Greebler in Cinema 4D: Understanding Bevels and Selections

Greebles add more depth and detail to your 3D models, making them particularly attractive for technical designs. In this guide, you will learn how to effectively utilize the base of Greebles in Cinema 4D to achieve impressive visual effects. We will specifically focus on the extrusion of polygons and how to work with different Selections.

Key Insights

• The "Base" is crucial for the appearance of the Greebles.
• Different materials can be applied to different polygon areas.
• Control over bevels and heights is essential for appealing designs.

Step-by-Step Guide

Creating the Base

First, familiarize yourself with the "Generate Base" option. Activate this option to create a solid foundation for your Greebles. When you switch the view to different densities, it becomes clear how the base affects the overall appearance of the Greebles.

The base allows for the extrusion of polygons. If you deactivate it, you will see the Greebles directly on the sphere, which reduces the technical look. It is important that the base is present to achieve the desired effect.

Using Input Selections and Materials

To work with materials, you first need to convert the sphere into a polygon object. You can do this by selecting it and then pressing the C key. Now you can create a new material by double-clicking in the material editor. Choose a color and drag the material onto a selection of polygons.

You may not see anything after applying the material. This is because the selection is not displayed correctly. Therefore, activate the "Use Input Selection Textures" option to make your selection visible on the base.

Working with Selections

To adjust the selections as needed, you can activate or deactivate the "Selection Topsides Bevels" function. This gives you more flexibility when editing your materials. When you adjust the selection and then remove the checkbox, you will regain access to these options.

Adjusting the Bevels

To edit the bevels of your Greebles, click on the Greebler and enable the bevel option. Set the height and depths to maximum to see how the shapes change. Experiment with the values, as a too-high setting can give your objects an unnatural appearance.

Use reasonable values that are below 50% to achieve a random yet aesthetic look without distorting the object too much.

Phong Tag and Surface Design

The Phong tag makes surfaces rounder but should generally remain disabled, as it can create unsightly shading. If you have it enabled and adjust the settings, you can make the edges sharper, which is beneficial for technical models.

Summary

In this guide, you have learned how important the base is for Greebles, how to set it up correctly, and apply materials, as well as the relevance of bevels and Phong tags for your perfect 3D model. Use these principles to take your 3D models to the next level.