Modelling a Polyprop chair (the procedural way?)

yusefkerr · Jun 2017

Hello, I'm trying to model the plastic part of a polypropylene chair like the one in the attached image. Its not for manufacture but I'm trying to build it in a way that I can get reasonable accuracy and then tweak certain details. I could spend an hour or two box-modelling something that looks correct, but then it'd be a long process to tweak the corner radii etc. What would be your method of doing this with nurbs or similar? I've tried using 3ds max loft tools, but it really doesn't seem to be geared up for this. Is 3ds max NURBS a reasonable method of doing this or is there another tool/program that would be faster to use?

Thanks for any suggestions you might have, I'm not new to 3d modelling but I'm more used to doing organic stuff.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/jg/zr4ag31gk21m.jpg

musashidan · Jun 2017

Nurbs in Max is shit. Plain and simple. Personally I'd model it in sub-d using edge extrude with as little geometry as possible. Making use of symmetry. Add thickness at the end with a shell modifier.

Here's an example of what I mean. This didn't take long at all, and can easily be edited due to the low poly cage mesh. I make great use of the FFD mods on vert selections when modeling like this. Makes it so easy to be loose with editing forms. Now you would spend a bit more time on it tightening edges or whatnot and getting correct proportions....but not a lot more.

Eric Chadwick · Jun 2017

Great example! Added to the wiki page here:
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Subdivision_Surface_Modeling#Tips_.26_Tricks

musashidan · Jun 2017

Haha! Thanks @Eric Chadwick not a bad reward for 10 min work. If I'd known I'd have spent a bit more time polishing.

yusefkerr · Jun 2017

Thanks musashidan, that's indeed a great example. I started with a plane, added an edit poly modifier, and then added a turbosmooth on top that I could toggle to view the result, but do any of the other sub-d tools allow for easier editing of the underlying polymesh whilst viewing the smoothed results?

Eric Chadwick · Jun 2017

A few different ways to do this.

Remove the TurboSmooth, collapse to Editable Poly, use the subdivision rollout inside of Editable Poly.

Or, make an instance copy, but work on the original.

Or, toggle Show End Result.

Or, etc.

Modelling a Polyprop chair (the procedural way?)

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