9.5.2

218 • CHAPTER 7
OBJECTS MENU • NURBS • 219
HyperNURBS is the most powerful modeling tool in CINEMA 4D and is ideal for character animation. Image
© Yoichi Mimura.
HyperNURBS objects are also well-suited to animation. Complex objects can be created using a
relatively low number of control points. To animate these objects — perhaps using PLA or Soft IK
— you animate these control points. This is a far quicker and easier process than, for example, using
PLA to animate a character that has over 100,000 polygons.
The HyperNURBS object uses an algorithm to subdivide and round the object interactively — a process
termed ‘subdivision surfaces’. This is an extremely quick and simple way to create organic forms or,
with the help of edge and point weighting, rmer shapes also. There are various ways to go about
building your HyperNURBS models. Techniques include starting from a simple object such as a cube or
creating the points manually one by one (join them together with the Bridge tool or Create Polygon
tool).
If you start with a Cube object, convert the cube to polygons with the Make Editable command and
use tools from the Structure menu to extrude, bevel, knife and so on to craft the surface. To rm up
the model, use point, edge and polygon weighting.
Although in principle you can use any type of object with HyperNURBS, most of the time you’ll work
with polygons so that you can use the various polygon tools such as Knife and Bevel.