I’ve tried some alphas to no avail, anyone have any tips or methods?
in 3ds max I take the arm or leg geometry.
assuming the geometry is entirely quads you then select every single edge on the object
then u switch to face selection and tessellate all the faces by face and not edge
after this i switch back to my edge selection and delete all the edges.
leaves you with a grid of rotated squares
then u just bevel by face and add a shell modifier and presto instant fishnet. also chain link fence or anything with that kind of pattern. this obviously very high poly and usually is not great to do in 3d due to things like Moire and aliasing. but works pretty good if you plan to bake to decent resolution normal map.
here is an example of the kind of result you can get using this method.
http://crackjoe.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post_24.html
oh and assuming you were looking for a zbrush answer. You’d probably go mad trying to make this type of thing any other way.
or use a texture/displacement map…
just thought about it. if your model has good UVs you can paint a fishnet texture where u want it in photoshop and use that as a mask in zbrush then inflate.
Eldee and evan, are there any tutorials online explaining those methods you could link me to?
I would do it with texture too.
The way to make it is this:
Unwrap your model parts perfectly. Export te UVs map to a picture, then import this picture to PS or Illustrator. I preffer Illustrator because of the control you have over lines, that are vectors.
Make your fishnet texture. Black background with white stripes (like alpha).
Then in ZB apply this map on your model as texture (from texture submenu on your tool). Then from Masking hit mask by intensity and you have a perfectly mapped fishnet. (be shure to have a lot of polys there, to get perfect mask)
Then you can do what you want and need.
You can go to Deformation and hit Inflate or you can extract a new mesh.
I hope i help!
p.s. and just to put an example of the way you approach this kinda objects modeling. Its like you are a tailor. You get a big piece of cloth material and on it you apply the model sheets (UVs). then cut and fold and etc…
Its nothing complex i believe.
and sorry for my bad english@!
Thank you pimeto, will try it out:)