Shade 12. Sketch Modeler
From ShadeCamp
Sketch Modeler
Sketch Modeler Overview
Sketch Modeler is a plug-in for Shade that allows you to use 2D illustrations as a template for generate 3D models. You can transform a picture of a face using line shapes such as eyes, eyebrows and the mouth and a central line to link them together, such as a nose. Adding additional lines increases the detail.
Sketch Modeler creates models with faces generated by connecting vertexes of line shapes, built up line by line.
Sketch Modeler Basics
Starting Sketch Modeler
From the Tools Menu, select Tools > Create > Sketch Modeler.
Sketch Modeler – Part window opens. This is referred to as a Part window since the model you generate will be saved as a standard Shade Part in Shade Browser.
Loading Images into Sketch Modeler
From the Basic Settings Tab, go to the Image List and click the Open button. Select an image. The image is displayed in the Preview area.
Illustrations which display objects at a maximum of 45 degrees are best in Sketch Modeler.
Align Your Images
To get the best results, adjust a loaded image to display the subject in the center of the viewing area. You can pan, zoom, rotate and reset the image. To adjust the loaded image, select the tool and drag on the icon.
(pan, zoom, rotate, reset)
Adjust Transparency
You can interactively adjust transparency of your template image. This is useful as for working with very dark colors. To adjust transparency, go to the Modeling Tab and move the Transparency slider.
Adding Lines
After any final adjustments to the image, switch over to the Modeling Tab to place lines.
The pline tool is selected when Sketch Modeler is started.
Using the pline tool, each time you click in the preview area, a vertex appears. When you finish placing a complete line, click the Confirm button. You can also confirm by double-clicking the left mouse button or using the Enter key.
How to Create Symmetrical Lines
Create lines that are always symmetrical. The two lines you want to create need to have the same number of vertex and be inverted with reference to the center. The direction of a line can be assigned by the order in which you create the vertex.
How to Draw a Center Line
All lines that are not symmetrical become central lines. A central line is used to create an object that occurs sing ularly and establishes a center, such as a nose on a face. When there is a line that has a similar number of vertex or there are many lines, the line may not be accurately recognized as a central line by Shade. In that case, fix it as a central line by clicking the Confirm Center button.
Generate 3D Parts
After you finish placing 2D lines, you can generate 3D geometry from them by selecting the Generate 3D button. If successful, 2D lines change color and are displayed as 3D lines. Xyz-axis and grids appear in preview area.
Confirm Preview
Use pan, zoom, rotate and/or reset tools at upper right corner in preview area to confirm that your points and lines are all correct.
Adjust Perspective with Undo and Perspective Tool
The Perspective tool is very useful in previewing your generated 3D model, but it is only available after you generate your 3D geometry. Use the Undo button, to go back before you generated 3D geometry. Then modify the Focal length (for example, from 50 to 100) , and then hit the ReDo button.
Save to Shade
When you click the Save to Shade button, information is stored as attribute of a newly created part or a selected part. 3D lines are stored in Parts named [right], [left], and [center] depending on their positions. In the example below, the information is stored as normal Shade open lines.
When you save information with Save to Shade, the information is saved even if you close the Sketch Modeler window. To reopen the Sketch Modeler object, select the object in Shade Browser, and then from the Control Bar, select Show/Hide Sketch Modeler. You can resume your work where you left off.
Building Up Geometry with 3D Faces
With the Face tool selected, click three vertexes. These vertexes do not need to be on the same line. When you Save to Shade, this will generate a polygon mesh object.
(Result from placing faces in Sketch Modeler)
Increasing Detail in Sketch Modeler
Use the following editing technique to create more detailed 3D by editing 3D.
Add More 2D Lines
Create 3D in detail by repeating operations that add 2D lines to a generated 3D after generating 3D and then generate 3D again. Placing 2D lines after rotating your 3D lines generates more realistic 3D shapes.
Fine Tune Using Undo
If the 3D geometry is not what you intended, use the Undo button to adjust placement of 2D vertexes and then use the Generate 3D button again.
Edit within Shade Modeler
If you cannot get the output you desire, you can make edits within Shade. For example, there could be a situation of subtle misalignment when the perspective was not set up correctly. To edit within Shade, use Save to Shade, select and edit with Shade’s modeling tools, then use the Import from Shade.
Troubleshooting Jaw Lines
It is not easy to generate 3D geometry of jaw lines because of how they are displayed within an image.
Details of cheek and jaw alignment are not always visible in an illustration or photo. You need to place lines according to your own estimation of distance from other portions of the face, such as the eyes and nose.
Sketch Modeler Reference
A reference of all interface elements of Sketch Modeler.
Basic Settings Tab
Controls and options found on the Sketch Modeler Basic Settings Tab.
Image List Group This list allows you to manage images used for generating 3D information. Open, Save and Delete images. Images that have associated Camera information display with a * next to them.
