9

1012 Chapter 9: Surface Modeling
Inter face
Editing buttons
Cr e ate —Lets you add sub-objects to a single
selected mesh object. Select an object, choose a
sub-object level, click Create, and then click to add
sub-objects. Available only at the Vertex, Face,
Polygon, and Element levels only.
For example, at the Vertex sub-object level,
Create lets you add free-floating vertices to the
object. The new vertices are placed on the active
construction plane.
To create faces at the Face, Polygon, or Element
level, click Create. All vertices in the object are
highlighted, including isolated ver tices left after
deleting faces. Click three existing vertices in
succession to define the shape of the new face.
(The cursor changes to a cross w hen it is over a
vertex that can legally be part of the face.)
You can also create new faces at the Polygon and
Element sub-object levels. At the Face and Element
sub-object levels, a new face is created after every
thirdclick.AtthePolygonsub-objectlevel,you
can continue clicking as many t imes as you like to
addverticestothenewpolygon.Tofinishdrawing
anewpolygon,clicktwice,orclickagainonany
existing vertex in the current polygon.
At the Face, Polygon, and Element levels, you can
add vertices while Create is on by
Shi f t +clicking
in an empty space; these vertices are incorporated
intothefaceorpolygonyou’recreating.
You can start creating faces or polygons in any
viewport, but all subsequent clicks must take place
inthesameviewport.
Tip: For best results, click vertices in
counterclockwise (preferred) or clockwise
order . If you use clockwise order, the new polygon
will be facing away from you, and you won ’t be
abletoseeitunlessyou’veturnedonForce2-Sided
or are using a two-sided material.
Delete (sub-object l evels only )—Deletes selected
sub-objects and any faces attached to them.
Attach—Lets you attach another object in the scene
to the selected mesh. You can attach any type
of object, including splines, patch objects, and
NURBS surfaces. Attaching a non-mesh object
conv erts it to a mesh. Click the object you wan t to
attach to the currently selected mesh object.