Ellipsoid Shell...

[Chris Grantham]

Does anyone know if there is an ellipsoid shell anywhere, or if I can somehow manipulate the shells that come with the program? I am trying to create a curved stone archway on top of a curved stone garden wall. I was thinking I would just use the arch opening in the wall and then SEO the top to get the arch. I cannot seem to get the desired effect though. Currently I am using a portion of a basic shell that has been rotated as my SEO operator, but as you will notice the top part of the arch does not match the angle of the door opening. I may be splitting hairs here, and if I am please tell me. I would like to know if there is a more precise way of approaching this problem. Thanks in advance!

-Chris

[Anonymous]

You could make a complex profile wall in the form and orientation
of an ellipsoid roof and use it as an operator.
Peter Devlin

[Ralph Wessel]

Chris wrote:
I am trying to create a curved stone archway on top of a curved stone garden wall.[...] I would like to know if there is a more precise way of approaching this problem.

Take a look at OBJECTiVE: http://www.encina.co.uk/objective.html
It provides tools to bend profiles to more than one curve, so you can bend a shape to the archway and the curve of the wall. Referring to the attached image, the archway to the left can be formed by:

• 1. Draw the shape of the arch profile (optional - there are existing shapes you can use)
  2. Place the object across the opening and use the Bend tool to shape it to the curve of the wall.
  3. View the wall in elevation, and use the Bend tool again to shape the curve of the archway.

The first demo video on the product page includes a live demo of this exercise.