ICE LVL2 Ndebele hut – class notes
*************************************************
Ndebele hut
Today’s build introduces you to the Ndebele people of South Africa. Instead of giving you all the cultural and historic info – please look at the Ndebele slideshow in front.
We will build a hut using Ndebele patterns – that in itself will give you a good feel for the shapes and colors of Ndebele culture.
The music video for this class is by Nothembi, real famous local Ndebele musician:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQ0D6ZPbBs
It’s a five minute video with some nice Ndebele vibes – once you see Nothembi dressed in her colorful traditional clothes and her even more colorful electric guitar in her hand – you will never forget it 
Evaluation forms are included in the supplies – I’d appreciate any suggestions, ideas that could make this class more clear.
******************************************
This is a level 2 build which means you should be familiar with the basics building skills like :
> Good camera controls to zoom in and out of the build and adjust textures
> Rezzing, naming, resizing, positioning and texturing a prim,
> Using “select texture” to adjust “Repeats per face” values
> Adding a script to the Content tab
> Using the path-cut tool
> using Shift-copy & CTRL-Z to snap copy back to original prim’s position
> Linking prims ( soft-linking as well )
If you are not sure about the above :
> you are welcome to stay and listen and then build later at your own pace
> stay after class to get some extra help or …
> you are also welcome to contact me if you need some questions answered while you are building at home.
For additional help you can also look at the slide and colorcoded example in the front.
CTRL+H
-> Please make sure that you keep your local chat open ( CTRL+H ) so that you can check prim sizes and texture info even if you are a bit behind.
Alt or Alt+ Ctrl
-> You can also zoom in and out using the Alt key or the Alt+Ctrl keys while dragging the mouse.
Please use IM if you need help – don’t use Local Chat for questions - so that we don’t interrupt the rest of the class while we are working on a specific problem.
***********************************
This is a 16 prim build – 90 minutes class – so please pay attention so that you don’t lose any hut parts
The colorcoded examples and slides will guide you as well to make sure you know which prim comes next.
Are you ready to get started?
***************************************
A QUICK CYLINDER EXERCISE
- Please look at example no 1 and your slide for this section
***************************************
We are going to use cylinders for our hut. No other shapes will be necessary – well …. apart from the door which is created from a box prim.
To warm-up let’s do a quick exercise before we start with the hut. This will help you understand the technique we use with the middle part of the hut where the windows are.
This technique can be used for many things when using a shape like this – it gives you more flexibility when adding windows and other textures.
***************************************
Please have a look at the colorcoded cylinder. This is our test build – we are going to use it to help prepare before we start with our huts.
Rez a cylinder on your mat. (The cylinder is shape no 5 in the first row in your “create menu”.)
STEP 1 – CREATING THE BOTTOM WALL
Size : X : 2.6 Y : 2.6 Z : 0.5
Rotation : X : 0 Y : 0 Z : 340
Hollow : 90
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.1 – E : 1.0
Step 2
Shift-copy this cylinder up while pressing the SHIFT key and position it on your bottom cylinder
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.1 – E : 0.2
Color : blue
Step 3
Shift-copy this cylinder piece UP
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.2 – E : 0.3 (start with END value)
Color : red
Step 4
Shift-copy this cylinder piece UP
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.3 – E : 0.4 (start with END value)
Color : blue
Is it starting to be clear – how to make up parts of this cylinder?
Make sure you ONLY change the path-cut values and DON’T TRY TO ROTATE the pieces!
So we use
> SHIFT-COPY
> and PATH-CUT
…..to create a hut wall that is cut up into several pieces and can be textured differently if you wish.
If you see the idea and all is clear – you can stop now and delete your cylinders…… or continue this technique with me to get a bit more practice.
Step 5
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.4 – E : 0.5 – (start with END value)
Color : red
Step 6
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.5 – E : 0.6 – (start with END value)
Color : blue
Step 7
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.6 – E : 0.7 – (start with END value)
Color : red
Step 8
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.7 – E : 0.8 – (start with END value)
Color : blue
Step 9
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.8 – E : 0.9 – (start with END value)
Color : red
Step 10 – LAST step
Shift-copy this prim up
Ctrl-Z to snap it back and adjust path cut :
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.9 – E : 1.0 – (start with END value)
Color : blue
Is it all clear how to work with this technique? Remember to remember it when we get to those windows!
Ok let’s start building our hut. Are you ready?
*****************************************************
Please try to keep within the limits of your mat and try and leave some space between you and your build.
********************************
We are starting with the first 4 prims -
1. Base
2. Hut floor
3. Outside seat around hut
4. Bottom part of wall
********************************
Please look at the colorcoded example and slides in the middle - it will also help build your first 4 prims.
We will use the “SELECT TEXTURE” option quite a bit to texture different sides of our cylinders.
Ok let’s start building the hut!
