- select the loop of edges around the armpit. Note that the loop toolmay ormay not like the edges at sharp angles so double check that all edges are selected
- click the dynamic extrusion tool at the top (make sure 'link polygons' box is still checked on right)
- Click and drag an edge with extrusion active to extend a new loop out from the armpit
- use the select and move tools to shape the new edge in an oval around the armpit. Leave room for a second loop.
- Shape the back of the loop as well
- select edge loop and extrude a second time
-scale the x-axis of this second loop to zero
- shape the vertexes and edges of this second round loop in the Y and Z directions to get a relatively smooth ring around the armpit
-
aa81 select loop around armpit.jpg
1866 x 1210 - 203K
aa82 dynamic extrusion tool with link polygon checked.jpg
1993 x 1222 - 227K
aa83 extrude armpit.jpg
1192 x 1177 - 112K
aa84 select and shape armpit hole front.jpg
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aa85 select and shape armpit hole back.jpg
1528 x 1167 - 146K
aa86 extrude again.jpg
2058 x 1084 - 220K
aa87 extrude again and scale the x axis to zero.jpg
From Armpit Hole to a Sleeve - More Extrusion but Add a Rotate
- Although more extrusions could form a sleeve, the arms extend down at an angle instead of straight outward. So will have to plan to rotate a loop and add polygons to upper side
- Start by selecting the armpit edge loops by selecting an edge and clicking the loop selection as have done several times above.
- Then use the dynamic extrusion tool and control-click and drag to create a new ring of polygons to side.
- but as you can see the result is at the wrong angle. With the outer edge loop selected, use the rotate tool to turn the loop to match angle of the arm.
- use the scale tool to get a better fit of the loop to the arm. Notice that the shoulder has a lot of poke-through. Will fix that next by adding edges and polygons.
- Make sure that the new loop remains outside the old loop at the bottom of the armpit.
aa89 extrude from shoulder.jpg
2074 x 1183 - 233K
aa90 to far out.jpg
805 x 990 - 63K
aa91 rotate the circular edge and pull out so no overlap armpit.jpg
1165 x 1098 - 120K
aa92 scale tool outside edge push in to circle arm it is OK that poke through shoulder.jpg
- Now, the area under the armpit is crowded, but there is a need for more detail to shape the top of the shoulder. Want to add vertexes, edges, and polygons to the top of the shoulder but not underneath. One way to add geometry is to sue the 'add vertex' tool from the top menu. With that tool active, a new vertex will be added at the point you click on an existing edge. If your next click is on an unobstructed neighboring edge then a connecting edge will automatically link the new vertexes. You can use this to add an entire string of linked vertexes to neighboring edges.
- Click the add vertex tool at the top menu.
- click 1/3 of th way along the interior of the front edge of the sleeve. In default preferences, if you hover your cursor over an edge with the tool active, it will place the point at a default distance along the line such as 1/4or 1/3or 1/2. In this case, place first point at 1/3 mark of a lower front edge. Continue to place the next point at 1/3 mark of neighboring up edge so are linked, and continue up the shoulder edges even if obstructed view by the figure. Continue down the back as well, all linked. But do not add underneath.
- Click off to deselect all.
- Click the add vertex tool to activate again. Click and add a second set of linked vertexes at the remaining 1/2 way mark. The result will be that the shirt mesh now has two new edges creating polygons on the upper half of the shoulder. By using 1/3 distance for the first edge and 1/2 distance for the second, each old upper edge is divided into 3 equal lengths.
aa93 add vertex tool.jpg
1105 x 1113 - 110K
aa94 add vertexes at one third mark for upper lines of shoulder but not bottom.jpg
2463 x 1173 - 294K
aa95 adding vertex again thistime at half mark parallel to previous.jpg
- The result of adding the vertexes to the interior of existing edges was to create n-gons (more than 4 points) at the lower part of the armpit. Will use the link vertex process to bisect tose si-sided polygons and turn them into quads. I recommend linking the outer vertex of the lower part to the inner vertex of the upper part. It is optional but I prefer having the part closest to the torso preserving a full loop.
- In this screenshot, looking at the back of the new sleeve, select one vertex from the lower edge of the n-gon and one vertex from the upper interior edge of the n-gon.
