Squeaky Clean Topology in Blender : Create Accurate Deformations and Optimized Geometry for Characters and Hard Surface Models / Michael Steppig.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Steppig, Michael, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Blender (Computer file).

Computer graphics.

Three-dimensional display systems.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (248 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Distribution:

London : Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), 2025.

Place of Publication:

Birmingham, UK : Packt Publishing, 2022.

System Details:

text file rdaft

Summary:

A comprehensive introduction to 3D modeling, from the fundamental ideas of topology to in-depth examples that will help you take your projects to the next level Key Features Overcome complex topology problems while working through projects Learn to topologize quad-based and non-quad-based meshes with step-by-step examples Optimize your models by reducing the triangle count to improve performance Book Description This book is an introduction to modeling and an in-depth look at topology in Blender, written by a Blender topology specialist with years of experience with the software. As you progress through its chapters, you'll conquer the basics of quad-based topology using triangles and Ngons, and learn best practices and things to avoid while modeling and retopologizing. The pages are full of illustrations and examples with in-depth explanations that showcase each step in an easy-to-follow format. Squeaky Clean Topology in Blender starts by introducing you to the user interface and navigation. It then goes through an overview of the modeling techniques and hotkeys that will be necessary to understand the examples. With the modeling basics out of the way, the next stop on our journey is topology. Working through projects like a character and a sci-fi blaster, the book will illustrate and work through complex topology problems, and present solutions to those problems. These examples focus on deforming character models, non-deforming hard surface models, and optimizing these models by reducing the triangle count. By the end of this book, you will be able to identify the general flow of a shape's topology, identify and solve issues in your topology, and come out with a model ready for UV unwrapping, materials, and rigging. What you will learn Identify the general flow of a model's topology, and what might cause issues Understand the topology of a character, and the joints that they make up Handle non-quad based topology Lay out your meshes for UV seams Explore and use hotkeys to get things done faster Optimize models for a reduced triangle count Who this book is for This book is for character modelers, sculptors, poly modelers, and hard surface modelers. Whether you're looking for an introduction to modeling, optimizing high poly or sculpted models, or just a deeper dive into the subject of topology, this book will walk you through the topology workflow from beginning to end.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright and Credits

Dedication

Contributors

Table of Contents

Preface

Part 1 - Getting Started with Modeling and Topology

Chapter 1: Navigating and Modeling in Blender

Technical requirements

Making sense of the Blender UI

Navigating using the viewport

What a 3D mesh is and how it can be manipulated

Adding more vertices to enhance a mesh's geometry

Manipulating a mesh using modifiers

The Mirror modifier

The Subdivision Surface modifier

The Shrinkwrap modifier

Summary

Chapter 2: The Fundamentals of Topology

Understanding good topology using grids

Understanding the three rules of topology

Rule 1 - an edge loop must terminate into the void or into itself

Rule 2 - loops must not intersect themselves

Rule 3 - loops must not spiral down a mesh

How should grids intersect?

Identifying grids on a complex shape

Chapter 3: Deforming Topology

Applying the bending and stretching deformation rule

Identifying poor topology on a cylinder

Fixing the topology on an elbow joint

Applying the twisting deformation rule

Applying the twisting rule to shoulder deformations

Applying the intersecting grids deformation rule

Applying the intersecting grids rule to hip deformations

Topology for cloth simulations

Chapter 4: Improving Topology Using UV Maps

What is a UV map?

Applying a texture

Shading modes

Manipulating the UV map

Ensuring clean topology for clean UV maps

Unwrapping the mesh

Improving unwraps

Part 2 - Using Topology to Create Appropriate Models

Chapter 5: Topology on a Humanoid Head

Introduction to retopology

Revising topology checks and rules

How to use snapping

Retopology of the face

Defining loops

Joining the edges

Joining the sections.

Retopology of the ear

Retopology of the back of the head

Chapter 6: Topology on a Humanoid Body

How to retopologize hands

How to retopologize shoulders

How to retopologize hips

Connecting the body parts together

Chapter 7: Topology on a Hard Surface

Normals on a hard surface

Auto Smooth

Mark Sharp

Retopology of the grip of a blaster

Retopology of the front shielding

Retopology of the front grip

Retopology of the barrel

Retopology of the main body of the blaster

Chapter 8: Optimizing Geometry for a Reduced Triangle Count

Why we optimize topology

Optimizing hard-surface meshes

Optimizing deforming meshes

Index

About Packt

Other Books You May Enjoy.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

9781803233420

1803233427

OCLC:

1356267289