This quick tip demonstrates how to create sharp edges while using a Subdivison (subsurf) modifier. This technique is particularly useful when doing any kind of mechanical modeling.
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29 Responses to “Tip: Making Sharp Edges with Subsurf”Leave a Comment
Thanks for the tip!
I found a different method of doing this some time ago, by using the built-in edge crease property (Shift+E, if I remember correctly, or in the object properties panel when you have edges selected),
and I’d like to know are there any advantages to either of these methods, or does it really matter which one you use?
Thanks for the tip!
I found a different method of doing this some time ago, by using the built-in edge crease property (Shift+E, if I remember correctly, or in the object properties panel when you have edges selected),
and I’d like to know are there any advantages to either of these methods, or does it really matter which one you use?
hi
the shift+E option is good when your going for a low poly count but it also makes the edge sharper and it wont help if your trying to make your model with lots of curves
the other option will make things rounder but the disadvantage is a higher polycount
but thats all i know of sorry if im missing something :]
the last link has got a blender too much …
Modeled Edges like in this tutorial:
http://heiko-ih.de/upl/blender-modeled.jpg
Hard edges through Edge Split:
http://heiko-ih.de/upl/blender-edge-split.jpg
“Hard” Edges through Crease property:
http://heiko-ih.de/upl/blender-crease.jpg
greetinx
hOSHI*
(the intro text of my last post is missing – so i write it again)
these were screenshots of the three methods i know.
hope this comparison helps somebody find the difference
greetinx
hOSHI*
Hi,
this is a nice short tutorial. Did you try using Edge-Split for this, too?
I could save 24 Vertices with this.
http://heiko-ih.de/upl/blender-edge-split.jpg
greetinx
hOSHI*
Hi,
this is a nice short tutorial. Did you try using Edge-Split for this, too?
I could save 24 Vertices with this.
http://heiko-ih.de/upl/blender-edge-split.jpg
greetinx
hOSHI*
Nice tip jonathan. The only problem with this technique I’ve had in many cases and had to try and bypass somehow is that the closer those multiple edges/loops are placed to each other, the more visible their presence on the model becomes – they begin to create wrinkles and such and when both loops are overlapped so that they share the same location, some pretty ugly sharp lines appear on the model. This tendency could be seen in your video as well, as the number of loops increased, some slightly unnatural looking lines emerged right in the middle of the joint where the 90 degree bending occurs. But I guess there’s no easy way around that and one just has to think more carefully about placing too much geometry in mutually too close positions….
Nice tip jonathan. The only problem with this technique I’ve had in many cases and had to try and bypass somehow is that the closer those multiple edges/loops are placed to each other, the more visible their presence on the model becomes – they begin to create wrinkles and such and when both loops are overlapped so that they share the same location, some pretty ugly sharp lines appear on the model. This tendency could be seen in your video as well, as the number of loops increased, some slightly unnatural looking lines emerged right in the middle of the joint where the 90 degree bending occurs. But I guess there’s no easy way around that and one just has to think more carefully about placing too much geometry in mutually too close positions….
If You watch other Jonatan’s tutorials You should see that method few times!
I think there’s no need for creating these really basic tutorials.
I think it’s nice to have very basic “tips” here on blendercookie.com even though some of these techniques are already part of more complex tutorials.
Redundancy is always a good thing while learning, and these short tips come in very handy, especially for blender newbies.
Its great to find simple concept tuts like this!
In, learn something, out.
If You watch other Jonatan’s tutorials You should see that method few times!
I think there’s no need for creating these really basic tutorials.
@Jonathan: What’s the difference between your technique and selecting the face and using shift+E shortcut?
@verb
I had always had this discussion with Jonathan on an older tutorial (I think “modeling a steampung telescope”) and his answer at that moment was something like “It gives you more control of the position and amount of crease”
@Jonathan
If you have an other answer today
@website
It is bizarre, but for all videos of blendercookie, I have a message saying that I can’t see the video (because it is a feature for “vimeo plus” only), I have to go on vimeo to see the video. It is not a big issue.
But for this tutorial, the video is also unavailable on vimeo “Do you have permission to watch this video? If you do please first log in to Vimeo to watch this video.”
I have to switch to firefox in which there is no such limitations.
It’s not a big issue, but it is boring
(my browser is epiphany-webkit)
I think these quick tips no matter how basic they seem are a great resource for people just getting there hands on Blender.
thanks Jonathan I wish I would have had these type of quick tips when I was starting out.