- use the menu (Model : Link) to connect the vertexes which converts the n-gon to two quads.
- In the highlighted area, see that the two new polygon are each quads.
- Repeat for the front.
aa96 see how now have ngon at armpit will be connecting to a quad.jpg
- going to use the same method as for th collar to make a shader domain for the sleeve cuff.
- Select two adjacent polygons (shift select) at the edge of the sleeve. Even though symmetry is on, do the same for the other side still holding down shift.
- Use the loop tool in the upper right select menu
- The resut should have the outer loops selected on both sleeves witht he same bright color, not one bright and the other darker as per symmetry
- Use the drop down menu in th shading domain area of lower right properties tray to create a new shder domain
- Pick a name for the shader domain. I chose sleevecuff.
bb07 select two polygons edge of sleeve.jpg
1570 x 1194 - 173K
bb08 loopseelction tool.jpg
559 x 487 - 43K
bb09 repeat for other side so brighter color is selected not just mirror symmtry.jpg
Hem. Extend the Torso and Create Shader Domain for Hem
- Guess the steps? Going to select an edge and loop. Then extrude. Then going to select adjacent polygons and loop. Then going to create shader domain.
- Select a bottom edge of the shirt and use the loop tool to select the whole bottom.
- Click dynamic extrusion tool, make sure link polygons is checked, and control-click-drag down to create new row of polygons. Repeat as desired.
- If there is some poke through, use select and translate to move the shirt mesh outside the figure, like at the left hip here.
- select two adjacent polygons at bottom and click loop to select the bottom row.
- Use the lower right shader domain drop down menu to create a new shader domain.
- Pick a name. I chose hem.
bb12 select bottomedge and extrude a couple times decide loose or not.jpg
- The shirt is very low resolution and very rough. Can use smoothing to improve without changing shape.
- Select any vertex or polygon to bring up the modeling menu in the right side properties menu.
- Click to check the button to enable smoothing.
- There is likely to be some poke through of the figure even though the general appearance of the shirt improves. See the breasts in the pic above. Select and move/translate polygons and vertexes to eliminate poke through.
- The armpit can be another problem area.
- A doublecheck of the mesh tomake sure no more poke through.
- Under smoothing, click the convert button and the polygon will be subdivided. The result is about four times as many polygons depending on your mesh.
bb18 select any polygon and check smoothing and see poke through.jpg
2004 x 1279 - 289K
bb19 select and pull poke through.jpg
1915 x 1234 - 230K
bb20 check problem areas like armpit.jpg
1500 x 1123 - 128K
bb21 doublecheck poke through and see smoothing menu and see convert option.jpg
UVMapping Using Seams and Unwrap - Selecting and Assigning Seams
- UVmapping is done in the third icon in the upper right panel. I recommend exiting the assemble room and UVMapping in the modeling room proper (wrenchroom).
- There are several options to UVMap an object. Will be using the seams and unfold method in this example.
- Plan is to create seams similar to a realworld garment. Will split the garment front and back by placing seams at side. Will cut off the sleaves with seams around the armpit. Will remember to split the top of the shoulders.
- Caution - the symmetry tool will appear but it does not work. You have to place each individual seam even if it appears like symmetry worked.
- Enter the UVMapping area by clicking the far right icon in the upper right panel under 'edit mode.' The screen should divide in half.
- Select a vertical edge on the side of the torso of a loop that goes up under the armpit and all the way down the sleave.
- Shift select the corresponding edge on the other side so both are selected.
- Click loop and the seams will extend the entire length from hip hem to sleeve cuff on both sides.
- Under the 'unfold' tab, set to seam. Click plus + and the selected edge loops will turn blue for a seam.
- Result loop turns blue.
- Select edge then loop for vertical through armpits.
