Seams in a model is a great a way to add some nice details. It can also offers the model presence, giving it a sense of scale, weight and can help to define the object and pronounce the forms. They are easy enough to create, yet different objects will require a different type of seam. For example, the seam in a car seat versus the seam in a car panel. Now there might be a tool on the way that can handle the range of seams you would require when modeling.
It’s called seamsEasy, and it’s from Stepan Jirka who happens to be a seasoned concept modeler, using Autodesk Alias, Maya and Grasshopper in Rhino 3D. He has created design projects for BMW, Audi, Lamborghini, Ducati, Mini and Qoros.
Although seamsEasy is not yet available and information is limited on the matter, it appears pretty useful from the demo video. Looks like it can create seams by reading edges that are designated by a hard normals setting, or by an edge selection. There also looks like there are a variety of seams that you can create from ones that look more fabric-like, to others that have a more manufactured feel to them.
Stepan has create a few tools that all look super-helpful to hard surface modelers. From sorting mesh intersections, to curvature shaders, shortest path between vertices, cross sections tool and a stitch tool that can place thread patterns on the surface of an object. You can have a look at all those, plug the seamsEasy plugin (when it becomes available) here.
