hide tool for voxel model

[jimiclay]

The manual says you can hide part of a polygon model, but I don't see how I can hide part of my voxel sculpture. Can anyone tell me how? thanks

[wave of light]

In the voxel room select 'Hide' from the adjust menu. Then paint the parts you want to hide.

Then, from the Voxels drop down menu (top of the screen) you can unhide, swap selected for deselected, etc.

Cheers,

Ricky.

[jimiclay]

Hey Ricky,

You need to know that the reason why I couldn't find the hide tool is because it was right under my nose.

and thanks for your timely response.

[digman]

Hey Ricky,

You need to know that the reason why I couldn't find the hide tool is because it was right under my nose.

and thanks for your timely response.

The hide tool also works with the e-panel line tools.

"Cell" is also a hide tool for fast hiding of voxels

[jimiclay]

Hey Ricky,

You need to know that the reason why I couldn't find the hide tool is because it was right under my nose.

and thanks for your timely response.

I have two related questions. I'm doing my first vox sculpture, and I needed to stretch the bottom of the model. I used the move tool, which really didn't get me the results that I wanted. Is there a way to section off part of the model and extrude it like one would a poly model? Secondly, when I go to the sculpt room, or whatever, I see that the vox model isn't there. Is the sculpt room just for polygon models? thanks again

[Psmith]

Jimiclay:

The Move tool responds to the shape of your Brush alpha. If you need a rectangular or hard, circular "extrusion", just pick, (or design your own), an alpha shape of that nature that has a hard edge on it, and pull outward with the Move tool. It works better, the higher the resolution of your voxel object.

This method combines the utility of a mask and the Move tool, since the alpha shape, (having a hard edge), acts like a built in mask.

Of course, the extrusion doesn't respect normals, so you have to eyeball it, yourself.

Greg Smith

[jimiclay]

Jimiclay:

The Move tool responds to the shape of your Brush alpha. If you need a rectangular or hard, circular "extrusion", just pick, (or design your own), an alpha shape of that nature that has a hard edge on it, and pull outward with the Move tool. It works better, the higher the resolution of your voxel object.

This method combines the utility of a mask and the Move tool, since the alpha shape, (having a hard edge), acts like a built in mask.

Of course, the extrusion doesn't respect normals, so you have to eyeball it, yourself.

Greg Smith

Thanks Greg,

I thought I saw a resize tool in a video tut. Maybe it was for a polygon model? I'll see if I can figure out how these vox tools work

[wave of light]

I also use the pose tool. Have a quick look in the manual (page 57) for how to use it... but basically it allows you to select areas of your voxel sculpt and rotate/move/scale those areas.

To answer your other question (re. no mesh in sculpt or paint room), try this page:

http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=7241&pid=55102&st=0entry55102

Cheers,

Ricky.

[jimiclay]

I also use the pose tool. Have a quick look in the manual (page 57) for how to use it... but basically it allows you to select areas of your voxel sculpt and rotate/move/scale those areas.

To answer your other question (re. no mesh in sculpt or paint room), try this page:

http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=7241&pid=55102&st=0entry55102

Cheers,

Ricky.

Again,

thanks so much for your help. I just read this, and I'm just making sure it says what I think it says.

"Special note for Select with pen: This is worth mentioning twice,

as it is very useful. With the Pose tool, you can use almost any of

the selection methods in the Pen mode bar, like drag rectangle,

lasso, etc. You can also subtract your selection by using the tool

normal while holding the CTRL key."

I understand this to mean that, using the pen tool, I can subtract a section from the model, like it shows in the picture on pg. 58. This is what I need to do presently.

[wave of light]

Hi again,

There are several ways to work on a specific area of your voxel sculpt (and I'm sure others not mentioned below):

Use the hide tool and paint/brush the selected area you want to work on.

Use the Pose tool, and use the 'select with pen' option from the 'Tools Options' menu to draw on the specific area you want to move/rotate/scale etc.

Now, if you want to extract a section of your voxel sculpt and only work on that, you could make a new layer and use the copy function (page 59 of manual). This will copy your brushed area to your new layer, which you can then work on separately.

Hope this helps.

Ricky.

[jimiclay]

Hi again,

There are several ways to work on a specific area of your voxel sculpt (and I'm sure others not mentioned below):

Use the hide tool and paint/brush the selected area you want to work on.

Use the Pose tool, and use the 'select with pen' option from the 'Tools Options' menu to draw on the specific area you want to move/rotate/scale etc.

Now, if you want to extract a section of your voxel sculpt and only work on that, you could make a new layer and use the copy function (page 59 of manual). This will copy your brushed area to your new layer, which you can then work on separately.

Hope this helps.

Ricky.

Well actually what I was thinking was how to cut away a section of the sculpture, like a boolean think. I've seen the merge tool at work, but I was more interested in how to remove parts of a sculpture too.

[AbnRanger]

Well actually what I was thinking was how to cut away a section of the sculpture, like a boolean think. I've seen the merge tool at work, but I was more interested in how to remove parts of a sculpture too.

I think it's always a good idea to split your model into discreet sections, at least until you are finished and ready to retopologize, and even then, you may want to leave them separate, should you want to use the Auto Retopo feature separately on those parts, or on one part and manually retopo another. It also allows you to cache the parts you aren't actively working on, and save RAM in the process. You can also HIDE those parts by clicking the visibility icon on that layer (in the Vox Tree/Layer panel).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ZJX9Nfy8w

[michalis]

I think it's always a good idea to split your model into discreet sections, at least until you are finished and ready to retopologize, and even then, you may want to leave them separate, should you want to use the Auto Retopo feature separately on those parts, or on one part and manually retopo another. It also allows you to cache the parts you aren't actively working on, and save RAM in the process. You can also HIDE those parts by clicking the visibility icon on that layer (in the Vox Tree/Layer panel).