Both sides
Loop select
- Click plus +under seam and willtrun blue
- Repeat for top of shoulders. Select edges from top of armpit loop to neck hole on both sides. Click plus + seam to turn blue.
bb23 uvmapping upper right grid mode.jpg
2497 x 1161 - 267K
bb24 select side under middle armpit.jpg
1938 x 1294 - 256K
bb25 select other side.jpg
1945 x 1215 - 237K
bb26 loop selection gets sides all the way through sleeves both sides.jpg
2550 x 1086 - 306K
bb27 unfold tab seams plus.jpg
457 x 420 - 22K
bb28 seams turn blue.jpg
2541 x 1107 - 287K
bb29 select edge through middle armpit.jpg
2499 x 1197 - 284K
bb30 select same edge other sides.jpg
2034 x 1225 - 225K
bb31 loopselect.jpg
2197 x 1315 - 272K
bb31 loopselect.jpg
2197 x 1315 - 272K
bb32 click seams to loop under the armpit.jpg
2532 x 1101 - 288K
bb33 shoulder connect sleeve loop top shoulder to neck.jpg
- The result is Carrara's attempt to cut the mesh along the seams you set and lay the results flat. The resulting UV 'islands' are placed along the bottom edge of the square map.
- Use the zoom tool to examine the islands closer.
- If the seams have no gaps, the result should have a front panel, back, and two sleeves.
More Shading Domains for Torso and Sleeves - Not Collar, Hem, or Cuff
- Can use the UV islands to select pats of th mesh. Can use shading domains to select and deselect. Can combine methods for more detail.
- Using UV mode, select the torso panels. Recall that the collar and lower hem already have shading domains.
- Use the upper right panelto return to model editing mode with the panels still selected.
- Use the top Select menu to 'deselect by' shading domain collar.
-create a new domain for the torso which does not have the collar or hem
- Can use the same steps to select the sleeves in the UV panel, deselect the cuffs in model edit mode, and create new shading domain for sleeves without cuffs
bb50 select torso.jpg
2541 x 1249 - 461K
bb51 go back to modeling mode upper right first icon look like hexagon.jpg
2547 x 1326 - 388K
bb52 deseect by shading domain.jpg
1353 x 1035 - 195K
bb53 deselect by shading domain collar.jpg
1525 x 1195 - 223K
bb54 repeat deselect for hem.jpg
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bb55 new shading domain.jpg
2028 x 1300 - 315K
bb56 new shading domain torso.jpg
2146 x 1207 - 305K
bb57 return to uvmap mode in upper right.jpg
2329 x 1219 - 391K
bb58 select both sleeves from uvmap.jpg
2092 x 1258 - 350K
bb59 return to main modeling mode in edit mode upper right.jpg
There are several alternatives to give clothing edges the appearance of thickness. In the above example shirt, notice that the edges of the garment look paper thin. Some thickness options include
- modeling method A - add curved edges into the primary garment model. To do this, select the edge loop at the cuff, collar, or hem, then loop, then use the extrude tool to add curled edges
- modeling method B - use the 'add thickness' tool then delete many interior polygons
- modeling method C - start with modeling method A and use the 'quick fillet' tool on the edges
- texture maps - Use bump or normal maps to make hems and seams appear to rise away from the main fabric
- for stills - wait till after final pose, convert garment model to a primitive then convert back to vertex model and then use add thickness
Draping and Modeled Thickness
- one disadvantage of adding geometry to model curved edges is that the draping functions like VWD or DForce or Carrara's native softbody physics often try to unravel the edge and the draped garment can appear distorted.
- one way to try to address distorted edges is to weld the interior edge back to the main garment. This creates a non-manifold edge, which Carrara's modeler does not like and can behave improperly in Carrara. A non-manifold edge has more than two planes extending from it. So if a horizontal edge on the front of a shirt has a plane extending up toward the chest and a plane extending down toward the legs, a non-manifold edge would have at least one more plane, such as a plane extending inwards towards the curled thickness.
- Daz Studio's DForce simulation system allows for designating a mesh as a DForce Add-On. One use of a DForce add-on can be to bridge gaps between two or more DForce surfaces. Therefore, a DForce add-on can be used to avoid a non-manifold edge yet preserve the 'connection' between the curled interior and the main garment.
In addition to creating some stuff for yourself, you will get even more out of your existing content as you become comfortable with Carrara's vertex modeler.
Example. You can select polygons and create shading domains. For your adjusted neck line, you could also have left the geomtery in place, selected the polygons you wanted to delete, created a new shading domain for them, and assigned a shader with alpha set to 0or black to make the new shading domain invisible. Deleting geometry on a clothing item you purchased or got as a freebie creates all sorts of complications, but creating your own shading domain and assigning alpha equals 0 is easy. See further down is same tutorial comment thread.
