate this technique in 3dsmax as well?

[@hyuntae94]

O.M.G !!! Thank you sir!!

[@i20010]

3:05 So how can we run a nice organic panel line over this shape? It would be difficult in polys, and still much easier in Nurbs?

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

I would just use a cad program if that was the goal, or even Blender which is what I swapped to now

[@rsunghun]

this is great!

[@ianruizdiaz9098]

Very usefull information Thanks a lot!!!!

[@BIGOTEMACHINE]

But burbs will give you better booleans and better fillets/bevels, also blender have modifiers for those tools, so you can work with a more parametric or non destructive aproche

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

I know, I use blender for concept

[@habeebalrahman515]

But if you keep subdividing like this wouldn't this add unnecessary geometry on the simple parts. Would you remove them afterwards?

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

You only subdivide until you have the geometry density you need for whatever the purpose of the piece is. You don’t need to keep subdividing

[@xox8717]

Then where do you go from there? I'm sure you won't keep the creasing or the highly subdivided mesh.

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

Just replace the creasing with triple edging. Half of the movies I worked on like Guardians of the galaxy, Star Wars , transformers , pirates of the Caribbean etc we actually did build our assets with creasing

[@xox8717]

@@AndrewHodgson3D That's intresting I always heard "avoid creasing" because they don't transfer between different programs. Thanks.

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

@@xox8717 yeah I don’t like using creasing for the final results. We did have work arounds at the studio but triple edging is so much more reliable

[@ExacoMvm]

Looks easy to get complex shapes, but when you try to retopology/copy 1:1 something I bet it's just as tricky as using regular method.

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

Nah it’s still better because you can keep the mesh lower poly while you pull it around then subdivide after for smoother edge flow once you got the shape you need

[@gibson2623]

You should model by using the cage vertices, not directly on the subD....And nurbs, are the best things for cars by miles ;)

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

my last decade in the film industry suggests I am modelling just fine but thanks for your recommendation

[@gibson2623]

@@AndrewHodgson3D no problems...I work in car design for 20 years, and know maya since version 1. But in cars we use alias, of course

[@MrCowyedeater]

It’s faster to hotkey your hotkeys in blender 😂

[@thisisaboguaname3423]

Mr Hodgson, Some people still do use NURBs, and what you are stating at the end of your video clearly show your complete lack of understanding of this type of surface. I am extremely disappointed in you. After having watched other videos from you, I am recommending them to my fellow CG artists, and will continue to do so. But you should really get to study NURBS and understand how they work, because they are very different from subdivision surfaces, they are used in a very different workflow.

[@AndrewHodgson3D]

I knew this was going to pop up. yes Nurbs is used in Cad but there isnt really any need for us to use NURBS in film

[@paulatreides6711]

" I am extremely disappointed in you" lol dude , chill out , don't take it personally.

[@diocre7446]

Nurbs and subdivisions are just similar. Why would you bothered with nurbs if it isn't going to be used in manufacturing a metal piece.

[@Gichanasa]

An Industrial designer here, I always have used Alias and Maya since the early 90s... NURBS will stay around for CAD, but for CGI I could see Andrew's point of SubD with creases fulfilling most of the needs.