I've always felt that for accuracy, NURBS and Metaballs are vastly superior to meshes for modeling. Unfortunately, it's a lot trickier to get them to render properly on a graphics card, and meshes can usually come close enough! Thank you for an excellent tutorial on the use of NURBS in Blender. Modeling things like stylized machines just isn't realistically possible without them.
Struggling to follow in Blender 3. What command does the F shortcut represent? Is it contextual to some 'mode' you're in? I can create a nurbs surface, I can duplicate (Shift D) and translate along the Z axis (Z) but then selecting the objects and pressing "F" does nothing.
the trick is to pay close attention at the start as to where the nurbs curve is....its not in the curve section but the surface section....if you got that the only other thing you need to pay attention to is the mode I am in when you get stuck...am i in object mode or edit mode because the shortcut keys like shift d or F mean different thing depending on the mode....also keep you mouse in your viewport when using shortcut keys...
I was having trouble with this as well, but I just figured out what I did wrong: you have to duplicate (shift+d) the nurbs surface in edit mode, not object mode.
2:05 I can't reproduce this step. Instead of creating faces the two separate curves connect with each other via a diagonal from one endpoint to the others' start point. What am I doing wrong?
it is comparable but still in its infancy compared to Rhino (Blender is the swiss army knife of the industry it is the best overall software....but often not the best at any specific thing) Can it be used as an industry solution yes.
I wanted to model a wooden spoon, and I tried surface nurbs, but it seems like a lot of the tools that we usually use don't work with them. Like, how can I merge points? It doesn't seem to be possible. When I deleted a point, the Active Curve menu for that object disappeared. I don't see a way to make an enclosed shape like a cube from one of these. I see there is a surface sphere, why no cube?
You can still do this tutorial in blender 3, but yes specifically in geometry nodes a lot of innovation is happening there and things are starting to change
Interesting, I also see there is a cyclic option for animation, I wanted an object to follow the curve back and forth. Wanted to use 2 curves and jump inbetween them to get it done, now with cyclic I think one curve suffices, great.
Can you give dimensions precisely in Blender like you can in Rhino or other CAD software? Is it possible to do generative design in Blender similarly to Grasshopper?
blender isn't a CAD software and you won't find a CAD like workflow or experience. now i've never used Rhino or Grasshopper, but blender does seem to support node modelling. not sure if it's the same thing. you can set the units to millimeters if desired and you will be able to input exact positions for any vertex or curve handle. i don't know what you are trying to do, but if you want to render a CAD model, i've made good experiences using the STL format to get it into blender, using the "tris to quads" mesh function, merge vertices by distance and then split the model by loose parts. that way you could just model in a CAD software and then easily import it into blender for setting up materials and do product renders. gl and hf
i have not checked this out tbh but if oyu want to model with precision outside of the nurbs curve for CAD yes it is possible...however your experience would be better getting a cad plugin for blender...although the free cad plugins are okay.
Hey, Loved the tutorial Could you please tell me if it's possible to add more segments, like extrude a face after filling the NURBS surface? when I try to do that, the extruded part doesn't have a filled-in face
Yes, but I would recommend sculpting or hard surface modeling over this. This is a great process for creating organic metal or car shapes etc...not really the best way to make a face.
Very nice! One of the few Blender NURBS modeling tutorials available out there for sure, thank you. Is there a way to convert SubD mesh into NURBS in Blender? In a similar manner to how Rhino 7 and Maya do it(if you don't mind mentioning them)...
You cant convert back to a surface nurbs curve yet unfortunately. Yo want to build it out and keep it as a surface nurbs curve and before you convert it duplicate and hide the backup if you need to modify it
@@FunwithBlender I really appreciated the reply, thank you. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing out on that magic button. For now, importing an OBJ mesh into Rhino 7 and running QuadRemesh and then MeshtoNURBS seems to be the way to go. Hopefully, Blender will develop something similar for this step soon.
Thank you for this tutorial ! Also, do you know a way to convert a nurbs curve ( from the Curve section ) into a nurbs curve from the Surface section ? Have a nice day !
@@lylefranksaunders2113 Cape Town side but i don't have time TBH my work keeps me busy. Blender is to big to learn its better to focus on completing a specific task and learning that way...what are you trying to do?
