| Workshop 3b | |
|---|---|
| Course | Arch 200c |
| Date | 2012/10/02 |
| Learning Objectives | Intermediate Modeling & Best Practices. Introduction to model organization and best practices for modeling in teams. Advanced modeling aids: cameras, c-planes. |
| Agenda |
|
| Uses Tool(s) | Rhinoceros |
Intermediate Modeling & Best Practices
Modeling Aids
Display Modes
- Wireframe
- Unshaded view shows only the visible isocurves of the model.
- Shaded
- Opaque shaded view uses a mesh to shade surfaces using the layer colors.
- Rendered
- Using the materials set in the layers/properties panels, this mode shows a quick view of estimated rendering materials and effects.
- Ghosted
- All surfaces have a slight shade to them but are translucent and all wireframes are shown as well.
- X-Ray
- Shades with isocurves not obscured by objects in front. All wireframe and point objects are displayed, even if they would normally be hidden by surfaces that are in front of them in the viewport.
Construction Plane or C-Plane
The C-Plane can be set to any orientation, and each viewport’s construction plane is independent of those in other viewports. It is important to pay attention to the CPlane's orientation because lines, points, or objects often need to be in the same plane in order for certain commands to work (and generally results in a cleaner model). Commands such as PlanarSrf , which creates a surface from a curve, requires that the curves be in the same plane.
- Set CPlane Origin
- Because each CPlane has a grid, moving the origin of the CPlane will move the origin of the grid. This is useful if snapping to the grid is turned on as it aids in modeling more precisely.
- Set CPlane by X-axis
- This aligns the X-axis of the grid to any axis chosen in the model. It is useful for rotating the CPlane.
- Set CPlane to Object
- Setting the CPlane to a surface ensures that the subsequent objects are in plane with that surface. This may also rotate the CPlane.
- Saving the CPlane
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The position of the CPlane can be saved for easy access later.
For more information on using the C-plane, refer to our page on the tool .
Blocks
Blocks are objects that can be referenced throughout a drawing (called instances ) while remaining tied to the originally created block. This allows you to edit the original block and have any changes applied to all of the block's instances. These are particularly helpful when implementing multiples of any one object, such as columns, trusses, fixtures, or furniture. Creating blocks early on in the design process will help to speed up production later on. This is particularly helpful with file size, there is only one actual definition for the block held in the file. All instances reference the data for the one original definition.
In AutoCAD and other CAD programs there is also the X-Ref command which allows you to link in external references (other CAD files) into your modeling files. Though Rhino does not have this explicit command, we can use Blocks in a similar way.
Example
Make a box and use the Block command to define a block. Call it Box1. Put the insertion point at one corner of the box. When this is done, the box is no longer a box- it looks like a box but if you select it and look at Properties>Details you will see that it is a block instance.
Explode the Block. Check Properties again. The box is a box again and has nothing to do with the block called Box1. Delete the box. Now, use Insert. In the drop down list of the Insert dialog locate Box 1. This is the block definition that you created when you made the block. Insert it as a block instance and then copy the instance several times.
Redefine the block: Select one of the instances of Box1, Explode it to return in to being a normal box. Fillet the edges of the box. Now start the Block command- select the filleted box and choose an insertion point. Select Box1 as the name for the new block. All of the instances of Box1 are now filleted boxes. They may move if you picked an insertion point on the new definition that is different from the original.
Make a sphere. Start Block and choose an insertion point. Call the block Box1. The filleted boxes are now all spheres.
Cameras
- Saved Views
- In Rhino, you can save views so that you'll be able to come back to them at any point later on, even if you've shifted your view around in any of the viewports. Right click on each viewport title and you'll see a drop down menu; go to Set View and click on Named Views.... Here you'll be able to save your current view in the currently selected viewport and give it a name.
- Orient Camera to Surface
- The OrientCameratoSrf command allows you to set up a surface for the camera to lock on. This can be very helpful when setting up exact views, such as axonometrics.
Intermediate Modeling Commands
- Cutting Planes
- Creates planar surfaces through objects at designated locations.
- Planar Surface
- Once you have a curve in 2d that is on the same plane, you can simply make it into a surface with this command.
- Edge Surface
- If you have distinct, non-planar curves, EdgeSrf is great way to make a surface from them. It only works on a max of 4 curves, so if you have more, you can join them until you're left with only 4, but this can sometimes not work out if any of the one curves is too complex.
- Loft
- You can loft between curves to create complex surfaces. When dealing with many curves, make sure to select them at similar points (start, mid, or end), or the loft may not align itself properly, and you'll have to manually align it within loft options.
- Sweep 1 and 2
- Sweep deciphers between the cross section curve geometry to maintain that the form stays perpendicular as it follows along the rail geometry. Sweep1 means there is one rail curves, while Sweep2 means there are two rail curves. Sweep 1 is useful for complex forms that change across a single curve, while Sweep 2 should be used when there is another curve that would define the flow from one section curve to another.
- Extract Isocurve
- Creates curves that duplicate surface isoparametric curves at specified locations on the surface.