Creating Shading Domain to Alter Neckline of Existing Rigged Garment
Alpha maps and shading domains can be used to edit the appearance of existing rigged items without altering their geometry. This is useful because morphs cannot add or subtract polygons. Examples include converting a long sleeve shirt to short sleeve, or long pants to shorts, or... Here is an example of editing a neck line. In this example I use the Genesis 2 Victoria 6 figure wearing the G2F basicwear top and shorts. Going to use the vertex modeler to create a new shading domain in the neckline and add a 0 alpha shader to make look invisible.
Here is a comparison of before and after. Very simple example.
In addition to creating some stuff for yourself, you will get even more out of your existing content as you become comfortable with Carrara's vertex modeler.
Example. You can select polygons and create shading domains. For your adjusted neck line, you could also have left the geomtery in place, selected the polygons you wanted to delete, created a new shading domain for them, and assigned a shader with alpha set to 0or black to make the new shading domain invisible. Deleting geometry on a clothing item you purchased or got as a freebie creates all sorts of complications, but creating your own shading domain and assigning alpha equals 0 is easy. See further down is same tutorial comment thread.
---Good news. The even mesh of G9 makes the Carrara displacement brush more effective.
--- Bad News. The detail of displacement brush is lost when smoothing resolution is set to zero to export as a morph, and only the broad shapes get saved out
(Edit: Wendy says that xNormal can be used to retrieve the lost detail - see her comment below)
Here is a side-by-side of the default G9 face and a morph I made with the displacement brush in Carrara. Look closely to see subtle chin/cheek/brow/nose changes. Was not so subtle as shaped in Carrara.
See more square chin, sharper cheek bone, more pronounced brow, more arch to nose
Start a fresh Carrara scene and load the Genesis 9 Development Rig (repeat, load the development rig, which only has the body, not the eyes, mouth, etc)
Note - the developent rig starts with some morphs such as basic masculine. Won;t be using in this example but good to know.
Enter the vertex modeler
Ignore the warning
00 start new Carrara scene.jpg
1837 x 764 - 160K
01 genesis 9 development load.jpg
1876 x 1002 - 252K
02 genesis 9 development load.jpg
1802 x 1029 - 254K
03 there are some morphs and this is what base masculine looks like.jpg
Comments
Extrude Armpit Hole
- select the loop of edges around the armpit. Note that the loop toolmay ormay not like the edges at sharp angles so double check that all edges are selected
- click the dynamic extrusion tool at the top (make sure 'link polygons' box is still checked on right)
- Click and drag an edge with extrusion active to extend a new loop out from the armpit
- use the select and move tools to shape the new edge in an oval around the armpit. Leave room for a second loop.
- Shape the back of the loop as well
- select edge loop and extrude a second time
-scale the x-axis of this second loop to zero
- shape the vertexes and edges of this second round loop in the Y and Z directions to get a relatively smooth ring around the armpit
-
From Armpit Hole to a Sleeve - More Extrusion but Add a Rotate
- Although more extrusions could form a sleeve, the arms extend down at an angle instead of straight outward. So will have to plan to rotate a loop and add polygons to upper side
- Start by selecting the armpit edge loops by selecting an edge and clicking the loop selection as have done several times above.
- Then use the dynamic extrusion tool and control-click and drag to create a new ring of polygons to side.
- but as you can see the result is at the wrong angle. With the outer edge loop selected, use the rotate tool to turn the loop to match angle of the arm.
- use the scale tool to get a better fit of the loop to the arm. Notice that the shoulder has a lot of poke-through. Will fix that next by adding edges and polygons.
- Make sure that the new loop remains outside the old loop at the bottom of the armpit.
Adding 2 Edges Only to Outside of Shoulder
- Now, the area under the armpit is crowded, but there is a need for more detail to shape the top of the shoulder. Want to add vertexes, edges, and polygons to the top of the shoulder but not underneath. One way to add geometry is to sue the 'add vertex' tool from the top menu. With that tool active, a new vertex will be added at the point you click on an existing edge. If your next click is on an unobstructed neighboring edge then a connecting edge will automatically link the new vertexes. You can use this to add an entire string of linked vertexes to neighboring edges.
