Blender question and answer thread

[tom120934]

There is several ways to achieve that. Like you should already have seen, the current beveling feature is useless. The script is better, but I don't use it either.

What I do is creating the mesh first without extra work on sharp edges and in a second time, I add extra vertices along the edges with Ctrl+RKEY. And this feature allow you to control precisely where the extra vertices are added, but it's a bit unobvious :
- When you hit Ctrl+RKEY, Blender allow you to select where to place the extra vertices row.
- Move the cursor to change the location then click LMB to confirm. That's the obvious part.
- When you did click LMB, Blender show the location for each extra vertex. Each location is computed as a percentage of each edge that will be subdivided. It's not what I want, because it doesn't place every extra vertex at the same distance from the edge we want to sharpen, resulting in a non-constant curvature radius. Ugly.
- So when you're still at this step, press P to quit the "percentage" mode (pressing P again will bring you back to it) Now, Blender enters another mode, making it placing it every extra vertex at the same distance from the edge we want to sharpen.
- To confirm this mode is activated, Blender shows a pink (with the default theme) square on a vertex. If this vertex is not on the edge we want to sharpen, just press FKEY to switch. If you want another vertex of the edge we want to sharpen, use the scrolling wheel.
- Then, you can see at the bottom of the 3D view the distance (in Blender units) between the edge we want to sharpen and the new edge. Press and hold on SHIFT during mouse movement to choose more precisely the distance.

As a rule of thumb, I always use 0.005 as distance, that is, 5 mm with my modeling scale. I think it give pretty good results.

Therefore, the main issue you will be facing is to create carefully your mesh to make sure the Ctrl+RKEY feature will correctly add the vertices.

I hope this help.

[bobi_chen]

yes, your technique answers my question, thanks a lot Tom. Sounds like you already used blender for 5 years ? am I right? i'm just learning blender for 6 months, I'm newbie here, and will catch you guys soon (kidding ).
BTW i've visited your website, it's cool, good work there. I'll post my work as soon as possible. Thanks again

[tom120934]

Euh, in fact, since 1998 or 1999, I don't remember very well I discovered it with the first freeware (sic, not open source at this time) version ever released, on a gift CD packaged with a French paper magazine (maybe the 1st issue of "Programmez !" if I'm not too dumb) And I'm focused on car modeling for about 3 years now.

[cwbolton]

wow ive only been "blendering" as i call it for about 6 months but i am solid blendering 90% of my time on the pc is spent on blender so thats why i know a bit but my modlnig isnt amazing like osme of my friends and i am working on my 1st car right now

[Tea Monster]

You will find that Blender can slowly take over all your 'free' PC time . I am getting to the point where Blender is edging out Photoshop as my all-time fave App.

[cwbolton]

haha lol yeah its getting that way its just so addicive you allways want to model osmething new once you learn a new ocncept or model your 1st car etc

[celifighter]

OK Here's a question;
I can't find "UV Face Select" anymore, it isn't there, is there any other way to enter it, because I can't do anything now :?

TIA,
Fab

[tom120934]

Since the 2.46 release, the UV mapping features have been moved to Edit Mode. So keep using TABKEY to enter it, it will allow you to edit mesh and UV mapping at the same time.