Subdivision

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Subdivision tools are Edit Mode tools that help you to refine your mesh structure.

Subdivide

  • Excerpt along video

Edit mode "Edge tool", that divides selected subcomponents in half - explicitly by selecting edges, or implicitly by selecting vertices and faces.

  • select Edge(s) you want to subdivide
  • Press Subdivide button in T Toolbox (left in 3dViewportW)
  • new edges are created to link new vertices created by subdivision (justify division to keep mesh face logic) by triangles or quads
  • if there is no face to justify division, vertices are placed on midpoints of edges, but no edges created to connect these vertices.
  • subdivision is commonly used to refine mesh structure, as a whole or in specific areas within an object, the video mentions the exampe to extrude an area.
  • when subdividing areas be careful with the triangular faces that are created
  • to improve the created mesh structure if non-optimal: CTRL+J Beauty Fill selected, improves mesh - joins Triangles to Quads where possible

Loop Cut and Slide, Edge menu

  • Excerpt along video
  • CTRL+R creates horizontal or vertical Loop subdivision that can be positioned along constraining edges by sliding before confirmed.
  • or press "Loop Cut and Slide" button in T Toolbox panel
  • no selection necessary
  • mouse hovering over mesh displays possible positions of Loop Cuts (inserted Loops) in pink
  • left click where you want to create the Loop - it turns yellow and is in grab mode
  • slide it and left click again to confirm position
  • for multiple Loop Cuts: press CTRL+R (or button), hover to see displayed and scroll mousewheel upto desired amount, then left click (as positioned evenly, multiple Loop Cuts will not slide.

Edge Slide: CTRL+E for Edge Menu

  • select Edge, press CTRL+E and from appearing mouse menu "Edge slide" - edge is ready to slide
  • or select Loop by ALt + right click on Loop - and equally select "Edge slide" from CTRL+E menu

Knife Cut

  • Excerpt along video

Subdivide single edge or selection of edges

  • Knifecut Exact K
  • Place cursor outside of selected edges
  • press and hold K-key until you leftclick - cursor will change into knife
  • (you can release K key) but continue to keep left mouse button down
  • and drag/cut where you want to place the cuts
  • Blender will cut at the exact point and mesh is reconciled by new edges
  • cut where you want to divide edges
  • by default knife cut tool is set to Exact and divides exactly where you have set the cut(s)
  • Knifecut Midpoint SHIFT+K
  • cursor outside of selected edges
  • press and hold SHIFT+K-key until you clicked left mouse button
  • keep left mouse button pressed down (you can release SHIFT+K)
  • drag over selected edges and Blender will cut the edges ad their midpoints, create new verties and edges to reconcile mesh

(Multiple Knifecut not supported by Alpha version of 2.5)


Rip

  • Excerpt along video

V tear or rip (duplication of) selected Vertives or Edges from Mesh structure and reposition them

useful to create opening in a mesh e.g. opening for mouth
creating new scenes(?) that can subsequently be filled with new faces

  • can rip selection of vertices or edges in 4 different directions
  • position mouse where you want to move ripped duplication(s) towards
  • select vertices/edges and press V-key -
  • selection is duplicated and in grab mode - mesh is ripped at selection and opening appears when you move your mouse

Subdivision Surface Modifier

(entry duplicated on "Modifiers" Page of this Wiki)

  • Excerpt along video

"Subsurf" - one of most frequently used modifiers
Subdivides all faces of a mesh, giving a smooth, organic appearance
Calculates "on the fly" - high resolution objects - low nuber of vertices
Many box modeling projects begin with simple subdivided cube, to which subsurf modifier is applied

(in edit mode)

  • in Modifier Panel ( wrench symbol "tab" in Properties Editor Panel (right lower window)
  • selelct Subdivision Surface form Add Modifier dropdown
  • smooth subdivided surface for each face of the cube - you can see it inside the edit mode cube mesh
  • to model low-poly in your editor, but get high resolution render, you can choose between display resolution for View and Rendering resolution.
  • by default View display for 3D ViewpE. is set to 1, render resolution is set to 2
  • common to model in edit mode with subsurf applied to model
  • to facilitate modeling, press triangle-vertex symbol (right of darker grey icons in Subsurf Panel in Subsurf panel:
  • trianglular vertex/edge icon applies editing cage onto subsurfed surface
  • "calculating on the fly" makes modeling process much like modeling clay
  • all editing mode tools available, try Loop Cut, Rip, Knife Cut etc..
  • Checkbox "Opdimized Display" - if you are ein wireframe Z mode ( and "editing cage onto surface"-triangle) is turned off - Blener will not display subsurfed surface but only mesh cage.
  • Eye Icon in Modifier Panel turns display of modifier on and off
  • remove modifier by X symbol in Modifier Panel

Making Sharp Edges with Subsurf - video Jonathan Williamson

A 2.49 video tutorial, but works for this modeling tip

Add Loops and move them close to the edges: CTRL + R and slide in the edge

In the comments section you find more options:

By CTRL + R Loops, like in the video, adds more vertices, better control
By SHIFT + E Crease (Edge Special enu CTRL + E) less vertives, less control


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