Modeling with Lathe NURBS
Author: 2007-06-22 22:37:13　From:
Tips & Techniques - Modeling
Modeling:
Lathe NURBS in CINEMA 4D XL Version 6
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PDF / | Works with:
XL | Requires:
Version 6 |
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| | | Description: Lathing creates a solid object by rotating a spline profile around its Y axis. By changing the position or orientation of the profile relative to the axis, you can create various symetrical models. Common models created with a Lathe include a vase, wine glass, lamp shade, etc. To create those objects, the rotation must be 360¡ã or all the way around the Y axis. However, you can also create an object by doing a partial lathe (less than 360¡ã). Those objects include a dome, arch, etc. |  |
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| | | To create a Lathe Object with NURBS: Step 1: First you have to create a Spline Profile which you will Lathe. You can either draw one in C4D, bring in an Illustrator file which you have created in another program or use any one of the preset splines. To draw a Spline, choose the XY view. Since the object will be created by rotating a spline around the Y axis, creating your spline profile in this view will give you the most accurate results. |
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| | | Step 2: Select Spline Object from the file menu (Object=>Spline Object). |
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| |  | Step 3: Double click on the spline object icon in the Object Manager. Notice that there are five different types of splines to choose from. For the puposes of creating a a wine glass, chose Bezier. For a detailed explanation of the different types of Splines and options in the window, please refer to your CINEMA 4D XL manual. |
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| | | Step 4: Select the Points Tool from your Tools palette or from the file menu (Tools:Options:Points). |  |
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| |  | Step 5: While holding down the CONTROL key on your keyboard, set the spline point by clicking your mouse where you want to place control points. Click and drag if you want to create Bezier handles for a point - this will allow you to tweak your profile to get it just the way you like. |
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| | | Step 6: Create a Lathe NURBS Object (Objects=>NURBS=>Lathe NURBS). Then, double click on the Lathe NURBS object in the File Menu. You will note that the Angle dialog defaults to 360¡ã. You can change this to create a partial lathe. |
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| | | Subdivisions refer to the detail or smoothness of the model's surface - the higher the number the smoother the surface. When working with an extremely complex model, you can have a higher number of subdivisions for raytracing so your final output looks nice and still have a fast working enviroment by lowering the scene's Level of Detail. To do this, choose Display=>Level of Detail=> [Low, Medium, or High.] If your model appears faceted or "stepped," just increase the number of subdivisions until you get the results you are looking for. |  |
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| | | NOTE: You can always go back and change the subdivisions at any time. Movement is set to 0 as the default for a circular lathe. With any other value, it moves around a helix, enabling you to create such things as corks and screws easily. If you want your object to have caps, leave the Start and End fields at their defaults. Change them to no caps if you do not want caps. |
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| |  | Step 7: In the Object Manager window, drag the spline you have just created and drop it onto the Lathe NURBS object. Instantly you are presented with your lathed object. Notice how you can still see your spline profile. When selected, it can still be edited separately. |
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| | | Step 8: If necesssary, you can still go back and tweak your model by re-selecting the Points Tool and moving the points of your spline. You can even add new points at any time if needed. |
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