NURBS Technique Experiment: Simple single-surface car body
Software: Rhino 4.0
[b]Preface[/b]
I’m a self-taught modeler, and my modeling is curvaceous Automotive Design oriented. I love to challenge myself and constantly try new techniques. In the past I was always protective of my techniques, but people and priorities change.
[b]The Experiment[/b]
The experiment was to model a car body (minus features) using a single (one) NURBS surface, making it as simplistic as possible (least control points). My current techniques already involve modeling surfaces directly adjusting their control points and minimizing the number of control points, but this extends it ever further to apply to the entire body of the car.
[b]Results[/b]
The experiment was a success considering I figured out the work-flow, got the surface flow I wanted, and was able to make the car look good. The main body is a single surface, 13 x 15 control points. It’s not exactly viable though for two reasons . . .
The first problem is a lack of direct control, any section on the NURBS surface that I want to adjust is typically affected by 9 to 16 points & any adjustments to one section often inadvertently alter other sections. My design work requires a lot of precision in form (not necessarily coordinates, but the way surfaces curve and reflect) so this can be rather frustrating. It's usually quite manageable if I split the body into 5 (or more sections), but not the body as a whole.
The second problem is varying surface complexity. Even though the flow of my design is very consistent, some surfaces along the grid of control points are always likely to require more (or less) than others. While I can add control points, the increase in control points in one area adds unnecessary complexity (extra control points) to other areas, which can make control more difficult or messy (when you model with control-points)
[b]Conclusion[/b]
A lot of time was wasted in difficult to control areas. To be a viable workflow, a new NURBS needs to be created that allows for variable control-point grids (like you can have a line of control points across a surface that stops . . .useful for defining a feature). Who knows, maybe it’s possible, just not in any software I’ve used.
Images of results (click for higher-res)
Note: The design is obviously not complete yet, and I’ll be restarting the surfaces from scratch
Design based on new ideas for my other design . . .
http://www.gryphonauto.com/Extra/e3/Enviro01_0001_02[800].jpg