Which nurbs curve do you find more interesting?
the second one is perfect for architecture modeling.
Brother i need your help
@@usamashah0158 whats up? Timestamp your problem and then explain it :)
@@FunwithBlender I need videos on some projects of basic hand model, etc coke can, table primitive..
I cannot tell you how happy I am that this video came across my feed. Introduced me to so many ideas using nurbs modeling.
Thank you. It was extremely useful video. Thank you for sharing:)
Glad it was helpful!
I've always felt that for accuracy, NURBS and Metaballs are vastly superior to meshes for modeling. Unfortunately, it's a lot trickier to get them to render properly on a graphics card, and meshes can usually come close enough!
Thank you for an excellent tutorial on the use of NURBS in Blender. Modeling things like stylized machines just isn't realistically possible without them.
Great and useful. I didn't know this tips. thank you for the video.
Very very impressive. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Struggling to follow in Blender 3. What command does the F shortcut represent? Is it contextual to some 'mode' you're in?
I can create a nurbs surface, I can duplicate (Shift D) and translate along the Z axis (Z) but then selecting the objects and pressing "F" does nothing.
the trick is to pay close attention at the start as to where the nurbs curve is....its not in the curve section but the surface section....if you got that the only other thing you need to pay attention to is the mode I am in when you get stuck...am i in object mode or edit mode because the shortcut keys like shift d or F mean different thing depending on the mode....also keep you mouse in your viewport when using shortcut keys...
I was having trouble with this as well, but I just figured out what I did wrong: you have to duplicate (shift+d) the nurbs surface in edit mode, not object mode.
@@alexandera3397 Thanks!
very helpful thanks
Glad it helped
im trying to switch from using rhino to blender and this seems very imprecise. Anyone gave any tips? I would like to draw with polylines like rhino
when I select "F" "To few selections to merge" is shown. any help? thanks
Thank you !
You're welcome!
2:05 I can't reproduce this step. Instead of creating faces the two separate curves connect with each other via a diagonal from one endpoint to the others' start point. What am I doing wrong?
Yes, this would happen if you using the nurbs curve , you need to go to the surface section and use the surface nurbs curve
@@FunwithBlender thanks!
Idk about that u cant add loob cuts decrease its usability hard idk how would u use it
You can only use it once you got you initial organic shape and applied it then you can add loop cuts
love it. thank you.
So glad!
for some reason I cant fill the two meshes im try to curve something to make a seat I have my two curves side by side and it wont fill in??
You probably using the wrong nurbs curve, you need to make sure you selected the surface nurbs curve
hello can this do sweep to rail like in rhino ?we need to sweep a profile shape around a circle TIA
That's the Screw modifier. Not sure why they didn't call it Lathe, Loft, or Sweep. Oh well.
Shot bru. Kiff tutorial!
Lekker man glad it helped
pity a lead edge cant be extruded after the surface has been created. A bit of a drawback really.
i work around is to copy the edge convert it that want and when don join it
How much do you think NURBs in Blender is different compared to say Rhino or Sloidworks? Can it be used in Industrial design?
it is comparable but still in its infancy compared to Rhino (Blender is the swiss army knife of the industry it is the best overall software....but often not the best at any specific thing) Can it be used as an industry solution yes.
I wanted to model a wooden spoon, and I tried surface nurbs, but it seems like a lot of the tools that we usually use don't work with them. Like, how can I merge points? It doesn't seem to be possible. When I deleted a point, the Active Curve menu for that object disappeared. I don't see a way to make an enclosed shape like a cube from one of these. I see there is a surface sphere, why no cube?
send me a link of the wooden spoon you would like to model, i will create a video if I get it today (while I have time)
@@FunwithBlender I already modeled the spoon using conventional methods. So, if you make a tutorial video, it's a flat handled wooden spoon.
Like it! thanks very good!
awesome
Why did they break EVERYTHING in Blender 3? Where is this Active Spline thing in Blender 3?
You can still do this tutorial in blender 3, but yes specifically in geometry nodes a lot of innovation is happening there and things are starting to change
excellent
Interesting, I also see there is a cyclic option for animation, I wanted an object to follow the curve back and forth. Wanted to use 2 curves and jump inbetween them to get it done, now with cyclic I think one curve suffices, great.
