http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php Shapeways: Bring your creativity to life in 3D http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46179&th=8766#msg_46179
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.

]]> rinblad 2012-03-30T11:17:54-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46189&th=8766#msg_46189 Made a lattice modifier for the overall shape.
Have a nice weekend!
/Rinblad

]]> rinblad 2012-03-30T13:24:28-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46354&th=8766#msg_46354 Ssslouter 2012-04-03T05:35:35-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46494&th=8766#msg_46494 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.

Adding a pic that will make the lines make sense:

]]> rinblad 2012-04-04T23:16:58-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46496&th=8766#msg_46496 Ssslouter 2012-04-04T23:23:07-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46500&th=8766#msg_46500
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. ]]> rinblad 2012-04-05T00:23:00-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46792&th=8766#msg_46792 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..


]]> rinblad 2012-04-11T10:23:56-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46793&th=8766#msg_46793
]]> rinblad 2012-04-11T10:32:41-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46856&th=8766#msg_46856 I took Ssslouter's advice and reduced the amount of lines. Finally time for the fun part.

]]> rinblad 2012-04-12T11:17:51-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46938&th=8766#msg_46938
]]> rinblad 2012-04-13T13:33:50-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46959&th=8766#msg_46959 I would love to see how it looks once printed.

Also, you have some weird color choices for the blender theme ]]> Ssslouter 2012-04-13T18:26:02-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=46980&th=8766#msg_46980
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. ]]> rinblad 2012-04-14T13:14:46-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47000&th=8766#msg_47000 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 ]]> Ssslouter 2012-04-14T18:22:57-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47007&th=8766#msg_47007

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? ]]> rinblad 2012-04-14T20:42:07-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47011&th=8766#msg_47011
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.]]> Ssslouter 2012-04-15T00:08:48-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47021&th=8766#msg_47021

Do you know of any useful tutorials on the subject? ]]> rinblad 2012-04-15T08:26:06-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47039&th=8766#msg_47039
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.]]> TurtlesAreCool 2012-04-15T22:21:06-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47097&th=8766#msg_47097 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. ]]> rinblad 2012-04-17T06:55:38-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47147&th=8766#msg_47147 SGDesigns 2012-04-18T10:28:52-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47152&th=8766#msg_47152
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. 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.

]]> rinblad 2012-04-18T13:02:32-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47153&th=8766#msg_47153 TurtlesAreCool 2012-04-18T13:26:19-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47162&th=8766#msg_47162 Please keep us updated, looking forward to seeing the final images.

Cheers]]> duann 2012-04-18T14:07:49-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47199&th=8766#msg_47199 Ssslouter 2012-04-19T01:01:45-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47210&th=8766#msg_47210 TurtlesAreCool wrote on Wed, 18 April 2012 13:26
Sounds like you are on the right path - things are looking good. Another comment - if this is a cabinet handle, you might want to make sure that you have gentle rounds on the edges, particularly the points of the leaf. The "beard" of my dragon that I just printed in stainless is surprisingly sharp.


Thanks. I am planning to add a solidify modifier later, so I will keep that in mind.

duann wrote on Wed, 18 April 2012 14:07

That is a nice idea, Please keep us updated, looking forward to seeing the final images.

I promise. Nice to see so many helpful people here.

Ssslouter wrote on Thu, 19 April 2012 01:01

There is a measuring addon for blender that will measure the distance between two vertices, it will keep you from going back and forth from blender to the other program.

Yes, I found a tool called mesure panel. I didn't get it to work in Blender 2.61 even if I download the latest script and manually install it. Got it to work when I downloaded 2.55 though. Thanks for the tip. ]]> rinblad 2012-04-19T08:11:29-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47462&th=8766#msg_47462
I have tried some methods to add thickness to the leaf and it turned out that the Solidify modifier didn't work well so I ended up with just making a duplicate of the mesh and flipped the normals for the bottom. After some tinkering I came up with what shows in the image below. I thought that the leaf will be 5 cm from top to bottom and the thickness is now about 3-4 mm and some detail is between 1-2 mm. Time to think about the stem and/or branch or whatever that will make it pop out of the door. (Because this is going to be a kitchen door knob.)

]]> rinblad 2012-04-25T10:52:11-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47465&th=8766#msg_47465
What material are you planning on using?]]> bradykineticcuriosities 2012-04-25T11:30:47-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47476&th=8766#msg_47476
I have thought about using the Stainless Steel material, maybe with the Antique Bronze infusion. Today I started to think about how well it would go with cheramics, and what I have to add for that to be possible. Just a thought. ]]> rinblad 2012-04-25T14:01:55-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47477&th=8766#msg_47477
This is somewhat going outside shapeways, but have you thought about using a detailed print to start casting with another company? I'm imagining this in pewter with some dark painted accents on the veins... ]]> bradykineticcuriosities 2012-04-25T14:21:32-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47510&th=8766#msg_47510

I have thought about making castings and so on. Especially because I am about to start my own company. Do you know or recommend such company? ]]> rinblad 2012-04-26T07:56:55-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=47527&th=8766#msg_47527 I've sketched some concepts for the leaf. Please tell me if you like one concept in partikular by answering this this one question.


]]> rinblad 2012-04-26T11:21:33-00:00