Operational Tools
Operational tools are commands or modifiers that perform an opera-
tion using two meshes, two lines or curves, or a single line and
generate a new mesh as a result. Using operational tools can save
time in many cases. For example, if you need to model a vase, using
a Lathe operational tool is much easier than box modeling. If you
need to model a cable, you can certainly make it by extruding a cyl-
inder, but lofting is much quicker and more accurate. Let’s take a
look at some of the most common operational tools available.
Extrusion
Extrusion is a modifier that picks a shape and raises a mesh from it
that adds depth. See Figure 1-20.
NOTE:
The process described as extrusion in this book is referenced as
loft in Maya and is mostly for NURBS surfaces that are later
converted to polygons.
Lathe
The Lathe tool creates a 3D object by rotating a curve or line.
When using the Lathe tool, the pivot point of the object must be
centered correctly (the + in the following figure). If the pivot is not
centered correctly, it may cause undesirable results. The Lathe tool
usually allows you to shape the rotation in all three axes (X, Y, and
Z).
12
Chapter 1 – Polygonal System Basics
Figure 1-20: Using the Extrusion tool.
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