How do I make this twisted surface on a bottle?

Question

I am trying to replicate the attached image, but I am stuck on the twisted pattern on the surface of the bottle. I have tried a displacement modifier with a texture with no luck. Maybe I am just doing it wrong. Or is it best to make this a part of the geometry? Keep in mind that I want to fill the bottle with some water later, so the geometry should preferably not make this impossible to get right.

What would be a good way to go about this?

Answer 1

I would do it this way:

• Create a plane, rotate it 90° on the X axis, apply the rotation, mirror it, create your slot.
• Give it an Array modifier with a Count of 8, enable the Merge option.
• Give it a SimpleDeform modifier / Bend mode, with an Angle of 360°. Now it's a cylinder.
• To make it twist give it a SimpleDeform modifier / Twist mode, create an empty to give it a correct origin and choose it as the Axis, Origin. Choose your Deform Angle (probably 180° and not 120° though).
• Now, as you want the shape to reduce at its top, and as a simple scale with Proportional Editing risks to mess up your topology, you should use a Lattice: Create a Lattice that contains your object, subdivide it in the Properties panel > Data > Lattice, then in the same panel > Shape Keys, create 2 shapekeys, one basic, and a second that you will model in Edit mode.
• Back in Object mode, give your object a Lattice modifier, select the lattice you've created as Object, select the lattice and in the Properties panel > Data > Shape Keys, put second shapekey at a value of 1. Now your object will deform according to the lattice second shapekey.
• Give your object a Subsurf modifier, press Shading > Smooth in the Tools panel of the 3D view.
• Once you're glad with the shape, apply all the modifiers except the Subsurf, go in Edit mode and remove the doubles to join at the 360° junction.

Answer 2

Inset and Simple Deform Twist

Model Mesh

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• Goal Bottle in vertical orientation along global Z axis
• Estimated work time for the 5th practice drill is 8 minutes. 1st Practice 13 minutes.
• Cylinder with enough vertical density to accommodate grooves and horizontal rings for area refinement and one horizontal area for twist. Henceforth called the twist area. Twist area is single row of faces at he beginning.
• Edit mode of Mesh. Select Mode is [Face]. Select Twist area.
• Menu Select Checker Deselect. Result is half of faces within Twist area are selected. Eventual Goal ... Alternating Groove which is preceded by Non-Groove.
• Inset individual. I I Only the inset faces are selected. Move mouse to change size of inset.

• Shrink Fatten Alt-S and move the move mouse for desired effect

• Select entire twist area. Cntrl-R to cut loop rings in horizontal axis. Now the Twist area has enough vertical vertex density to twist with smooth appearance. Suggestion 16 cuts.

• Object Mode. Add Simple Deform modifier. Modify angle and limits.
• Please inspect and improve these steps and suit to your taste.
• Of course in Blender there are 33 ways to achieve a goal.
• I am sure you can be more artistic in your work.
• You may want to search here at BSE for [grooves]

Showing the start of the inset operation. Note the choice offered at bottom of 3D View Window. There is a highlight on the center rectangle in the image. Difficult to see. Click on the image to view a larger version.