Looking for some flourish...

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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

Please, let me correct one issue.

ampapa, when I mentioned layers, I meant to say levels...
My mistake..
You image shows all components on 1 level.
My short version has 6 levels...
This is a huge addition to the Vectric software...


Use it to your advantage.
~M
Attachments
levels.JPG
Michael Mezalick
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ampapa
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by ampapa »

mezalick wrote:ampapa,
For anyone who has read anything of my answers will know that I can offer "many" ways to do something.
So for you, at this point, I would make a component of the existing visible model on a new layer and start sculpting that..
You don't lose the original stuff but you're working on a baked set of components.
One thing to do is to "turn off" the first layer or you will be shown all components.
Very confusing
~M

This may be another dumb question but am I copying the Model or the drawing onto a new Layer? I think the answer is the model but just checking...

ampapa,

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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

ampapa,
As i said in my corrected posting,,,I meant to say levels,,,not layers..
For me, generally speaking, Layers are for vectors and levels are for components..
And yes, components do reside on layers, but for this exercise, let stay with the components should be on levels.
It's how that interact with each other that's important
Michael
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ampapa
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Re: Looking for some flurish...

Post by ampapa »

I must not have refreshed my screen last night and missed your post about the layers before posting, thanks for clearing that up.

I'm still a little foggy on the sculplting and smoothing of the model. You've not created a single Level with all the objects on it but created separate Levels and smoothed and sculpted each, correct?

I also think that your explanation may clear up step 5 in your earlier post in that you created a new Level and were able to accomplish 2 tasks on the same level, Merge and Add? Which wouldn't have been able to be accomplished on earlier versions.
Step 5..
Putting the two extruded shapes on a new layer allows me to set their properties to merge, and adjust as needed,,,, BUT,,, having that layer set to add will allow that shape to follow the contours of the leaf.
ampapa,

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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

You could have done this effect in earlier version,,,,,just sculpt one component then the other and then group together.. And bake..
The upgrade with the multiple levels makes it less confusing...plus there are additional benefits to using several levels.

I would select a few components and make a new component from the visible model which would be on a new level.
I would then work on that model till I was happy.

Add more original components to that new model and again on a new level, make a new model form the visible components...
Continuing this process till I have a single model with all the components as one...

This is sometime better to be shown than trying to describe..
Michael
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ampapa
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Re: Looking for some flurish...

Post by ampapa »

mezalick wrote:ampapa,
For the vein I first made a "V" and then a smaller "half circle " ( extruded shape )
I then had their properties set to merge ( on a new layer ) so I can control the height of the half circle when compared to the V.
I could have made a simple vector that combined both but this was a much faster way for me..

I really don't like to bake items together because I may change my mind sometime down the road.

Martin,,I get the feeling you're understanding this process very well. :)

Michael

Michael,

I'm trying to learn the technique for future use.. I think I get the merge on the 2 extruded shapes but I'm struggling with the combining of the leaf shape with the extrusions.
SNAG-0037.jpg
If they are all set to merge the extrusion stays on the bottom of the model
SNAG-0040.jpg
What am I missing here...???

ampapa,

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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

ampapa,
Think thru the definition of the words "Merge" and "Add".
What is that you want to do with the extrusions....????


It will help no one if answers are simply given without comprehension of technique..

Michael
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by ampapa »

I believe I've got the vein figured out and have managed to combine them on a separate layer as you had originally indicated... makes sense after going through it. My confusion was mostly with the additional level/layer technique, I get where you went, creating the new layer allowed you to combine the 2 extrusions as opposed to drawing them on a single layer.

Merge being a combination of the 2 pieces which I believe is the more flexible of the 2 as it will allow you "combine" properties of each excluding the whole object.

Add would be a straight addition of both objects in their "entirety" if what I'm finding holds true.

Knowing that "Merge" should combine the Levels together seems to give me problems sometimes, in this case adding the "S" is exactly doing that, I'm trying to work through it... if all the pieces are separate components copied onto a new level, leaves, vein, S shouldn't "Merge" be able to combine them without much effort?

With your tutelage I've been able to complete the drawing and component creation, just need to merge it into a single model now and see what gets spit out....

ampapa,

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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by ampapa »

I think I may have figured it out... maybe I had the merge incorrect??
SNAG-0045.jpg
Two other quick questions:

When merging models or objects does order matter?

For instance I have Leaf A, Leaf B and the Sweep S from top to bottom - if I reverse the order or switch it up will it matter.

When exporting or saving the model and importing it into another project will all of the information of the model I designed go with it, for instance the tool pathing?

ampapa,

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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by ampapa »

Well, this is pretty close to finished in my book... the heights may need some further adjusting but I think its looking good.

I'm anxious to mill it up and see what I've made as it's far from perfect but its a much better replication than where I started.
SNAG-0047.jpg
SNAG-0048.jpg
Michael, I really want to thank you for your help. You're an excellent resource and the forum should be grateful to have you.

I'll continue to look for your posts in hopes that I can learn some more from you.

Enjoy your visit to the BlueGrass, don;t forget to try the Bourbon..

ampapa,

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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

ampapa wrote:I think I may have figured it out... maybe I had the merge incorrect??
SNAG-0045.jpg
Two other quick questions:

When merging models or objects does order matter?

For instance I have Leaf A, Leaf B and the Sweep S from top to bottom - if I reverse the order or switch it up will it matter.

When exporting or saving the model and importing it into another project will all of the information of the model I designed go with it, for instance the tool pathing?

ampapa,
ampapa,
Yes the order does matter because of the component properties that you have given them.
and no, the tool pathing will not be attached to the model if you import it into another project.

I look forward to seeing the finished project.

Maybe we'll meet at one of our seminars...
There's one schedules for the Kansas City area in May 2017

Michael
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by martin54 »

I can understand your desire to cut it as soon as possible but the preview screen will tell you if it is ready to be cut or not, one thing I have learnt is to trust the preview screen, if things look right in there & I have errors then I know they are down to either myself or the machine :lol: :lol: :lol:
More often than not it is operator error :oops: :oops: :oops:

There are some fantastic people on this forum who's posts I always look out for, Michael is one of those & I have personally learnt a lot from reading what they have said on various subjects.

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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by ampapa »

Its been a little while since I've been able to get back to this project but I'm really trying to put some effort into finishing it this week and I've ran into an issue that I could use some assistance with..

Essentially when creating the 2 rail sweep I'm getting some noise when its drawn. I think the rendering of the 3D flourish will work just trying to get rid of the noise will be beneficial when cutting.

see pics
SNAG-0016.png
SNAG-0015.png
SNAG-0014.png
I'm stretching my abilities here and maybe I'm doing this incorrectly.. any guidance is welcome.

ampapa,

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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

Are the components set to "ADD" ????
If so, change them to " MERGE" and adjust the base height as needed.

Michael
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mezalick
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Re: Looking for some flourish...

Post by mezalick »

You could add a draft to it and do a bit of smoothing with the sculpting tool.
Michael
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