Modeling shoe laces, boot laces... etc.

Drew++

I've been modeling for quite some time now, but shoe laces were one thing I could never do efficiently.

Anyone have and good techniques for modeling laces?

I use Modo, and can use Max.

PolyHertz

In Max I place boxes at the shoe lace holes and then use soulburns wirejumbler script to create a spline that goes through all of them quickly. You can use a torus knot to fake circular lace ties also.

Drew++

I'll give that a shot. Do you have a DL link to the script?

Anyone know any ways of doing this?

Emil Mujanovic

I've found that spline paths tend to work fairly easily for me. It's not always perfect as there is the occasional bit of clean up involved.
But I'll create a spline, then the shape I want for my laces. Then extrude to spline.

I've had whacky results where it twists and does other crazy business, but PolyHertz's method may be a little nicer to deal with.

bbob

I usually just rough out the shape I want with a spline, then divide sections, move verts etc. When I am happy with it, I set all verts to smooth. Working with a spiky base you refine, makes it easier I reckon.

EDIT: Oh, boo.. Emil beat me to it..

EmAr

What I do is similar to Emil's method. I use some lines with sharp corners and add extra vertices where the laces are bent, then subdivide and extrude. Here's a pic from a recent model of mine:

Drew++

Awesome! Thanks for the help guys.

PolyHertz

Sure thing, here ya go: http://www.neilblevins.com/soulburnscripts/soulburnscripts.htm
Use the wireBundlerUI from that. Also just fyi, their is also a version for Maya by FunkyBunnies in case you ever need to use that for some reason.

Emil Mujanovic

I'll definitely check out the Maya version. Thanks, PolyHertz.

CheeseOnToast

You might want to check out this thread for a built-in maya version too :

http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=69325

yiannisk

in max you would either use a renderable spline with an edit poly modifier on it to do your changes or model it straight if you want specific high res laces and use the pathDeform modifier.

killingpeople

Max has a "deform to path" modifier that would work nicely for something like this. I don't know Modo.

poopinmymouth

For flat laces, you can also use the shell modifier, just make them using an extruded plane, and pop a shell modifier on top to give it constant volume.