Always a good idea indeed.

hm, not always, unfortunately. What about a scene-pose like my venus? Its a nude. And the pose isn't voxel friendly. Or retopo friendly. If someone has an idea like modeling as figures for animation... not a good idea either for this subject. Then what? The old school box modeling - base mesh and this is what I did. And a zbrush like sculpt room, not 3dc. All concept began in 3dc though, but I had to rebuild the base mesh in blender. I could organize groups and hide them in zbrush later. Topology and UVs were ready. Psmith thinks that this method is not so art friendly. He's right somehow. But is there any other method around?

Now this isn't rare, it happens to me frequently. Unified meshes. The worst case, a 3d nightmare.

I don't believe that one app is enough anyway.

[AbnRanger]

Always a good idea indeed.

hm, not always, unfortunately. What about a scene-pose like my venus? Its a nude. And the pose isn't voxel friendly. Or retopo friendly. If someone has an idea like modeling as figures for animation... not a good idea either for this subject. Then what? The old school box modeling - base mesh and this is what I did. And a zbrush like sculpt room, not 3dc. All concept began in 3dc though, but I had to rebuild the base mesh in blender. I could organize groups and hide them in zbrush later. Topology and UVs were ready. Psmith thinks that this method is not so art friendly. He's right somehow. But is there any other method around?

Now this isn't rare, it happens to me frequently. Unified meshes. The worst case, a 3d nightmare.

I don't believe that one app is enough anyway.

I'd rather pose outside of 3DC, with bones (that are skinned) or in my case CAT or Biped (3ds Max), then if you need to modify the mesh a bit when you have the right pose, you have a skin morph modifier that will allow you to make those kinds of changes at specific poses.

On the other hand, if I want to pose a character within 3DC then I plan that out before I start. I build the model in the pose I want. You can still split the model up without there being any seams, and you can retopo just one mesh with many different voxel layers. What ever is visible in the Retopo Room, it will snap the geometry to...no matter if they happen to be a 100 different voxel layers.

If you insist on posing in Voxels without planning ahead, you can still merge all the layers together, pose and then split them up again...if necessary.

[jimiclay]

Sorry to say, but you guys are talkn a little over my head right now. I just wanna know if I can delete parts of a model in vox mode. I still haven't figured out how, and no one has answered my question.

[AbnRanger]

Sorry to say, but you guys are talkn a little over my head right now. I just wanna know if I can delete parts of a model in vox mode. I still haven't figured out how, and no one has answered my question.

You can delete a layer or you can use a regular tool like the Clay brush, hit the E key to bring up the E Panel and select something like the the freeform tool, drag around the part you want to delete, while holding down the CTRL key (that inverts the operation...subtracting volume instead of adding) and it will be deleted.

[michalis]

You can delete a layer or you can use a regular tool like the Clay brush, hit the E key to bring up the E Panel and select something like the the freeform tool, drag around the part you want to delete, while holding down the CTRL key (that inverts the operation...subtracting volume instead of adding) and it will be deleted.

BTW its an excellent way to start sculpting from a sphere or cube. As in real sculpting on stone. Move tool and cutting.

You can still split the model up without there being any seams, and you can retopo just one mesh with many different voxel layers.

Yes, if I need to export a base mesh. I still have to merge all layers together for baking it (MV). Seams become visible on separated voxels, I missed something?

OK splitting is helpful anyway. What about hiding option in retopo room? I haven't try to work on different topo-layers and try to merge them (some editing too), any suggestions?

[jimiclay]

Thanks AbnRanger,

So now could you tell me why my model is black in the paint room after I retopped it? I posted a thread last night, but no one has responded to it just yet, and I know I'm jumping threads here.

[michalis]

Yes, I saw this thread (and a nice model). I really don't now. Many reasons for this. I need to see a video or some captures from all rooms and actions. You missed something, probably.

[jimiclay]

Well I decided that I would just use the straight retop tools to get the job done, but the tools are dragging really slowly. What can I do to speed things up? If I adjust the res on the model, will that affect the quality of the maps?

[AbnRanger]

Well I decided that I would just use the straight retop tools to get the job done, but the tools are dragging really slowly. What can I do to speed things up? If I adjust the res on the model, will that affect the quality of the maps?

I'm wondering if you applied UV's to your mesh before merging it to the paint room. Check out Greg's little Ghost character tutorial series...he does a good job of explaining the workflow all the way from sculpting to Retopo to UV's and Painting.

[jimiclay]

I'm wondering if you applied UV's to your mesh before merging it to the paint room. Check out Greg's little Ghost character tutorial series...he does a good job of explaining the workflow all the way from sculpting to Retopo to UV's and Painting.

Many thanks, I'm on it.

[jimiclay]

Ranger,

Thanks again for the video tip. Many of the things that I read in the manual make sense now. Seeing the tools used in production is way different from having to try and do it blind. I feel even more

excited about 3D Coat now, since I've seen the light!! Hallelujah!!! Can I get a witness? LOL

[AbnRanger]

Ranger,

Thanks again for the video tip. Many of the things that I read in the manual make sense now. Seeing the tools used in production is way different from having to try and do it blind. I feel even more

excited about 3D Coat now, since I've seen the light!! Hallelujah!!! Can I get a witness? LOL

Glad to help, but kudos really belong to guys like him and others who take the time to contribute in this way. There is a series on youtube by "Fugazi3d" that covers painting more in detail, as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Fugazi3D#p/u/14/cw1Xs5vqs0w

I'd also highly recommend, if you can afford to do so, checking out Leigh Bamforth's training:

http://www.kurvstudios.com/3D-coat/voxel_sculpting.php

It's a good combination of organic and hard surface projects.