Tutorial 9 - Polygonal Surface Editor Examples

Tutorial 9 - Polygonal Surface Editor Examples
This tutorial assumes you have a good understanding of Polygonal Surface Editor after completing Tutorial 8. In this tutorial three different examples demonstrating the use of the editor will be presented. By creating a simple lamp, a mirrored object, and a simple airplane a good understating of the editor should be acquired.
Example 1 - Street Lamp.
	Create a polygonal cylinder.
	Set the cylinder parameters as shown on the left. Make sure the welding flag is enabled. In the transformation toolbar, collapse the constructor or use the button in the surfaces editor toolbar to create editable object from the cylinder.
	Adjust the X-Y view until you can clearly see the bottom of the cylinder. Make sure the "Vertex" element mode is selected and select the bottom vertices using rectangle select tool (Ctrl+LMB).
	Select the scale operator tool, and set the XYZ filter to "XYZ".
	Scale the bottom vertices as shown on the left image. Using the same steps, scale the other vertices. Always make sure to select only one row at a time.
	Switch to "Faces" mode. Select the faces as shown on the left image.
	Set the subdivision settings as shown on the left.
	Only the selected faces should be subdivided as shown on the left image.
	Convert the subdivision preview surface into working surface by clicking on the "Subdivide Current Surface" button.
	Adjust the X-Y view until it looks like the one on the left.
	The view is full of elements and it is very hard to see individual elements. For the next tasks, we only need to see faces so we are going to hide all the other elements. Adjust "Display Options" as shown on the left.
	Select all the faces above origin as shown on the left.
	Select the "Bend" operator tool.
	Lock the pivot. Then move the pivot point to origin point which should be bottom of the selected faces.
	Notice the pivot point located at the origin point. Then bend the selected faces as shown on the image until the top is rotated 180 degrees.
	Adjust the view until you can clearly see the bend top.
	Unlock the pivot. Using the same method as at the beginning of this example adjust the vertices until the mesh looks like the one on the left.
	Select the faces as shown.
	Subdivide the selected faces.
	The mesh now should look like the image on the left.
	Adjust the view until you can see the whole object. Enable transparency. It will be useful for the next few steps. Also disable displaying all other elements except faces. Then select the center faces as shown, use the scale tool with X filter to scale the faces slightly (about 150%).
	Lock the pivot and set it at the bottom of the selected faces.
	Select the "Twist" operator tool. Adjust its settings in the "Tools Settings" as shown on the left. Enable boundaries, and set the upper boundary until the yellow ball is almost at the beginning of the arch. Set the bottom boundary to 0.
	The tool in the view should look like the image on the left. Make sure the pivot is at the bottom and the boundaries are shown as on the left. Twist the selected faces few times (around 5).
	After the twist operation you might notice that at the bottom of the lamp, we have an unwanted artifact.
	Using the same method as before, adjust the vertices until they are aligned with the other vertices.
	Subdivide the whole surface once more to make it nice and smooth and you are done. The completed object should look like the one on the left.
Example 2 - Mirroring Surfaces.
	Create a polygonal plane and adjust it as shown on the left. Create editable object from it.
	Change the top right view to "Ortho-Ball" or “Orbit”. Adjust it until you can see the surface as on the left. It's often handy to work in these view modes as you can easily adjust them and see the surface from different points of views.
	In the X-Z view, select all faces and move them to the right until the left edge is aligned with the Z Axis.
	Move the vertices any way you want. Just make sure to keep the edge vertices in place.
	Enable Mirror Preview.
	A "mirror" surface should appear.
	Convert the mirror preview surface into working surface by clicking on the shown button.
	Subdivide the whole surface few times until it looks smooth. It should look somehow like the one on the left.
	The final surface in normal mode with orange color assigned.
Example 3 - A Simple Airplane.
	Create a "Quick Edit Cube" object. These objects are good quick base surfaces for the surface editor.
	Set the top right view to "Ortho-Ball" and adjust it until is looks like the one on the left.
	Select the "Extrude" operator tool. These tools work only in "Faces" mode, so switch to 'Faces" mode as well.
	Select the left face and extrude it.
	Extrude the other face as well.
	Adjust the view and extrude the other faces as shown on the left.
	The top view should look somehow like that one on the left image. Rotate all faces as needed if the axis are mismatched.
	Keep extruding.
	Switch to "Bevel" operator tool.
	Bevel the faces as shown.
	Switch to "Move Normal" operator tool.
	Select the outer face at the end of the wing and move it away to extend the wing.
	Select the back wing outer face and extend the back wing as well.
	Select the wings’ outer faces and scale them down in the Z axis.
	Switch to "Vertex" mode. In the X-Y view, using the “rectangle select” tool select the vertices as shown.
	Move the selected vertices down in the Y direction.
	Extrude the wing face as shown.
	Scale the extruded face slightly down in the X direction until the face looks square.
	Select the "Inset" operator tool.
	Inset the selected "engine" face.
	Using "Move Normal" operator tool move the face inside as shown.
	Extrude the face on the back of the engine.
	Scale the selected face down first in X direction and then in Z direction.
	The completed mesh should look like the one on the left image.
	Subdivide the whole surface once. Complete the subdivision.
	In the X-Y view, select the incomplete side of the plane. Make sure that no faces from the other side are selected.
	Delete all the selected faces.
	Switch to "Vertex" mode. Delete all isolated vertices.
	The surface is not ready yet to be mirrored since the center vertices are not all lying down on the axis. We need to move them to the center. Lock the pivot and move the pivot point to the center axis.
	Select the most right vertices and "scale" them down until they are aligned with the Y axis.
	The vertices should be exactly aligned with the axis. Repeat these steps until all the vertices are aligned.
	The mesh now should look like the one on the left.
	Now we are ready to create a mirror surface. Complete the mirror operation.
	Subdivide the whole surface until smooth.
	This is the final mesh. You just have completed the last example in this tutorial. By now you should be able to create and modify any objects you want. Just remember to practice, and if things go wrong, just go back with "undo" command.

