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The Under-Appreciated Bevel Tool (c4d or blender)


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One thing I've not used a lot in the past but has me currently fascinated is using the bevel tool's custom options - particularly the profile. The bevel tool is muscular 💪 --so many uses and options. I've been neglectful in exploring its riches.

 

(Excuse my nerdgasm.)

 

The profile effects can be achieved with c4d or with Blender (and quite likely other DCCs)

 

Consider the following shape with a single loop selection:

image.thumb.jpeg.86d9ca1b0e026ba8bdfc04a210679103.jpeg

 

Depending on bevel settings one can instantly achieve any of the following (and much more, I'm sure)

 

 

Familiar sharpening is where I'm usually bevelling...

2022-05-05_20-23-51.thumb.jpg.bc361c353ce03ef28283f80c9b73975b.jpg

 

But there's a lot more there...

 

2022-05-05_20-27-09.thumb.jpg.d7d3a65873aa460ca0d3ba3044ad2263.jpg

 

2022-05-05_20-19-16.thumb.jpg.63b845a2e349b35cf88dd7520b778fc1.jpg

 

2022-05-05_20-13-52.thumb.jpg.b2b982c0f738cff29654a892122a446a.jpg

 

image.thumb.jpeg.a63c2cda3ced775501ec305297bff417.jpeg

 

 

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1 hour ago, Igor said:

I think Modo wins here actually. With Modo you have a lot of options to pick from in terms of profiles. 

Curious to learn more about "a lot of options".

 

Both c4d and Blender provide highly customizable profile options. Because I strive for honesty over shallow and deceitful partisanship, I concede that c4d provides the option for both a profile, and also a spline. Blender features the profile option only. 

 

Perhaps Modo adds some complementary controls on a different axis? Can't quite get my head around what additional options would look like.

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Guest Igor

Ok, you are right, I totally forgot C4D has those profiles too. And now I dont have Modo anymore to retest, but I know I was impressed when I first tried it few weeks ago.

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2 minutes ago, Igor said:

Ok, you are right, I totally forgot C4D has those profiles too. And now I dont have Modo anymore to retest, but I know I was impressed when I first tried it few weeks ago.

 

Modo is the modeler's delight... If it can hold on and survive. Worried about its future. 

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4 hours ago, Icecaveman said:

Blender features the profile option only. 

 

Curve objects also offer the profile option in Blender.

 

10 hours ago, Icecaveman said:

One thing I've not used a lot in the past but has me currently fascinated is using the bevel tool's custom options - particularly the profile. The bevel tool is muscular 💪 --so many uses and options. I've been neglectful in exploring its riches.

 

Absolutely agree!

 

4 hours ago, Icecaveman said:

Modo is the modeler's delight... If it can hold on and survive. Worried about its future. 

 

Performance (or rather the lack of it) is currently its main challenge. It's at a state that it is actually driving users away to switch to other DCCs. Scenes that are no problem at all in other DCCs lock up Modo and take ages to load.

 

It is do-or-die for Modo now: fix these issues or become a footnote in DCC history.

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Are the bevel tools under-appreciated ? I certainly appreciate the Cinema ones !!

That's the trouble with nice tools that do everything we want though - when they work perfectly we never mention them, yet if something about them is wrong, then we bang on about it endlessly ! 😉

 

CBR

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28 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

Are the bevel tools under-appreciated ? I certainly appreciate the Cinema ones !!

That's the trouble with nice tools that do everything we want though - when they work perfectly we never mention them, yet if something about them is wrong, then we bang on about it endlessly ! 😉

 

CBR

perfectly working tools are the desired state  🙂 and accordingly there is nothing to complain about. but you're right. it would be nice if we more often highlight the things that work well.

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8 hours ago, hvanderwegen said:

 

Curve objects also offer the profile option in Blender.

 

 

 

I don't see that option exposed for the bevel tool or the bevel modifier. Is that via add-on?

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1 hour ago, Icecaveman said:

 

I don't see that option exposed for the bevel tool or the bevel modifier. Is that via add-on?

 

No, as I said: curve profiles only work for curves. Any curve object in Blender may be extruded and/or beveled and/or tapered with the built-in curve parameters.

 

I failed to mention that no modifiers are required in this case 🙂

It's actually very flexible. The newer Blender versions also add a nice "Add curve as bevel" option in the Add Curve menu (which I only noticed today 😉 ).

 

Ensure to activate all the extra curve object addons, because it allows for a plethora of different curve object possibilities.

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  • 3 weeks later...

True, I haven't delved into the power of the Bevel tool either. The most immediate use for advanced functions I can see is making piping or seams on furniture upholstery. I always used the bevel tool in Max for this, but coming to C4D it wasn't immediately apparent I could do it with the same tool, so I've been using a different technique. I will use it the next time I'm modeling furniture.

 

Thanks for the heads-up and primer info, @Icecaveman!

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Interesting points and insights.   I’ve never really explored beveling with custom profiles due to the heavy polygon count that can be created and the potential for corruption when beveling a custom profile along acute interior angles.  
 

I would love to see how UV’s look on the last example Icecaveman provided.

 

Nevertheless,  what is the better approach:  bevel with custom profiles or model with edge loops and apply SDS?   I am thinking the latter as it is easier to UV map but would like to hear other opinions.

 

Dave

Sorry...but I simply do not have enough faith to be an atheist.

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