Tutorials 

Modeling a mug in T-Splines using creases

by Wielkoslaw Staniszewski

Page 1

Overview: T-Splines were chosen for this model because of their ability to combine the sharp-edged detail of the outside of the mug with the smooth contours of the lip and the interior. The fact that the outside detail could ternimate at the rim of the cup and leave the interior lighter and smoother was also a plus.

 
Create a NURBS cylinder with three grouped divisions of three isoparms spaced vertically along the shape.


To create the inside surface of the cup, loft three circles: a very small one in the center of the inside bottom, another around the perimeter of the bottom, and the last one around the inside rim of the cup. After lofting the upper isoparms of the inner and outer walls of the cup, and lofting a circle for the outer bottom surface, convert all surfaces to T-Splines. Merge all surfaces together, two at a time, by going to "hull" mode and merging the touching hulls of the objects. (See the T-Splines merging video for more info on merging hulls.)


Pull some verticies out at the top and scale to make a lip.


Crease the middle isoparm of each of the three groups and scale the crease inwards. Set each of these crease values at 9.5. With history on, you can play with the slider to experiment with how the different sharpness values look. 

  
Here is the uppermost crease being scaled inwards; the other two creases have already been scaled.


Next, select the isoparms surrounding the creases and crease them with a value of 9.0 to create sharp corners around the detail.






Complete this step by creasing the last isoparm to create a beveled base.