Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Modeling a volcano
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[edit] Modeling a Volcano (Option No.2)
I think it's time to describe another method how to model a volcano. It's more or less the same idea as above, but it uses the proportional edit falloff tool instead of the sculpting window. I think you already know how to delete and add meshes, so I don't have to write too many shortcuts.
P.S. I don't speak English that well, so if anyone finds some misspellings feel free to edit or comment. ;)
[edit] First steps
First, delete the basic cube, and add a plane( Space Bar, Add, Mesh, Plane). Rotate it so you see it in top-view( Orthographic). Enter Edit-mode and subdivide (press [w], then select subdivide multi) it about 5 to 8 times.
More subdividing will give you a "smoother" volcano, but it also needs more CPU-Power.
[edit] Basic modeling
In top view, select one of the points in the middle of the plane. With this point selected change to side view. And now the fun starts. Hit [o] OKEY. (You should now see a small yellow dot in the Menu-Panel beneath the 3-D-Window.) This enables the proportional edit falloff tool. If you move a vertex while this is enabled all vertices in a radius will "follow" the moving of the vertex. And how they follow can be chosen in the tab on the right of the yellow dot. I propose using the "smooth falloff".
Now grab the vertex. You will now see a gray circle. You can change it's size with the mouse wheel. Every vertex inside this radius will be affected by the falloff. Change the size of the circle so almost the whole plane is in it.
Now move the vertex a bit upwards, as seen in the picture.
You will see that all the other vertices will follow. Press LMB to apply. Now grab the same vertex a second time and do the same as before, except that you choose a smaller radius for the circle.
Repeat this two or three more times and you will get something like this:
Now we're going to create the "hole" on the volcano. First change the falloff to "root falloff". Grab the vertex one more time, change the size of the circle so it's more or less as seen in the picture.
Grab this vertex down a bit, apply, grab it one more time with a smaller circle. You now should have something like this:
If you have such a jagged border like me, you should follow the following steps: First disable the fallout tool with [o]. Then select one vertex and grab it, then pull it up so it's on the same height as the other. Do this for every vertex so they're more or less on the same height.
You can also select the jagged vertices and the vertices around them then press space -> edit -> vertices -> smooth and this will get rid of some of the jagged edges.
Now exit Edit-mode. Add a Sub-Surf Modifier to the Mesh, set at level two.
Important: Do not apply yet, first do a test-render. If you like your volcano you may apply the modifier, but if you have such nasty edges like me, don't apply yet. We will correct this now.
[edit] Improving your volcano
First click on the marked button to disable the subsurf-modifier in Edit-mode.
Then enter Edit-mode. Then select the vertices on the top and pull one after another a little bit outwards, so they form a nice circle.
Once you have done this exit Edit-mode and press the "Set Smooth" Button in the Link and Materials Button. If you Render now again, it should look a lot better. (Don't worry about the color, I know it's not the same, but I think this isn't important for this part. ;) )
[edit] How to give your volcano some color
[Note: I'm not that good in coloring and texturing, so if there is anyone with a big knowledge about these things, your help would be welcome]
First lets add some "magma". To make it look as if there is magma in our volcano, add a lamp (spot). Place it in the crater and adjust the angle and the width so the crater hole is lighted. Choose a red color and adjust the energy so it's bright enough.
[Noob Note: Personally, I feel it looks much better if you use a Area light with an energy of about 10 and a gamma of two. An orange or red works quite well. Place it above the volcano, looking down on it. You should get an effect the looks something like a reddy-orange in the middle and yellowish towards the outside, if not, go to the lamp's Shader properties and adjust Dist until it seems suitable]
It should now look like this:
Now select the volcano and press F5. Then add a new material. Set the settings similar to this:
Now press F6, then add a new texture to the material. Choose a stucci texture, set the noise size to 0.15. Now switch back to the materials-window (F5) and click on the "map to" tab. Deselect the "col" button and select the "nor" button. This will render the texture as a bump-map on the volcano. Set the "nor slider" to 0.5. Switch to the "map input" tab and choose "tube". If you now render you should get something like this:
[Next part coming soon]