- Click the add vertex tool at the top menu.
- click 1/3 of th way along the interior of the front edge of the sleeve. In default preferences, if you hover your cursor over an edge with the tool active, it will place the point at a default distance along the line such as 1/4or 1/3or 1/2. In this case, place first point at 1/3 mark of a lower front edge. Continue to place the next point at 1/3 mark of neighboring up edge so are linked, and continue up the shoulder edges even if obstructed view by the figure. Continue down the back as well, all linked. But do not add underneath.
- Click off to deselect all.
- Click the add vertex tool to activate again. Click and add a second set of linked vertexes at the remaining 1/2 way mark. The result will be that the shirt mesh now has two new edges creating polygons on the upper half of the shoulder. By using 1/3 distance for the first edge and 1/2 distance for the second, each old upper edge is divided into 3 equal lengths.
Convert Armpit NGon to Quads
- The result of adding the vertexes to the interior of existing edges was to create n-gons (more than 4 points) at the lower part of the armpit. Will use the link vertex process to bisect tose si-sided polygons and turn them into quads. I recommend linking the outer vertex of the lower part to the inner vertex of the upper part. It is optional but I prefer having the part closest to the torso preserving a full loop.
- In this screenshot, looking at the back of the new sleeve, select one vertex from the lower edge of the n-gon and one vertex from the upper interior edge of the n-gon.
- use the menu (Model : Link) to connect the vertexes which converts the n-gon to two quads.
- In the highlighted area, see that the two new polygon are each quads.
- Repeat for the front.
Status Check - Shirt Symmetry but Shoulder Slope Incorrect
Select/Move Shoulder Polygons to Eliminate Poke Through
- Even though the figure obstructs view of polygon, you can still select them.
- Use the select and move/translate tools to move the vertexes of the upper shoulder out away from the figure.
- The result should start to look like a simple T-Shirt.
Extend Sleeves - Extrude Tool
- Select an edge on the sleeve and use the loop tool.
- Click the dynamic extrusion tool on the upper menu
- Control-click-drag to extend a new row of polygons for a sleeve. Repeat for another row.
Create Shader Domain for SleeveCuff
- going to use the same method as for th collar to make a shader domain for the sleeve cuff.
- Select two adjacent polygons (shift select) at the edge of the sleeve. Even though symmetry is on, do the same for the other side still holding down shift.
- Use the loop tool in the upper right select menu
- The resut should have the outer loops selected on both sleeves witht he same bright color, not one bright and the other darker as per symmetry
- Use the drop down menu in th shading domain area of lower right properties tray to create a new shder domain
- Pick a name for the shader domain. I chose sleevecuff.
Hem. Extend the Torso and Create Shader Domain for Hem
- Guess the steps? Going to select an edge and loop. Then extrude. Then going to select adjacent polygons and loop. Then going to create shader domain.
- Select a bottom edge of the shirt and use the loop tool to select the whole bottom.
- Click dynamic extrusion tool, make sure link polygons is checked, and control-click-drag down to create new row of polygons. Repeat as desired.
- If there is some poke through, use select and translate to move the shirt mesh outside the figure, like at the left hip here.
- select two adjacent polygons at bottom and click loop to select the bottom row.
- Use the lower right shader domain drop down menu to create a new shader domain.
- Pick a name. I chose hem.
Smoothing Fixes and Converted Density
- The shirt is very low resolution and very rough. Can use smoothing to improve without changing shape.
- Select any vertex or polygon to bring up the modeling menu in the right side properties menu.
- Click to check the button to enable smoothing.
- There is likely to be some poke through of the figure even though the general appearance of the shirt improves. See the breasts in the pic above. Select and move/translate polygons and vertexes to eliminate poke through.
- The armpit can be another problem area.
- A doublecheck of the mesh tomake sure no more poke through.
- Under smoothing, click the convert button and the polygon will be subdivided. The result is about four times as many polygons depending on your mesh.
UVMapping Using Seams and Unwrap - Selecting and Assigning Seams
- UVmapping is done in the third icon in the upper right panel. I recommend exiting the assemble room and UVMapping in the modeling room proper (wrenchroom).
