Drawing curves on a surface

[visualmusic.4]

Hi all -

 

I have a pretty complex shape (a very curvy wall). The client would like a really chaotic wavy wood design on this wall...

 

Is there any way in Max to draw curves that automatically snap to a target shape (not just the restricted grid and snap settings options)? Ultimately, I would like to be able to draw lots of random curves on this wall shape and then transform, duplicate them and then just make them renderable splines to simulate that random wood pattern they are after...

 

I'd just use a material, but I need to generate accurate shadows and embed lights in various sections of the wood.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

Ed

[maryam]

I am not sure if i know what are you looking for but when it comes to curve drawings in 3dsmax,i would say power nurbs.easy & super functional.

can we see a sketch or sample?it might help.

[alias_marks]

not sure if this is exactly what your looking for but I think it might help quite a bit. I use it all the time - http://www.itoosoft.com/english/menu.php?id=glue

[visualmusic.4]

thanks for your responses!

 

the glue plug-in will definitely be handy and i'm also looking into max power nurbs.

 

i'm surprised that there's not a simple function in max that allows you to choose an object and then just start drawing on the surface freely like you can do in maya with the "make live" option.

 

maybe this should be in the next 3ds max wishlist?

[chiquito]

I guess curve project in nurbs should do the trick.

If I recall correctly, the procedure is something like this:

1)convert your surface to nurbs (either this or copy and convert copied surface to nurbs to achieve results).

2)draw you line, curve or whatever, convert to nurbs

3) attach line to first surface (nurbs)

4) apply project curve in nurbs creation

you basically project a curve over your curved surface, you do this on any orthogonal view, as you change your curve, it updates on the surface. you can detach it latter to have it like a separate curve etc.

Check in max help files, nurbs, curve project, I might be remembering something wrong or mistaken, but its around here.

good luck

and merry Christmas!!

Martin