Creating a Carving

[mmeaney]

I am working on an existing building that was built in 1939. We are modeling the entire building, but the exterior of the building has carved panels as well as lettering in the limestone that I would like to show. I have been able to create it so that it is one dimensional, but the panels have depth. Any suggestions?

[stelthorst]

If the lettering you created is linework (ie plines etc) and not text you might be able to extrude this to a 3D solid or mass element and then subtract this from your wall.

I must add that I'm an electrical designer and by no means an expert in ADT but I think this would work.

[Steve_Bennett]

There are a couple approaches depending on why you want to have surface detail. One - you want the model to look pretty for renderings and two - you want sections to slice thru the texture.

For one, leave that detail to the visualization programs like VIZ or MAX. Make a good bump map to make it appear as if there is surface detail and keep your polygon count low. For close up shots you could extrude the linework in VIZ and render it upclose.

For two, be sure to extrude your polylines into mass elements not acad 3D solids.