Santa buttons

Frank
Ok, so I've been playing with a blank disc, with spherify and with the selecting the outside ring:
H. Select the outer edge loop (bit tricky at the moment: make a ring select first then hit shift+cmd+X to expand the selection then hit shift+cmd+D 2times to be left with the outer edge loop)
I. "Cover" the edge loop - means extrude the edges - then drag the loop down for the thickness
J. Use "Close polygon hole"

Hooray, I got it, but when I select "COVER", I can't get any morphing of the edge of the disc. I can use "Normal move" but that is not an elegant or curved edge. Too, I can't find a "Close polygon hole" command in the menu, only a "Fill hole" (of course, I have not yet created a hole). Also, I envisioned the disc having a height dimension and I could then attach a bar back for securing the button to the fabric.

Trust me, I am experimenting with objects and manipulation, using the coffee cup with handle as an example, and others, but I'm struggling with disc edging and the spherify of the textured surface. Yes, I move the spherify up so it is first in the hierarchy, and I got a nice curve on the plain disc, but it mutilates the textures.

Any suggestions on another example for me to try? I talked with the foundry and they are impressed with the results, so far, but can't yet use the 3D to create a master mold.

After "cover" use the transform tool to drag the new established and still selected edge loop down.
Before you´re doing any further modeling make the hierarchy editable - now select edge loop - cover - drag down - fill hole. That´s it really.

Cheers
Frank

That did it. Now to properly spherify and I'll be set.
Thanks again.

@Frank
I have now successfully lofted the disc via spherify, although it looks like I will have to redesign the proportions of the image as the center distorts to a larger size and squeezes the type and the spacing in the outer circle. Is that normal?

I can also now extrude (cover and normal move) the edge to the desired width, but I still have not figured out how to close the bottom of the now 'thickened' disc to create depth to the model or mirror to curvature of any new bottom face to the top face.

I created this in Modo, but it does not handle displacement as a mesh and you have to 'freeze' it to do so, creating huge files and many holes and problem edges. Cheetah looks to be a much better solution, but I can't determine how to do some things as easily as in Modo. The Thicken command makes extruding a solid natural design element. Is there something similar? In Modo, I applied the displacement to the end of a Capsule, but in Cheetah, if I try to apply a displacement to any other object, the design doesn't seem to line up.

Can I create a complete model like this in Cheetah? I would much rather do it here than in the much more expensive, far more complicated and less flexible handling of displacement and export features of Modo? Cheetah's crazy neat and seems ideal for 3D print modeling.

SantaStephen said:

A. .... type and the spacing in the outer circle. Is that normal?
B. but I still have not figured out how to close the bottom of the now 'thickened' disc to create depth to the model or mirror to curvature of any new bottom face to the top face.
C. The Thicken command makes extruding a solid natural design element. Is there something similar?
D. Can I create a complete model like this in Cheetah? I would much rather do it here than in the much more expensive, far more complicated and less flexible handling of displacement and export features of Modo? Cheetah's crazy neat and seems ideal for 3D print modeling.

Click to expand...

A. Depends on the hierarchy and values.
B. You can simply use "fill-hole" which will add a nGon to that opening or maybe get a sphere (same amount of iterations) squashed to a flat lens shape - take the upper half - invert normals - import children to combine with the coin object - make editable and use bridge to weld the 2 parts
C. There´s a "shell-mofifier" - be careful; it´s slow on that amount of geometry and the default offset value
might be too much - maybe turn off displacement+subdivision first - be prepared to wait for the shell to arise.
D. Sure.

Cheers
Frank

Frank
Back with another question. I've changed the background to a less textured design to get a better button and cleaner model. Here's a render of the face on the disk, but as soon as I try to spherify the model to add a 2.5mm total height (curved) to the button face, the design warps with the reindeer taking 80% of the top area and the text and ropes are squashed to the sides.

I must be doing something wrong. If I distort > spherize the image in PS at -90%, I get a result, but it is unattractive and still distorted. I must be missing something.

I've learned to build the button sides (it would have been easier to use a capsule, cut off the bottom and then thicken like I've done with modo), and build the button shank as a second mesh and move it into place on a back face that I did as you suggested (used the capsule, inverted the normals and imported it via children and bridge), but I just can't seem to get the displacement right on the spherified top. Should I be using a UV map like I do in modo? Would I then be able to map the graphic to a capsule end and still displace it? Or, can you or someone, please explain to how to do a proper spherify? Thanks in advance. Met with the foundry today and we're all anxious to proceed, and make this a business with other designs.

BTW, now updated to v6.2, thanks...Santa Stephen

Here´s an example with a pre-made button shape made from a quad only 8-sided disc - then utilized with Displacement- and Subdivision-modifiers.

Cheers
Frank

@Frank
Again, thanks so much for your hand-holding for this newbie. I'm reading hundreds of posts, I've read the manual, and I've watched hours of video tuts, but I still have much to learn about terminology, location of features within C3D and navigating and activating the tools.

I'm attaching the newer version of the displacement.png and a screen shot of what I did with your example. Even naming the image the same as yours and I'm unable to get C3D to recognize the displacement. The button remains flat, so I'm not sure what I've done wrong now. In previous attempts/experiments I had similarly lofted a disk but I had always done so with (1) subdivision, (2) displacement, and (3) spherify, but moving the latter to the top of the hierarchy as you instructed. The result always warped the displacement to an unrecognizable squeeze at the edge and growth at the center.

I'm nearly at wits end. I guess rather than persist and bother you, I should employ someone to do the button and try to learn from their results. I do expect to try to apply this to dozens of personalized items for other Santas, so that is not what I wanted - I wanted to learn the process - but I'm stumped. Or maybe someone could do a quick tutorial on displacements, images and UV's. I don't find any on YouTube. What would you suggest?
Displacement.png file can be found here.

Sorry - but this is an easy one: Check the blue "mode" icon. You can disable the modifiers&creators temporary.

Cheers
Frank

frank beckmann said:

Sorry - but this is an easy one: Check the blue "mode" icon. You can disable the modifiers&creators temporary.

Cheers
Frank

Click to expand...

Quick tip in regards to what Frank posted. You can also set the "Disable Modifier" with a keyboard shortcut (in preferences). I set mine to space bar, but you can use anything you want. It actually should probably be called "Toggle Modifier" as it will turn it off and on, not just disable it. It's especially helpful when looking at Subdivision on/off.

Good luck on your coin venture!

@Frank (and now Swizl) > You guys are brilliant, as is C3D.
Now to model the rest of the button (shank and inside surface). Thanks.

Frank - just wanted you to see the end result of my work, with all of your assistance, with this investment cast from wax 3D print sterling silver button. Upon model creation, exported to MeshLab, optimized mesh (reduction from 22m to 800k 1.63gb > 40mb) and then resized and fixed holes with NetFabb.

Negotiating now with two US jewelry manufacturers for pricing on GP brass and Rhodium plated white metal buttons.

Really Nice!!

I've followed along, the finished work is very nice. Good job.

Great result. Thanks for sharing! :icon_thumbup:

Cheers
Frank

Nice work - very well done - great to see a fabrication of a 3D model realized - good luck with your project!

Long process (for me), but we finally have product produced from the Cheetah3D created STL file.

Thanks again to Frank and the rest for help, and Martin for great software that lets a novice artist create what I think is a great item.

Now to try to do matching belt buckle.

That is very impressive!!!

My Best Regards
Jeanny

Hi Santa S, great to see the finished product at the end of your mission, looking good I'd say :icon_thumbup: Thanks for posting the pic!