Modeling a couch (two minute video)

This time-compressed video shows how T-Splines for Rhino can be used to model a couch. You can watch a full-length silent tutorial video and download the .3dm file of the couch at tsplines.com/couch.

T-Splines French training, webinars

T-Splines reseller CADLINK is putting on T-Splines webinars in French on 8 Jan and 20 Jan 2010 and T-Splines for Rhino training on 8 Feb 2010 in Paris.

19 free T-Splines models

To thank you for being part of the growing T-Splines community, we decided to open up the vaults and share 19 T-Splines models never before released, FREE for a limited time. Starting January 5, 2010, this pack of 19 high quality, watertight models will cost $50.

In this pack, you'll find examples of T-Splines used to create architectural sculpture, organic chairs, eyeglasses, human hands and skull, a marine hull with a disappearing chine, and more. These models can be exported as IGES or STEP for use in an engineering modeling program, or as OBJ for use in digital content creation and animation programs.

Get this model pack of T-Splines for Rhino models, normally $50, for FREE until January 5, 2010!

Amazing V-Ray sale

So I'm a bit late to the party on announcing this, but for the next several hours, ASGvis is selling V-Ray for Rhino is $200 off. That's a pretty steep discount. After today, it looks like they're keeping it at $100 off until Jan 1.

We use V-Ray for most of our T-Splines promo image renderings, and we also resell V-Ray, but I've not seen an offer as good as the one ASGvis (the makers of V-Ray for Rhino) is running right now.

As a side note, I remember going to a trade show a few years back with Corey Rubadue, CEO of ASGvis. T-Splines was just *barely* getting started in Rhino, and we didn't have as many cool models to display as I would have liked. I remember looking over and drooling at the V-Ray images from customers that Corey was displaying. Anyway, today we do most of our own renders in V-Ray. You'll see a scattered across our website, and a bunch of them are here.

Architecture experiments by [n]Codon

Pierre Forissier at [n]codon has been posting some T-Splines experiments on his blog

T-Splines vehicular modeling challenge winners

The winners of the T-Splines vehicular design challenge: 

#1: Tommi Laiho (Audi A6)


#2: Jamie Barajas (retro Camaro TA)


#3: Fabio Rios (C-Buggy by Citroën)




The models were judged by Kyle Houchens of The Outside Digital Art and Design and James Carruthers of Hydraulic Design. Comments from the judges: 

#1: Tommi Laiho
"Wow...we have our winner...totally legit automotive design, great use of the tool, great topology, and several areas that would be really hard to create in NURBS. Beautiful highlights and continuity."

"I think the proportions are a little off for an "A6," looks like a smaller car. Impressive level of detail. I think some of the surfacing could be 'crisper,' but would have to agree on it being the winner."

(Tommi created a video of his model, posted below:)


#2: Jamie Barajas
"Really nice model...Some continuity issues around the rear end near the lower corners, and if you convert this to NURBS it makes a huge mess. Gotta give him props for the model, it's a beauty."

"Wish there were some wheels on it and there are some quality issues on close inspection, but at first glance I was like "I've seen a picture of this car, did you make it?"

#3: Fabio Rios
"Steering wheel is really great--nice topology, great use of the tool- great example of surfaces that would be tough to model in NURBS, totally legit automotive design." 

(Fabio created a video of his model, posted below.)


Thank you to everyone who entered our contest (see other entries here). The purpose was to give a chance to test T-Splines on a complex design. Our three winners each receive a T-Splines T-Shirt, and the first place winner also receives a free upgrade to T-Splines v3 when it comes out late next year.

Note from Matt
Since the purpose of this challenge is to learn, I wanted to make one observation on a comment from the judges about Jamie's model: "Some continuity issues around the rear end near the lower corners, and if you convert this to NURBS it makes a huge mess."

From glancing at this model, it is clear that the designer has experience in modeling with subdivision surfaces. This is beneficial, as many techniques used in subdivision surfaces are useful in T-Splines as well. However, there is one simple but significant difference between T-Splines and subdivision surface modeling that, from my experience looking at models, is subtle enough to be often overlooked by designers: T-Splines let you end detail in T-points, which gives you a smoother model and better conversion to NURBS.

Here's the original file, with some pinching at star points, which have been used to end detail. In subdivision surfaces, using star points are your only choice for ending detail, and they result in a less smooth surface (G1 smooth).


I went in and deleted some edges.


This made the detail "tee off" into other isocurves, but these are actually still star points until I run a command (tsLayout) and click on the points to switch them to T-points.


Inside the tsLayout command. The blue arrows show which points I have clicked to switch them to T-points.


Now I have T-points, which makes a smoother surface (C2 at the T-points).


Models which use T-points for ending detail instead of star points convert to NURBS more nicely. To compare, here is the original model, with more star points, converted to NURBS. There are 198 patches, including many small ones.


Just by introducing a few T-points, I was able to make a much smoother surface, which converted to NURBS with only 163 patches.

Door handle video tutorial

Pintoo just shared this tutorial on our forum. I like how he included an exact filleted edge while keeping the rest of the model smooth (we're asked how to do that a fair bit.)

T-Splines concept car by Voxel 3D

I was impressed with the surface topology of this car concept. Fabio's created a pretty complex design as a very nicely laid out, smooth, watertight model.

Webinar Dec 8: converting meshes to T-Splines

Converting an .obj mesh file to a smooth T-spline surface is a popular feature in the T-Splines for Rhino plugin, because T-spline surfaces are NURBS compatible and can be manufactured.

Even though the actual conversion of the .obj mesh to a T-spline surface is a simple, push-button feature, knowing a few best practices for creating your mesh will greatly improve the quality of your surface after conversion.

Join us for this quick, 20-minute webinar to learn how to convert .obj meshes to smooth T-spline surfaces. We'll review a number of examples to teach you the types of meshes that will look best when converted to a smooth surface. We will also talk about the unique topological features possible in a T-spline surface, including star points, n-sided faces, t-points, and creases, and show how understanding these technical features can help you create smoother, more predicable models.

Title: Converting .obj meshes to smooth T-spline surfaces
Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM - 11:20 PM EST
Register now

T-Splines jewelry tutorial (Italian)

Aurelio Perugini from T-Splines reseller AnteRem has created a pdf tutorial showing how to create an organic ring using T-Splines for Rhino.