WHEN YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON OUR DIGITAL CLAY,YOU WON'T HAVE TO USE A 'BIT' OF SOAP
Advanced Tools Tutorial:: The following tutorial will give you an overview of ways to use a small variety of the tools in ModelerPro to create a complete scene. As with any high end 3D modeling/rendering package, there are a number of different ways to complete the given task at hand. This tutorial is just one way of making these objects, and as you gain experience with the programs, you will find different methods, some quicker and some not, that give you the same or similiar result, the key here is familiarity with your tools and then being able to "see" them doing your project . We will guide you through the modelling of a horn and then a museum, trying to emphasize those aspects.
At the end of this tutorial you will have a 'eggcellent' museum that houses a funky musical instrument. ***We will then take the model into PresenterPro, apply the stuff that dreams are made of to the various objects, set up the rendering and output format parameters, and faster than you can name all the people involved with the making of the PowerPC, you will have a great still of the VIDI Museum and your PowerHorn.
( INSERT Modeler?Presenter PICT OF FINISHED SCENE )
Part 1
First we will create a Horn. A trumpet to be precise, so if you have a picture of one, try an encyclopedia, go grab it. Now, while looking at the picture, try to think of the different type of shapes that are necessary to make up that object. There are cylinders, valves, tubes, rings, bars, sleeves and bezels, to name a few. How do they interact, connections, intersections and the like. Now think of the different tools and the shapes that can be created or modified by them. Maybe this won't be so hard after all......
So to create the Horn we will use the Primitives, Splines, Lathes, and Path Extrude tools, but first let's set up our file preferrences for this document.
Document Setup
1. Create new file. Command"N"
2. Go to the Edit Menu and at the bottom select Preferences
3. Select Grid icon and set snapping grid to .125 by enterring that value into the X,Y,Z fields
Screen Dump 2
TIP: By checking the link boxes all grid becomes the same value as X. Also in your working views if you type the letter "G" the objects will snap to the grid
4. Save the new document as "Horn/Museum.mdl".
Manual refferrence::1.9-Preferrences
Next we will create unfilled round rectangles. These will become the extrusion paths for our tubes later.
Create The Basic Objects
1. Create the first round rectangle in the top view
2. Select the Round Rectangle tool or hit "P" on the keyboard and then drag it out to make the shape.
OR
NOTE::At the top of the modeling windows appears an information bar for the selected tool
3. Click in both boxes to enable them.
4. then input width (4.5”), height(1”) and radius (.475”)
5. In the Drawing Options palette select the color for the model part
6. And click in the Fill box so that the circle is blank/white. We want the rectangle to be unfilled.
7. Place your cursor in the TopView, position it in the center of the window and click.
Screen Dump 3
TIP:: watch the bottom referrence bar to see how close you are to the true center. You will notice that one value won't change, depending which view you are working in, when you move the cursor. This is okay, remember, working views only operate on the 2 axies shown in the bottom left corner of that View window.
The object will display to the right of the cursor with it's bottom edge close to or on the "0" line for the X axis. The item will show up in the Groups palette. Round Rect 1.
Another way of creating this is to drag the object out like in other drawing programs. Watch the info bar at the top to try and match the dimensions given. Your realtime feed back is in the ruler margins on the side and top of each View window.
Manual Referrence::4.68-Round Rectangle Tool
Okay let's position the rectangle in the TopView window
1. Press “s” to select the selector tool or click it in the tools palette, it is the all black arrow.
2. Move this rectangle to align its bottom center to Z=.5
There are 2 ways of doing this.
One is to Zoom the view, grab the object on the bottom and, while watching the status bar at the bottom of the view windows, move the rectangle to .5 along the positive Z axis. You will notice that the objects seems to "hop" along. This "hop" is the value that we set for our grid in the preferrences, 0.125".
TIP:: You can select an objects bounding box by clicking the Groups palette on the name of the object and then clicking in the View you want,
The second is by going to the Operations Menu and selecting 'Move To', or typing command "M"
Do that now.
