Tutorial series: Sketching fundamentals
What you'll learn
Create a model that perfectly follows the definition of the sketches you create using Loft. By adding rails and adjusting the direction of planar faces, you can further tailor the shape of your design.
Transcript
00:00
Curve networks in Shapr are very easy to create. Let's try this out. Let's go to Top View. We go to Sketch and Ellipse. And from the origin, I draw an ellipse, 35, tap and enter by 20 millimeters and enter. And rotate our view and we exit the sketch.
00:29
I'll go to Transform, move and rotate, select my sketch, copy, and I move this up by 20 millimeters and enter. I'll select the first sketch one more time and go to Move and Copy, and move this up by 100 millimeters.
01:00
The radius for the top piece, I will set to 15 by 15. So I turn the ellipse into a circle and the one in the middle, I will make a little bit bigger by five millimeters along each radius. Now I have three profiles. When I select them, I can loft. So this is a lofted body. It perfectly follows
01:28
the definition of the three sketches we created. This body I will hide so we can use this as a reference, because now I would like to create the rail sketch. I made all three sketches visible again, go to front view, then make a new sketch. And when I rotate my view,
01:56
And you see the grid, how it's positioned in 3D space and how it cuts all three ellipses. And there I have these magenta points. These are the intersection points of this new sketch with the three previous sketches. So the order is very important. I make my lofted profiles and then I draw my rails. For this, I will use the spline curve with the Fit option.
02:25
from the first to the second to the last and escape. And then I will do the same on the other side and escape and exit the sketch. So now I have a complete curve network. I can select everything and create a lofted body. And when I rotate my view, you see actually from the front, how perfectly this lofted body follows these rails.
02:56
Let's hide this last body and show the first body. And there you can see what different this actually is. So based on what you need, now you can make it loft with normal profiles, or you add a rail if you want to have more control. What we can do now, for example, is I'll show all my sketches again. This is the top sketch. This is the center sketch. Exit.
03:25
And now I will move the sketch a little bit up and you see everything updates. So the curve network updates, the splines remain flowing through the sketches or ending on the sketches. So when I select the top sketch and exit it and move this further up, you see everything updates. I can even go ahead and rotate this a little bit.
03:57
When I select the rail, I would like to actually go into the sketch. I can even, because it's a fit point, play a little bit with the handles to change the flow of that spline. And then this updates my design instantly. What a beautiful shape, very easy to do. A nice example of what the curve network can do.
04:26
is actually the way how I designed this handle here for this hairdryer. Again, there you can see a top, a mid, and a bottom sketch and two rail curves. And based on how everything is positioned, I am then able to very nicely sculpt a beautiful flow for such a luxury hairdryer.
About the instructor
Claas Kuhnen is a German 3D designer known for his strong interdisciplinary
background in product, space, and animation design. He holds an undergraduate
degree in Color Design for Interior and Product Design from the University
of Applied Science and Art in Hildesheim, Germany. He further pursued
his education and obtained a Masters in Fine Arts in 3D Studio Art
with a focus on Jewelry Design and 3D Animation from Bowling Green
State University.
As a designer, Claas Kuhnen is particularly interested in design-informed
solutions and exploring the relationship between consumerism, products,
and their impact on society. He engages in a wide range of projects,
including furniture design, interior and exhibit design, consumer
product design, and medical product design.
In his research and studio practice, Claas Kuhnen delves into the
application of a modern multi-application and interdisciplinary workflow.
His areas of investigation encompass parametric, generative, and
subdivision surface modeling, as well as AR (Augmented Reality),
VR (Virtual Reality), photogrammetry, and AI-powered tools. He collaborates
with various national and international universities and companies
on research and design projects, contributing his expertise and exploring
innovative approaches.
Claas Kuhnen's design projects span diverse domains. For instance,
he has designed exhibit artifacts for The Henry Ford Museum, developed
medical devices for the Department of Pharmacy Practice, and undertaken
interior design projects that serve the community. His work showcases
a keen understanding of the intersections between design, technology,
and societal impact.
In addition to his design practice, Claas Kuhnen is actively involved
in teaching and sharing his knowledge with students. His classroom
experience is strongly influenced by his diverse research background,
providing students with a modern, interdisciplinary, and competitive
education.
Furthermore, Claas Kuhnen's work and techniques have been featured
in exhibitions such as Autodesk University, SIGGRAPH, SOFA, and SNAG.
He actively engages in educational collaboration efforts with both
national and international universities and serves as a Matter Expert
for leading design software companies, contributing to the advancement
of design tools and methodologies.