Add sharp corners on the outside of a panel

[Gerard van den Brul]

Today I wanted to give a front panel a bit more outside detail, grabbed a coffee and thought it would be a walk in the park. Unfortunately I am having a hard time adding top and bottom corners on a panel which is slightly curved and unforgiving. 

I highlighted the vertices / corners I want to make sharp.

For now the piece is planer, with a bevel, solidify and SubD modifier.

Things I tried so far:

Add a bevel after applying solidify. (Creates pinching)
Added the vertices by hand and ran edge loops. (Creates shading issues) and uneven edges
Created triangles holding 3 vertices at the edge.
Bevel modifier.
Edge creasing.

What would be the correct flow to model this panel?
Second question, (asked before, I know) is there a way to even out added edges/vertices on a curved surface? I tried loop tools “relax” and “even” but that does not let the vertices follow the same path / curvature. Or tools / techniques that make this process simpler. (Looptools and smooth vertices was a tip from Jonathan during one of his topology course chapters)

[Martin Bergwerf]

HI Gerard,

The simplest way, would be to use Vertex Creasing:

But you can also use ‘holding Edges’, maybe something like this:

Be aware of the 5-Pole this creates; make sure it’s on a flat part of the Mesh, or see if you can remove the Vertex (picture-) left of it.

[Martin Bergwerf]

Oh, about that other question; I usually use Loop Tools > Space for that.

[Omar Domenech]

There’s also cheating involved. Because of the very nature of SubD modeling, pinching is bound to happen no matter watch. Sometimes you just leave it be, because even in the real world there is pinching in such shapes, but other times you use a data transfer modifier. You can see JL getting around uncomfortabvle geomtery in this video starting at 26:20

https://cgcookie.com/lessons/modeling-the-pot

[Gerard van den Brul]

Hi Martin, I did not mention it but I also tried vertex creasing. It felt like a hackey way to accomplish the corners. I fiddled again with the holding edge approach and get the result but with minor pinching / deformation. As you mentioned, the vertex crease in this case is the quickest and simplest one. I think it renders the best result. 

Omar, I will follow the pothead course, it’s in my library. I guess I have to cheat a bit more instead of going for perfection.

Holding Edge approach

Vertex crease approach

Omar, Martin, thanks for sharing your wisdom with me.

[Martin Bergwerf]

You can always, this can help with complicated shapes, model the Mesh flat, then Shrinkwrap it to a curved ‘helper’ Surface (with a high Subdiv Level):

This usuall helps with the pinching. If necessary, you can, in addition, also use a Data Transfer Modifier as Jonathan Lampel uses in the Pothead Course, as mentioned by Omar.

[Gerard van den Brul]

Hi Martin,

Thank you for the suggestion. It also crossed my mind as an option because i once applied the CGCookie logo onto a coffee cup during one of the courses.

For now I will leave this panel for what it is and revisit the panel in a later detailing stage.
Good to know there are a ton of options the achieve the result.

Thanks!

[Martin Bergwerf]

Did I already mention that cars are really hard to model in CG, Gerard? But also very rewarding.

Here’s me, showing off (this hood took me ‘forever’):

[Gerard van den Brul]

Yes, you already mentioned it. What you are showing off would by the result I am aiming for. (Eventually)

Looking very nice!

[Omar Domenech]

Maybe this is Martin’s real car. I wanna say it’s an Aston Martin, so it’s in the name and all. 

[Author]

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