Alias - Wavefront LearningStudio

Learning
StudioTools 9.5
Learning StudioTools 9.5.
© 2000 Alias|Wavefront.
Printed in the U S A by R.R. Donnelley, All rights reserved.
Studio Documentation Team: Mona Albano, Pat Anderson, Matt Chaput, Stephen Gaebel,
Karen Hoogsteen, Adam Kozyniak, Joanne MacPhail, Margot Meijer.
Special Thanks to: Blake Avery, Sean Brice, Tim Brown, Chris Cheung, Paul Delaney, Rick Fischer,
Mark Jamieson, Tasnim Kaushal, Tod Melville, Shelley Nicholson, Kevin Richards, Paul Roy, John Schrag,
Steve Spenceley, Desiree Sy, Severin Wille, John Yee.
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How To Use This Book 1
Introduction 1
About the Learning StudioTools Tutorials 1
For More Information 2
Graphic Conventions 3
Terms 3
Tutorial 1: Modeling a Chair 5

Introduction 5
Starting StudioTools 6
Introducing the StudioTools Interface 7
Part 1: Creating the chair leg 16
Part 2: Creating the second chair leg 47
Part 3: Creating the armrest and support beams 51
Part 4: Creating the lateral support beams 70
Part 5: Creating the seat and back 76
Conclusion 84
Tutorial 2: Modeling a Teakettle 87

Introduction 87
Part 1: Creating the kettle body 88
Part 2: Creating the kettle bottom 102
Part 3: Assigning objects to layers 105
Part 4: Creating the handle 108
Part 5: Creating the grip 117
Part 6: Creating the spout 139
Part 7: Creating the knob 147
iii
Part 8: Viewing the kettle in shaded mode 153
Conclusion 156
Tutorial 3: Modeling the Mouse 157

Introduction 157
Part 1: Creating the side surface 158
Part 2: Creating the top surface 177
Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the surfaces 188
Part 4: Rounding the edges 195
Part 5: Creating the housings for the buttons 203
Part 6: Creating the buttons 221
Conclusion 226
Tutorial 4: Modeling a Shower Gel Bottle 227

Introduction 227
Part 1: Creating the primary surfaces 228
Part 2: Creating the transition surface 240
Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the revolved surface 256
Part 4: Creating the bottom surface 264
Part 5: Completing the bottle 270

Part 6: Importing curves for the hook 274
Conclusion 285
Tutorial 5: Modeling a TV Remote 287

Introduction 287
Part 1: Creating the side curves 288
Part 2: Creating the side surfaces 299
iv
Part 3: Creating the top surface 315
Part 4: Creating the button holes 325
Part 5: Creating the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 332
Conclusion 342
Tutorial 6: Rendering the teakettle 343

Introduction 343
Part 1: Creating and editing lights 344
Part 2: Creating and editing shaders 365
Part 3: Rendering the scene 382
Part 4: Creating shadows 389
Conclusion 393
Tutorial 7: Advanced Rendering 395

Introduction 395
Part 1: Editing the Render Globals parameters 396
Part 2: Creating a background environment 404
Part 3: Creating a 3D solid texture 414
Part 4: Creating a 2D bump texture 421
Part 5: Raytracing 431

Conclusion 440
Tutorial 8: Animating the Mouse 441

Introduction 441
Part 1: Animating a sphere using keyframes 442
Part 2: Editing a keyframe animation 450
Part 3: Animating along a motion path 462
v
Part 4: Animating the camera 471
Part 5: Turntable animation 475
Part 6: Creating an exploded view animation 480
Conclusion 510
Appendix: Working with Image Planes 511

Overview 511
Conclusion 519
Learning StudioTools Glossary 521

Glossary 521
vi
How To Use This Book
Introduction
Welcome to StudioTools and the world of three
dimensional modeling, rendering, and animating.
StudioTools offers a complete solution for the

creation of digital content in fields such as industrial
design, automotive design, and consumer product
design.
About the Learning StudioTools Tutorials

The eight tutorials in this book present examples of
typical concept design workflows. The tutorials
introduce Studio’s powerful tools and interactive
features, and demonstrate how to use them to
accomplish your concept design tasks.
The first five tutorials in this book introduce

modeling tools and skills. We recommend that you
start with the first tutorial and proceed sequentially
through the modeling tutorials, because they build
on each other.
The sixth and seventh tutorials introduce rendering

tools and skills.
The last tutorial introduces animation tools and

skills.
These tutorials are densely packed with information

and techniques that may be new to you. You may

1
Introduction
want to re-read the lessons after completion, or even
repeat the more difficult lessons.
Note If you are running StudioTools in an NT

environment, you may want to complete the
sketching tutorial which is included in the
Sketching book.
For More Information