I will need to look into this sounds cool
@@FunwithBlender It works with one curve, thanks for your info.
Can you use this with a mirror modifier say for modelling a chair or something symmetrical?
Yes you can make organic chairs using the surface nurbs curve, converting it to a mesh and then adding the mirror modifier
More tutorials on this with you actually making things all the way through would be fantastic 👌
Can you give dimensions precisely in Blender like you can in Rhino or other CAD software?
Is it possible to do generative design in Blender similarly to Grasshopper?
blender isn't a CAD software and you won't find a CAD like workflow or experience.
now i've never used Rhino or Grasshopper, but blender does seem to support node modelling. not sure if it's the same thing.
you can set the units to millimeters if desired and you will be able to input exact positions for any vertex or curve handle.
i don't know what you are trying to do, but if you want to render a CAD model, i've made good experiences using the STL format to get it into blender, using the "tris to quads" mesh function, merge vertices by distance and then split the model by loose parts. that way you could just model in a CAD software and then easily import it into blender for setting up materials and do product renders.
gl and hf
i have not checked this out tbh but if oyu want to model with precision outside of the nurbs curve for CAD yes it is possible...however your experience would be better getting a cad plugin for blender...although the free cad plugins are okay.
there are some cad plugins you can buy for blender that can make it a CAD powerhouse.
Thank u bro
Thanks fors this tutorial sir!
is it possible to export this nurbs surface in a parasolid extension? like x_t or step? thanks!
That would be cool if you converted it to a mesh that would be easy.....but as a curve....i am not sure this is possible
Hey, Loved the tutorial
Could you please tell me if it's possible to add more segments, like extrude a face after filling the NURBS surface?
when I try to do that, the extruded part doesn't have a filled-in face
you needs to go to surface and then choose nurbs curve
If there a difference in terms of the outcome or usability, between this surface curve method and using a subdivision surface modifier on a plane?
the nurbs curve is destructive modeling once you convert it to a mesh...the subdivision gives you less control but its nondestructive
is there a way to do this but with spline?
You got me there, I am not sure. I have not messed with that enough
Let me know if you can
Can I do the other way - convert a mesh surface to a nurbs surface?
I don't think so, you can only convert it to a basic curve. But don't take my word for it, I have not tried to figure that out
watched
Loved this tutorial!! My question is can it be used for creating Head???
Yes, but I would recommend sculpting or hard surface modeling over this. This is a great process for creating organic metal or car shapes etc...not really the best way to make a face.
@@FunwithBlender Thanks for the info!!!
Very nice! One of the few Blender NURBS modeling tutorials available out there for sure, thank you. Is there a way to convert SubD mesh into NURBS in Blender? In a similar manner to how Rhino 7 and Maya do it(if you don't mind mentioning them)...
You cant convert back to a surface nurbs curve yet unfortunately. Yo want to build it out and keep it as a surface nurbs curve and before you convert it duplicate and hide the backup if you need to modify it
@@FunwithBlender I really appreciated the reply, thank you. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing out on that magic button. For now, importing an OBJ mesh into Rhino 7 and running QuadRemesh and then MeshtoNURBS seems to be the way to go. Hopefully, Blender will develop something similar for this step soon.
Thank you for this tutorial ! Also, do you know a way to convert a nurbs curve ( from the Curve section ) into a nurbs curve from the Surface section ? Have a nice day !
i will look into this
@@FunwithBlender thanks a lot !
😍
👌
not alot of tutorial in nurbs why not make a tutorial comparing Boolean approach vs nurbs vs sculpt vs push pull poly
I will look into this and try something over the weekend, the nurbs curve is highly underrated.
lol, the South African accent is very strong
haha yup
@@FunwithBlenderwhere exactly are you based brother? I need someone to help me with blender hands on, I'm definitely willing to pay...
@@lylefranksaunders2113 Cape Town side but i don't have time TBH my work keeps me busy. Blender is to big to learn its better to focus on completing a specific task and learning that way...what are you trying to do?
The NURBS surface creation begins at 01:29 .