Tutorial

Creating the Eye Lid part 2

Now in part 2 you will edit the CVs and build a U Loft surface from the curves.

Use the file you saved from Creating The Eye Lid Part1 (StudentID#_BetterEye01.max)

Now lets set up a proper working space so we can edit our CVs without extra visual clutter.

  1. Go to the Modify panel and select the NURBS model and go to the Surface sub-Object level.

  2. Select the U loft surface of the head and hide it (Modify panel under the Surface Common rollout).

  3. Go to the Curve sub-Object level, select the four  eyelid curves , invert your selection (Main Menu--Edit--Select Invert), and click hide (Modify panel under the Curve Common rollout). This will leave you with just the four eyelid curves and the eyeball in the viewports.

Ok lets edit some CV's.

Note: We will be focusing on editing the CVs of the Transform Curves. The CV Curve On Surface will not be edited.

The first thing you must do is snap the first and last CV of each curve transform curve to the CV curve on surface. This will deform our curves a little but we will fix that in the next step.

  1. Set up snap: Right click the Snap toggle tool. Clear all in Snaps-Standard, and Choose CV and Curve End in Snaps-Nurbs. Click the X to close.

  2. Edit the First and last CVs: Go to Curve CV sub-object level, turn on 3d snaps (left click),

  3.  Zoom perspective view in and snap the first and last CVs of the transform curves to the CV Curve on Surface's first and last CVs.

Now you Should have something like the image below. Note: I zoomed/used the Right view as well to double check position.

  1. Turn off 3d snaps.

Now lets edit the CVs of the transform curves to fix the distortion.

  1.  Use the select and move tool and select and move the CVs into position. At this stage don't spend to must time, just remove the tight bend and edit the CV to form nice smooth curves like the image below.

 

  1. Now edit the CVs to start forming the surface. Notice that the first transform curve should be about mid way between the CV curve on surface and the 2nd transform curve, and the last transform curve is almost right beneath the 3rd transform curve. Get something close to this and move on.

click images for full size

 

Lets add the U Loft surface now

  1.   On the General rollout, turn on NURBS Creation Toolbox to display the toolbox. If it is closed.

  2.  In the toolbox, click Create U Loft Surface.

  3. Click the CV curve on surface, click the 1st transform curve, click the 2nd transform curve, and then the 3rd transform curve.

  4. clicking the Create U Loft Surface to turn it off.

  5. If the surface looks inside out. Go to Surface sub-object level and select the new U Loft surface, Under the Surface Common rollout click Flip Normals.

  6. Under the U Loft Surface Rollout click the Close Loft option (this continues the surface from the 3rd transform curve to back to the CV curve on surface which give us a nice smooth edge.

Time to edit the curve CVs some more. From now on you can edit the curve CVs from the Surface sub-object level. This will make final CV/curve/surface editing easier.

  1. The U Loft surface should still be selected at the Surface sub-object level

  2. Under the U Loft Surface Rollout click the Edit Curves button.

  1. Now as you select the curves from the U curves list (again under the U Loft Surface Rollout) you can edit their CVs. The surface updates as you edit and its a lot easier to select only the CVs you want.

Note: Sometimes the CV you want might be below the surface which will make it hard to select. Toggle the viewport between shaded and wireframe (F3) to select that elusive CV.

  1. Continue editing the CVs to achieve a nice smooth surface. Make the edge around the eye a little sharper. Get rid of any creases or bulges. Notice how the shape of the curves influence the curvature of the surface.

  1. Save your work as StudentID#_BetterEyeFinal.max

 

Next

 

Creating The Ear