cly_gestureSmoothing.mel 0.0.5 for Maya (maya script)

Pretty tired here, scuse me if dis iz to succinct. If anyone is interested i'll follow up with better pipeline descriptions and script updates/new gesture tools when I am not as brain dead...


An argument fer polygon modifier that respects the energy present within every edit of artist's sculpt ( gesture ).

• Even if the artist`s edits are mistakes. Polygon surfaces should reflect that ( by update ) gesture...
  • as it allows the artist to find the ideal refinement.
• Polygons faceted are a shorthand. Continuity should pass through the geometry described by the artists edits.

Gesture tools would allow the surface to update edits based on the gesture established from the act of sculpting.
Ideally this should begin with the first tools used.


but fer proof of concept...

gesture smoothing;

run from command line shelf button hotkey whatever...

cly_gestureSmoothing

Catmull Clark smoothing recursively averages down to a limit surface. Good fer an ideal tangency limit surface. However it may also kill the energy of the models gesture. ( melts the cool factor right out )

fer example... When crit' ing the wires of other artist, besides looking fer edge loop strategies in lo rez wires... Try measuring fer yerself,
the degree in which the energy lost to smoothing removes the original charm/character of the low rez gestures.

Perhaps u have noticed this in yer own werk and have chased yer gesture tail in circles? jes me...?

Gesture Smoothing reaches the limit surface by using the direction of geometry before the quadrilateral divisions. The average between the vrt being calculated for and the direction vector extents, describe gesture continuity.

mel is interpreted code and the script has to calculate for every vertice u give it. Which will get real slow if geometry is dense.
( 9 minutes fer a 20 000 tri model )


Alternatively execute the script on a selection of faces for regional smoothing







execute cly_gestureSmoothingPrefs for options:






preserved edge smoothing example...
before smoothing ( edge smoothing landscape to be preserved )


preserved hard/soft edges after gesture smooth:




I am making some assumptions how other artists envision final continuity from their low rez edge loops.
If not the same... give it a try. Gesture that passes though the model may help u realize silhouettes. ( there is a one to one relationship between original un-subdivided verts and the smoothed model... continuity passes "through" the descriptive primary vrts. Try the blendshpe option for a visual reference )

importing the smoothed quad model into zBrush results in less volume description burden ( smoothed twice... 4500 to 77000 tris eg. )


Gesture Sculpting tools ( coming up ) because one shouldn't have to wait fer the "make cool" button to see their gesture realized. ( edit : first tool update below )


Hope this helps anyone who may need as much.

sleepy time
Roger Klado ( clay-dough )
RogerKlado@gmail.com