Quick Techniques and/or Tips

[wailingmonkey]

Just thought I'd share something I thought was neat (although not that earth-shattering)

with the 'Draw with Spline' tool [see image below]. This could be handy for non-organic linework

and detail...I actually used one of my lines, made copies of the same line below it, then made

a grill-like pen with the final line area. Of course other alphas do different line profiles...

Maybe other users could post some of their favorite techniques or discoveries in this thread as well?

(Perhaps a "Sticky" thread could be made to house such things, Andrew?) *edit* Thanks for pinning, Andrew.

Hope it's of some use to someone.

wailingmonkey

[wailingmonkey]

Let 3d-Brush do the repeating for you.

- Create a 128X128 new image in Photoshop (or similar)

- Select custom shape tool

- Place shape centered on the canvas

- Save as .tga

- Import into 3d-Brush with Fill tool (using cube-mapped or UV-mapped) and

edit settings as desired

*or*

- Use .tga as Material, Color, Displacement, Specular (edit scale, orientation as necessary)

[Andrew Shpagin]

There is one important thing in 3DB - "Additive dawing" in "Depth menu". Check if you know it, because it is important. What does it means?

1) if this option is checked (default) than all strokes will add depth.

2) if this option if off then strokes will intersect each other by depth. It works only for current layer, it is also important to know.

You can see the difference on the screenshot:

This option is especially important when you draw using mask or material.

[Chuckpie]

There is one important thing in 3DB - "Additive dawing" in "Depth menu". Check if you know it, because it is important. What does it means?

1) if this option is checked (default) than all strokes will add depth.

2) if this option if off then strokes will intersect each other by depth. It works only for current layer, it is also important to know.

You can see the difference on the screenshot:

This option is especially important when you draw using mask or material.

Andrew

At some point could someone do a step by step tutorial based on your features page? Start with the first object each month and go down the list. I bought your software, but I only bought Lightwave 8 Months ago, so I am a newbie to both programs even though I am an old guy (62). someone at your location created those features, so a step by step tutorial based on how they created them would be a big help as well as a very good selling point for your software. Do the tutorial as if you were teaching your 10 year old child. When you get to my age that is about as quick as I can learn new things.

Thanks Chuck

[wailingmonkey]

A handy way to add a bit more control over the 'Soft Stroke' on the pen

(until Andrew adds a little more user control) is to check the 'Use Spacing'

option and set the value to a high enough amount that it slows down your stroke.

What you end up with is the ability to "guide" your stroke from location to

location.

One thing to be aware of is that your pen cursor needs to remain over

the surface of the model, or the stroke will cut off.

[wailingmonkey]

A really easy way to get 'inorganic' shapes is of course using the different "Paint with"

options (above the 'Draw with a pen' tool).

You can add to the complexity by also experimenting with the different "Paint with" options

in combination with the Eraser tool by taking away from your newly created inorganic shapes.

Using the 'Snap to Grid' option with 'Show Grid' on opens up even more possibilities.

P.S. I'm not trying to be the 'owner' of this thread, so it would be great if others

could contribute some tips too!

[wailingmonkey]

just thought I'd resurrect this thread a bit...

With the new alpha versions of 3DC (alpha56 in this particular example) you

can have volumetric text on your models.

Taken a step further, you can use a font like 'Symbol' to add shapes where you

need/want them. In the image below, I've used Microsoft's built in CharMap program

to identify the character I wanted and pasted it into 3DC's text box to end up

with the symbol I wanted.

[Ghostdog]

just thought I'd resurrect this thread a bit...

With the new alpha versions of 3DC (alpha56 in this particular example) you

can have volumetric text on your models.

Taken a step further, you can use a font like 'Symbol' to add shapes where you

need/want them. In the image below, I've used Microsoft's built in CharMap program

to identify the character I wanted and pasted it into 3DC's text box to end up

with the symbol I wanted.

Hey - just quick "thanks for tips" from me and I'm sure others. Any contributions to the tutorials more then welcomed.

[wailingmonkey]

haven't been in this area in awhile....you're most welcome, Ghostdog.

Here's another one having to do with using the 'Move' tool and custom/unique

alphas on the tool itself. Try it!...it's quite handy for certain roughing-in of shapes.

I like to use symmetry with it as well, and increasing the resolution will help also.