******************************
Prim 1 of 16 – BASE ( brown prim ):
- Please look at example no 2 in front, and your slide for this section
- We are going to build the first 4 prims – which forms the base of our build
*****************************
Rez a cylinder
Name it BASE
Size : X : 3.5 Y : 3.5 Z : 0.1
Rotation : X : 0 Y : 0 Z : 340
Texture : “ndebelehut_ground” from your supplies
Repeats per face : Horizontal : 4 Vertical : 6
Side of clylinder ( black on colorcoded example ) – use “select texture”
Horizontal : 20 Vertical : 0.3
(select “SELECT TEXTURE”) and adjust only side of BASE) :
Color : you can add a bit of brown or keep it as is.
Position-> on the ground
*******************************
Prim 2 of 16 – HUT FLOOR ( blue prim )
********************************
Shift-copy BASE UP ( brown prim )
Name it HUT FLOOR
Size : X : 3.2 Y : 3.2 Z : 0.1
Texture : “ndebele_wall2″ from your supplies
…or any other texture you’d like to use for the walls
Texture color : back to white – if you changed the ground color
Repeats per face: Horizontal : 4.0 Vertical : 4.0
Side of cylinder ( dark blue part on example ):
Repeats per face: Horizontal : 15 Vertical : 0.2
Position : on top of BASE
********************************
PLEASE NOTE : About texture “ndebele_wall2″
We will be using “ndebele_wall2″ for all the prims coming up ( apart from windows and pattern rings – which will get the ndebele pattern) until we get to the roof prim.
Please make sure that the wall texture looks good on all prims – you will have to “select texture” and fix texture repeats separately for different prim faces
***********************
Prim 3 of 16 – OUTSIDE SEAT AROUND HUT ( green-red prim )
***********************
Shift-copy FLOOR ( blue prim ) up
Name it OUTSIDE SEAT
Size : X : 3.2 Y : 3.2 Z : 0.25
Hollow : 80
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.1 – E : 1.0
Texture tab – use “select texture” :
Remember you can choose your own repeats – this is just a guideline to texture all visible sides of the prim.
*****************************
1. Bright green part – Outside face
The side faces you :
Repeats per face: Horizontal : 30 Vertical : 1
2. Pathcut ends ( the two rectangle shaped ends – dark green in the example) :
Horizontal : 2 Vertical : 2
3. Seating – red face
Horizontal : 10 Vertical : 10
Position -> on top of FLOOR using ONLY the Blue arrow
********************************
4 of 16 – HUT WALL BOTTOM PART ( bottom orange prim )
**********************************
Shift-copy OUTSIDE SEAT ( green prim ) UP
Name it HUT WALL BOTTOM
Size :
X : 2.6 Y : 2.6 Z : 0.5
Hollow : 95
Texture :
Outside wall – orange face :
Horizontal : 30 Vertical : 2
“Pathcut end” texture ( dark orange face ):
Horizontal : 0.3 Vertical : 2
Inside wall ( yellow part ):
Horizontal : 40 Vertical : 2
Position : on FLOOR
Is everyone ok so far?
Have a final look at your texture repeats – make sure the wall texture looks ok on all visible sides.
**********************
Next big part :
1. Middle part of wall – 7 prims ( 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 )
3. Top wall cylinder ( Prim 12)
2. Ndebele pattern rings (Prim 13 and 14 of 16 )
- Please look at example in front, and your new slide for this section
***********************
PLEASE NOTE :
We are going to create the “middle ring”- using this technique :
> SHIFT-COPY
> CTRL-Z to snap it back while Object tab is open
> and PATH CUT ( starting with END value )
> the 3 window prims we will make a bit transparent
*****************************
Prim 5 of 16 – HUT WALL MIDDLE RING – “RIGHTEND PRIM” ( red prim – the one that we are going to use to copy and create the others…)
(prim 1 of 7 of the middle ring)
****************************
Shift-copy BOTTOM WALL up
Name if RIGHT END WALL
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.1 – E : 0.2
Position on top of bottom wall using ONLY the blue arrows
We will be using this red prim ( RIGHT END ) to shift-copy and create all other 6 pieces in the middle ring.
