Ello All:)
I need some help on drawing the bows of a bow tie. I have the middle section idea in my head of how to draw that componet/solid, but i have no idea how to make the bows and to make them “wavy” or even were to start.
Also, one type of bow i would like to draw up is one that is meshed like lace, so it has a bunch of holes in it, but before i hit that idea, i want to at least make a regular style bow tie
at this moment, i have no drawings or sketches. thanks.
`look at making a ‘proxy’ and then using one of the available Sub Division Plugins such as SubD or Artisan Tools.
Here is an example of what I mean by proxy in this screenshot, if you Google it you can find a bunch of tutorials.
That is a really cool plugin. I will see if i can use that. When drawing the proxy, should i just use a triangle shape?
How about a plugin called “Clothworks” ? There is a charge for it, from Sketchucation.
The point of a proxy is to turn low poly meshes into higher poly organic shapes. You want your proxy to look like a low poly bow tie. Most people recommend modeling the proxy with quads, but the occasional triangle is acceptable. Personally, I don’t care about the amount of sides because Artisan can handle any face shape. Although, if you use quads, then your topology will be more organized. I’m pretty sure you need to use quads for SubD though in order for it to work.
Lol, thats cool, but since im new to su, im not even sure how to draw a proxy of a bow tie haha. My modeling consiats of some basic things that are cool but are all pretty simple shapes. A bowtie is something new to me haha
How to make a bow tie with native tools:
Download a reference picture of a bow tie. Here’s the picture I used.
Import the image into SketchUp.
Draw the profile of the center & make a circular path for it to follow.
Use follow me to create this shape, delete the path, and make the loop into a group. Then move it, so you can fully see the picture.
Draw a couple of rectangles to roughly match the volume of the bow tie. You can texture them a transparent color, so you can see the picture better.
Now draw the profile of the bow tie. Reference lines help to make the proper curves. Draw a vertical line midpoint to midpoint, then another vertical line midpoint to midpoint. And finally make the cross midpoint to midpoint.
Draw the arcs like this, then copy it to the other side. Scale it -1 to mirror the shape. And delete the reference lines.
7.2) 
Extrude the profile, then delete the unnecessary lines.
Create a vertical plane that is wider & taller than the bow tie. Make it a group.
Copy the plane and put them at the ends of the middle loop and in the middle of the wavy part. Then select them & “intersect faces with selection”.
Delete the planes, then select the inner two lines created. Use the scale tool to squeeze the center.
Scale the other lines to match the profile of the bow tie.
Scale the lines to flatten the ends. The middle of the wavy part is about half as flat as the end.
Scale the inner end lines outwards to curve the edge of the bow tie.
Add the middle loop & scale it to flatten it. Soften edges.
Add a texture.
If you have any questions, then feel free to ask.
P.S. This tutorial is just for you. It was fun making it.
LMBO, ok before we get to crazy, i want to ask a really dumb question. it is related to the bowtie, How do you close off geometry? i try and try and no matter how many lines i draw, SU either doesnt place the line or it doesnt close off my faces. here is a pic of the face im trying to close off
Ok, now thats out of the way.
Thank you much for letting me know you are doing a tutorial:) was this tutorial something you were all ready doing before i asked, or you decided to make it because of this thread?
thanks either way though. There are so many things i have no idea how to even aproach with modeling. Curved surfaces and anything more than boxes and circles on eachother, i get lost. haha.
for example, if i wanted to model a chinese dumpling skimmer(only because im looking at one right now in my appartment) i would be lost on how to make the parabolic shaped spoon part. A bowl is even complicated. Man, im just discouraging myself thinking about it. time to make something cool.
thanks
Thanks for that very detailed tutorial my friend.Thats a very interesting approach. I need to re-read this to make sure i dont miss anything.
Ok, for the planes you speak of, are they just rectangles you created or does SU have refference planes like inventor, solidworks or fusion 360? I want to make sure i get this right haha
Also thank you for the videos. I will watch those. My most complicated part i think i have made thus far is a revolved rim for a car, and also a turbine for a jet engine. those were not to bad. but something with waves and crazy stuff like this, or if i wanted to make rounded triangles where the opposite faces are angled(hard to explain) or just other shapes in general. I mean, i have made some cool stuff in solidworks like this object that i call an apple slicer, even though that is not what it is, or i have made some other cool stuff, but for some reason, certain things in solidworks AND sketchup get the best of me haha.
Ok, so i am going to try your tutorial out and see how i do. I would like to add some thickness to it, will push pull work for that? i might want to 3d print this for kicks and giggles haha.
thanks
You’re welcome. Wow! Nice apple slicer! Whatever it’s for, it sure does look cool. By plane, I meant rectangle. To add thickness to a curved surface, you’ll need “joint push/pull” from sketchucation.com. It’s free. If you end up 3D printing the bow tie, I’d love to see it!
thanks. ill get that plug in. I do want to 3d print it just to see if my printer can handle that kind of geometry.
Thanks for the info about the planes. I just have to make sure, every program i have used is different.
The apple slicer thing, i would really love to know what it is, because i think its normal function is something else. It was a drawing for one of my engineering classes and we used solidworks to draw it.
Ill start the bow tie either tonight or tomorrow. I am in the middle of trying to trace a DC logo in sketchup to extrude the letters and one of the circles wont close off correctly, preventing me from extruding it.
im thinking of putting the logo in the middle of the bow tie:)
Cool. Good luck making it a solid group. I couldn’t get the bow tie to union properly because the geometry is too complicated. A solution would be to redraw it lower poly (less sides on the arcs). If you can get it, then it’ll be 3D print ready (after you put on the DC logo, of course).
Untitled1.skp (406.2 KB)
Hmm, i like that cloth works as well. I might have to buy that for other projects. Ok, so i didnt get around to following the tutorial yet. I lost my job last week so i am looking for work at the moment. I will give it a go after some interviews.
Thanks guys
Ok, bow ties following this tutorial and advice from this thread are under way, and also another design i am trying is under way. i will keep it updated and maybe make a post about the 3d prints of them:)
EDIT:
I WILL make a post. You guys/gals deserve to see your awesome info put to good use.
