Trying to create negative space within shape

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, 

I'm currently stuck on a solution to creating negative space or removing a certain area from a shape. I've attached some sketches to explain what I'm trying to accomplish. 

Currently I've been trying to create a sketch with the outline, and then projecting it onto the shape where I can then start to attempt at removing space from the body. You can see on the stretched sphere to the right of the shape an idea of this. 

Basically, I'm having issues even getting the projected drawing, using split face, onto the main drawing (the flame). My idea is that it's because when I'm in model mode, the flame turns into larger faces with no splines, while the stretched sphere still includes more faces/splines. 

If anyone has ideas on how I can solve this split faces issue that'd be great. 

Even better: If someone understands what I'm trying to do according to my drawing, I'd appreciate any ideas or guidance on how to go about doing this. 

Here's a link to the file: https://a360.co/2SzIUMI

Thanks!

[TrippyLighting]

The stretched sphere includes more faces because you used triangles on the poles. If you remove those the stretched sphere will have fewer faces.

Do you want a hollow shell for the flame ?

In that case I'd leave the bottom of the T-Spline open and thicken it in the T-Spline environment.

Then I'd make the cutouts in the model environments.

More detail is needed from your side to  explain what exact geometry you are looking for.

[Anonymous]

The stretched sphere includes more faces because you used triangles on the poles. If you remove those the stretched sphere will have fewer faces.

I brought the faces into discussion because the spline that I'm trying to project onto the flame object, only projects onto the stretched sphere and not the flame. So I was wondering if it was because of the increased amount of faces that allowed it to be projected onto it. Not sure if this is correct though. 

Do you want a hollow shell for the flame ?

In that case I'd leave the bottom of the T-Spline open and thicken it in the T-Spline environment.

Then I'd make the cutouts in the model environments.

More detail is needed from your side to  explain what exact geometry you are looking for.

I have a sketch attached as to exactly what I'm trying to make. I've already made the flame part, but now I'm trying to remove pieces at the bottom to create those additional triangles that are the negative space. If you refer to my sketches you can see what I'm trying to do. Please let me know if you need more information though.

All the help is appreciated. 

[TrippyLighting]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have a sketch attached as to exactly what I'm trying to make.

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That sketch is an incomplete representation of the 3D model you have in your mind 😉 It describes how the surface looks from the inside. But if you cut through a solid volume you'll have some faces on the inside. Thus I'd need to know how you want for that to look like.

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@Anonymous wrote:

... So I was wondering if it was because of the increased amount of faces that allowed it to be projected onto it....

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No. Also, projecting this sketches onto the surface into another sketch also is not going to help you removing these shapes from the volume.

Instead of projecting you should split the surface directly with the sketch.

I've tinkered around with this a little.

Let me know if this is close to what you are looking for.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply, I'll make sure to be a bit more specific next time about the inside!

That looks amazing! Exactly what I'm looking for. Is there any chance you could post a sceencast of how to do it? 

[TrippyLighting]

Here's a screencast. I have a better model attached where I've cleaned up the bottom. Play the timeline step by step to see how I did that.

[Anonymous]

Wow thanks again this has been a HUGE help! I've been able to mess around with your file and understand how to do it. 

I hate to give you ANOTHER issue to solve (sorry) but I was editing the main Flame shape (making it smaller) and now when I try to extrude the sketch that I've made, my program crashes lol. I'm thinking it might have to do with the corrections you made at the beginning of the screencast? Perhaps when I edited the shape it messed something up with it. 

I've attached the file, would love to know what is going on. 

Thanks again, 

[TrippyLighting]

Do not crease.
Do not use triangles in T-Splines.

Do not project from a T-Spline body into a sketch.

Make sure the sketch is clearly bigger than the body you are citing away from.