SEPTEMBER 17, 2004
Tips & Tricks: Modify complex models with N-Gons
One of the exciting new features in C4D R9 is N-Gons. Everyone seems to want them—but what are they?
Clicking any of the tutorial images links opens the image in a new window. Move through the tutorial images in that window while reading the main text.
Maybe you know this problem: You want to modify, for example, an imported 3DS, DXF or OBJ model in Cinema 4D. It comes in triangulated. Making any modifications or adding new geometry means a lot of work and is sometimes nearly impossible.
Now Cinema 4D R9 solves this problem with N-Gons.
In the following example we would like to show you how easily you can modify the hood of an triangulated car model.
Figure 1. [Click to enlarge]
First we enable LIVE SELECTION (1) in the top menu bar, then POLYGON TOOL (2) and at last DEFAULT MODE (3). Then select the polygons as shown in figure 1 (red surface).
Figure 2. [Click to enlarge]
Delete the selected polygons.
Figure 3. [Click to enlarge]
To close the polygon hole we open the Command Display with a click on ‘V’ on the keyboard. Then select STRUCTURE and CLOSE POLYGON HOLE in the menu. If you don’t want to work with the Command Display you can also make the selection with a right mouse click.
Figure 4. [Click to enlarge]
Select one edge of the polygon hole. The selected area appears in yellow. One click with the mouse closes the polygon hole. As you can see in the following screenshot, a new polygon with 20 points is created. This is called an N-Gon.
Figure 5. [Click to enlarge]
Place the model into a HYPERNURBS OBJECT and render it. The result is a modelled hood with clear transitions between the basic model and the new N-Gon polygon.
Figure 6. [Click to enlarge]
Using on the new created polygon surface we can now go on with our modelling. In the following step we deleted one half of the vehicle and inserted a symmetry object. The N-Gon can be modified. You can extrude, cut, add new polygons and so on.
Figure 7. [Click to enlarge]
With a click on the Hypernurbs object you can see the clear integration of the new objects into the existing model.
Figure 8. [Click to enlarge]
Finished! The rendered result.
This is only one example of the endless possibilities of N-Gons in Cinema4D R9. With their unlmited edges they help you to use much easier modelling techniques, even with the most complex models.
Marco WEIß is featured in our Artist’s Gallery. His website is at Black Graphics.
