Common ivy leaf - feedback appreciated

Discussion in 'My Work In Progress' started by 124128_deleted, Mar 30, 2012.

  1. Hello fellow Shapeways citizens.

    I am using Blender for making a kitchen cabinet knob in the shape of a common ivy leaf.
    I thought I'd start with a 2D mesh and then pull that into a 3D shape, solidify it, and for last make detailed tweaks for the ribs and so on.

    I just finished making the 2D mesh from a photo as base.
    Feedback is VERY appreciated.

    WIP01.png
     
  2. Last update this week. More next week.
    Made a lattice modifier for the overall shape.
    Have a nice weekend!
    /Rinblad

    WIP02.png
     
  3. Shef_
    Shef_ Member
    This is pretty cool. I'm not sure it's a good idea to work with so many vertices yet though. I'm guessing you applied a subsurf? Otherwise there still isn't much to comment about. How are you planning to make the finer details of the leaf?
     
  4. Hello Ssslouter, and thank you for your feedback.
    Actually I haven't used subsurf yet. I worked with bsurfaces to be able to get the lines for the ribs. I will use those later on with some extra loop cuts before or if I will apply a subdivision surface. I have noticed quite a few lines that doesn't contribute for making the ribs, and I will remove those. I haven't been able to work on this for a few days, as the flu bounced back on me. Hopefully soon though. :p

    Adding a pic that will make the lines make sense:

    Wired.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2012
  5. Shef_
    Shef_ Member
    The best way to model leaves, I found, is to "draw" over the ribs. Use a small edge that you would put at the beginning of the leaf (the base) and start making the shape of the main rib. Whenever there is a the rib branches off, leave a subdivision. then go and do the secondary branches (the ones that stem off of the main one, then smaller. Three levels is usually enough, then start connecting faces. When you add thickness to the leaf, you can extrude the branches twice, and the rest of the leaf once.
     
  6. I added a pic in the previous post . I'm not quite sure what you mean with "connecting faces" after the paint job. I will certainly try this strategy since you think it's the best. :p
    My own strategy is to lower the ribs and heighten the "cells" between, then make a "wall thickness" by applying the solidify modifier. I noted that the top side is almost inverted comparing the bottom side, when I studied a real leaf.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2012
  7. I've made outlines for all the ribs on the left side of the leaf.
    Figured I'd ought to test to extrude a part of it and to apply a subsurf, just to see how it looks..

    ... I think I'm getting there..
    :)

    WIP03.png
     
  8. oh.. here are the ribs..

    WIP03b.png
     
  9. All of the outlines are made now.
    I took Ssslouter's advice and reduced the amount of lines. Finally time for the fun part. :D

    WIP04.png
     
  10. Shef_
    Shef_ Member
    Hi, I was on vacation so i couldn't answer. That's some great progress! :) I would love to see how it looks once printed.

    Also, you have some weird color choices for the blender theme :laughing:
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2012
  11. Thank you. I only wish I have more time for modelling.. I feel like I just "paddles water", as we say here in Sweden.

    :laughing: Yeah, my colour theme is made upon a memory of an article I read some years ago. It said that people who sits by a window with green colours outside are more productive and creative. If nothing else, I thought a theme might help some. :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2012
  12. Shef_
    Shef_ Member
    Nice idea for the color theme :) though it is kinda too colorful for me.

    As for the leaf, why not use the sculpt mode to make the finer details? also, a displace modifier could go a long way here :)
     
  13. I agree. I actually thought about using the sculpt tool for the finer detail. Also to make things look less industrial made. :)

    I've never used the displacement modifier in blender yet. I found it very handy sometimes back in the days when I used 3DS Max. Are you thinking of tweaking the photo, or to use some generated noise? :confused
     
  14. Shef_
    Shef_ Member
    I can't test now (middle of a render) but I'd go with a subtle voronoi texture and two cloud textures. One for the larger detail, and one for the finer, smaller details.

    I don't really know why the voronoi, but it just seems like many leaves have a similar texture, it would have to be pretty big and very weak though, something like 5 cells for the whole leaf.

    Small tip: set the texture coordinates to an empty, that way you can just move it around to change the look of the leaf.
     
  15. Yay! A tip I know nothing about how to do (not being sarcastic. I want to learn.). :)

    Do you know of any useful tutorials on the subject?
     
  16. Another tip - I find that it is a good idea to model with part of your mind always thinking about the scale of the finished product. You don't want to spend lots of time making small details only to have them lost in the print noise. When I am not sure that details will come out, I export to .obj and measure in Netfabb. For plastic, the detail guidelines are correct, although I try for the safe side and make indents like yours about .3 mm across and .3 mm deep. For metal, you'll need closer to .8 mm to ensure that your lines come out properly, although I have been lucky with indents smaller than .8 deep and wide.

    Bottom line - what you're doing now is at least a good learning process. However, you should spend some time now thinking about the scale of the final product, or you may end up spending too much time on small details.
     
  17. You are absolutely right, TurtlesAreCool.
    I have a tendency for getting a bit of too much details.
    Today I will start with scaling it down so that 1 blenderunit = 1 millimetres.

    Thank you for reminding me.
    :)

    Btw, I love your work. Right up my alley. :D
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2012
  18. SGDesigns
    SGDesigns Member
    WOW, I saw your post when you first posted it and looks like your getting the hang of things. When I started with 3d design , my first model was a maple leaf and yours came out way better then mine did. Good job.
     
  19. This is how it looks so far.

    I have followed TurtlesAreCool's advice to scale it properly. As you would suspect, I had to make some changes in the detail to work with stainless steel specs. f

    I've done an extrude and then pulled vertices and used the sculpt tool. Not finished tinkering with it yet.

    Thank you SGDesigns, but I have been modelling for many years. Though never professionally. :D There is always stuff you can learn. I made this thread to get some tips and tricks, and hopefully people will appreciate to watch stuff grow into shape.

    WIP06.png