[XGEN] Can't get the shape desired

[Gylour]

Hi, 

I'm working on a character where I have to create a beard with xgen. This is the shape that I want to achieve.

So I create the guide from edges (I wanted to create a tube groom but I don't know why, it wants to creqte the guide from the tips of the model qnd not from the base).

 
Unfortunately, The shape that I got at the end is not really what I expected.

Anyone can me a clue on the workflow that I should do ?

[Anonymous]

Well, try to convert you polygon to subdiv then subdiv to nurbs.  Then convert the nurbs to polygon, you will get a clean polygon for tube groom, and it will generate correclly from the bottom. In your case tube groom will be much better than hand draw every guide curve.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Gylour and welcome to the community!

You may find the interactive groom editor to be useful in quickly creating a softer shape. This is an example of the workflow I used to make this general design.

And a quickly rendered result:

Using the Linear Wire Modifier I was able to sculpt the shape without getting a messy or repetitive combing process. After the guides are built to your liking, you can finesse the result by editing under the other sculpt layer. For this project I would make an even longer fur length to more curl and make the beard very stylized. Also, while I tapered the fur near the end significantly, you may find it easier to leave it thicker!

Please let me know if this helps or if you need any more assistance!

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

Kudos are greatly appreciated. Everyone likes a thumbs up!

[Michael_Todd]

There are not enough guides. You should add more spans to the geo and reduce the distance between the guides. Interior guides are also needed. Also make sure you have enough cv's in the primitives

cheers

[Gylour]

I can't use the interactive groom cause I am working with renderman and it is not compatible yet. And I am looking for a beard with a geometrical shape. But I'll take a look on the modifier and the interactive groom because it can be helpful ! Thanks

And I am trying to put more guide but it seem pretty chaotic. It seems like I should put a guide per face to have a good look and it becomes really hard to work and you start to have a lot of guide.

[Gylour]

Hi, 

I tried many techniqueson the beard but can't get the perect result. I succeed to have a fine result with the primitives attributes. So I decided to try the tube groom method with the hair but I don't know why, when I test the tube groom, it puts locator on the tip of the hair and not the base. There only one tube groom where the test seems to work.

I really don't know why it happens. I try to convert the tube to subdiv, then to nurb and go bakc to polygon but nothing work.

Do you know how the guide are the tube groom work ? How should be the mesh ? 

[Gylour · Accepted solution]

Sorry my bad ! I didn't know that the tube groom use the UV's. I found the solution on https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/maya-dynamics/xgen-tube-groom-issue/td-p/7251996
So thank you Michael Todd