Lightwave Modeling3D Animation III

Making Objects The modeling

process Start with primitive

shapes Modify the primitive

shape Use additional

primitives to add or modify object

Making Primitive Shapes

Select the primitive shape you wish to make

Draw out the shape in one viewport Makes a new 2D shape

Draw out in another viewport Pulls the shape into a 3D

shape

Making Primitive Shapes

How big do you want it? Before you draw out your

first shape, think about what you are making

Set the grid size to match the normal dimensions of the object you are making

Simply zoom in or out to set the grid size Zoom tool or , & .

Let’s Get Started Start up Modeler Put your cursor in

the top view, then press (,) and (.) to change the settings in the Grid window

Set the grid size to 500mm 2 500 mms = 1 meter

Let’s Make Something

Select the Create tab Under Primitives

select Box In the Top viewport,

drag out a box 6 grid marks wide 3 grid marks tall

Click on the + to center, if necessary

Let’s Make Something

In the Front viewport, drag up on your box @ ½ a grid mark

Click on the + and lift the box so the top of the box is 2 grid marks off the ground

Let’s Make Something

In the Right viewport, click on the + and drag the box to the center grid line.

Press Enter to make the shape

Let’s Make Something

In the upper right, select the top of the 2nd layer

Select the bottom of layer 1 This allows us to

see what’s there without modifying it

Let’s Make Something

Select the Disc tool From the Top viewport

draw out a circle From the Front

viewport drag out the table leg so it goes just inside the table top

Click on Disc to make the leg

Let’s Make Something

Copy the leg (command C)

In the Top viewport, move the leg to the upper left of the table

Select Edit > Paste (command V) Now you have two

legs

Let’s Make Something

Copy again (command C)

Move the two legs to the right side of the table

Select Edit > Paste (command V) Now you have all

four legs

Put it All Together On the Legs layer,

select Edit > Cut (command x) This puts whatever is in

the layer into memory Select the top of the

first layer Select Edit > Paste

All your pieces are in one place

Other Shapes Ball

Great for making anything that needs to be round Balls Globes Planets Heads

Experiment with Other Shapes

Under Primitives select Ball

In the top view drag out a circle shape

In the front view drag out the 3rd dimension of your ball and press Enter

Press Command X to delete the ball

Other Shapes Disk

Great for making tubes, pipes, pop cans, stems, ???

Experiment with Other Shapes

Select Disc In the Top viewport

drag out a circle In the Front viewport

pull out a cylinder shape

Click on Disc to turn off Another way to make

your shape beside Enter

Other Shapes Cone

Good for anything that needs a point Pencil tip Missile head Teepee ???

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X your Disc and select Cone

In the Top viewport drag out a circle

In the Front viewport pull out a cone shape

Click off Cone to make your shape

Other Shapes Capsule Tool

Makes capsules Rounded cylinders Pills, water towers,

rounder cubes, ???

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X your cone and select More > Capsule Tool

Click and drag in the Top viewport to make the thickness of your capsule

Drag in the Front viewport to make the length

Press Enter to make the shape

Other Shapes Toroid

Hollow disc shape that can be easily modified Number of sections

How many sections make the circle

Number of sides Number of surfaces

that make the tube Radius

How big the hole

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X your capsule and select More > Toroid

In the Torus dialogue box leave the settings the same and press OK

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X the Torus

Go back and make a new Torus, but this time change some of the settings and see what you can make

Experiment with Other Shapes

Reset the Torus settings:

Select the Toriod shape again and reset your settings: Sections 36 Sides 16 Radius 1M Start/End angle

0/360

Other Shapes Gear

Under Primitives > More > More

Makes… gear shapes! Lots of modifications

available Teeth Teeth taper Inner & outer radius Thickness

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X your Toroid

Under Primitives select More > More > Gear

In the dialogue box leave the settings the same, then press OK.

Other Shapes Gemstone

Creates a multi-faceted diamond shape

Two handles Changes the height

of the top or bottom of the shape

Experiment with Other Shapes

Delete your previous shape

Select More > More > Gemstone

Click in the Top viewport to make the shape

Change the handles in the front view

Press Enter to make the diamond

Other Primitives to Check Out

Wedge Like the Toroid, but

with 4 surfaces

Other Shapes Platonic

Makes multi-faceted closed shapes

Text Shape Text

Allows you to make text as a shape

Helps to type in what you want in the Back viewport

Handles allow you to change the size and kerning of the letters

Experiment with Other Shapes

Command X to clear the viewports

Select Text Change the Front

viewport to Back In the Back viewport,

type in your name Grab the handles to scale

and kern your letters Press Return when done

Experiment with Other Shapes

While you still have the Text tool selected, press N Brings up the

Numeric Text Tool box

Here you can set: Font, alignment,

axis, scale, center point, kerning, etc.

Other Shapes Logo

Super easy way to make 3D text

Just plug in what you want, set the font, and you’re done!

Experiment with Other Shapes

Clear your viewports

Select Logo Type in what you

want, choose a font

Press OK

Assigning Surfaces Before you save your

new object, now is the time to decide which polygons in your shape need to be categorized as a separate part so you can color just that part

You can have as many surface categories as you like for your new object

Clean the Slate Click File > Close

All Objects This will reset

Modeler so it doesn’t remember all the shapes we made and makes assigning polygons easier

Make a Logo In the Create tab

select Logo Set the font, type in

your name and press OK

In the Modify tab rotate your name so it faces the front and move the name so it sits on the ‘floor’

Select the Front and Back Polygons

Select ‘Polygon Mode’ In the Left viewport,

hold the Option key and draw a circle around the front of your text

Hold the Shift & Option key, then also select the back of your text Selected polygons are

now highlighted

Choose a Color Press Q

Shortcut for ‘Change Surface’

In the Name section, assign the new name ‘Text Front & Back’

Turn off ‘Make Default’ Click on the color box

and choose a color Press OK

Select the Side Polygons

While still in Polygon mode, click in the lower left to deselect the current polygons

In the Left viewport drag your mouse up and down inside the sides of your text to select only the side polygons Make sure you don’t accidently

select the front or back

Choose a Color Press Q In the Name

section, assign the new name ‘Text Sides’

Click on the color box and choose a color

Press OK

Check Your Work In the

Perspective view, zoom in and rotate your view to make sure the polygon surfacing turned out the way you planned.

Time to Save Your Object

Select File > Save Object

In the Objects folder, create a new folder called ‘My Objects’ and save your new object there.

Save a Copy for your Homework

Select File > Save As

Select the Desktop and make a copy of your object there

Attach it to an email to me

Lightwave Modeling3D Animation III