Hardsurface Modeling and Sculpting Workflow

Axios

How do you reconcile the processes of hardsurface modeling and sculpting to work together? This has been something that I've struggled with for some time, and it's mostly a question of topology. Often, if I'm modeling an inorganic mesh, I'll be adding bevels or control edges for proper smoothing, but this results in a higher concentration of geometry at edges of the form rather than the nice and even geo that works best in sculpting apps. Normally I'll go back to the mesh prior to sculpting to add edges loops and whatnot to just make it more sculpting friendly and then remove them later. While that works, it seems as if there will be or already is a better method.

The main methods I can think of to handle this is to add and remove geo as I stated, maintain even topology throughout the original modeling process with sculpting in mind, or retopologize the basemesh prior to sculpting either manually or through a script. So what tips and insight do you have regarding this and how do you personally handle it?

I use Maya mostly, but this needn't be app-specific.

Xoliul

Most of the time, you don't need to sculpt hardsurface stuff.

Axios

I'm talking specifically about times you do or otherwise I wouldn't have this issue. Mostly it's simple stuff like related to damage as opposed to anything really intricate.

cw

If I have to sculpt some of a hard surface, I will take it to zbrush, remesh it at an appropriate res, divide and project to get the hard surface back onto the new and evenly distributed mesh, then sculpt. Kind of depends on the thing in question though.