Where to learn basic 3D modelling?

[Anonymous]

Hi

I have been using ArchiCAD 18 for approximately one year. I am a CAD technician for a manufacturing company. The manufacturing drawings I produce are mostly for relatively basic building components such as heads, cills, copings etc. Until now I have always drawn simple 2D representations of the components showing an elevation, plan and section. However, some clients occasionally request more complex components that I would like to be able to produce 3D models of.

What is the best source of information for learning how this is done? I really only need the basics, just to be able to draw simple 3D objects and rotate around them. The YouTube tutorials I have found seem overly complex for my needs.

Thank you for any advice.

[Anonymous]

Hi, One option (not the only one), (Assuming you are going to use Archicad to model everything) will be the youtube channel of archicad of the morph tool.

And depending on what are you going to model you could use the constructions elements (wall, slab, roof, shell, beam, etc.) to model most of the thing, they are very flexible. Something that could help you with this is also the complex profiles. To learn a little bit more on complex profile check Shoegnome Archicad Tips in Youtube #3, #4, #33.

PD: you can always convert the construction elements into morph if you want to rotate them. The Shell can be rotated in any axis.

[Anonymous]

I have done a few things in Archicad, like this furniture, everything here was modeled with constructions elements (walls, columns, beams, slabs), and complex profiles.

Probably you've been there already, but in this link you'll find usefull videos of 3d modeling with construction elements.
http://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/videos/archicad/3d-modeling/

[Anonymous]

arqrivas wrote:
I have done a few things in Archicad, like this furniture, everything here was modeled with constructions elements (walls, columns, beams, slabs), and complex profiles.

Probably you've been there already, but in this link you'll find usefull videos of 3d modeling with construction elements.
http://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/videos/archicad/3d-modeling/

Thank you very much for your help. The Morph tool seems to be sufficient for my needs having just had a quick mess around with it.

Could you possibly answer the following queries:

1. When I draw a component there seems that the top few mm of it are a darker colour despite the same render/shading being used. How can I get rid of this?

2. How would I take text and imprint it into a slab to give the effect of a carved name plaque?

3. How can I remove an area of an item? For example, say I have a 1000mm x 1000mm x 1000mm cube and I wish to take a semi-circular strip of 1000mm x 100mm x 50mm out of the bottom face. I have tried drawing the strip and then positioning it into the bottom face rendered as 'air space' but this didn't seem to work.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

ok, for these specific questions:

1- I would like to see a screenshot to see what you mean.

2- There is a 3d text object in the archicad library, you can use this and subtract from the object to be carved using the Solid element operations.

3- Try making a new air space material (duplicate the existing one) but rising up the material Intersection priority to the max. (this could also work for the question #2, converting the text to morph first).

If the Air Space doesn't work, then you'll need to use Solid Element Operations in 2 & 3.

[Anonymous]

OK, I just did a Quick test.

My results: The Air space trick doesn't work complete, but, in this case
the main object is a morph, the cylinder is also a morph, and the text is the 3d text object (no need to convert to morph, can be rotated in any axis). I put the air material to the cylinder and air surface to the text, and use the subtract option in the solid element operation. (using the air material I don't need to hide the operators). Even I did this with morph this should work with any other construction element.

[Anonymous]

arqrivas wrote:
OK, I just did a Quick test.

My results: The Air space trick doesn't work complete, but, in this case
the main object is a morph, the cylinder is also a morph, and the text is the 3d text object (no need to convert to morph, can be rotated in any axis). I put the air material to the cylinder and air surface to the text, and use the subtract option in the solid element operation. (using the air material I don't need to hide the operators). Even I did this with morph this should work with any other construction element.

Thank you very much, all your advice has been extremely helpful.

I am still having some trouble with the imprints/cut-outs.

When I insert the cylinder to the target piece it does remove that volume of material but I cannot see the inside surface of the removed area. The cut-out makes the grey slab appear wafer thin but it is actually 10mm deep as the front vertical surface shows. See attached image file to illustrate what I am trying to describe.

Any ideas where I am going wrong?

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Hi!
In the Solid Element Operation Dialog Make sure you have the option Use own attributes on, and not the other one.

[Anonymous]

arqrivas wrote:
Hi!
In the Solid Element Operation Dialog Make sure you have the option Use own attributes on, and not the other one.

Thank you again. That worked perfectly.