Modelling Process – Tent | Development

Intended Outcome:

• Finish designing and modelling the tent for my scene.

Problems I encountered and how I overcame them:

• When I began this project, I had already undergone a few testing and experimentation trials, attempting to create a simple triangular tent, and in doing so I learnt so much. When modelling the first tent, it was the first time I had attempted to UV unwrap fabric and I came across a few problems. When I first uploaded my mesh to substance painter, I was confronted with the below problem. During the modelling process, I was unaware that I needed to apply a solidify modifier to ensure the tent had normals on both sides of the sheet. Because of this, Substance painter did not acknowledge these sides, so I consulted my tutor during a masterclass and he taught me about the solidify modifier, and I was able to fix this issue.

• After solving the above issue, I felt confident in using planes to create the fabric for my tent. The initial image I used had a rather interesting designed tent, almost a gazebo type cover, which I felt fit the idea I had for my scene. Because of this, I focussed on following the reference image as closely as possible.

• To set the proportions of my tent, I began this model by designing the poles that prop the fabric up. To do this, I user rather basic tools in Blender, extruding, indenting and spinning a cylinder so that it had a hook at the top of the pole. In real life, this hook would piecer through the fabric, however as the top of the tent will not be shown in too much detail, I chose only to simulate this piece rather than replicate it exactly, and I was not confident in adding holes to the fabric that would have a cloth simulation.

• From being rather nervous to work with planes, I found that they worked just as they would if I was working with a 3D mesh, the complicated part of this process for me was pinning the fabric. I experimented heavily with pinning fabric before doing this project, however, therefore I was able to choose and apply the cloth simulation to act as I desired. I tested this with a wind force field to ensure it moved realistically.

• After adding the fabric, I added rope to simulate the pieces holding the tent up. I did not film this, therefore it is not included in my timelapse, but to summarise, I created a long thin cylinder, attaching it to the top of both larger poles, and ensured they were touching both the top of the pole and the ground, going off at an appropriate angle.

• To complete this model, I added a subdivision surface modifier to smoothen the surface, I bevelled any edges that were too harsh, and I ensured that the normals of the mesh had an auto smooth angle of 30 degrees. I also grouped together any items that would be textured the same.

Timelapse:

Final Model: