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I just learnt how to bend planes into a sphere from here. But now I have created curves for few countries just on top of a plane, and I do not know how to make all of them (plane, curves and meshes on top) bend into a sphere

What I tried:

1) Made all the countries children of the plane [ocean] and applied a modifier to the parent.

enter image description here Result: Modifier doesn't apply to children, but only to the plane got bent; Found an explanation that modifiers are not intended to be applied on children :(

2) Added two bend modifiers (after a subdivision modifier) for one country and tried applying to all countries using Ctrl+L and each country is bending into a globe :/

3) Tried Alt+Click, but it doesn't seem to work! Do I need to set the hotkey in the preferences?

UPDATE:

4) Lattice Modifier on Parent doesn't work too, sub-objects are not obeying to the stretch and skew of the lattice

enter image description here

Clearly, the ocean layer is obeying, but the countries continue to stay the same regardless of the lattice's shape

So, here's my question: How do I apply a modifier that would treat the parent object as a single object [as if it was just a plane with countries embedded on it]?

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    $\begingroup$ I think you should join the countries in one single curve or mesh (not necessarily including the 'ocean' plane) $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Apr 27, 2017 at 7:41
  • $\begingroup$ @lemon that would completely defeat the purpose of having each country as a separate curve I guess! I need each country to remain as a separate object (or subobject) so I can interact with them accordingly. Is that possible after merging them? $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 27, 2017 at 7:49
  • $\begingroup$ this is what I want, but I don't find proper answers there... :( $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 27, 2017 at 8:37
  • $\begingroup$ You can use a lattice to do that. Deform the lattice the same way you did for the plane (add the wanted resolution to it). Then add a lattice modifier to the countries (do it on a first one then ctrl+L). I won't have time to write a complete answer before an hour or two... $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Apr 27, 2017 at 8:59
  • $\begingroup$ @lemon, I tried it, but same results, I can't get the countries [children] obey that - I've updated the answer $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 27, 2017 at 9:22

1 Answer 1

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As explained in the comment, you can use a lattice to do that.

The idea is the following:

  • Create a lattice and scale it appropriately (1x2, as for the plane mentioned in this answer). Scale it in object mode (edit mode will give a bad result deforming the curves later).
  • Give it the resolution you want, ie 20x40x1

enter image description here

  • Bend it using 2 empties

enter image description here

  • Now add your curves, rotate and scale them to fit the same size as the lattice
  • Add a lattice modifier to one of the curves
  • Then link the modifier to the others CtrlL then 'modifiers'

enter image description here

edit the blend file:

Concerning Russia, I think this is due to that:

If you convert it to mesh, lines are going east/west for a long distance, so when bent, that does not work: "these lines are like the string of a bent bow"

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Firstly thanks a lot for that beautiful tutorial! There's one problem with this method though and I can't seem to eliminate it. The rendered meshes have a problem - they aren't simple they are way too complex that it takes so much time to render and a lot of frame drops even in the viewport :( $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 28, 2017 at 13:18
  • $\begingroup$ Take a look at this image. It shows how it looks when a material is applied and lit [ignore the clouds and the water]. And for me Russia was messed up when done like this, I had to add subdivisions to Russia so it renders up without overlaps - but again these subdivisions made it even more complex! Is there a solution for that or atleast a workaround? $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 28, 2017 at 13:24
  • $\begingroup$ Here's another one. Why wouldn't it generate nice clean mesh with few evenly distributed vertices [and wires] as it they were cut out of a circle? Has it got something to do with the SVGs? [Your Russia's messed up too?] $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 28, 2017 at 14:11
  • $\begingroup$ The link to the image shows nothing... concerning Russia I don't know its probably a straight line somewhere but I did not found it. I'll add the blend file to the answer to allow you to check if they are different. $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Apr 28, 2017 at 14:51
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry that the first link is dead; I've uploaded all screenshots here; Your blender file and mine looks alike and in both Russia is messed up - actually what's there in Russia is in every other country except that we don't get to see them unless they have a material and are lit. $\endgroup$
    – Saravanabalagi Ramachandran
    Apr 28, 2017 at 15:15

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