1. Choose Front for the Section
2. Click on the middle marker in the mini view
3. Enter .5 for the z value, leaving the X and Y values zero and click OK
Screen Dump 4
This will move that marker, which is the bottom center of the rectangle, to the galactic coordinates of (0,0,.5)
NOTE:: The view in the mini view window of this dialog box is oriented to the front, so the Objects Extents Box will change depending on the active/selected View window you created the object in.
Manual Refferrence::1.19-Move To DLOG box
So far so good.....Onward.....
Using one of the above methods, create a bigger round rectangle in the TopView window
with 8.5” width, 2.5” height, and 1.2” radius and move this rectangle to align the bottom/center with X=0, Y=1, Z=0. When you are done things should look like this.
Screen Dump 6
NOTE:: Can't see all of the objects, click the the Zoom All button in the View Control Bar at the bottom rite corner of any of the Views Windows
TIP:: Hold down the command key while clicking the Zoom All button to have all the windows updated, though this might take a few extra seconds.
Manual Refferrence::4.22-Views Window
Now to the Groups palette and name our two rectangles and check some of their values.
1. Double click on Round Rect.1 and Object/Group Info dialog box appears in the upper left of your screen.
2. In the name entry feild put 'Small Loop'
3. Make sure the "FILLED/CAPPED" box in the Options area is unchecked or open....
Why??...hmmm,Curiosity ...good!
NOTE::If this box is checked, then you forgot to choose the "Unfilled" button in the Drawing Options when you created the object.
Screen Dump 7
4. Click "OK" or hit return
5. Do the same for Round Rect.2 and name it 'Large Loop'
Manual Refferrence::1.15 & 6.127-Groups Palette
Save Model, command"S"
Building the Valve Keys
Time to create the valve keys for our Horn. What shapes are there? What tools should we use?
First we will "turn off" the two rectangles.
In the Groups Palette you will see the black bars to the left of each object's name in the "D" column, the "D" stands for display.
1. Click on one of the black bars to turn it off.
2. Go to the Windows Menu and select "Re-Display", or hit command "D"
When the windows redraw, the object that you clicked on is no longer visible, it's still there, just invisible. This is of great help when your models start getting more complex and you need to "clear" your work area.
Screen Dump 8
3. Turn off the other object
Manual refferrence::6.127-Groups Palette
Okay, now for the first Key; A cylinder
1. Go to the Tools palette and select the Cylinder from the Primitives tools.
2. In the Drawing Options select a different color.
3. Make sure the "Fill" button is enabled, the circle is darkened.
4. Choose the 'draw from center' button.
5. In the Tool info bar at the top of the screen, check the Radius box and enter the value .3"
6. In the FrontView click and draw the cylinder near the intersection of the X and Y axies
For the rest of the tutorial we will use numerical inputs. They are generally faster and more precise for the novice/intermediate users, and experts also...
TIP::If you prefer the standard drawing methods, holding down the option and/or shift keys while you drag out your object, it will give the object uniform dimensions and draw it from center.
NOTE::It is always a good idea to pay attention to the status bars at the top and bottom of your screen and try to match dimensions and placements as closely as possible. This will save you the time of having to align or edge match or move all the parts of your model so that everything fits later on. Also, using a different color for your various model parts helps keep things focused and clear as to which part is being operated on.
Now dimension the cylinder.
1. Double-click on the cylinder in the FrontView or in the Groups palette
2. The Groups/Objects Info appears, enter these values. A=.3, B=.3, C=3.75, X=-1, Y=0, Z=-.5
Screen Dump 9
NOTE:: Primitives have a different info dialog that allows you to make quick basic changes to the object, but if you want to 'edit' the object you would have use the "Convert to Spline Mesh" button and the resultant would no longer have the same info dialog or its input, also the tabbing order is 'Name,Rotation Points,C,A,B,X,Y,Z'
Manual Refferrence::4.84-3D Primitives
Now clone Cylinder 1
1. Select it, and press command "W", or Clone under the Edit Menu.
2. Double-click on your new cylinder and enter these values A=.375, B=.375, C=.2,X=-1, Y=0,
Z=-.5. and name it END CAP.
