Hi!
I’m a newbie at Blender, but have quite a bit of experience working with Bézier curves in Illustrator in a typographical context.
The most accurate curves are those with the least control points. More control points make the curve less smooth and are (very) frustrating to edit.
Here is my Bézier curve for the pinball
Edit mode
BowlingPinEditMode|313x500
Object mode
BowlingPinObjectMode|277x500
I have assumed the small curve at the bottom of the reference image is an attempt to make the image look 3D, and that the base should be horizontal
The control points should be placed only where the curve changes direction – in effect at the widest, narrowest points and at the highest and lowest points. The control handles should be vertical or horizontal tangential to the curve.
The pinball needs 6 control points: at the top, at the centre of the base, at the widest part of the neck, at the narrowest part of the neck, at the widest part of the body, and at the edge of base.
The control handles should be moved with GZ and GY or GX as appropriate, to avoid moving out of the vertical or horizontal.
Corners can be created by contracting the handles into the control point (I haven’t discovered an easy way in Blender – probably because I’m a newbie)
If you are having problems fitting the line, it is almost always because the control point isn’t at the precise location where the curve changes direction, making a small adjustment sometimes makes a big difference.
I hope this is of use
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You, sir, are a genius! This should be pinned. Bezier editing is much easier in Illustrator and Photoshop, and your tip here is excellent.
I would add, for the vertex at the edge of the base, one could select then handle point and under Control Points->Set Handle Type, choose Toggle Free/Align. This would allow the handle to “break” at the vertex and help one align the segment more closely with the pin. I.e., move that half of the handle independently of the other.
Hi Matthew
Thanks for your reply. Blender has so many features that you can be competent in. one area and totally floundering in others!
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Thanks a ton for the tips! I was struggling, then suddenly it became much clearer placing vertices at the points of inflection.
A further tip is to G+Shift-Y to move X and Z but not Y.
As daunting as being a first commenter can be, my background is also from 2D and mainly illustrator in profiling/signage/copying 2D shapes. A quick tip to roughly get how many points you need in bezier curves is one that stuck with me through my early study days, and that is to use circles. “How many circles do you need to encompass the shape?”, or it can also be written as “How many times does the object go from fat to slim to fat again”, and in those days we used the iconic coke bottle as an example that is fairly close to this bowling pin.
So with the circle method I would get Top + fat + slim + fat + bottom, which is 5 points, but because the bottom also need to be flat, not a circular shape, need a point for that flatness as well, and I end up with the same number of 6 as John Hodgson’s original coment. Don’t know if this helps anyone, but it has always helped me in tracing endless 2D objects just to count on your fingers how many fats, slims and surfaces you need :).
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I’m not able to visualize this in regards to a circle. Could you clarify? For me as I draw around a circle my thought is top fat bottom fat top.
Wait, I think we’re talking the same thing. You’re describing the pin though! I thought you were describing how a circle would work.
Thanks for the tip!
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Yes, I wasn’t really all that clear was I… But you seem to get it anyway :D. A circle is indeed top fat bottom fat top, but since we don’t need 2 overlapping points, it is 4 points for a circle.
So since we only needed half a pin here for the exercise my “explanation” was for that, with a straight line cutting down the middle of the pin from top to bottom point, hope that clarifies it a bit more.
