[Blender] retopology (coming from Modo) shrinkwrapping without modifier?

motionblur

I'm a Modo artists in the process of switching over to Blender more and more. For retopology one of my often used workflows was to loosely model geometry over the taget mesh and then shrinkwrapping the selection onto the surface.

I know Blender can do this with the shrinkwrap modifier but this either works on the whole surface (or needs at least a vertex weight selection to be restricted). I'm looking for a similar fast way that doesn't interrupt the workflow and is ideally used fast on only parts of the mesh.

Snap element "volume" doesn't seem to be it.

SnowInChina

imho shrinkwrap is the fastest way

just assign your selection to a vertex group and restrict the modifier to the vertex group, its like 3 clicks extra

or, model your lp directly onto the mesh with snap to surface

motionblur

The modifier version is not going to cut it because I have to go over assigning, adding and applying for every time I would otherwise just invoke the tool. I do model topology onto the surface of course. I often like to use the tools together as well, though.

If it's the only way then it will have to do, of course - but if there is a more direct way that doesn't incorporate setting up a group and applying a modifier (and leving edit mode) - that would be nice. It probably can be done fast over time but I just use it too much all over the place sometimes - so that I would end up setting up a lot of groups. That's no good flow, IMO.

zachagreg

If you don't have a restriction on plugins or don't mind paying for it. I've had great experiences with Retopoflow.

https://blendermarket.com/products/retopoflow 

Well worth the money IMO. Fastest way I've found doing retopo in Blender. Also has some really great tools and methods of quickening processes you may be doing by hand. 

motionblur

This is still not entirely what I was looking for but the AddOn really is awesome. I'll take it.

I guess there's still no way to get the nice semi-transparent topo shading from RetopoFlow in the normalviewport, as well?

zachagreg

In terms of normal viewport you mean with all of the included UI and what not of Blender without retopoflow? In that case no, you can mimic the effect of the later on for rendering purposes if you want but they've built retopoflow in a way that it tries to make it as painless as possible to retopo as one tool, without using the other tools of Blender. I haven't yet run into an issue with this methodology as I find that if I were trying to slap other modifiers and what not ontop of my retopo geometry that it would just muddy the process and take away from the tool. 

That is just my experience with it though. It's very intuitive once you get into and will probably be faster than the shrinkwrap method down the line. I do wish Blender had some of the features that Modo has like that shrinkwrap but that is the nature of the beast Im afraid.