The Community for Architects, Landscape & Lighting Designers

Creating an Espalier 2D/3D symbol

I've been trying to create an Espalier tree to place in my plant library but not sure if I'm using the right tools. I understand that to create a 2D/3D symbol you need to draw the plant in 3D and in plan view and then align the two together. My main problem is in creating both the vertical and horizontal trucks of the plant. I have been using the cylinder and cone tools from the 3D modelling set but feel they look unnatural. I have looked at the NURBS curve but I am unable to join them. Is there another (easier) way to create the branches? also would using the 3D polygon be the best tool to use for the leaves? I hope someone can make sense of that.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tamsin Slatter on June 25, 2010 at 9:27am

Hi Derek

For something like this, it might be better to use an Image Prop - presuming you have Renderworks? You could use Photoshop or any other image editing software to delete the background from a fantastic photo of an espalier. You can then use Model/Create Image Prop to import the image and turn it into a 3D plane with the image stuck onto it.

Alternatively, if that all sounds a bit awful, you could send me a photo of an espalier and I'll gladly make it for you.

If you do need to model, Nurbs would be a great idea - you could then use the extrude along path command to give the branches some thickness. But it is always going to look a little unnatural. I still think the Image Prop would be a better bet.

Feel free to come back to me if this doesn't help.

Tamsin

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Derek Ashby on June 26, 2010 at 4:21pm

Hi Tamsin,

Thank you for your reply and for your kind offer to create the Espalier Image Prop.

I had thought about creating an Image Prop using a photo, however I use a number of different variety of plants, so I would need to create a lot of them.

I also was going to do a sketch and then create that as an Image Prop but thought when you panned around the drawing in 3D that you would always see the plant face on rather than the side view. I often use Espalier to create screens between two garden areas and not just on walls or fences.

I will have a play around with the NURBS tool as I haven't used this much and see what I come up with as well I will import a sketch to create an image prop.

Thank you once again for your kind offer and advice,

Regards

Derek