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Topic: How to model stone

Hi, I am moving along working mostly with Sketch UP and a little (and I stress a little Blender) and am at the point of wanting to know the best way to model stone work.  I have heard where people will load a HD image of stone work into their software as a reference and then basically they draw the mortar joints for example based off of that reference.  What I do not know how to do is extrude the stone work in a random type of shape upwards or outwards to give that 3D stone appearance which can be printed.

Can someone point me in the right direction please?
Thanks
JSM

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Re: How to model stone

If you want a stone look and texture, there is a filament called LayBrick.
Howwever, a cheaper and less problematic approach is to print it in any preferred filament, probably best at a higher resolution, then pick up some Rustoleum. They make a paint in a spray can that resembles stone.

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Re: How to model stone

Thanks for the information, but no, what I need is to model stone work.  I need to create a 3D stone work fence (scaled down of course) and be able to print it.  I could have just as easily built a rectangular cube shape as a fence representation, but that's just flat.  I need to model stone work.
JSM

4 (edited by Tomek 2014-07-29 21:22:06)

Re: How to model stone

jigsawman wrote:

Thanks for the information, but no, what I need is to model stone work.  I need to create a 3D stone work fence (scaled down of course) and be able to print it.  I could have just as easily built a rectangular cube shape as a fence representation, but that's just flat.  I need to model stone work.
JSM

Most commercial modeling programs have "textures" that do not offer actually real effects. It will give you the look of stone, but not actually have those qualities in the STL file.

Sounds like you're stuck making it yourself. Seems like you need to make the basic block, and then use some form of "geometric pattern" tools to repeat the pattern. It will look slightly stiff, since real stonework isn't perfectly uniform.


But if you really want the true modeled stone look, as it sounds you do, then it will require use of blender most likely. Sketchup is a geometric modeling program and not as well suited for the sculpting sort of operations that blender is better at.  autodesk meshmixer would also be decent at this, though I've never gotten the hang of it.

5 (edited by Serin 2014-07-30 03:25:32)

Re: How to model stone

Search thingiverse for rock surfaces.
There are a few RGP objects out there with surfaces like that which you need.
You could just pull one face from one of those and work from there.

Example: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2630/#files

This is a crowd funding thing that I'm running: http://www.gofundme.com/bvi140 It's for pretty selfish reasons tongue

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Re: How to model stone

Is there any stonework around you that is similar to what you want?  You could use a camera and 123D catch to scan it, and use the mesh as a starting point.

7 (edited by adrian 2014-07-30 13:00:16)

Re: How to model stone

What you need here is "Bump Mapping" - its a feature of Blender and most other 'real' 3D modellers that include some form of rendering.... Its how you add 'texture' to a 'texture' by fudging the objects 'normals' wink

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_mapping

Sketchup doesn't really do bump mapping... it requires 3rd-party rendering tools such as VRay (there is a freebie version or trial from memory... )  http://www.vray.com/vray_for_sketchup/m … maps.shtml

8 (edited by pirvan 2014-08-03 17:32:08)

Re: How to model stone

As far as I know bump mapping doesn't really change the surface mesh, it only simulates surface imperfections during rendering, but leaves the actual geometry unchanged.

A while back I needed to make some cobblestone surface, and I used Solidworks to make a grid of stones, then used MeshLab to transform the stones into something more organic.

Here is the same technique applied to a set of bricks.  You can use any program to create the basic brick set, export it as an STL or OBJ, then use MeshLab to do the transformations to the mesh

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=5874

I'm including the STLs, but you should probably do your own.

Sorry, I couldn't upload the last file, it's too big for the server (7.49MB).

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bricks- HC Laplacian Smooth.stl 2.26 mb, 3 downloads since 2014-08-03 

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Re: How to model stone

one aproach is to make it by hand, one by one.... i was just ask to do this piece at work, is an ipad holder, the rock detail took about 20 min. each

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Re: How to model stone

tomasla wrote:

one aproach is to make it by hand, one by one.... i was just ask to do this piece at work, is an ipad holder, the rock detail took about 20 min. each


What program? Not all can do that kind of work. I'm just curious. Thanks

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Re: How to model stone

Tomek wrote:
tomasla wrote:

one aproach is to make it by hand, one by one.... i was just ask to do this piece at work, is an ipad holder, the rock detail took about 20 min. each


What program? Not all can do that kind of work. I'm just curious. Thanks


zbrush, ...also can be done in maya, abit harder but doable..
cheers!