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Vortex / Expanding Helix
Is there any tool, native or as a plugin, that will let you create a non-linear helix? Such as you would expect the shape of a vortex to be… tighter at 1 end, wider at the other, where the spacing of each revolution of the helix can be pushed further away from both the center AND the revolution that came before it?
heres a pic for clarify. looking for the one on the right, and obviously in 3d ☺
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6 Replies
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For a vertical tornado shape: Starting from a default helix set on the XZ plane, reduce the Start Radius to shrink the bottom of the helix, then reduce the Start Angle below 0 to add revolutions, then reduce the Radial Bias so that the revolutions are closer at the bottom and wider at the top. Adjust Height to your liking.
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thanks for the quick reply Jim, but i dont think its exactly what Im after (though Ill replicate your settings and see if I can tweak them a bit). This is still pretty linear. I was getting a similar result by quickly dropping a Taper under the helix and using that to expand one end. At least that way I was able to use the curvature option to make the shape less linear or conical.
Incase I wasnt clear enough in the first post, i guess to word it differently, each rotation needs to be further than its previous rotation…? so if rotation 1 rose 1 unit, rotation 2 would rise 2 units, rotation 3 would rise 4, then 8, 16, etc, or something to that effect (im no mathamagitian).
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If by “rise” you mean the height of each successive revolution, that would be controlled by the Height Bias setting. Other than that I guess I don’t understand what you’re after.
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It wasn’t as obvious in my first screenshot, but here you can see the affect of reducing the Radial Bias on the distance horizontally between revolutions. In the left image the bias is 50% and the revolutions are equally spaced. In the right image the bias has been reduced to bring the lower revolutions closer together and the higher ones further apart.
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A spline deformer might also do the trick – you can get the curve you want from the controlling spline fed into the deformer.
You can also enter an equation either to control a spline or to control a deformer.
What you describe is “exponential” or depending on the values: logarithmic. -
thanks for the follow up Jim, that looks more like what im after. Havent had a chance to punch in those settings, but ill try it out when I have a minute and see where it gets me.
Steve, do you have any more info on the deformer method, and formula method you’re describing? I briefly looked at the formula spline, but i have 0 idea how to input the formulae for what im trying to do. I also just now tried your spline deformer tip, but could seem to get that to do anything useful to my helix. I was only getting it to act as a spline wrap, basically.
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