Hay guys!
I'll continue my LOFT freakness.

Now I'll show you how to use LOFT instead of BLEND!

Advanges:

0. Blend edges with multiple segments. (Impossible with BLEND)
1. G1.5 (Joke, but do not know how to name it)
2. G1,G2 and G3, G4, G5.... (If it is correct to say :))))
3. Blend with modifications.
4. It works without surfaces.


Disadvantages
1. You have to build profiles. Not so hard)))
May be there are some more disadvantages but now I do not find any of them...

LOFT (Loose, exact)
Video:


Blend edges with multiple segments.




All stuff!

it's ok Andrei !
don't forget we will have Blend that will works with multiple segments of an edge:do you remember what Michael showed us?So it will be faster than your method (no need to build sections)
In case you want to have more control on the shape,so...ok...SAMARDAC FREESTYLE LOFT could be useful

i like SAMARDAC FREESTYLE LOFT.. :) it sounds more..."american"...more cool... :)

no sarcasm in my words,ok? ;) MIR!

M

A new v3 beta is out here now: beta download page

It will take me a bit to gather the release notes, but it does have the update to blend to select more than one edge on each side of the blend and also loft starting and/or ending in a point object should work too.

- Michael

Some other new things are PDF format export now (2D curve export, not 3D PDF), layers and style colors written now to AI format, copy/paste should be working to and from Illustrator, Edit > Add pt can add points to surfaces now if you have a surface selected before you run it.

- Michael

Bravo for the Multiple Blend! :)

Thanks Andrei

You've given me some good ideas on how to deal with fin/fuselage joint & wing/fuselage joints I'm having trouble with where neither Network or blend is giving me the results I would like.

Here is a preliminary model I've created using your lofting technique. I only post to show that your time and effort in sharing the technique is appreciated by others.
I've used it on the fuselage, fin, rudder, tailplane and wings. It is giving far superior results than using the traditional two rail sweeps or network both of which tend to buckle and warp if you ask it to change shape to much.

I'm looking forward to trying out the loft to point command in the latest beta as I am hoping this will give a better result on the tips of wings, tailplanes, propellers etc and ultimately a cleaner mesh without all the bunching of polygons that usually occur on export. This should be a better option than creating a very small profile at the tips.

Cool beans, Andrei , thanks for sharing! I never thought of doing that...

Hi Kevin, for loft to point if your last profile is planar and you put the point in the same plane and then use the "Loose" loft mode, it should make a pretty nice rounded tip:







- Michael

For doing a loft like that with the point object in the same plane as the last profile, right now you'll need to select the profiles one by one in the proper order before doing the loft. If you do a window select and use the auto sorting mechanism it can get confused about the ordering of the point. I'll see about tuning up the auto sorter to work better for this case.

- Michael

That looks really nice, its been a real problem area for me in the past. I'm looking forward to giving it a go as well as your blend enhancements.

Michael nice beta!
Yep it will be good to have some sorting mechanism to star/finifh surfaces. Also that mechanism that I talked to you previously. To make inner loft. Just select some profiles to show direction and then select all to loft. If it possible..

kevjon,
>Here is a preliminary model I've created using your lofting technique. I only post to show that your time and effort in sharing the technique is appreciated by others.
I've used it on the fuselage, fin, rudder, tailplane and wings. It is giving far superior results than using the traditional two rail sweeps or network both of which tend to buckle and warp if you ask it to change shape to much.


Nice to see that you use my method and it helps you. Your model lookd very organic and I can see loft is the best tool for it.
Also love too see that my method works better then blend in your paticaular case :)
I have no Idea why but a lot of users underestimate LOFT.

@Andrei:I have no Idea why but a lot of users underestimate LOFT.

