How should I proceed modelling a knife?

Pevec

Hey everyone, I have a question about modelling a knife and what should I do next.

I have 3 different parts of knife, Handle, Middle part and and Sharp part.


My question is how should I connect those parts?
I can select these three parts and connect them but I don't know if that's the right way. I'm not sure if my baked normals will look fine or will this cause some artefacts on normal map?

Or should I make new edges on "Middle part" and stich and sew "Sharp part" and "Handle" to the "Middle part"?
Can you please tell me what is better and what will work better when I will bake normals from high poly to low poly?

cromadbomber

You should model it as it is in real life. So keep those 3 things seperated.

Pevec

Ok, will do then.
But then should I put edges of Handle part and sharp part inside the middle part or put them close to it?

cromadbomber

In reference it seems that handle doesn't go inside.



So yes. Keep your handle close to the middle part. And make sure you fill that hole so you get that tiny amount of empty space between them.

Pevec

Okay then, when I'm finished I'll bake normals to see what will happen.

Alex_J

There is no one right way.

If you keep the pieces separate, you could put more resolution into certain parts and not have to worry about rerouting the extra edges. You will also have an easy time applying materials and texturing.

But there is tools and methods for separating parts of a whole, so that is not really a problem. You just have to learn the techniques.

If you keep it separate pieces, you may want to "explode" the model for better map baking. Just google and you'll find plenty of instruction.

Pevec

It's not texturing that worries me, I'm only worried about how normal map will look like and I thought that connecting these objects had something to do with the baking process.
Since I model in cinema, there is no easy way of making cages like in max and maya..

Brian "Panda" Choi

Bake em separately in a program like Substance Painter or Marmoset Toolbag

Bigg__D

If you bake in substance for example, you can either use a cage or just use the min/max ray distance, just plug in the high & low poly, no need for exploded baking either, substance painter solves that internally. But what I really suggest you do is kick back relax & watch a bunch of modeling tutorials, doesnt matter which program Maya, Max, etc, just watch them, even the speed ones where theres no instruction. And to answer your question, you can just cap the end of the blade, add an edge loop & just place it nicely against the handle.