revolver cylinder in zbrush
polycounter lvl 9
hey, i've been a lurker here at the polycount forums for a while, looking at other peoples' artwork and such. i decided to finally register because i'm having a method problem and can't find any answers when i google all over the internet. i'm a blender user who has started using zbrush to easily add details to my models that would take forever otherwise.
just a couple days ago, i started a project working on the "performance center" version of the smith and wesson 500 revolver. i've got the shapes all made out and i've exported the cylinder from blender to zbrush. i've looked all over for ways to create the chambers and the one thing i found that would do it creates oval-shaped chambers instead of circular chambers.
what i do that creates the oval-shaped chambers is i create a circular mask over the end of the cylinder, with radial symmetry applied. then i invert the mask and extract the newly-masked portion of the object as a new tool. i don't know if there's some extra step i can add to this process to make sure the chambers stay round, or if i have to go through an entirely different process to achieve the result i want.
for anyone who's wondering, i do plan on importing other parts into zbrush so that i can add extra detail, but i'd like to have the cylinder done first. i've never been able to figure out how to add the details to a revolver's cylinder, so i'd like to know how to do it.
just a couple days ago, i started a project working on the "performance center" version of the smith and wesson 500 revolver. i've got the shapes all made out and i've exported the cylinder from blender to zbrush. i've looked all over for ways to create the chambers and the one thing i found that would do it creates oval-shaped chambers instead of circular chambers.
what i do that creates the oval-shaped chambers is i create a circular mask over the end of the cylinder, with radial symmetry applied. then i invert the mask and extract the newly-masked portion of the object as a new tool. i don't know if there's some extra step i can add to this process to make sure the chambers stay round, or if i have to go through an entirely different process to achieve the result i want.
for anyone who's wondering, i do plan on importing other parts into zbrush so that i can add extra detail, but i'd like to have the cylinder done first. i've never been able to figure out how to add the details to a revolver's cylinder, so i'd like to know how to do it.
Replies
(LOL PUN)
and as for hard-surface sculpting, no i haven't really done anything with it. i experimented with mudbox a bit, but found out that i couldn't create holes and couldn't lump objects together. then my brother showed me zbrush, which i'd heard about but hadn't really paid much mind to it.
Blender scene
It would require a ton of cleanup though, so EQ's way is still the best way to go.
would anyone like me to upload the file or show my wires so that they can see what's going on?
in my opinion, though, the tri caps don't really matter for pentagons. they don't get deformed when subdivided, unlike 32-sided cylinders.
Here's what I came up with in Blender. Triangles all over the place-
looking good! well, you basically want to restate the parts i marked in green with support edges. How you do that is something you'll have to figure out yourself though, since there are no ready loops that you can just cut into so you have to reroute. It wasn't very hard to do though, I just used a edge slide to push the new edge loops right up to the corners, and then slid them back again a bit.
mind posting some side shots? some details are a little difficult to see that well.
also, for future reference, you'll get cleaner meshes if you create a cylinder and model the details into it rather than creating part of the shape and extruding it. not only will you have cleaner meshes, but it will also save you some time and trouble. if you look at the wireframe on my cylinder, you can see that i created a cylinder, scaled it to the diameter and length that i needed, then i began creating details. i also took EQ's advice for connecting the outer cylinder to the chambers.
and, this is just me, but i'd make the entire thing one object, if possible, unless you're going to make the ejector pin move separately as part of an animation.
what program was it made in?
EDIT: i just noticed that the indents in the rear of the cylinder aren't aligned with the recesses that go along the length. in my revolver reference, the rectangular indents are centered with the recesses. still looks good, though.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showpost.php?p=863003&postcount=23