Tutorial 9 - Polygonal Surface Editor Examples

Example 1 - Street Lamp.

Create a polygonal cylinder.

Set the cylinder parameters as shown on the left. Make sure the welding flag is enabled. In the transformation toolbar, collapse the constructor or use the button in the surfaces editor toolbar to create editable object from the cylinder.

Adjust the X-Y view until you can clearly see the bottom of the cylinder. Make sure the "Vertex" element mode is selected and select the bottom vertices using rectangle select tool (Ctrl+LMB).

Select the scale operator tool, and set the XYZ filter to "XYZ".

Scale the bottom vertices as shown on the left image. Using the same steps, scale the other vertices. Always make sure to select only one row at a time.

Switch to "Faces" mode. Select the faces as shown on the left image.

Set the subdivision settings as shown on the left.

Only the selected faces should be subdivided as shown on the left image.

Convert the subdivision preview surface into working surface by clicking on the "Subdivide Current Surface" button.

Adjust the X-Y view until it looks like the one on the left.

The view is full of elements and it is very hard to see individual elements. For the next tasks, we only need to see faces so we are going to hide all the other elements. Adjust "Display Options" as shown on the left.

Select all the faces above origin as shown on the left.

Select the "Bend" operator tool.

Lock the pivot. Then move the pivot point to origin point which should be bottom of the selected faces.

Notice the pivot point located at the origin point. Then bend the selected faces as shown on the image until the top is rotated 180 degrees.

Adjust the view until you can clearly see the bend top.

Unlock the pivot. Using the same method as at the beginning of this example adjust the vertices until the mesh looks like the one on the left.

Select the faces as shown.

Subdivide the selected faces.