Output Options Group
This sets the size of objects that are saved to Shade using Save to Shade. The size is based on the bounding box that contains the whole object.
Other Group
This shows the average distance between vertex of 3D line generated with Generate 3D and vertexes of 2D lines. The smaller the number, the errors will be generated.
Auto Update Checkbox
When Auto Update is selected, information is automatically saved in custom attribute of part in Shade whenever you finish creating a 2D line or generate 3D.
Save to Shade
This button saves information in custom attribute of part to Shade.
Load from Shade
This button loads information from custom attribute of part in Shade into the Sketch Modeler editor.
Modeling Tab
Image List
This displays rough sketch. This is a list of images you can use as templates. Click the Snapshot button to save the current preview as a Master Surface.
Create / Modify Group
Line Button
Use the Line button to create 2D line objects or to select 2D lines, 3D lines or 3D faces. Click-Shift to select multiple lines. Select and drag to move 2D lines.
The Line Thickness option is available when Line Button is selected.
Point Button
Use the Point button to click to select vertexes. Click-Shift to select more than one vertex. Select and drag vertexes to move.
The Line Thickness option is available when Point Button is selected.
Select All Button
Select all 2D lines, 3D lines and 3D faces in the preview area.
Undo Button
Undo up to 100 processes.
Redo Button
This button re-implements a process that was previously undone with the Undo Button.
P-line Button
Click in preview area to place vertexes for a new 2d line. Press Enter, double-click or click the Confirm Button to complete the placement.
Spline Button
The Spline Button gives access to the Spline Settings options, which allows you to increase the number of points in a 2D line, creating a 2D line with smooth curves.
Enter the number of vertexes you change in the Division Box and click the Confirm Button to change.
(Division Box Options: Change from 4 to 12)
Add Point Button
Click on a 2D line to add vertexes.
Delete Point Button
Click to delete vertexes from a 2D line.
Delete Button
This button deletes selected 2D lines, 3D lines and 3D faces.
Reverse Vertex Order Button
This button reverses the order of vertexes of a selected 2D line.
Snap Button
You can snap placement of 2D lines, movement of 2D and 3D lines and creation of 3D faces and moving of 2D and 3D lines.
Symmetry Button
When this option is selected, it applies symmetry rules to the placement of 3D lines when you use the Generate 3D button.
Axis Button
Displays XYZ axis and XZ plane after generating 3D within a grid reference. Set the color of the XYZ axis in Shade Preferences.
Info Button
When selecting a 2D line, displays the number of vertexes.
Face Button
Creates triangular 3D faces by clicking three vertexes on a 3D line. The Create Face Option is displayed in this mode.
Auto Recognize Center Line Checkbox
This option is only available after generating 3D lines. When selected, a placed 2D line is treated as the center line using an internal recognition system. When it is off, it does not automatically recognize a central line.
Auto recognize follows specific rules
If there are only two 2D lines with the same number of vertexes, Sketch Modeler treats them as symmetrical lines when the Generate 3D button is pushed. If there is only one 2D line, it becomes a central line when you use the Generate 3D button. You should use this feature when automatic recognition doesn’t correctly identify the 2D line you want to use as the center line. Misrecognition can happen when there are many 2D lines, or there are several 2D lines with the same number of vertexes placed close together.
Confirm Button
Click this button to confirm 2D lines created with Pline or divisions created with the Spline Button. Generate 3D Button From placed 2D lines, generates 3D lines which are displayed in the Preview area. Since Sketch Modeler has minimum requirements for numbers of vertexes and line types, Sketch Modeler generates an error message.
Set Center Line Button
This option only works if you have already generated 3D at least once. Select a 2D line in the Preview area and then click this button to set it as the center line.
Focal Length Options
This sets up vertical field of view that is used in the 3D view. When focal length is set low, the field of view widens. This is used to adjust distortion in 3D generation.
Transparency Options
This adjusts transparency of a loaded image. At 1.0, the loaded image is completely transparent.
Line Thickness Group
This option group is displayed when Line, Point, P-Line or Add Point are active. This sets the thickness of lines on a scale of one to four when you draw 2D lines and 3D lines.
Create Face Group
This is displayed when Face is active in the Create/Modify Group. The Transparency Slider sets the transparency of faces with 1.0 being completely transparent.
View Group
Change the appearance of the Preview area by directly dragging icons. Pan Button This scrolls the preview area up, down, right and left. Also works by using Arrow keys, or Space+Drag to do the same operation. Zoom Button This Zooms the preview area. Also you can rotate using the mouse wheel or Shift+Arrow. Rotate Image Button This button rotates a loaded image. Rotate Object Button Rotates 3D lines in the preview area. Reset Button This button resets Pan, Zoom and Rotate operations in preview area and returns to the default position.