Screen Dump 10
TIP:: If things don't appear where you think they should have, try using the "Move To" command or command"M", and input the XYZ values into the 'Move To' feilds and don't forget to pick a Section point for the Objects Extents Box.
Next draw a torus into the front window
1. Select the Primitives Tool and drag out to the Torus to select it
2. Set your Drawing Options
3. Input these values into the top info bar, Main Radius=.3 and Minor Radius=.075
4. Click in the FrontView and drag the object trying to center it to the others.
NOTE:: When dragging, and the objects line up, one of the perimeter lines will highlite.
Name and place the torus
1. Double-click the torus
2. Enter these values. A=.3, B=.3, C=.075, D=.075, X=-1, Y=0, Z=3.5, and name it KEY
Screen Dump 11
Now you try::Draw a cylinder in the FrontView with a radius of .25, a depth of .35, place it at coordinates (-1,0,3.15 ), and call it STEM.
TIP:: Use the Object/Group box when you name the object to place the BASE of the object at the coordinates supplied. If you use the 'Move To' command, use the Front Section center in the Objects Extent Box.
(Make them find this) Screen Dump 12
Grouping and Duplicating Objects
The whole point behind the Groups Palette is organization and control of your work space, even early in the building process, it pays. Soo......
1. Selecting them and typing command"G", or go to the Group Menu and pull down to Group.
2. You will get a dialog box asking you to name your new folder, call it V.KEY1, and click 'Add'
Screen Dump 13
Manual Refferrence::6.131-Group Palette
Since our Horn should play more than a few notes, let's make a few more keys. There are at least three ways to do this in the Menu bar. Clone and Transform, Clone and Move, or Duplicate.
For these parts of the model any will do, so we will use Duplicate.
NOTE:: The Clone command, or command"W", under the Edit Menu , will make an exact copy of the selected item in the same place as the original so that it appears to be one item. Check the Groups Palette to see the clone, and/or to select it.
1. Select 'V.Key1'
2. Go to the Edit Menu and select 'Duplicate', command"=", and you get the dialog box
3. Enter the value 3 in the 'Total #' feild, and 1 into the ΔX in the 'Move' Feilds. no other value should be changed.
Screen Dump 14
4. Click OK, or hit the return key
NOTE:: The 'Total #' of items to be duplicated will always include your original plus your copies. So if you want to add 3 copies of an object, and you choose to use the Duplicate function, your math should go like this:: original + 3 = 4. Also, the Δ indicates movement along the axis as opposed to placement on the axis as with the 'Move To' dialog box.
Manual Refferrence 1.6-Duplicate DLOG
NOTE:: In the Groups Palette, if you click on the grey arrow next to the folders name so that it points down, the folder will display its contents just like the Finder®. If you hold down the shift key while you click the arrow, all the folders within that folder will open and display.
Screen Dump 15
Manual Refference::6.136-Groups Palette
Creating the Body, Bell, and Mouthpiece
Now to create the Body, Bell, and Mouthpiece of our horn. Again, think of the shapes and the tools that can be used to create them.
First turn off the display for the V.Keys just like we did for the rectangles.
1. Click the bar in the "D" column across from the folder 'Dup V.Key 11'.
2. Then hit command"D" to re-display.
All the windows should be clear.
For the Body of the Bell; A tube
1. Create an unfilled circle with a radius of .25 in the RightView window, and give it a new color.
2. Move the true center of the object to:x=5.25, y=0, z=2.25, you can do this by dragging to that point, using the bottom status bar for your position referrence. OR Selecting the 'Move To' command in the Operations Menu, command"M", and filling in the coordinates and Control Point provided above.
