How to create correct mesh for a part that should have round holes

Question

I am making a 3D model of a Pagani Huayra and encountered a problem - I don’t know the method to create the correct mesh for a complex-shaped part that has holes.

In the future, I plan to use the Subdivision Surface and Shade Smooth techniques. Most of the car parts will have reflections, so I need a perfect mesh to ensure the reflections are accurate and realistic.

First, I filled the empty space of the future part using Grid Fill, and then I added three circles using Knife Project. I initially subdivided these circles heavily, as before applying the Subdivision Surface, I used the Edge Crease function (which maintains the sharpness and location of edges when using the Subdivision Surface modifier) to preserve the round shape of the headlights and marked all three circles as sharp around the perimeter to ensure proper Shade Smooth.

Then I applied Subdivision Surface, but due to the polygons created by these circles, the accuracy and smoothness of the reflections were completely ruined.

How would you create the mesh for such a part?

I need to maintain the round shape of the headlights and ensure the reflections remain correct.

Answer 1

It's pretty similar to what you have done but instead of using knife project use a shrinkwrap modifier set to 'project' on the curved surface. The circles need to have the same geometry density as the rest of the body. For something like this maybe 8 vertices would be fine. You want to extrude the circles and scale them down a bit so you are projecting the border as well. You apply the shrinknwrap and then merge the circles into the body of the car. You then have to delete faces of the curved surface that overlap the cricles and remake the curved surface so the circles are connected with proper geometry (don't follow my pic for that tho) This recration of the curved surface will be easier if you duplicate the original curved surface before deleting any edges and use it to snap vertices over it, as if you were retopologizing a model.