Select and Move tutorial

[digman]

Hi Andrew, I sent you a basic tutorial on the use of the gradient feature under select and move in sculpt mode.I sent it to support@3d-coat.com.Let me know if you get it and if I need to send it elsewhere.

Update: The tutorial shows you how to add better geometry form to your model using that tool. Even though I did not use the scale and rotate feature check them out.

[Andrew Shpagin]

Thank you very much for great help to our community! I have put the tutorial there:

www.3d-coat.com/files/Tut7/test7.htm

The referenced object can be downloaded there:

www.3d-coat.com/files/Tut7/Select_and_Move.zip

edit:

I have posted the second part of tutorial there:

www.3d-coat.com/files/SM2/Select and Move final2.htm

Thank you, digman!

*edit: I have updated the link to tutorial #2, digman has made corrections, improvents and additional notes there.

[wailingmonkey]

nice job, digman!

thanks for sharing.

[goodrichm]

digman,

Thank you so much for this! Very powerful feature I've been overlooking.

Is there a way to control/restrict the area that's affected by the gradient?

For example, I worked thru the tut using 3DC's lizardman at startup. If I create a gradient on the lower jaw, the upper jaw also reflects the same gradient. I can't figure out how to only draw out a gradient on the lower jaw.

Thanks again for all your time and effort...MG

[digman]

Goodrichm,

A couple of ways to control the gradient.

1. Move the start of the gradient closer to the end of the jaw and it will only select that jaw but you lose some freedom in how much of the jaw you can select.

2. Once you have made your gradient with "select with gradient" Go back and select with pen or rectangle,then hold down the control key and left mouse button.Now you are able to erase the gradient on the upper jaw or wherever you like. After you are done erasing simpily click the move key and move your gradient jaw.

3. Use select with pen or rectangle and paint the gradient on the upper jaw.

4. Use drag points. Each drag point has a sphere of influence and you control their influence by placing other drag points on the model. Click on the drag point button and a selection box will

appear below it, named "show selection". Click on it. This will reveal the gradient influence of each drag point as you place them plus when you select them in real time. That way you can select one jaw and at time and move it. New tutorial coming soon.

[goodrichm]

Thank you so much for the great explanation! Here's what I found using your suggestions:

- Erasing the gradient (using "with pen or rectangle" and CTRL key) didn't work very well because there's always a small fringe of influence (purple) left when erasing the gradient. Only the inner part of the brush erases everything, but a small amount of purple is always left around the external border of the pen. I tried several brush types and played around with the pen's radius, smooth, focus settings, etc.

- Painting the gradient using "with pen or rectangle" mode. I couldn't control the location of non-influence (white). It only seems to show up in the center of the gradient. I can shrink/expand it in the center, but can't paint it anywhere else, nor move it, nor paint any influence (purple) over it.

- "Drag points" is awesome. It is much easier to control things, but I need more practice at it.

I'm really excited about these sculpting features. If I can figure out what I'm doing wrong with the erasing and painting of gradients methods, I'll be in sculpting bliss.

I can't wait for your next tut to come out! Thanks for everything...MG

[digman]

Hi Goodrichm.

You can erase the white, by holding down the shift key and the left mouse button when you are [using select by pen or rectangle].That features gives also a fading influence to the gradient esp helpfull at the edges for making the area not so jaggy when you pull it out. It should work no problems here on my end.

At the present I don't think you can place the white areas[strongest area of influence].It is in the center of the brush by default, I believe that is correct but Andrew would know for sure. You can erase the white by the above method.

I tested the problem you were having of not be able to compeletly remove the violet influence and you are correct but I found a way to get it to work. First erase the white,then go over the area using the above mention method several times[remember it reduces the strength of the gradient]. Also the brush might not have not buildup, what I mean by that is the brush takes off so much on it's mouse click.no more no less.You might have to click brush, click brush. Once I did that and then use the control key and mouse with the same method,I was able to remove the gradient. Whew, that was a mouth full but it worked.

Andrew, I believe said that he was going to work on the sculpting area of the program for version 3.0

[Andrew Shpagin]

Digiman has sent me the second part of tutorial, I have posted it there:

www.3d-coat.com/files/Tut8/Select and Move final.htm

Thank you for great addition!

[digman]

Thank you Andrew for posting the tutorial. It's a large file about 40 meg so it will take alittle while to load. I have a few grammatical errors. The old body was tired after 1500 frames of editing. There are a few wandering mouse curser movements but they are brief. I tried to find the frames but they were like ghost. LOL

[goodrichm]

Thanx for making & sharing this excellent tut! Great technique to easily add muscles & bulk to a character.

Thanks also for explaining the workflow on erasing and painting gradients. You rock...MG

[geo_n]

Thank you for making this tutorial. Very good use of sculpting!

[Andrew Shpagin]

I have updated the link to tutorial #2, digman has made corrections, improvents and additional notes there.

Thank you digman!