- There are several options to UVMap an object. Will be using the seams and unfold method in this example.
- Plan is to create seams similar to a realworld garment. Will split the garment front and back by placing seams at side. Will cut off the sleaves with seams around the armpit. Will remember to split the top of the shoulders.
- Caution - the symmetry tool will appear but it does not work. You have to place each individual seam even if it appears like symmetry worked.
- Enter the UVMapping area by clicking the far right icon in the upper right panel under 'edit mode.' The screen should divide in half.
- Select a vertical edge on the side of the torso of a loop that goes up under the armpit and all the way down the sleave.
- Shift select the corresponding edge on the other side so both are selected.
- Click loop and the seams will extend the entire length from hip hem to sleeve cuff on both sides.
- Under the 'unfold' tab, set to seam. Click plus + and the selected edge loops will turn blue for a seam.
- Result loop turns blue.
- Select edge then loop for vertical through armpits.
Both sides
Loop select
- Click plus +under seam and willtrun blue
- Repeat for top of shoulders. Select edges from top of armpit loop to neck hole on both sides. Click plus + seam to turn blue.
Unwrap Unfold Tool and Initial Results
-With seams complete, click Unfold.
- The result is Carrara's attempt to cut the mesh along the seams you set and lay the results flat. The resulting UV 'islands' are placed along the bottom edge of the square map.
- Use the zoom tool to examine the islands closer.
- If the seams have no gaps, the result should have a front panel, back, and two sleeves.
UV-Island Resize Rotate and Placement
- Will be selecting, moving, scaling, and rotating the UV islands. Double click on a UV island to selet the whole island.
- You can also use standard selection of vertexes, edges, polygons, loops, lasso, etc if want to select just part of an island.
- In this case, double click on the front panel island to select the whole thing.
- Use the move/translate arrow tool to move the front panel uptoward middle of map.
- Repeat for the back torso panel
- Select both torso panels
- Use the scale toolwith shift to proprtionately increase the sie of the toro panels and move to upper part of square map.
- Note that you can try to align the horizontal edges for better visuals
- Now move and scale the sleeves so that vertical and horizontal make sense.
- Final UVMap suitable for texturing in your favorite image editor
More Shading Domains for Torso and Sleeves - Not Collar, Hem, or Cuff
- Can use the UV islands to select pats of th mesh. Can use shading domains to select and deselect. Can combine methods for more detail.
- Using UV mode, select the torso panels. Recall that the collar and lower hem already have shading domains.
- Use the upper right panelto return to model editing mode with the panels still selected.
- Use the top Select menu to 'deselect by' shading domain collar.
-create a new domain for the torso which does not have the collar or hem
- Can use the same steps to select the sleeves in the UV panel, deselect the cuffs in model edit mode, and create new shading domain for sleeves without cuffs
Results Summary
Apply Checkerboard Shader to Shirt
- Can check for distortion in the UVMap by applying a patterned shader to the shirt.
- In the shader tree, set the color to mixer and choose two colors.
- For the blended, pick checkerboard and increase the number.
- Test render shows that the UVMap is a good fit with little distortion
Here is the Shirt Model...
...used in the screenshot tutorial above
Free for any use
See attached zip file
Clothing Thickness
There are several alternatives to give clothing edges the appearance of thickness. In the above example shirt, notice that the edges of the garment look paper thin. Some thickness options include
- modeling method A - add curved edges into the primary garment model. To do this, select the edge loop at the cuff, collar, or hem, then loop, then use the extrude tool to add curled edges
- modeling method B - use the 'add thickness' tool then delete many interior polygons
- modeling method C - start with modeling method A and use the 'quick fillet' tool on the edges
- texture maps - Use bump or normal maps to make hems and seams appear to rise away from the main fabric
- for stills - wait till after final pose, convert garment model to a primitive then convert back to vertex model and then use add thickness
Draping and Modeled Thickness
- one disadvantage of adding geometry to model curved edges is that the draping functions like VWD or DForce or Carrara's native softbody physics often try to unravel the edge and the draped garment can appear distorted.