The mesh now should look like the image on the left.

Adjust the view until you can see the whole object. Enable transparency. It will be useful for the next few steps. Also disable displaying all other elements except faces. Then select the center faces as shown, use the scale tool with X filter to scale the faces slightly (about 150%).

Lock the pivot and set it at the bottom of the selected faces.

Select the "Twist" operator tool. Adjust its settings in the "Tools Settings" as shown on the left. Enable boundaries, and set the upper boundary until the yellow ball is almost at the beginning of the arch. Set the bottom boundary to 0.

The tool in the view should look like the image on the left. Make sure the pivot is at the bottom and the boundaries are shown as on the left. Twist the selected faces few times (around 5).

After the twist operation you might notice that at the bottom of the lamp, we have an unwanted artifact.

Using the same method as before, adjust the vertices until they are aligned with the other vertices.

Subdivide the whole surface once more to make it nice and smooth and you are done. The completed object should look like the one on the left.

Example 2 - Mirroring Surfaces.

Create a polygonal plane and adjust it as shown on the left. Create editable object from it.

Change the top right view to "Ortho-Ball" or “Orbit”. Adjust it until you can see the surface as on the left. It's often handy to work in these view modes as you can easily adjust them and see the surface from different points of views.

In the X-Z view, select all faces and move them to the right until the left edge is aligned with the Z Axis.

Move the vertices any way you want. Just make sure to keep the edge vertices in place.

Enable Mirror Preview.

A "mirror" surface should appear.

Convert the mirror preview surface into working surface by clicking on the shown button.

Subdivide the whole surface few times until it looks smooth. It should look somehow like the one on the left.

The final surface in normal mode with orange color assigned.

Example 3 - A Simple Airplane.

Create a "Quick Edit Cube" object. These objects are good quick base surfaces for the surface editor.

Set the top right view to "Ortho-Ball" and adjust it until is looks like the one on the left.

Select the "Extrude" operator tool. These tools work only in "Faces" mode, so switch to 'Faces" mode as well.

Select the left face and extrude it.

Extrude the other face as well.

Adjust the view and extrude the other faces as shown on the left.

The top view should look somehow like that one on the left image. Rotate all faces as needed if the axis are mismatched.

Keep extruding.

Switch to "Bevel" operator tool.

Bevel the faces as shown.

Switch to "Move Normal" operator tool.

Select the outer face at the end of the wing and move it away to extend the wing.

Select the back wing outer face and extend the back wing as well.

Select the wings’ outer faces and scale them down in the Z axis.

Switch to "Vertex" mode. In the X-Y view, using the “rectangle select” tool select the vertices as shown.

Move the selected vertices down in the Y direction.

Extrude the wing face as shown.

Scale the extruded face slightly down in the X direction until the face looks square.

Select the "Inset" operator tool.

Inset the selected "engine" face.

Using "Move Normal" operator tool move the face inside as shown.

Extrude the face on the back of the engine.

Scale the selected face down first in X direction and then in Z direction.

The completed mesh should look like the one on the left image.

Subdivide the whole surface once. Complete the subdivision.

In the X-Y view, select the incomplete side of the plane. Make sure that no faces from the other side are selected.

Delete all the selected faces.

Switch to "Vertex" mode. Delete all isolated vertices.

The surface is not ready yet to be mirrored since the center vertices are not all lying down on the axis. We need to move them to the center. Lock the pivot and move the pivot point to the center axis.

Select the most right vertices and "scale" them down until they are aligned with the Y axis.

The vertices should be exactly aligned with the axis. Repeat these steps until all the vertices are aligned.

The mesh now should look like the one on the left.

Now we are ready to create a mirror surface. Complete the mirror operation.

Subdivide the whole surface until smooth.

This is the final mesh. You just have completed the last example in this tutorial. By now you should be able to create and modify any objects you want. Just remember to practice, and if things go wrong, just go back with "undo" command.