How to make edge flow smooth without "applying" subsurf modifier?

[bcli]

Hi I’m taking ‘Create anime character in Blender’ course.

In pic.1, I found it’s really hard to keep edge flow smooth across the body
In pic.2, by enabling “on cage” in Subdivision Surface Modifier, edge flows becomes much smoother and easier to adjust
The problem is if I want to export the mesh in pic.2’s state, it looks like I will have to apply Sub Surf modifier first which will quadruple the faces. (pic.3)

I’ve tried Decimate Modifier but looks like it can’t do a perfect un-subdivide
Any advice? thx

[VVruba]

You could make a duplicate of the mesh, use the Subdivision modifier on it, then on your low poly mesh add a Shrinkwrap modifier and select the high-density mesh as the target.

Figure 1

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You could also bake a normal map from your subdivided model onto the lowpoly one, given it’s been unwrapped properly.

[FedPete]

There are options like: smooth vertices.
And more to be found in specific add-Ons

[NP5]

I would go with smooth vertices, but like the subdiv effect it can alter the size and shape a bit.

[bcli]

@NP5 @FedPete Thx for the help. By using smooth vertices , if I select a big chunk of the mesh, the mesh would shrink in size then I have to correct it with propotional editing. If I select a small chunk of the mesh I have to do it over and over again across the body . Since I’m lazy subdiv surf modifier with cage creates a almost perfect mesh for me in no time.

[bcli]

Thx for the help . I think by combining shrinkwrap modifier and smooth vertecies can be a solution to this problem.

1. Shrinkwrap the ugly (unsmoothed) low poly mesh on top of the subdivided mesh
2. Now you can select a huge chunk of the low poly mesh and use smooth vertices, in this case the low poly mesh won’t shrink in size and will always ‘stick’ to the surface of the high poly one, at the same time edge flow of the low poly mesh becomes way smoother than before.

[VVruba]

Forgot to mention it before but you can also pop into sculpt mode and use the smoothing brush there, or any of the other brushes to manipulate your mesh. It can be faster than poly modeling.