- one way to try to address distorted edges is to weld the interior edge back to the main garment. This creates a non-manifold edge, which Carrara's modeler does not like and can behave improperly in Carrara. A non-manifold edge has more than two planes extending from it. So if a horizontal edge on the front of a shirt has a plane extending up toward the chest and a plane extending down toward the legs, a non-manifold edge would have at least one more plane, such as a plane extending inwards towards the curled thickness.
- Daz Studio's DForce simulation system allows for designating a mesh as a DForce Add-On. One use of a DForce add-on can be to bridge gaps between two or more DForce surfaces. Therefore, a DForce add-on can be used to avoid a non-manifold edge yet preserve the 'connection' between the curled interior and the main garment.
Exampe of Using Carrara to Create a DForce Add-On
- I have a tutorial screenshot series demonstrating using Carrara to avoid the non-manifold edge and still create the DForce Add-On starting here. Diomede's Notepad, Sketchpad, and Chilling Pad - Page 13 - Daz 3D Forums
Adapted it for a grateful G3F:
Excellent! @UnifiedBrain
Now try with the blast shield down! Haha.
In addition to creating some stuff for yourself, you will get even more out of your existing content as you become comfortable with Carrara's vertex modeler.
Example. You can select polygons and create shading domains. For your adjusted neck line, you could also have left the geomtery in place, selected the polygons you wanted to delete, created a new shading domain for them, and assigned a shader with alpha set to 0or black to make the new shading domain invisible. Deleting geometry on a clothing item you purchased or got as a freebie creates all sorts of complications, but creating your own shading domain and assigning alpha equals 0 is easy. See further down is same tutorial comment thread.
Creating Shading Domain to Alter Neckline of Existing Rigged Garment
Alpha maps and shading domains can be used to edit the appearance of existing rigged items without altering their geometry. This is useful because morphs cannot add or subtract polygons. Examples include converting a long sleeve shirt to short sleeve, or long pants to shorts, or... Here is an example of editing a neck line. In this example I use the Genesis 2 Victoria 6 figure wearing the G2F basicwear top and shorts. Going to use the vertex modeler to create a new shading domain in the neckline and add a 0 alpha shader to make look invisible.
Here is a comparison of before and after. Very simple example.
Here I load Genesis 2 female Victoria 6 and fit the basicwear top and shorts.
Click the upper right wrench to enter the vertex modeler and get a warning. Ignore the warning by clicking OK.
Rotate the camera view so it is convenient to use the marquis or lasso tool to select front polygons without selecting back polygons.
Select some polygons in the neckline.
In lower right box, use the shader domain menu to create a new shader domain.
Give the shader domain a name.
Status check in assemble room - see the new shading domain in the middle of the chest is now default gray.
Set New Shading Domain Alpha to 0 or Black
Click the upper right paintbrush icon to enter the texture room
Create a new shader for the new shading domain
Edit the new shader
Set alpha to 0 or black
See result is the new shading domain is invisible.
Compare original neckline to new neckline
Another very useful tip, thanks!
great tips and workflows @diomede
so much can be done in Carrara that maybe a lot of users are not aware of
Creating Morphs for Genesis 9 in Carrara
- some good news / bad news.
---Good news. The even mesh of G9 makes the Carrara displacement brush more effective.
--- Bad News. The detail of displacement brush is lost when smoothing resolution is set to zero to export as a morph, and only the broad shapes get saved out
(Edit: Wendy says that xNormal can be used to retrieve the lost detail - see her comment below)
Here is a side-by-side of the default G9 face and a morph I made with the displacement brush in Carrara. Look closely to see subtle chin/cheek/brow/nose changes. Was not so subtle as shaped in Carrara.
See more square chin, sharper cheek bone, more pronounced brow, more arch to nose
Prepare Genesis 9 in Carrara
Start a fresh Carrara scene and load the Genesis 9 Development Rig (repeat, load the development rig, which only has the body, not the eyes, mouth, etc)
Note - the developent rig starts with some morphs such as basic masculine. Won;t be using in this example but good to know.
Enter the vertex modeler
Ignore the warning
Explore Smoothing settings and the Morphing Tools
- select at least one vertex, edge, or polygon to view the properties tray on right
- see smoothing settings - need smoothing set to 0 when export as morph target, but smoothing set to 1,2,3 etc better for displacement brush
- enable symmetry if desired