Just an idea.. I’d really like to see some more quick tips on how to add additional geometry into models where they require more detail. You had some great workflows in your hand tutorial. I’d really appreciate seeing more tips like that…you know “this is how you’d turn this tri into a quad without messing up your model”.
“I’d really like to see some more quick tips on how to add additional geometry into models where they require more detail. You had some great workflows in your hand tutorial. I’d really appreciate seeing more tips like that…you know “this is how you’d turn this tri into a quad without messing up your model”.”
+1
“I’d really like to see some more quick tips on how to add additional geometry into models where they require more detail. You had some great workflows in your hand tutorial. I’d really appreciate seeing more tips like that…you know “this is how you’d turn this tri into a quad without messing up your model”.”
+ 1
By the way, how do you keep it a low poly model when you try to do things like this. And why is it so important to keep everything quads anyway?
I come here every day just to check, just in case there is a gem, just in case there is something more I should know, and 99% of the time there’s that sweet little apple of an idea that I’ll have to try. Thanks Johnathon, this is just one such moment
In Blender version 2.0_alpha1 a shortcut for the knife-contextmenu (K) including the shortcut for creating loop-cuts in edit-mode (Control-R) seems to be missing. In addition sliding loops along the mesh seems to be no longer possible while creating a loop-cut in 2.5a1.
So, it would have been nice to see this tip done (also) in Blender 2.5. Maybe in a second tutorial-clip on this page.
Or do you have a policy to not publish any tutorial videos until the final version 2.6 of Blender is being released?
Knife tool seems to work just fine in my Version of Alpha 0. Although you have to press ‘k’ together with left mouse instead of pressing ‘k’ before…
CTRL+R works also fine as far as i could test. Where do i get 2.0_alpha1? A Graphicall build?
Sorry, my fault. CTRL+R does indeed seem to work. No clue why had problems with this.
The tooltip for the loop-cut button in the new toolbar does not state a shortcut however.
Thanks for the knife-tool hint! (press ‘k’ together with left mouse)
But no more knife-context-menu in 2.5a1?
… cannot reply to you directly. no reply button so:
-> But no more knife-context-menu in 2.5a1?
Yeah, that’s strange. I wonder how to achieve midpoint and multicuts.
That’s why I don’t really use 2.5 yet. Nathan released a fix-it list on Blendernation today, maybe there’s something to clarify these problems. But luckily we’ll get Jonathan’s traing series so switching over will go smoothly!
Quote: “Yeah, that’s strange. I wonder how to achieve midpoint and multicuts.”
Just saw that when creating a knive-cut, the “tools shelf” (shortcut: t) opens a drawer at the bottom where you can adjust the knive-cut type in a popup menu (containing: exact, midpoints and multicut).
@Loop cuts vs. Shift E: I’d say it depends on the case. The loop cut adds a bit more control because you can work better with the single vertices it adds – but also it adds vertices… quite a lot, depending on the complexity of you geometry. That’s why Blender needs better NURBS, especially for anorganic/hard surface modelling (actually I don’t know much about NURBS, I just repeat what I read and fin logical
). I think many improvements are under way, especially for the CAD people. Just wait a bit and refine what you know, we’ll all be very happy Blenderheads.
@simple tutorials: as said before, for a bloody beginner ANY tutorial is useful, as long as it’s done by a quality instructor. Especially when it’s for free there’s no need to complain. So please, Jonathan, go on with it, especially as constructive discussions like this one come to life!
A general advice: take one of you models that you’re not happy with and hire Jonathan at Mavenseed. It’ll make your jaw drop watching him rotating your loops & faces, removing your unnecessary vertices, creases and improving your general topology within minutes. It’s definitely worth the money. You’ll learn where you did well and where you messed up, all logically explained hands-on YOUR model. I still have a couple of hours in store, luckily
Wow, that was quick! Thanks again for fixing the broken link.
Just got through downloading all the Tips that are available and bookmarking the ones that were not. I’ll index them on my computer; that way when I run into something in Blender I don’t do very often they will be available for reference and/or refreshing my memory…you know they say when you get old (I’m 67) memory is the second thing that goes. lol
Hay Jonathan, the video says “Private video
If you have permission to watch this video, please Log in at Vimeo”
Hi David,
Sometimes this is caused by adblock scripts or other similar scripts that prevent Vimeo from loading entirely. If you have any of these can you try temporarily disabling them? Or else try it in another browser?
-Jonathan