Foldable Chair
Foldable Chair Modelling
After learning to model a fish using image planes with Owen, I used the technique to
model a foldable camp chair for my project (3D campsite environment). Firstly, I found turnaround
chair images for reference sourced from a shopping website to put into Maya. The reference images
were a template to model over. I found front, back, and side images of the chairs to save.
I placed the separate images into each orthographic panel, so each reference could be seen when modelling the shape.
I placed a polygon cube in the scene, in front of the chair reference images, to create the feet of the chair.
I altered the shape of the cube, as close as I could get it, to match the shape of the image. I selected the vertices control to move to line up with the image.
I modelled the image of the cube, to the correct shape, to line up with the foot. I then duplicated the shape 3 more times for the remaining 3 legs.
The next step was to start creating the poles that connect the 4 feet together. I made a new cylinder shape then I resized it to match the front side pole. I extended the cylinder’s height to reach the centre hinge, where the two poles intercepted.
Next, I developed the opposite pole on the other foot with another cylinder but I
extended the pole to the diagonal corner.
After extending the front pole, I modelled the pole behind at the opposite angle therefore having two poles crossed with a divide in the centre.
A shorter length cylinder, but wider in radius was created for the connector hinge to attach to.
For this, I had to delete the bottom and top caps, so the longer pole would slide through it.
I extruded the outside edges so that there was a hole in the middle yet gave a thickness to look like a pipe.
I added multi-cuts (edges) to the hinge to correct the topology of the model's geometry.
It was then time to adjust the lengths of each pole. I changed the poles' size using the vertices to match the reference image.
I duplicated all the poles with a hinge to line up with the right side of the chair, to be parallel with the back feet.
Once the poles and hinge were duplicated, I duplicated a further two more times to create
a square.
Further on, (I had to research how to model the fabric seat for the chair). I inserted a new polygon
cube and adjusted its size to fit all four corners of the square I had made with poles. When the cube
came onto the screen it was too big in height so, I had to resize the height to a slimmer scale.
Once reduced, I scaled the top holes to create the armrests for the chair. By selecting the vertices of the end of the pole.
In this image, I moved the vertices of the pole, further up the image where the arms angled down to
meet the base of the chair. I selected the vertices, moved them up, and then rotated them to match the
reference image bend in the pole.
The next step was to add an edge loop to give more geometry/vertices to adjust, therefore matching the
bend in the reference image more accurately.
From there I pulled the top of the pole’s vertices up to the corner of the chair, where to pole would
end. This extruded the geometry of the pole to extend for the cup holder rest.
Finally, for that pole, I added some more edge loops to fix the topology between the two vertices.
After completing that pole, I turned on turbo smoothing, to smooth out the pole to more of a
rounded shape than a cylinder.
Copying the same technique to develop the arched armrest on the other side, I moved the vertices to the end of the armrest and added more edge loops to manipulate the shape. I used turbo
smoothing on this pole also.
Figuring out how to create the bend in the seat, I used the sculpting tools to attempt to make an
indentation in the polygon slab. I changed the properties of the sculpting tools, to find a solution to
indent the slab which would become the canvas fabric seat.
It complexes me as to how to indent the seat, so I reset all the parameters for the polygon before I started to mould the indentation for the seat pad area. Further attempts to model this led to more
complexity so I abandoned it to give time to find a solution. I started to model a camp tent therefore
not losing time for another purpose.
