3D Curve Text

[karen.jr]

Dear all,

 

I wanted to model 3D text on the curve counter surface. The Text Along the Path doesn't work when I want to model it vertically. And I wasn't able to use Projection to do the trick. Does anyone have any idea how I can model this type of 3D Curve Text?

Below is a very simple sketch of how I want the 3D text to be. Bare with me the poor sketch skill.

 

Thanks.

Karen

 

 

[EAlexander]

One option would be to make the text and convert it to poly lines. Extrude it and then use the deform tools to bend it around your cylinder shape. 

 

Make sure you have fill set for the poly lines after you convert the text. 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

We were on this topic a few weeks ago.  Made the video.  It will produce 3D surface geometry of your text that is curved.

 

 

[bcd]

Just enter 90 for the Rotation about path

 

Each character will be a simple extrusion,

If you need each character to be curved in plan choose Text Type As: Curves

Ungroup Ungroup the TAP to get the individual Nurbs curves that you can then use to Project to your surface

Edited September 2 by bcd

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@bcd  Very cool.  I have never seen that before.  Where do you find this function?

[bcd]

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Got an email from an old friend Kevin Keys....good man.  He understood that I had never noticed the "Text Along Path"....duh.   Still, it does not curve the individual letters from Kevin's example, but I would definitely use this instead of the first part of my video.

[EAlexander]

6 hours ago, bcd said:

Just enter 90 for the Rotation about path

 

Each character will be a simple extrusion,

If you need each character to be curved in plan choose Text Type As: Curves

Ungroup Ungroup the TAP to get the individual Nurbs curves that you can then use to Project to your surface

Wowza - never knew this was a thing.  Thanks for pointing this out - very nice.

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Love the text along path function, but back to original question.  If the text needs follow the surface,

 

[bcd]

2 hours ago, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

but back to original question

? ^ that's odd. Text along path addresses the original question directly. I'm not sure what you mean.

Edited September 3 by bcd

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

On 9/2/2024 at 6:15 AM, karen.jr said:

3D Curve Text?

That was the question I think/thought they were asking.  Maybe we will hear from the original user on this.  Either way, they have more knowledge from both solutions than before.

 

Edited September 3 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[Tom W.]

23 hours ago, bcd said:

If you need each character to be curved in plan choose Text Type As: Curves

Ungroup Ungroup the TAP to get the individual Nurbs curves that you can then use to Project to your surface

 

[BartHays]

My poor designer brain keeps thinking about how to build this 3D text.

If it is a thin digital print, each letter following the curve of the casework is fine. ( but then model the casework and apply a texture)

 

However, if it is milled out of a thicker material, say 1/4" Acrylic or 1/2" MDF,

The machining of the back face is going to be super costly. 

3D printing could do it but, why? 

 

In most instances, we would keep the front/back faces flat and pin-mount each letter with a gap between the letter and the casework to leave a nice shadow.

Or, backlight each letter. 

 

OK, on with the discussion, I just had to get this out - sorry 😀

 

Bart

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@bcd  I have been looking for a solution for this problem for some time now.  Your text solution was the answer, thanks.

 

For those familiar with C4D, there is a mograph function which allows for instantaneous change of objects on a surface.  I was able to work out the framework in Vectorworks, but not the change for text.  About an hour ago the light popped on.

 

 

 

Edited September 3 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[karen.jr]

@VIRTUALENVIRONS @bcd

OMG THANK YOU BOTH!!

 

Originally I was thinking about one curving surface, which @bcd method would definitely work. I was looking at the Text Along the Path function for so long and how can I not figure out that box? You are a lifesaver!

 

But in the near future, I'll need to explore two directional curves which I think @VIRTUALENVIRONS method would help. I'm quiet interested in the concept of Mograph. I also started to use Cinema 4D recently (although sometimes I still feel like modelling in Vectorworks is faster for me), can you show a bit more how you reach the stage where you can put text on any curving surfaces? I couldn't find a lot of information on this but keen to learn.