Maybe because is not so intuitive like you think
Many users prefer to draw contour lines to get an immediate feedback an preview how will be the shape,than draw sections,so Network is most obvious tool..simple to understand
Others,usually Cad users,use sweep that give more precision...or maybe not...
Could really depend by age :)
People used some methods for years have difficult to imagine to get a shape using SAMARDAC FREESTYLE LOFT ™
It require some kind of "elastic mind" to imagine before how will be the shape without contour lines
you know.."elasticity" decrease when age goes up ;)

anway:there are some cases you MUST use loft,this is an example i did in the past






M

Mauro,
Yep I agree with you.
But In many cases it is most intuitive then any other tools for example, you car. I think LOFT is the most intuitive way to build it.

I think developers of Rhino or Michael just do not promote this method (because it is not so precise) that is why people think it is not god. But a lot of people do not make 100% precise models. No need. And simple and fast method like LOFT would be great for them.


And - Loose, Exact, it is not on the first place in menu and it is need time to find it and to understand how it works. So it is not "in your face" like sweep or network.

As I can see people slowly start to use it and get good results, so I think it will take its place in MOI modelling.


Anyway great FIAT, I like it!!! (You looks like true patriot :D)
Especially that small tube on the roof)))) Looks like it can go under water)))

Mauro, great work, respect!

Thanks..that car really existed in 1958
it was a prototype designed by Pininfarina

""""""""""Others,usually Cad users,use sweep that give more precision...or maybe not...""""""""""""

While loft is a great tool, and used a lot, by many, including me, it is not doing what is stated in this post.

Although it IS making nice looking G1 surfaces, and there is nothing wrong with that, it is not making G2-3-4-5-6-7 etc blends.

I know he believes that he is, but it's just not the case. And G2 is actually wanted/needed by some, so the method has to change if that's what's desired.

The correct statement made is, "it looks good to me and works for me".... But, "Loft replaces Blend and watch me do G2, G3 etc." is incorrect and misleading to others here that are watching and learning.

So, it certainly is nice to see someone's workflow. I think we all enjoy that. But, there has to be some type of understanding.

BurrMan

>I know he believes that he is, but it's just not the case. And G2 is actually wanted/needed by some, so the method has to change if that's what's desired.
The correct statement made is, "it looks good to me and works for me".... But, "Loft replaces Blend and watch me do G2, G3 etc." is incorrect and misleading to others here that are watching and learning.


Left bottle connected with Loft, right with Blend.
As you can see no differences. The same thing I can made with G2,G3..

We can say more about Loft..let's jump back in past
Origin of all was Rhino
Rhino started as Autocad plug-in
It was required by Boat designers,they needed new tools in Acad to draw them
Main method was to draw sections of the hull and then Loft
We can say that Loft,maybe,was the tool that started all..and if we are here now,maybe is just thanks to it
In fact,first developer and creator of Rhino was Michael(yes..."our" Michael.. :) )
(please correct-me if i said wrong things)


We already discussed together about G2 here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/messages.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6063.1
no need to repeat same things ;)
Andrei you won your battle to export Moi out of CAD's borders
but It still remain a CAD software,so you must expect some serious users like Burr want to clarify some statements
Nobody is against you..it's the opposite...you have many appreciations from lot of users,you helped them to semplify Moi's learning curve
Sometime,if someone want to correct your workflow,is just to improve it,and teach correctly

The End

p.s.

Dear Andrei:when i did 500 Car i customized it with Moi's brand
the crew i imagined was Michael like pilot(..obvious..) and i needed also a co-pilot..but who??
No doubts my choice was Burr..who else?? :) :)

Mauro ,

> We can say that Loft,maybe,was the tool that started all..and if we are here now,maybe is just thanks to it

so do not forget you roots)))

MOI is Cad soft for CAD designer and 3D modeler for Artists.
If it is good for 3D artist why they can not use it? Just becouse it is "It still remain a CAD software"? Can not see any barriers :) Only barriers are in our heads.

>if someone want to correct your workflow,is just to improve it,and teach correctly
No problem he posted his opinion I answer to it. What is wrong? :)

>No doubts my choice was Burr..who else?? :) :)
May be you know him, I do not know, my opinion about him is based on posts he made...