These tutorials are an introduction to StudioTools.
They are not intended as an exhaustive guide to the
capabilities and options of the Studio tools.
For additional information and more comprehensive

explanations of tools and options, refer to the print
and online documentation included with the
product.
Or, go to the Studio Assistant Online, at

www.aw.sgi.com/assistant_online/design/studio/. The
Assistant Online provides you with a vast resource,
updated weekly, of valuable learning material. It
contains lessons and finished models that allow you
to exercise modeling, rendering and presentational
skills, as well as content designed to optimize
workflow for visual presentation.
Additionally, consider taking an Alias|Wavefront

training course. Alias|Wavefront offers a powerful
suite of training courses, custom training, consulting
services, and educational materials for users of the
Studio family of software products. At our facilities
or on-site at your office, we’ ll show you how to
maximize your use of our software through
workflow examples that will take you from initial
concept to final output.

2
For More Information
For more information on our training courses
including course descriptions and course schedules
visit our web site at www.aliaswavefront.com.
Graphic Conventions
When we want to highlight part of a screen shot, we
draw a thick line around it. For example, in the
picture shown, we have indicated the location of the
close box on the Action Window.
When we want to indicate a click, we use this

symbol. For example, in the picture shown, we have
indicated that the Open command should be clicked.
When we ask you to choose a tool, we show the

tool’s icon next to the instruction.
Terms
Click: Move the mouse pointer over an object and
press a mouse button once.
Double-click: Move the mouse pointer over an object

and press a mouse button twice fast.
Drag: Move the mouse pointer over an object and

hold down a mouse button. Then move the mouse
with the button held down.

3
Graphic Conventions
The Scene: The 3D “world” inside the view windows.
The Model: The curves, surfaces, and points that make

up the object you are creating.

4
Terms
Tutorial 1: Modeling a Chair
New in This Tutorial:

■ Moving the camera (page 14)
Introduction ■ Using Help (page 14)
■ Opening the tutorial file (page 16)
Welcome to the first StudioTools tutorial! ■ Objects > Primitives > Cube
(page 21)
In this tutorial, you’ll model a chair like the one ■ Xform > Scale (page 23)
below using primitive cubes.
■ Xform > Local > Set Pivot
(page 25)
■ Curve Snap, Grid Snap, Magnet

snap (Point snap) (page 27)
■ Xform > Move (page 28)
■ Xform > Local > Center Pivot

(page 33)
■ Saving Files (page 37)

■ Retrieving files from another project
(page 43)
■ Edit > Copy, Paste (page 47)
■ Edit > Duplicate > Object (page 52)
■ Pick > Nothing (page 54)
■ Pick > Object (page 55)
■ Xform > Rotate (page 56)

You’ll learn how to:
■ Pick box (page 67)
● use the StudioTools interface ■ Edit > Group (page 68)
■ Edit > Duplicate > Mirror (page 69)

● open and save files
● create primitive objects

5
Introduction
● pick, transform, duplicate, and group objects
● move an object’s pivot point.
This tutorial consists of seven sections:
● Starting StudioTools
● Introducing the StudioTools Interface
● Part 1: Creating the chair leg
● Part 2: Creating the second chair leg
● Part 3: Creating the armrest and support beams
● Part 4: Creating the lateral support beams
● Part 5: Creating the seat and back
The first two sections explain how to start

StudioTools and introduce the StudioTools interface.
The last five sections of this tutorial explain how to
model the chair.
Starting StudioTools
Note Depending on which product you are using,
the StudioTools icon may have a different
name, such as DesignStudio or AutoStudio.
To start StudioTools on Windows NT:
● Double-click the Studio shortcut icon on the

desktop, or choose Studio from the Start menu.

6
Starting StudioTools
To start StudioTools on UNIX:
1 Go to the Toolchest menu on your desktop.

Choose Find > Icon Catalog.
The Icon Catalog opens.
2 Go to the Alias |Wavefront software page.
3 Double-click the StudioTools icon.
The StudioTools splash screen appears.
The StudioTools interface appears on your

desktop.
Introducing the StudioTools Interface

Before you begin, let’s take a quick look at the
StudioTools interface.
menu bar
The StudioTools interface contains a menu bar, a tool
palette, and a view window area.
view window area
palette

7
Exploring the menu bar
The menu bar contains a series of pull-down menus.

Each menu contains a group of related commands.
Follow the steps below to explore the menu bar.
1 To display a pull-down menu, click the menu

name.
To display the Edit menu, click the Edit name.

8
2 To select a command, release or click the mouse
on the command name.
To select the Copy command from the Edit menu,

click Copy. (Nothing will happen, because you
haven’t created any objects to copy.)
You can also select a command from your

keyboard by pressing certain key combinations
known as hotkeys. For more information on
hotkeys, see the Fundamentals section of the Basic
Tools book.
3 Notice that some commands have a small box or

a small arrow beside the command name.
If you select the box beside a command’s name,

you can set various options for that command.
To set options for the Paste command, click the

box beside Paste.