****************************
Prim 6 of 16 – MIDDLE WALL – RIGHT WINDOW
(prim 2 of 7 of the middle ring)
****************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it RIGHT WINDOW
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.2 – E : 0.25 (start with E value)
Texture tab -
Texture : blank
Transparency : 50 (since this is a window)
*****************************
Prim 7 of 16 – MIDDLE WALL – RIGHT BACK WALL
(prim 3 of 7 of the middle ring)
*****************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it RIGHT BACK WALL
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.25 – E : 0.5 (start with E value)
*******************************
Prim 8 of 16 -MIDDLE WALL – BACK WINDOW
(prim 4 of 7 of the middle ring)
*******************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it BACK WINDOW
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.5 – E : 0.6 (start with E value)
Texture tab -
Texture : blank
Transparency : 50 (since this is a window)
********************************
Prim 9 of 16 – MIDDLE WALL – LEFT BACK WALL
(prim 5 of 7 of the middle ring)
**********************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it LEFT BACK WALL
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.6 – E : 0.83 (start with E value)
******************************
Prim 10 of 16 – MIDDLE WALL PRIM 6 – LEFT WINDOW
(prim 6 of 7 of the middle ring)
****************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it LEFT WINDOW
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.83 – E : 0.9 (start with E value)
Texture tab -
Texture : blank
Transparency : 50 ( this is the last a window)
****************************
Prim 11 of 16 -MIDDLE WALL PRIM 7 – LEFT END WALL
(prim 7 of 7 of the middle ring)
*****************************
Shift-copy RIGHTEND PRIM ( red prim ) up
Name it LEFT END WALL
CTRL+Z TO snap it back into place
Path cut Begin and End : B : 0.9 – E : 1.0 (start with E value)
******************************
Prim 12 of 16 – HUTWALL – TOP RING
******************************
Shift-copy BOTTOM WALL ( bottom orange prim) up and above the middle ring – along the BLUE arrow
Name it TOP RING
Position : on Middle wall using only the Blue arrow
*****************************
Prim 13 and 14 of 16 – NDEBELE PATTERN RINGS
( bottom and top ring)
*****************************
Shift-copy BOTTOM WALL ( bottom orange prim) up and above your build
Size : X : 2.61 Y : 2.61 Z : 0.1
Texture:
Drag “ndebelepattern3″ on the outside face of the prim – the rest stays the same texture as the walls.
Try fullbright – see if you like it bright …..
Repeats per face for ONLY outside face: Horizontal : 25 Vertical : 0.9
( use “select texture”)
Position it to sit on the outside seat and a copy of it just under the ROOF..
****************************
Texturing the windows:
***************************
Edit all 3 windows and texture them with :
“ndebelepattern3″
Repeats per face: Horizontal : 20 Vertical : 0.9
( or change repeats as you like – play with the pattern
****************************
Prim 15 of 16 ROOF
****************************
Shift-copy “top wall” ( top orange prim ) along the BLUE arrow
Path cut Begin and End – back to default : B : 0 – E : 1.0
Size : X : 3.2 Y : 3.2 Z : 1.1
Hollow : 80
Taper : X : 1 – Y : 1
Texture : “ndebelehut_grassroof” from your supplies
Repeats per face: H : 20 V : 4
Position -> on Top Wall
****************************
LINKING BEFORE ADDING THE DOOR
****************************
Make sure that “select only my objects” is enabled in your Tools menu.
- Right-click any of your prims
- Click “Edit”
- Draw a rectangle around your build till you see all prims highlighted
- Then link it all together by pressing :
CTRL + L.
Name your work “Ndebele hut”
Last prim :
**************************
Last prim – Prim 16 of 16 – DOOR
***************************
Rez a box close to where the DOOR will go
Name it DOOR in the general tab.
Size : X : 0.05 Y : 1.6 Z : 1.4
Path cut Begin and End - : B : 0.375 – E : 0.875
Lift it out of ground if necessary.
Rotation : X : 180 Y : 0 Z : 180
Position your door in the “door space” of your hut
Texture with “Old wood” from your supplies
Tick FULL BRIGHT
Repeats per face : H : 3 V : 3
Texture rotation : 90
Add door script :
“Multi User Lockable Door by Meiyo Sojourner” – drag from inventory into your Contents tab
Close your build window and test your door.
End of serious building tasks )
*****************************************************************************
SOFT-LINKING HUT and DOOR
*****************************************************************************
DO NOT link door and hut together – we are going to softlink them
Select :
- first your door
- then the hut
- make sure you DON’T click CTRL + L
- make sure you click hut last
- right-click and “take copy”.
Then check that your “soft-linked house” named “Ndebele hut” is in your inventory under “Objects”
- if it worked repeat and click “Take” this time.
*************************
ENLARGING YOUR HUT
*************************
- Select your hut & door, make sure that door is also selected.
- Press CTRL+SHIFT – you will see white squares appear.
- Drag one of the top white squares to enlarge your hut + door to any size you like.
*************************
HOMEWORK – WHAT ABOUT SOME EXCITING WAYS OF USING THE NDEBELE PATTERNS?
*************************
> Chairs,
> vases,
> cups,
> or what about creating your own art ndebele artwork/painting/3D Ndebele build?
If you feel like playing with this and ready to share with all of us – send me the result and I publish it on my Flickr account.
…
Remember that you can create your own Ndebele style patterns – there is no end to the infinite variations to these basic patterns. I’d love to see your own ndebele creations – let me know if you made something nice using these ideas.
Filed under: openclasses | Tagged: openclasses
