Molding a primitive to the form of a different primitive

Welp, this may be confusing - I have created a long plait/braid and have created an armature of sorts that i want to lay the braid against so that it follow the forms of the underlying figure/armature….aside from extracting mesh, is there another way to mold against a shape and follow that shape? I tried move, but it keeps distorting the braid…tried with drag and nudge as well, but maybe my approach is lacking. Holla back please

You can do it with Brush tool and dynamic topology, just use a high mesh, low tool intensity and ideally try and flatten it out - depends on the object you’re trying to mould it around, work up around the edges, but don’t forget to also even out the middle which you don’t see visually, its needed to keep it even as you etch the mesh up and work it around the object.

Can you post a screenshot?

Yes, give me just a second

So, I’ve created a “braid” primitive….and sculpted an “armature” of sorts for the shape the braid primitive (which will be cloned several times) to be molded around. Here are screenshots, keeping in mind that the figure/armature will be deleted so that the “braids” have the form of the figure that was once underneath



Did you make the braid with tubes ? The point is not to remesh the tubes and to keep the polycount low. Low polycount means fewer points are better to bend - only increase the polycount after bending. But this method of fitting the braid on the body is rather difficult. Try using an assist layer + layer and take a brush with a braid alpha.

I altered a box primitive and used clay to paint in the braid detail. I did also create an alpha braid brush, but that doesn’t seem to work for what I’m trying to create either, since I don’t want a figure to show within. just want the braids to create the form of the woman.

You want the braid not for the hair ?
You want to make the shape of the WOMAN as a braid ?
What should it look like ? Is there a reference picture ?

I’m going to try to find the photo…if I can’t, I’ll sketch it out so that you can understand what I want to do. Give me just a second and thanks for engaging

I’m at work so I didn’t have time to sketch it out fully, but please think along these lines, rows of the “plaits” primitives adjusted in a way to create a form outlined completely in braids/plaits

An outline is 2D and how do you want to do it in 3D ? A grid / mesh ?


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I would like it so that the braid primitive that I’ve created is molded against (as a guide, not part of) the form so that when the form is deleted, the rows of braids have the outline of the form in 3D

Forgive me, I’m at work, so these sketches are quick and sloppy but hopefully everyone can get the gist of what I’m trying to accomplish

Something like this with braids ?

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Exactly that…but when I try to move the braids into position, they end up really distorted, smushed in some areas and whatnot…any guidance you can give will be welcomed

Well, there’s no easy way with Nomad Sculpt…
You can split the figure to get the contours as bands / stripes - that’s the assist contour.
Either you take a LOW poly braid and take the mask + gizmo + move / drag (change Pivot position and bend with Gizmo) or you take a class alpha brush and sculpt the bands … Or you have another flash of inspiration !

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You would have had to start with a tube with ‘Snap’ turned on, and modeled the braids from there