 

Karen

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

13 minutes ago, karen.jr said:

can you show a bit more how you reach the stage where you can put text on any curving surfaces?

HI Karen,

I am away tomorrow, but on Friday, I will do a little video tutorial on the curved surface.  That is relatively easy.

 

The sphere is another matter.  Although I did this in Vectorworks, It is not a natural function of Vectorworks.  Mograph in C4D is really easy.  I don't know what you do, but if you are landscape, think in terms of trees, shrubs, etc.  It can populate a forest in seconds.

 

 

regards....Paul

Edited September 25 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@karen.jr  Hi, as promised, see below.   I decided to show a number of techniques that could be used, there are more.  Also, as you indicated you finish in C4D, I aimed this tutorial towards that end.

 

regards....Paul

 

 

[karen.jr]

On 9/27/2024 at 7:47 PM, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

@karen.jr  Hi, as promised, see below.   I decided to show a number of techniques that could be used, there are more.  Also, as you indicated you finish in C4D, I aimed this tutorial towards that end.

 

regards....Paul

 

 

 

@VIRTUALENVIRONS Paul you are brilliant! Thank you soooooo much for this detail step-to-step tutorial! I feel like I know most of the tools you used in the video but just never came across of mixing the use of them together...! Thank you!

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@karen.jr  Hi Karen,   Glad it worked for you.  If you are familiar with the tools, click on my Youtube channel link below.  I put a lot of tutorials on it from intermediate to advanced.  Others are just videos of Vectorworks NURBS modelling....food for thought.

 

regards....Paul

 

 

 

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

19 hours ago, karen.jr said:

I feel like I know most of the tools you used in the video but just never came across of mixing the use of them together...! Thank you!

HI Karen,

I have been helping a firm in North Carolina that is wanting to migrate to Vectorworks from Rhino 3D.  Currently VW's for plans and 3D modelling in Rhino.  As you noticed, the interoperability of the tools is something that is not well documented.  To be fair, this would be difficult.

 

Something to keep in mind, all the tools are 3D tools.  Don't think of them in terms of 2D and 3D.

 

The tutorial I wrote for them is another level of complexity to what I wrote for you, but I think this is something you could use, especially as you seem to be keen on this type of work.

 

regards....Paul

 

 

[Benson Shaw]

Wanted to extend Paul's good work here.  These methods introduce a bit of distortion, when projecting the text or other object straight (extrude) onto the curved surface.  As the text size approaches the host surface diameter, the distortion increases. Taller than the host ruins the projection.  For less distortion for tall text, convert the text to NURBS Surface and bend to near the surface.  Then, shell the bent item through the surface and intersect  or section to make the shape cut onto or through the surface.  If the host changes radically, multiple bends on 2 or more axes can help reduce distortion.

 

Another way is to create an image texture and apply it to the host.  Then place 3d loci at significant points, remove the texture, connect the dots with NURBS curve, convert to NURBS surface, shell as needed for the intersection.  This is not distortion free, and is a real pain to do.  Probably not worth the effort, but wanted to add to the conversation.

 

-B

 

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@Benson Shaw  Nice work Benson.   Well presented.  I have never used the Bend tools in VW's, I learned something.

 

It seems that 3D modelling in Vectorworks is slowly going the way of the DoDo bird.  It is seldom you see a thread like this one anymore. 

 

Perhaps every Monday morning you/me/someone else should throw out an object and ask how users would build it.  It might produce some good tutorials.

 

regards....Paul

Edited October 3 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[Jeff Prince]

11 hours ago, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

It seems that 3D modelling in Vectorworks is slowly going the way of the DoDo bird.  It is seldom you see a thread like this one anymore. 

Most of the people and clients I know using Vectorworks for 3D don‘t participate here, they are too busy working 🙂

[mjm]

Who can name the top five all time Forum contributors?