From LightWiki

This article is intended as an addendum to Fundamentals Of Subpatch Modeling

It is a good idea to go about a modeling project with a clear concept of what the model is to be used for and how. Subdivision Surfaces have many uses but aren't always appropriate. Also the style and needs of a project can affect how one approaches subpatch modeling.

Displacement

In Fundamentals of Subpatch Modeling I went over some of the math for subdivision surfaces. This opens the door to very interesting possibilities when you consider you can up this number to get some very nice details on an object using displacement.

There are many tutorials on this and certainly better examples but the above is a simple example of one polygon used with a high subdivision level to simulate a simple terrain by using a normal displacement in Layout.

Here is an example of a grayscale image applied to a grid mesh with subpatch turned on using a high subdivision level to add relief to a model. No modeling, other than setting up the grid in such a way as to remain square in subpatch, was done.

This object was created with the idea in mind to displace the geometry to create fine detail in selected areas of the object with displacement. This is controlled primarily with wieghtmaps.

And then here, I have taken a simple cylinder created in subpatch and used LightWave 9 nodes to not only shape it into a vase but to give it fine detail as well. All from a simple straight cylinder!

Of course there are other new modeling tools out there such as ZBrush and Mudbox that allow you to model using subpixel displacement. Right now, LightWave can only apply displacement to a model through means other than editing directly. Many people use LightWave with ZBrush as well as other tools, they create the base mesh in Modeler and then import it into another program to add subpixel detail. It is not the scope of this article to go into preparing a model for this. However, you should be aware that there are other ways to add detail to a subpatch object and displacement is one of them. So when you set out to model in subpatch you might ask yourself if there are alternatives to modeling the detail by hand and then prepare your model accordingly.

Under the general heading of displacement there are many ways to deform your object in Layout other than using a displacement map. Take a look at the object properties panel under the Deform Tab and the Dynamics Tab for ideas of how this can be done both for animation and to affect the permanent shape of the object. You can also deform in order to save the distorted shape achieved through the Object Deformation tab and use the Save Trans Object entry in the Save menu.

Again just know that subpatching opens the door for many possibilities that are not available to you using polygon modeling, and on this note it should be put into perspective that subpatching is an advancement in technology over polygon modeling. Not that polygon modeling should be phased out, but the more you realize its advantages the more you will plan things for subpatch where you would have otherwise thought to use polygon modeling.

Inorganic Shapes

Subpatch modeling can be used any kind of object and is a great technique if you learn the basics. You may find yourself creating furniture, architecture and product visualization using subpatch. It has many benefits over polygon modeling which can get tedious and limiting when you begin working with odd angles due to non-planar polys. Furthermore, there is a common practice in polygon modeling to triple polygons for more complex shapes such as cars to prepare for rendering. As you have seen, with subpatch, LightWave does this for you at the rendering stage, giving you much more control and a less dense object in layout. It is also far easier to create the coveted "rounded edge" (as opposed to sharp corners) that polygon modelers look for to make something look real. And then there is also the advantage of control you get with APS rendering, new to 9.0.

Image created and rendered in LightWave uses subatches for the piano object. Notice that is is possible to get firm solid looking shapes with crisp corners and edges that have yet a rounded, real look to them.

Character Animation

Probably the most common use of subpatch modeling is for Character Animation using Bones and Endomorphs. And although Bones and Endomorphs are displacement tools that can be used for many things with subpatch, they are very specialized set of tools when applied to character animation. In order to create characters for animation, you should first know how to animate, or at least enough about it to model a usable character.

There are many things to know here, including a good understanding of all the methods of rigging as well as the tools in Layout and in Modeler that assist this process. It is not within the scope of this tutorial to cover these subjects. However, again a note should be made that these are things you need to know in order to be a competent modeler should you be modeling for character animation. I do not wish to scare anyone off from venturing into that first character. Nothing wrong with that. All I am saying is that at some point you are going to have to know this stuff. It might be a good idea to study this with already-made characters first then model your own when you have a better understanding.

Here are the subjects you should get to know.

• How to set up and use bones
• How to rig a character
• Use of weightmaps
• Use of bone deformations without weightmaps
• Endomorphs. (Used for speaking and character expressions as well as joint compensation)

Character set up for surfacing and rigging.

Other Things To Consider

Style
In regards to any modeling you do the style must be considered. For character animation you would approach not only the animation differently but the modeling as well.

This could be considered a fairly universal list of style categories for animation (as well as other work for that matter):

• Photorealism (Feature film special effects, architecture and product vis., etc.)
• Cartoon Animation (Toy Story/Shrek)
• Celshading (Anime as well as classic Disney look)
• Artistic representation (pretty much anything that is its own "look" and can be a wide range including sketch effects.)

You would approach each of these with different modeling techniques and methods.

Surfacing
And finally keeping in mind what style you are working in you would need to know something about surfacing. Another subject entirely. However, it would be enough to know how much of the model will be geometry how much will be displacement and how much will be done with surfacing, how many surfaces and where. Another subject is the use of weightmaps for surfacing and modeling. These are all things that should be determined at the modeling stage.

Go to Fundamentals of Subpatch Modeling Part One...