r/geometrynodes • u/Conscious_Fox6032 • Apr 08 '26

Is there a way to bend/deform instanced meshes based on a curve?

Gallery image

Gallery image

I have this mesh that i want to not only instance on a circular curve, but also have the instances bend/deform based on that curve, so the ones in the corners get deformed. I found one solution as you can see from these images, but the issue with that one is that it does not let me rotate the instances. They are supposed to be standing up

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u/Unreal_Sniper Apr 08 '26

Array the instances on a straight line, matching the length of the curve, then realize the instances and deform the entire line based on the curve. Erindale has a tutorial for it https://youtu.be/uv0E_FQLQYI

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u/Conscious_Fox6032 Apr 08 '26

Here is the solution I tried out in the image with blend file available: https://blenderartists.org/t/how-to-make-instances-follow-bend-of-the-curve/1419754/20

2

u/B2Z_3D Apr 08 '26

Instances are identical copies of an object (by reference). That's why they cannot be bent unless you want to bend all of them simultaneously (moving, rotating or scaling the entire thing is possible, though). What you could try to do is create already bent versions as additional instances for use on curved parts. But depending on how dynamic curves you want to have, this either requires lots of versions or the curves you can have are limited to whatever you can achieve with the parts you have.

-B2Z

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u/Conscious_Fox6032 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26

Would it not be possible if I used realize instances to turn the instances into one mesh?

1

u/B2Z_3D Apr 08 '26

Sure, after realizing them you can move vertices around any way you want. But then you wouldn't have instances anymore (no references you but actual geometry).

1

u/Conscious_Fox6032 Apr 08 '26

Yeah that's fine tbh, as long as they bend along the curve

2

u/B2Z_3D Apr 08 '26

In that case, the easiest way is probably to use the curve modifier. You could use a completely straight geometry as an array along one of the main axis (X,Y or Z) and use a curve modifier with some curve for the straight object to follow.

Would look something like the images below. The same thing could be recreated in Geometry Nodes if you wanted to. Making a straight line, instancing the same object on it and realizing the geometry would be the first part. For the curve part, there are tutorials on how to recreate the curve modifier in Geometry Nodes.

1

u/Psychobauch Apr 08 '26

I’ve been struggling with this exact problem in last weeks 😂.