9.5.2

OBJECTS MENU • DEFORMERS • 397
Deformers
The deformer objects deform the geometry of other objects. You can use deformers on primitive
objects, NURBS objects, polygon objects and splines.
The deformer will affect its parent object and the hierarchy below that parent. This means that a
deformer will affect any object at its level in the hierarchy (since those objects are children of the
deformer’s parent) and any object below the deformer’s level in the hierarchy (since those objects are
in the hierarchy of the deformer’s parent). However, a deformer will have no affect if it is positioned
at the top level of the Object manager hierarchy, since it will have no parent.
You can use several deformers on the same recipient. Their order of evaluation is from top to bottom in
the Object manager. The evaluation order matters — a twist followed by a bend produces a different
result from a bend followed by a twist.
The deformer can only work with what you give it. For example, to twist the recipient smoothly, ensure
that it has a sufciently high number of segments/subdivisions along the twist axis.
In the Object
manager, this means
a deformer is active.
In the Object
manager, this
means a deformer is
inactive.
Clicking this icon
turns deformers on
and off.
All deformers apart from bones are activated automatically when you create them. If a deformer is
activated, you will see a green checkmark icon in the Object manager. To deactivate the deformer,
click the green checkmark. The icon changes to a red cross. A deformation object has no effect when
deactivated. You can also switch off the deformer using the Enabled option on the Attribute manager’s
Basic Properties page.
You can activate or deactivate all deformers at once by toggling the Use Deformers option on the Edit
menu (main window).
The deformer cage
A deformer cage is
cyan colored with
orange handles.
Use the orange
handles to apply
the deformer
interactively to an
object.
The Taper deformer’s
cage, after some
work.