So the tip is actually very simple and it doesn’t required too many steps. The idea is to create your own set of objects to work in 3D Modeler and use them to kitbash (add a bunch of pre-made objects together to create a new design). In 3D Modeler, these objects for kitbashing are called ‘Stamps’ and are the equivalent of your IMM brushes in ZBrush.
You can create a stamp of virtually anything you create. This works for both desktop and VR so it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a VR headset… you can bring the ‘actions’ menu with the object selected and set it as a stamp.
In fact 3D Modeler comes with some pre-installed assets you can use. For the quick robot concept I actually used a bunch of the objects from the ‘Mechanical’ stamps folder that comes with 3D Modeler:
The rest of the things that make the robot look somehow interesting are just simple primitives with panelling and a few tubes.
Creating tubes and pipes in VR is super easy and a lot of fun. In 3D Modeler you can select the clay tool, a sphere as your object and move it around while pressing Spacebar (in VR is even easier and you can use lazy mouse for more control):
The other trick is to add complexity to simple shapes using cuts for panels. In Modeler the ‘Boolean’ operations are like butter and work really well… Here is an example of what I did in my robot using very simple geometry:
Take a rounded cube, duplicated with mirror On, and use the ‘Split’ tool (second icon in the ‘Eraser tool’). This basically splits the objects wherever they intersect creating a 'cut'.Then you can scale the resulting objects up or down to create variations and..Repeat the process changing the placement, size and rotation of the simple object
So it is quite easy to get something visually interesting and complex using this method. Also, if you stick to one type of object, chances are you will get something that is consistent, here is another example of just using hard-edge cubes… similar to what I used for the chest piece of my robot:
Something different from the usual stuff but I wanted to share it because if you have the chance to try it in VR it is definitely worth it! (if I didn’t have a VR headset already, I would buy one just to use 3D Modeler hahaha).
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