A Model Created In Blender, Using Displacement Modifier

Blender is full of options. Especially when it comes to creating models. There are so many flows that one can easily get lost in it. And here, as for many other things, the truth is that there is no one size fit them all work flow.

The story for this model of mine is that while I did some learning and practicing in Blender, I was creating rocks. Rocks are very natural model. They are all around us, and if you think about it the earth itself is a rock 😊. We live on a rock.

So, I was doing my practicing on creating rocks, and searching YouTube tutorials. One of them was suggesting this technique. I kind of like it the flexibility that it offers and decide to do it.

This is a model I have created in Blender using the displacement modifier technique.
The workflow for this one goes as this. First a very basic cubic shape of the model is created. Next a subdivision modifier is added to increase the polies. After that a series of displacement modifiers are added to create the shape.

Here is the starting shape.

This shape is created from Ico Sphere. I start with the Ico Sphere, then adjust the bottom of it, and next with the proportional editing tool create random shape, pulling the vertices of the model.
After the basic shape is done, next comes the subdivision surface modifier. In this case I subdivide the shape 6 times. A bevel modifier is add to achieve nice round edges. The model now is about one million polies.
Here is the look after the subdivision surface and bevel modifier are added.

Now comes the interesting part and that is adding the displacement modifier. Two displacement modifiers are used here, one for the bigger displacement and a second one for the small details. For the big displacement modifier I use the clouds texture that is built in blender, and adjust the strength of the modifier at 0,2. Also some tweaks of the texture is done.
Here is the look.

The small displacement modifier is added as well, but this time with strength of 0,02. Tweaking of the texture is done as well. Basicly I made this one smaller and add a color ramp.
The final shape of the model.

This shape can now be transformed and adjust in edit mode and it will keep the modifiers on the surface. This allows very different forms to be created.

Then I did some texturing of the model using the Blender Nodes in Cycles.

Here, two textures are mixed using mixing factors like gradient texture and a separation of the normal map with RGB separate node. With the RGB curves node some of the textures are made darker, and some lighter. Also, color ramps are used for nice adjustments.

The gif :)

Now this model can be transformed and reshaped in all kind of shapes, and create a varieties of models. This model is high poly and if needed to be used in a scene with more complex environment it needs to be topologized and bake the maps. Also for a game engine model it need to go trough this process.
This was another good practise model, in order to develop some Blender skills.

In the new Blender 2.8 alfa version, that is still under development, there is a displacment node. This one is easear to use than the modifers and also have a lot of variations. Will try it out soon and post about it.

All the best
@dalz

Some of the previous posts on this topic

• A Model Created In Blender, Using Detail Sculpting With Dyntopo
• Sculpting In Blender With Dyntopo – My First Decent Model
• Node Setup For Blender Cycles Material
• Setting Up Gradient Texture In Blender Node Editor
• Pointiness Future in Blender Node Setup – Give Shape To YourModel
• Moss, Snow, Dirt or Just Creating Variations in Blender - Node Setup With Normal Map