idea: sculpt function in editmode

[@ndy]

sculpt function

just had some idea which would - in my opinion - improve and speed up the modeling process in blender.
this is basically a shortcut around PETmode > select vertex > move along the normal.
it's a bit similar to sculpting in zbrush.

this is what the blender user does:
- enter editmode with tab
- start sculpt function [with another shortcut key... what about k?]
- the cursor transforms into a circle [like border select #2]
- by pressing LMB the vertices in the circle move along the face normals in negative direction [push] and with alt+LMB positive [pull]... somehow... but maybe they should move in the zbuffer direction according to the camera? [could be more useful]



i try to explain how it should work internal in blender. i'm no coding expert though so forgive me if it's too rough or even wrong.
- starting the sculpt function calls the PETmode
- the closest vertex to the middle of the circle selection becomes the selected vertex, the moving operation goes along its normal values
- the normal scaling [that thing started with alt+s] is being called.
- pressing LMB causes the active vertex to be moved, the other vertices in the circle are moved relative to the active vertex and the circle radius.

i'm sorry, this sounds really weird, well... it's a very rough idea. if it wasnt clear i'll try to explain it further.
as i said, moving along normals could be replaced with moving in zbuffer direction [but i dont know if that exists ]

well... what do you think?

.andy

[hannibar]

sounds a bit like displacement mapping, only without displacement map.

[niket]

It is not like displacement map it is differ from that in terms of modeling speed (And flexibility) we achive from proper use of this.

[matt_e]

No it's not displacement mapping - he's talking about an interactive tool, like Maya's sculpt tool.

I think it's a very good idea - like you said, the groundwork seems to be already implemented in Blender, it just needs someone to hack it all together. If possible the direction could be changed with a toggle button or modifier key.

[Karim]

How about taking it a step further and have a user-definable "sculpting-tool"

Even if one is limited to primitives (cube, sphere, cone, etc) it would become an incredibly powerful modeling tool.

[modron]

heheh i thought of the same thing!,...when i am sculpting clay, i do sort of the same thing,...a spatula, or a pin or whatever is not always ideally suited to the need,...so say i need a wrinkle, and i know i am going to repeat that sort of crease shape over and over before i'm done,...so i sculpt a small example of it, and fill the depression with a compound that when cured becomes my tool tip. another example of this kind of technique is called a texture stamp (if you can make a little tool, why not a really big tool) say i want to model some really nice bark on my tree,...or say i want a repetetive pattern such as the texture of a leaf,...no problem,..just get out the spray paint, paint the surface down and add your compound,...when you make your bark or your reptile skin, fish scales, whatever, you just press your rubber stamp onto the clay and there it is,...looks like it took hours, but it took only seconds.

[dittohead]

i've seen these kinda features before, i really like them!!!

you might want to take this to the fubo!!!

[@ndy]

is anyone working on this coding-wise?

[basse]

excellent idea... I really like it, sculpting in blender...

sadly it would need quite a complex mesh to work properly (like in your mockup).. and I always try to have as little as vertices possible but, in certain things, this would be very helpful.


.b

[dgebel]

I've used this in Amorphorium. You can use any(?) type of "tool" to sculpt with (I think that's probably overkill for the vertex-conservative Blender crowd )

It also lets you push/pull the vertices along the normal, or along the view plane. I think something else too, but I forget.

[arangel]

That would be REALLY nice to have a sculpt tool in Blender (even if as a "hack") !!!
I love Maya´s sculp tool. And on Maya, too, you need a dense mesh for it to work OK.

Alexandre Rangel

[blendermax]

just a thought: couldnt this algorithm be used for better booleans than the current ones? the only difference would be that you would not have a smooth falloff like with this tool. or maybe we could additionally have interactive booleans/sculpting where you set the falloff and push your object into the other one. what d'ya think?