Extruding curves

# 1 21-06-2008 , 04:50 AM

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First of, I searched, but did not find what I was looking for.
Second, sorry if this is a nooby question, but I still couldn't figure it out...

Ok, I drew the shape of a robotic foot similar to that of a walker in StarWars in the side view with EP curves tool. But how would I make this a 3d shape?
I tried duplicating it and lofting, But it did not work. And if possible, can you make this one object (so it is like a primitive. You click somewhere on it, and it selects the whole object)?

Please help me out!
(and thanks in advance!)
user added image

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# 2 21-06-2008 , 07:58 AM

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Personally, rather than drawing with curves I would have just molded it straight up from a polygon cube, but rather than let your work go to waste:

You can use the curves as references and just extrude faces and drag vertices into place, or actually extrude the faces along the curves themselves.

Then again you could try using revolve (in 2008 it's Surfaces>Surfaces>Revolve and in 7.0 I believe it's Modeling>Edit NURBS>Revolve) and messing with the options for each curve so that they revolve the proper amount, though this can be tedious.

All in all I'm not particularly good with NURBS so you may want to wait for someone more experienced to give a better option. I'm interested to hear how others would solve this problem.

~I have no idea what I'm doing~

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# 3 21-06-2008 , 09:26 AM

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OK, I managed to make what I wanted be duplicating the curve, first making both curves a plain and then lofting them toghether. But How do you Convert this into one object (not grouping, but so it is like a primitive)?

Anyway, thanks Ajmooch! user added image

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# 4 21-06-2008 , 09:32 AM

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To actually turn them into one object you could convert them to Polygons and Boolean them, Modify>Convert>NURBS-Polygons and then Mesh>Booleans>Union

And then reconvert them into a NURB if you wanted or stick with Polygons/Subd's.

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# 5 21-06-2008 , 12:14 PM

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It didn't work when I was booleaning them...
So, I had them as Polys, but when I tried boolean, it didn't work.
I still have it as three objects...
:headbang:
Please help...

EDIT: I managed it. But is there a way to convert the final object into Polys, but only have the faces as with a primitive (now I have 5 faces on one flat surface)

Sorry again if this is a noobish question...

Last edited by amoeba; 21-06-2008 at 12:26 PM.

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# 6 22-06-2008 , 12:49 AM

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I agree with Ajmooch, I think going about modeling something like that using NURBs will be more complicated than if you used an extruded poly cube.

You can go ahead and use the stitch edge tool (Edit NURBS>Stitch>Stitch Edge tool), or you can convert them to polys and combine them (Mesh>Combine) now you'll most likely have to go in and start merging verts/edges, however you want to approach it.

And as far as the extra geometry, it happens even when I have "control points" checked in the NURBs to polys convert options :/ so I guess you have to select those edges either one by one or use the edge ring, edge loop selection tools, or pick walk and delete them /shrug maybe someone can come up with something better, I don't really use NURBS a lot.

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# 7 22-06-2008 , 08:30 AM

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Thank you guys for the help! :attn:
For anyone with a similar problem (in case there will be other newbies) this is what I did:

Create the curve.
Loft the curve.
Duplicte the curve.
Loft both curves toghether.
Convert all to Polygons.
Mesh -> Combine

Again, thank you GecT and Ajmooch for your help.
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# 8 22-06-2008 , 12:29 PM

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OK, forget taking the seperate lofted NURBS and coverting them into Polys... Theres no need at this stage.

Once you have got all the seperate lofts select the base one and then the next one up and choose Edit Surfaces > Attach Surfaces (Options)... Set this to blend and not connect for a smoother look, then repeat this by selecting the newly created surface with the lofted one above and attach those surfaces, repeat until your done (appologies for not getting the menu options correct but I dont have Maya Open).

Delete the history and then look at converting to Polys if thats the route you want to go. Polys are not the be all and end all of modelling, NURBS are overlooked quite often and can provide an ideal look, as long as you know what your doing.

To continue to model your character like this then move onto NURBS Patch modelling to refine the looks, or convert to polys if your prefer.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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