So, I have been messing around with sub-D modeling for the past few months and have learned a lot. Both from this thread, gnomon workshop dvds, and many other sources. I thought I would share some of the basic thoughts that I have on the subject. I haven't really discussed them with anyone so feel free to rip them apart,…
@Yogifi There's a lot to unpack but the answer to most of these questions is: it often depends. There's a significant amount of overlap between poly modeling and subdivision modeling but they are still distinct processes that require slightly different approaches. What's "right" or "best" depends entirely on how a model…
@borealis When working with intersecting compound curves it's generally considered best practice to rely on tools, primitives and modifiers to generate geometry with a consistent curvature and segment spacing. It's also helpful to block out the shapes before adding support loops and secondary details since this makes it…
@Tosyk When searching this thread there isn't always a direct copy of any specific shape but there are often examples of similar shapes and similar smoothing artifacts. Looking at how other artists solved similar problems can help inform which topology strategy would work to resolve a specific mesh smoothing problem. The…
@tynew You're right. It's a 1/8th segment. I should have double checked that. Updated the original post to reflect that. Thanks! Your new geometry looks like it's easier to handle and if you're working on a 1/8th segment then making changes to it should be less work than having to rebuild the entire thing. If you've gone…
@Neox Really appreciate the kudos. @laeion Welcome to Polycount. Consider checking out the forum information and introduction thread. Soft hard surface objects can be tricky to model but taking apart one of these packages or gathering references of them disassembled can provide some insight into how the paper is cut and…
@tatertots In general: it's best practice to maintain the concentricity and consistent spacing of the edge segments that make up the walls of cylindrical shapes. Moving the edge segments too far out of position will cause the subdivision smoothing to either pinch or pull the mesh around the shape intersection and this can…
@rogi92 Manually extruding and filling polygon strips can be a viable modeling strategy but some of the shapes in that mask could make it a tedious and time consuming process. Since you already have a solid start to outlining the shapes: consider streamlining this modeling strategy by using Blender's curve system to layout…
@UhhNope It depends on which critical part is going to constrain the surrounding geometry but the basic principle is the same: match the edge segments of the intersecting geometry. If that's not possible (because of some geometry restriction) then the next best thing is to either spread the error out over a wide area or…
@jdellinger98 Overall you have the right idea: using instancing, mirroring and other modifiers will reduce the workload and speed up the modeling process. Try to maintain a consistent shape transition when working with intersecting geometry on curved surfaces. Using a single base model for the high poly and low poly. It is…