Left Click - Sets value of current point to mouse location
Shift + Left Click - Adds a new point to the surface, at mouse location
Right Click - Starts a new surface, with first point at mouse location
In Normal Mode:
Right Click - Toggles transformation hold on / off (you can build up multiple
transformations and then release with Right Click
In Either Mode:
Shift + Right Click - Selects the nearest point, and also its surface
Middle Click - Toggles 'sticky point' on / off ('sticky point' allows points
that are joined together to undergo identical changes while editing)
Shift + Middle Click - Toggles 'snap to' on / off (so that points can be set
with identical values to an existing point)
NOTE: Left Click can also be used to set the 'Object Centre of Mass' or the coords of the
'Light Source Point', when the relevant 'Set' button has been clicked
Building a Simple Cube
Click 'Object > New'
Left Click the new location of the initial point, and 'fine-tune' this, using the text
fields on the right, to (-10,10,0)
Shift-Left Click at around (10,10,0) to create a new point, and fine-tune again
Repeat this until we have the 4 corners of a square
Change the translation value to 10, and move the square 10 units in the +Z direction (directly
towards you), then click 'Copy'
Move the square 20 units away from you, so it is now 10 units behind the origin, and
click 'Paste'
Click 'Copy' again, so we're now copying two opposing faces of a cube
Rotate 90o around the Y axis, and 'Paste'
Rotate 90o around the X axis, and 'Paste'
Et voilá! A simple cube.
Building a Simple Sphere
Click 'Object > New'
Set initial point to (0,20,0)
Set the rotation angle to 30o (either 1o x 30, or 30o x 1)
and rotate clockwise around the Z axis
Shift-left click in the vicinity of (0,20,0) to create a new point, then fine-tune
Click 'Copy' to copy this line
Rotate 30o clockwise and click 'Paste'
Repeat until we have a 180o semi-circle
Click 'Copy' to copy the entire semi-circle
Rotate 30o clockwise around the Y axis and click 'Paste'
We now have a basic segment of the circle, but the surfaces need to be filled in...
Making sure that 'Snap To' is on, Right Click the first point, and Shift-Left
Click the subsequent points, of each surface
When all the surfaces have been filled in, select surface 1 and keep clicking the '-' button
to delete all of the initial 'guide' lines
Now click 'Copy' to copy this segment
Rotate 30o clockwise around the Y axis and click 'Paste'
Repeat until the sphere is filled in
And there is your (rough approximation of a) sphere.
Aeroplane Demo
Sorry I didn't film the construction of this. If I was to go back and do it all again, including editing
the video, it would take weeks, so I'm not sure you'll get to see the construction. Anyway, with the other
instructional vids that I'm doing, you should be able to figure it out...
Building a Car
1. Tyre
2. Wheel
Things are starting to get too complicated to describe in depth by bullet-points, so if there's anything you
can't figure out from these vids you'll have to email me.
More videos of Car Construction will be posted as and when they are made...