- Project and ProjectToCplane
- Project curves/points toward a construction plane to intersect a surface, or project curves directly onto a C-plane.
Results-Oriented Modeling
Level of Detail
Depending on the scale you'll be exporting your images or drawings to, your level of detail will have to accomodate it. For example, extremely detailed window mullions won't be able to be seen from an urban context view of a model, but you will be able to see them in a 2d detail drawing at 1/4" scale. It's important to remember that the more geometry that is in a CAD file the larger the file becomes and the more demanding it becomes of your computer's resources.
Utilize layers to create the same object at multiple levels of detail. Begin with the least detailed level (a massing model) and add detail with each successive layer. When you're ready to export or render, you'll have much better results.
Anticipating Use (2d Drawings, Renderings, Lasercut, 3d Print)
The level of detail we model is also dependent upon the final output: whether it's a physical model, a digital rendering, a cut plan, or a 3d printed model, you'll need to model for different uses. Be diligent about anticipating how you'll be creating the final output of each model, and consider separating out your completed design into multiple files based upon use and detail.
2d Drawings
As discussed in our earlier workshops on orthographic drawings, the scale of the design's representation will directly influence the amount of detail that is included in the drawing. Take into consideration what would be seen in plan, section, and elevation based on the reproduction size, and test print as you develop your drawings to ensure their legibility. Oftentimes 3d models come out too detailed for proper orthographic drawings, and must be cleaned up extensively in Illustrator or Rhino. Save yourself the trouble and the time and clean up your model before exporting or using the Make2d command - and remember that you can always turn off layers or use Save As to create a new model you can manipulate without interfering with the rest of your completed model.
Renderings
Your tendency may be to feel that you must include as much detail as possible in your 3d model in order for it to appear correct in renderings, but it is most of the time unnecessary. Extra geometry in your file, that must got through raytracing to determine how light reflects off of it and into the camera, will add to your render time and hinder you from producing everything you need for your project. Remember that renderings can be post-processed in Photoshop to have complex materials that would take many hours to render.
In general, consider only the geometry that will be seen in each of your rendered images as what is necessary; door hinges, fasteners, detailed window mullions - none of it will be seen in most architectural scale renderings and will only take precious extra time to render. Furthermore, keep the complexity of materials in your renderings to a minimum and consider how you can use Photoshop to achieve similar results in less time.
Lasercut, 3d Printed, and CNC-Milled Models
Modeling is heavily dependent upon the material that is being used to create the model, the method of construction, the restrictions of the mode of fabrication, and of course the scale of reproduction. The typical minimum size that a laser cutter can cleanly cut out of most materials is 1/8" - any lower than that and you come increasingly close to having a thin, mostly incinerated and unusable piece for your model. 3d printers however have restrictions set by the printing material, whether it's starch, plastic, or another medium. Finally, CNC mills are mostly restricted by the drill bits available and the stock used to be milled. The best practice here is to check on the scale that your producing at, and check with the machine operator if you have any questions about the capabilities of the machine.
Working in Groups
Splitting up the Model
When working in groups, it's important to have roles assigned to each member and parts of the model clearly assigned so that work is done efficiently. You may wish to do this by splitting up the model into layers for each member to work on, or splitting up the model into separate files that you will later aggregate together.
You can also utilize the Worksessions capability of Rhino which allows multiple users to work on a large project by managing al project files. Here's more from the Rhino User Guide: "Each user can edit a different file in the project and at the same time see the related portions of the project. By refreshing as needed, each user can see the current version of the related files in the projects. Only one user can have a file open for editing, but many users can see it. Rhino worksessions let you “attach” external files to your current work environment. Attached geometry cannot be edited (move, scale), but it can be used for input to creation commands (copy, extrude)."
Whichever way you decide to organize your files and work, make sure to communicate with your group members to make sure that all work is being done efficiently and without overlap.
File Maintenance
During the project, it will be important to check in on all members' progress along the way, possibly by compiling them into a single file. Saving iterations every day or so (or every increment of substantial progress) will make sure that you can always go back to old files to grab model parts if something happens to more recent files.
As you compile the final parts of the model together into a single file, take care to clean up all of the layers and ensure that geometry is correct (i.e., not intersecting, clean corners/interfaces, etc.).
Demonstration on Pt. Bonita Site
To show dome more of the concepts you'll need in typical studio work, we'll use the Pt. Bonita site model to demonstrate how to complete 3 different modeling styles: above the landscape, on the landscape, and in the landscape. We've supplied these 3 files so that you can follow along with our progress in class.
Resources
Support
Useful Plug-ins
- Rhinoterrain
- Create, edit, and analyse digital terrain. Can import elevational data directly from Google Earth to create detailed and accurate topography.
- T-Splines
- Create and modify freeform and organic designs. Model shapes of any complexity as a single smooth, fluid water-tight surface.
- Paneling Tools
- Helps generate 2D and 3D cellular patterns and populate them over rectangular grids.
- Grasshopper
- Graphical algorithm editor that allows you to script out complex tasks.