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I'm learning about tapering objects watching tutorials and reading questions. Still I have some issues understanding how it works.

enter image description here

Please, take a look at the attached blender file.

What I did:

  1. created the "Path" curve
  2. created the "Section" curve
  3. created the "Taper" curve, duplicating the "Path" and moving on the X axis
  4. applied all the transformations
  5. set Section as Geometry > Bevel Object on the Path curve
  6. set Taper as Geometry > Taper Object on the Path curve

Now, if I try to move any handle of the Taper curve on the X axis the extruded profile changes abruptly with no real control (just 1 pixel from shrinked to the original size).

My goal is to make the upper part thinner and the lower part fatter.

Actually, I would like also to change the cross-section along the path: the upper part should be close to the circle, while the bottom part larger on the X axis (like an ellipse). But I think I can easily achieve this second step just scaling the resulting tapered object.

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2 Answers 2

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Taper

Taper is 2D info ... your egg object takes radius (or size of profile object) from taper's distance on Y axis (X axis represents start/end of your "egg" curve.

enter image description here

Since Taper is controller, scale the "Section" object to 2m (I don't know why ... I would expect 1m like when Geometry > Bevel > Round > Depth), than distance of Taper's control points on Y axis corresponds to radius.

No Taper

BTW for such shape you dont have to use a Taper ... you can just select control point and adjust Radius ...

enter image description here

... and instead of your "Section" you can use already mentioned Geometry > Bevel > Round > Depth

Instead of Subdivision modifier go to Curve Data Properties and increase Resolution Preview.

Oval

To make bottom part oval profiled you can use Lattice modifier or Mesh Deform modifier.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the hints! I'm going to study and try the last ones since I don't know them yet $\endgroup$
    – Mark
    Jul 8 at 11:14
  • $\begingroup$ Do you suggest to begin with a torus, then? $\endgroup$
    – Mark
    Jul 8 at 11:17
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    $\begingroup$ No, use your Bezier Circle, and instead your Profile and Taper objects use just parameters (all available) under Curve Data Properties. $\endgroup$
    – vklidu
    Jul 8 at 14:20
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The taper object needs to be an open curve and only the distance to the origin on X and Y will be taken into account, not on the Z axis, so you should have a taper object that looks like that (note that for your main object I've changed the first point of the curve with the Bsurfaces addon > N panel > Edit > Bsurfaces > Set First Points):

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks, in most tutorials they duplicate the path object - hence my confusion! $\endgroup$
    – Mark
    Jul 8 at 11:13

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