Hi All. I am working on a project (switch plate for a light switch) that requires a rope pattern around the edge. I tried to use the bend and twist deformer on a couple of different spline objects but was not really satisfied. If anyone has any insight into creating this shape please let me know. In return I am sure good karma will come your way. Thanks. memaci

Cutcopypaste is on the right track. Instead of using 3 objects together like that, I used a single one, duplicated it two times (for a total of three), then rotated each one to fit the spiral. Use the circular tool in the spline modeler to make a cylinder. Then go to Geometry - Extrusion Preset - Spiral and enter the following settings: Number of turns : 3 Length : 20 Distance to axis : 1 That should get you close - you might have to tweak the settings a bit. Go back to the Assembly room and duplicate it then set the pitch to 90 for the duplicate. Duplicate the duplicate. That should do it.

Hi memaci, I don't know if this is the type of thing you're looking for. Mark Bremmer www.MarkBremmer.com

OOOOh! Even if its not I want to know how you did it!

How did you all texture the ropes?

Outstanding everyone, if there ever is an answer to a Carrara riddle it is always here. Cutcopypaste thanks for the start. Tkane18 I used you technique on the project and it is working just fine. Thanks for the additional image Mark. And yes that is exactly the type of image I am looking for. Is that one spline? I cannot see the seams where they connect at the corners. Is it difficult to bow out the edges? As promised good karma is now being sent out to all. happy holidays memaci

Awwww. Magic tricks aren't any fun once you know how they work! In this construction, just like a magic trick, your eye is directed to the bend of the rope. That shape is just a simple, flat spline extrusion path created in Adobe illustrator and imported into the spline room. (rectangle>Filter-zigzag>11curves per segment) The braid is created by making two separate spiral shapes in the spline room and then duplicating and rotating them to fit the opposite sides for a total of four spirals. How do you get them to match up? The numeric info for the flat/zigzag shape tells you the dimensions in Carrara of the object. Just count how many times the spiral needs to cross the zig or zag :) (depending on which is which) and that is the number of spirals needed; in this case, 6 and extrude the spiral the length of the side as indicated in the numeric info box for the shape that is being matched. My spirals needed to be scaled about 95% along the length to fit more closely. All of the spirals end abruptly. However, like a good magician, those ends are hidden from the eye in the smooth corner of the flat zig zag shape. As for shading, I used the DCG Tile shader in the bump channel with a setting of 200h and 16v. Hope this helps. I feel the Karma already ;) Mark

Ummm, here is the image that was supposed to go with the above text! Mark

Here are the settings for my rope shader.

Then I added the spike deformer to make the little frays on the rope.

Great ropes!