mesh' optimal density and model granulosity

Hello, glad to be here. This is my prime thread, and I would like to ask two basilar questions (I didn't found in search; perhaps wrong keyswords?).
I work with Lightwave 9 (some would say "use something else", but since 10 years so far it is the only 3d app with which I feel confortable; tried many so far, but this adapts to me anyway, also 'cause I use building with splinepatch, which is a breeze in LW), and its meshsmoothing / subdivide methods aren't so fine (you know meshsmooting rounds badly the corners and "melts" the overall shape; one of the many cons of LW, alas), so I would know whether it is mandatory to have a very hi poly mesh, in order to use shapeways system.
Second: I'm building negative shapes for ceramics molds' casting; thus, upon the resin model will be poured liquid gypsum/plaster. it is there a way to impermeabilize the model, or to coat it in order to optimally smooth the granulosity?

Thank you for your time.
Cheers.

Hello

High poly meshes are the best meshes for Shapeways. Sometimes you have a low poly mesh, and your software will make it appear to be high poly by smoothing the material and not the model itself. Avoid this by changing the material to not include smoothing. When I say "material", I mean the texture and surface properties of a mesh that make it react to light.

There is a forum topic in "Post Production Techniques" that talks about sanding and painting your model to give it a smooth appearance. Here is the link:

https://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=603&am p;start=0&S=0dd95446e043252ede7d837f9cda89ab

-Whystler

Thank you very much, Whystler.
But, the machines could produce anyway also models who haven't a huge density of polygons?
Cheers.

Yes, our machines print your mesh exactly like you upload it. A cube can be described in 12 triangles and it will print out as an exact cube.

But remember that with polygons with a large surface area you will be able to see the individual polygons in the model. It depends on taste if you like that are not.

Overly large number of polygons are also not useful. Most printers print with a resolution of ~0.1mm.

Cheers!

Robert

TYVM Robert!