Mini-Tuts, NURBS I

Use NURBS for easier modeling of organic shapes. Think of NURBS as modeling with
rectangular sheets of paper that you are able to bend, cut and tape together.

• Curve Tools
•The letter U on the curve denotes the beginning of the curve
•Create > CV Curve Tool
•Click 4 points to begin drawing the curve, press enter. The points drawn
refer to the curveʼs control vertices.

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• Create > EP Curve Tool
•Different from CV Curve because the points you click to create the curve
lay on the curve itself. Identical to CV curve tool after you press enter.

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•Create > Bezier Curve Tool
•New to Maya 2011. Similar to the pen tool in illustrator. Click once to
create sharp angles. Click and hold to create curves.

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•Text
•Create > Text [] > Curves

•Curves:

•Poly:

•Bevel:
•Manipulating Curves
•(Surfaces) Edit Curves > Curve Editing Tool

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•Drag closest solid blue cube to draw handle along the curve. Click the
open box in the center to adjust the curve.
•Edit Curves > Open/Close Curve
•Closes and opens the curve at the first vertex (The U)

•Modifying Existing Curves

•Edit Curves > Add Points Tool
•Adds points to the end of a curve

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•Edit Curves > Insert Knot
•Adds points between vertices
•Right-Click curve > Curve Point, Left-Click curve to add a point, Insert
Knot.
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• Edit Curves > Detach Curves

•Cuts a curve into 2
•Right-Click curve > Curve Point, Left-Click curve to add point, Detach
Curves

• Editing NURBS Surfaces

•Offsetting Curves
•Good for creating thicknesses or borders
•Edit Curves > Offset Curves

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•Edit NURBS > Open / Close Surfaces
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• Refining NURBS Surfaces
•Adding Isoparms
•Similar to adding edge loops in polygons, useful for having more control
when modifying a NURBS shape
•Right-click object, select isoparm, left-click and drag to temporarily create
new ones, Edit NURBS > Insert Isoparms to create it

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•Cutting with Isoparms
•Drag to create temporary isoparm, Edit NURBS > Detach Surfaces

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•Attach Surfaces (on the moved detached surface):
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•Revolve
•Create your curve, Surfaces > Revolve

•Loft
•Create at least 2 curves, Shift-Select the curves in order, Surfaces > Loft

•Extrude
•Create 2 curves: one thatʼs a path and one thatʼs an outline
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•Planar
•Clips out a flat shape from a curve shape
•Draw a curve, Surfaces > Planar

•Stitching NURBS together

•Edit NURBS > Stitch > Stitch Edges Tool, Select Two Edges, Press Enter

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•View both planes in Control Vertex Mode, Edit NURBS > Stitch Surface Points