Deforming Objects

In this tutorial we will describe how to deform objects.

This tutorial assumes familiarity with 3D Canvas and that the 3D Canvas Basics tutorial has been completed.

Note that the Warp operation is not visible by default. To make this operation available select Options from the Tools Menu, select the Operations tab, and click the operation's check box.

bulletDrag and drop a cylinder onto the scene.

 

 
bulletSelect the cylinder and click the Warp operation. This opens the Warp operation window.

The top left view of the object is the deformed version of the object.

The bottom left view is the original object. This view is used to set the orientation for the Warp operation. We will discuss this later.

The views on the right are the "deform" views. These contain handles, called control points, that are used to deform the object. The vertical green line shows the current deformation. When the Warp operation is initially applied there is no deformation.

 
bulletMove a few of the handles to deform the object.

Notice that the this object does not really "warp". This object does not contain enough detail (points) to properly warp. A deform operation, such as the Warp operation, simply moves existing object points, it does not create points. If the object has few points there is little to deform.

Click the Cancel button since we do not want to save our changes.
 

 
bulletSelect the cylinder and click the Bulge operation. (Note that the Bulge operation requires 3D Canvas Plus or 3D Canvas Pro.)

Move the Bulge Effect slider on the Object Layers Panel to the maximum effect as shown.

There is no change made to the object. This is because there is no object detail to bulge. The Bulge operation, like all deform operations, only moves points, it does not create them.

Click , the Delete button, beneath the Object Layers list since we do not want this operation applied now.

 
bulletDouble-click on the cylinder in your scene.

Change the Latitude and Longitude as shown.

We have added points to our object so we can deform it properly.

Another method for adding detail to an object is to use the Divide operation. For primitives, the best method to add detail is to change the object's definition as we did here.
 

 
bulletSelect the cylinder and click the Bulge operation.

Move the slider to bulge as shown.

Now that we have adequate object detail we can deform the object.

Click , the Delete button, beneath the Object Layers list since we do not want this operation applied now.

 
bulletSelect the cylinder and click the Warp operation.

Move the control points as shown. We now have an actual warp since our object has adequate detail.

Notice that the warp does not match the shape of the curve. The curve show the relative amplitude of the warp rather than the actual warp. The Warp, Flatten, Shear, Taper+ and Twist+ operations all use this technique for deforming objects.

Click OK.
 
bulletCreate a new scene and drag and drop a torus onto the scene.

Select the torus and click the Warp operation.

 
bulletTo warp this torus, we need to re-orient the deformation.

In the lower left corner of the window is the view of the original undeformed object and the deformation orientation. The deformation orientation is represented by a green arrow. The Edit Control is used to re-orient this deformation.

 
bulletClick to display the object in wireframe. Wireframe makes it easier to adjust the deformation orientation.

 
bulletClick and drag on the blue arrow of the Edit Control to reorient the deformation as shown. Watch the right hand view to ensure that you have correct alignment.

 
bulletDeform the object as shown.

Click OK.

 
bulletOur deformed Torus.

If you need to deform a region of an object it is often best to select the faces or points you need to deform rather than selecting the whole object. This gives you more control over the deformation effect. Most deform operations work on a selection of faces and/or points as well as entire objects.