Hi Rich_Art,
> I try to understand the way how to model with a nurb
> modeler like MoI. For me as a Cinema4D user it is a bit
> hard to understand how to make some shapes with nurbs.
Probably the best initial starting point is to take a look at the tutorial videos from here:
http://moi3d.com/1.0/docs/tutorials.htm
Although those are not specifically about modeling a mouse, they do go over the construction of several different objects completely from scratch in "the NURBS way".
So watching those should help to give you a good overview of the general process, and you should get some better idea of how it is different from a poly modeling approach.
Notice in the tutorials that one of the main starting points is to draw in some profile curves, that will be the same general thing for starting your mouse example as well.
One basic approach which will kind of make a somewhat blocky result but may be a good starting exercise is to do these steps.
Start with drawing half a curve in the Top view:
Select it and use Transform/Mirror to make the full bottom profile:
Select those 2 curves and use Construct / Extrude to punch the profile out into a solid:
Draw another curve as a side profile:
Select the extruded solid, then run Construct / Boolean / Difference, and pick the side profile as the cutting object. This divides the extrusion into 2 pieces, discard the top piece:
Select the top edge and use Construct / Fillet to round it off:
This method is pretty simple and results in a rather straight cut top surface which is why it is kind of blocky. However, it is a good exercise for some of the basic types of things that you would use in general for NURBS modeling so it is a pretty good starting point to just get some familiarity with the tools.
To get a more sculptured top surface you would want to experiment with putting in a kind of framework of curves and then using something like Construct/Network or Construct/Sweep to build the upper surface which can then be more contoured. But that is a bit more difficult, start with a blocky thing and simple cuts initially to get used to the tools.
Hope this helps! Don't forget to check out the tutorial videos above especially.
- Michael