Screen Dump16
Manual Refferrence::1.19-Operations Menu-Move To
Now extrude the circle
1. Go to the Tools Palette and choose the Extrude tool, or shift"E"
2. Set up your Drawing Options
3. Select the circle in the RightView, called Ellipse 1 in the Groups Palette
4. Enter these parameters: ΔX=-9.65, ΔY=0, ΔZ=0, Angle 270°, Δ9.65, Seg 1, W=1.5, H=1.5, Rot=0 into the tool bar, then click the Extrude button at the end of the bar
Screen Dump 17/17a
NOTE:: The extrusion went toward the negative side of the X axis, if we changed the Angle to 90, and the X value to a positive, the resulting shape would be extruded toward the positive side of the X axis. Think of Angle in relationship to a clock face where 360/0 degrees is equal to a 12 o'clock position, 90 degrees to 3 o'clock, 180 to 6, and so on. Also your beginning face and ending face will always be parralell.
Manual Refferrence::4.96-Extrude Tool
And you hear a voice in the distance, "Save ME, I'm a File!!!!"
Now for the Bell, we'll need to create an arc in the TopView, place it at the large end of Body (Yes, you should be naming your parts after we create them) and then lathe it.
Create an Arc at the large end of Body
1. Select the Arc tool from the Tools Palette, or hit the "A" key
2. Zoom the TopView window by clicking in the box in the upper right corner of TopView
3. Select your snapping option to vertex, or hit the "V" key
4. Place the cursor so that it starts at X=-4.4, Y=0, Z=2.622,(the upper left hand corner of the extruded shape) the snapping option will take care of the attachment to Body.
TIP::Make sure when you use snapping that you are within 5 pixels of the point you want to snap to and that you are ON the object that you are trying to snap to.
5. Drag it approximately to x=-11.4, z=6.4.
NOTE::Watch, the radius changes as you drag, try to get a radius of ≈7.0 at the finishing of the arc before you release the mouse, and don't forget about your feedback in the Status bars.
Screen Dump 18
Manual refferrence::4.77- The Arc Tool
Next select the arc and lathe it around the Y axis of Body. First you'll have to find the Body's Y axis value so that you can get center of your lathe correct. Soo....
1. After selecting Body, use the 'Move To' command, or command"M" to find the lathe point of the Bell, which is the same as center point value of Body. That point will be the Middle Section, leftside center of the Objects Extent Box of Body.
2. Select that marker and read the Current Location. These will be the coordinates that we use for the lathing point of the bell. Write those coordinates down on a piece of paper.
Screen Dump 19
3. Hit Cancel
4. Select the arc
5. Selct the Lathe tool and enter those values: X=-4.4, Y=0, Z=2.25. Set the Arc=360, Seg=8, and Banking=90, and then
Screen Dump 20
6. Click the Lathe button.
7. Name the item Bell
Manual Refference::4.94/The Lathe Tool
Now for a rolled lip at the end of our Bell we will use another torus
1. Select the Torus tool
2. Move to the FrontView and draw a torus, don't worry too much about size or position.
3. Double Click on the Torus and enter these values into the Groups/Object Info dialog
A=4.17, B=4.17, C=.05, D=.05, X=-4.4, Y=0, Z=2.25, and name it 'Lip"
Screen Dump 21
4. Then click OK.
Manual Refferrence::4.92/Torus Tool
5. Select 'Transform' from the Operations Menu, or hit command"T"
6. Under Rotate, enter 90 in the Top feild, Center Object(s) in the Center of Transform area,
NOTE:: The Translate command moves an object along the axis, it doesn't position it on the axis at a given coordinate. It also executes in a specific order, first it resizes, then it rotates, and finally it translates.
Of course you can try this all with the standard drawing techniques...........8-)
Now put Body folder and Lip into Bell folder
1. In the Groups Palette, open the Bell folder, grey arrow down.
2. Cut Body and Lip by selecting them and typing command"X"
3. Select the Bell folder and type command"V", or 'Paste' in the Edit Menu
With the folders open, your window should look like this after your done.
Screen Dump 23
Manual Refferrence::6.132-Groups Palette
Moving Objects
The Last thing is to move Bell into an approximate position, so Select 'Clean Up Windows' under the Windows Menu and then move the true center of Bell to (-5.275, .65, 2.665) and display all.
Why?, To admire your skillful work of course........which looks like this..............:)
Screen Dump 23a/24
Oh, by the way, have you saved the model recently????.....then......SAVE NOW!!!
