How can I make a grip that is like the one on Count Dooku's lightsaber from Star Wars

Question

I am attempting to model Count Dooku's lightsaber from Star Wars. However, I can't figure out how to make that triangular grip on the middle portion of the lightsaber on my model as shown in the ref image below. The triangular black portions are especially giving me trouble as well as the bumpy texturing on the grips. I would appreciate some help in solving this problem! Reference image

My model so far

Edit: I think I forgot to clarify. I actually have two problems. The first is actually getting the triangular shape of the grip onto my model. The second is the black texturing portion. You guys seem to have solved the texturing portion of it - thanks for that! But, I'm still having trouble with modeling the grip section. I've tried using knife project but the base corners of the triangle don't stretch out to the sides if I attempt to project from a top view!

Answer 1

The grip texture is quite easy to do.
It's just a brick texture with Bump/Displacement.

1. Use the Brick Texture node. Set Width and Height the same, to get that square pattern.
2. Connect it to the UV map and rotate it 45° using the Mapping node
3. Add Color ramp to control the height difference, and use it with Bump or Displacement node

You can use it with the Bump node, to fake the 3D appearance.

Or use the Displacement node, for a real 3D effect. It requires a lot of geometry. Also, don't forget to enable true displacement in the material settings.

Answer 2

You can create a new material for the selective part of the mesh and use a "Bump Map" or a "Normal Map" texture.

Use Triangulate Modifier from "modifiers" on the mesh.

• Normal map
• Bump map

Or create your own in substance painter.

Created a new material with normal map

Final rough render of what you asked

Hope this helps you!

Answer 3

While i suggested to use the knife-project function, i found that i get better results using the shrinkwrap modifier, though it is some work, it's giving great results.

Let's get to it:

1. Single out the part that should have the metal grip, like make it a separate object to work with, will make it easier later. Since it looks as if you use subdivision modifier, this will fit right in.
2. Create a copy of the part and name it outer shell, this will be used as reference later, also increase the subdivision to at least 4 in view.
3. Create one more copy and call it inner shell, this one also needs the higher subdivision, but you also have to scale it to become thinner. Essentially as much thinner as you want the different between the metal and the rough grip shall be.
4. You should end up with 2 high density versions, one like the original and one scaled down to where the rough grip is gonna be.
5. While the 2 copies are fine, the original can be cut in half to then use a mirror modifier, this way you can focus on one side and nearly til the end work non-destructive.
6. Now select the original and except the left and right border of metal at either end, delete the inner part, leaving you with 2 rings one on each side (half-rings+mirrored part).
7. With the original selected and only the 2 sides left, apply a subdivision modifier set on value 2 in view.
8. Add a shrinkwrap modifier with the target outer shell and you can start.
9. Go in orthographic view where you can see the cylindrical part from the side and select some vertices from one border to start extruding them towards the other side, while slowly generating the form you want. Stay in the view and don't worry, as the shrinkwrap modifier will keep the new vertices on the outer shell surface. You may need to copy the shrinkwrap modifier and then apply the top one to make sure the mesh is where it should be.
10. Once you reach the other side, you can either bridge the last part or merge the vertices on to the outer ring, finishing the diagonal metal part separating the darker grip area.
11. There are still 2 areas, namely the upper and lower part where the darker grip part is supposed to be build.

12. For that select the top inner vertex on both sides and press F to create an edge, to then press Ctrl+R to divide it the same number of times you have extruded the metal bridge earlier. This is to allow us generating a grid fill by selecting the newly created edge including the vertices used to create it and the corresponding edge along the bridged part, which should now have the same number of vertices. In the picture below i had to use the side edges though. Just in case "Grid Fill" complains, try this.

13. With these 2 loops selected go in the Ctrl+F Face-menu and select "Grid Fill". No worries about triangles, those can be adjusted to end up with quads by dissolving edges later.

14. Same procedure on the lower part, to then end up with a cylinder again. This cylinder should in object mode look like any cylinder, as all the vertices wherever they may lay are shrinkwrapped on the outer shell version.

15. After deactivating the shrinkwrap modifier (sometimes you may need to copy and apply the shrinkwrap to ensure the mesh is snug upon the target mesh), you now need to select the areas that later will be the darker grip area, press Ctrl+F "Extrude Faces Along Normals" and push it inwards, roughly where the inner shell is.

16. The faces selected after the extrusion should only be the inner part, thus generate a new vertex group and assign it, with the name inner.

17. Then press Ctrl+I to inverse the selection and generate a new vertex group, assigned and named outer.

18. In the already active shrinkwrap modifier of the original, select the outer vertex group.

19. Then copy the shrinkwrap modifier and select the inner shell as target and the inner vertex group.

20. The result should be that the outer and inner part of the grip are wrapped on the corresponding targets and are smoothened out.

21. You can now fine tune the look and it will stay clean and without breaks in the reflection and finally apply the mirror modifier. One thing i usually do is selecting the outer border of the area, press H to hide the border, then press L while over the inner part to select the middle. With that selection i press Ctrl+V and use "Smooth Vertices", which i then use multiple times by pressing Shift+R (repeating the last action), resulting in a smoother mesh. Afterwards just press Alt+H to un-hide the hidden border again.

22. Also go through the triangles and dissolve edges to end up with only quads. They will be stretched, but quads stretched are still better then triangles.

23. Last thing would be to create 2 loop cuts each in the border separating the inner and outer areas, of course for both areas that we extruded inwards.

It could then look something like this:

Happy blending ;)