How To Make A Mesh All Quads Tutorial:

Things to know first...

 

-2 Triangles make a quad.  Therefore, if you have two triangles anywhere in your mesh, they can be joined to make a single quad.

-Symmetrical objects are also good for making quads. For example, if you have a symmetry modifier on top an editable poly in 3ds max; if you run a loop from one triangles edge to the edge of symmetry, it will form a loop creating all quads.

 

-If you add the sides of a face with another face and you get an even number.  Those two faces can be made into quads.  For example, if you have a 5 sided face, and a Triangle face (5 + 3 = 8 and even number) you can combine the two to make two quads.

 

-Welding can also create quads.  You don't have to always subdivide to create quads you can also do the opposite and weld, thus eliminating faces.  However the same rules apply, you need to eliminate two triangles together to make all quads.  Otherwise, every quad that you weld a vertice (aka "vert") with will create another adjoining triangle.

Techniques...

           

 

-Often times tri's that you want to join will be far away here is one solution to handling these problems.

          

 

 

 

 

-Remember, you can always run a loop off the edge or over symmetry to create all quads.  Here is an example of such a circumstance.

This is the end of the tutorial.  As always, there are many different ways of doing things in your 3d app of choice, however; for me I find that these techniques are the easiest when converting meshes to all quads.  Personally, it took a long time for me to figure this all out on my own, and caused many headaches.  I made this tutorial because I wish I had read something like it when I first started out modeling. 

So, if you have any questions feel free to email me at BradM3d@hotmail.com and also check out other tutorials I made on my site: www.BradM3d.com

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