9
The Paste Options box is opened. It contains
editable options. To close the Paste Options box,
click the Exit button.
4 If you select a command that has an arrow beside

it, you can access a sub-menu containing more
specific commands.
To access the Duplicate sub-menu, click Duplicate.
The Duplicate sub-menu appears.
5 Now, take a few minutes to explore the other

menus in the menu bar.

10
Exploring the Palette
The Palette contains a series of tool folders. Each

folder contains a group of related tools.
Follow the steps below to explore the Palette.
1 To open or close a folder, click the folder name

with the left mouse button.
If the Objects folder is closed, click it to open it.
The Objects folder is opened.
2 Each folder in the Palette contains tools. Each

tool has its own icon. To select a tool, click its
icon.

11
In the Objects folder, click the sphere icon to
select the Sphere tool.
When you select a tool, its icon is highlighted in

red.
3 Some tool icons have a yellow arrow in their top

right corner. If you click and hold down the left
mouse button on one of these icons, you can
access a drawer containing related tools.
Click and hold the left mouse button on the

Sphere icon.

12
The drawer containing all of the primitive
shapes appears.
4 Some tool icons have a tiny box in their top left

corner. If you double-click one of these icons,
you can set various options for that tool.
Double-click the sphere icon.
The Sphere Options box is opened. It contains

editable options. To close the Sphere Options box,
click the Exit button.

13
Exploring the view window area
The view window area contains one or more camera

views of the three-dimensional scene.
1 A typical arrangement includes three

orthographic views -- top, front, and right -- and
one perspective view.
To set the view windows to this arrangement,

open the Layouts menu, and click All windows to
display the sub-menu. Then, click All (Studio).
Along the top of each view window is a series of track icon

icons that allow you to maximize, minimize,
dolly, or track the view.
dolly icon maximize/minimize icon
The perspective view window also contains an

icon that allows you to tumble the view in three
dimensions. tumble icon
Using Help
One of the most important menus is the Help menu.

The Help menu is organized so that you can get quick

14
and specific information on just about any function
in StudioTools. Just follow the steps below.
1 Click the Help menu, located at the right end of

the menu bar.
2 In the Help menu, click Help on function.
You are prompted to select the function that you

want help on. (This prompt appears in the
prompt line, located just below the menu bar.)
3 Click a menu item or a tool icon in the Palette.
A browser window is launched and the on-line

documentation about that tool icon or menu
item is displayed.
4 When you are finished reading the information,

minimize or close the browser window.
Tip For more information on the StudioTools

interface, select Online Docs from the Help
menu to display the StudioTools online
documentation.

15
Part 1: Creating the chair leg
In this section, you will open the tutorial file, and
then create the chair’s front left leg.
Opening the tutorial file
Each tutorial in this book is based on a Alias wire file

which contains the material you need to learn the
tools, skills and concepts in the tutorial.
If you are running StudioTools in a UNIX

environment, go to the section Opening the tutorial file
in a UNIX environment.
If you are running StudioTools in a Windows NT

environment, go to the section Opening the tutorial file
in a Windows NT environment.
Opening the tutorial file in a UNIX environment

environment, follow the steps below to open the wire
file for this tutorial.
1 Select the Open command (File > Open) to open

the File Browser.

16
The File Lister is displayed. Click the Show List
button to open the File Browser.
2 Click the directory called CourseWare to select

it.
Note When you install StudioTools, the

CourseWare directory is automatically
installed to /usr/aw/alias. For more
information, see the Installation Guide.
3 In the bottom right corner of the File Browser

are six menu buttons. Click and hold the Project
button to display the Project menu, then drag up
to Set Current and release the mouse button.
You have set the CourseWare directory as the

current project. Now the system will
automatically go to the CourseWare project to
find all of the files associated with the wire file
for this tutorial.
The File Browser jumps to the wire directory of

the CourseWare project.
4 Click the file called 2_chair.wire to select this

file.
5 Click the Open button, located at the bottom of

the File Browser, to open the file.

17
6 If you were already working in StudioTools, a
dialog box pops up, asking if you want to delete
all objects, shaders, views and actions. Click Yes.
The File Browser closes and the StudioTools

interface appears.
You will see four sketches of the chair, in the Top,

Perspective, Front and Right views. These
sketches are reference images known as image
planes. You’ll use them as a guide to model the
chair.
If the views do not take up the full view window

space, from the Layouts menu, select All Windows >
All Studio.
Opening the tutorial file in a Windows NT environment

environment, follow the steps below to open the wire
file for this tutorial.

18
the File Browser.
The File Browser is opened.
If the Windows NT style browser does not

appear, your version of StudioTools may be
customized to use the Studio browser instead.
To change it back to the default Windows NT
browser, select Preferences > Interface > Interface
Options - ❐ from the StudioTools menu bar. In the
Interface Options window, set Browser Options to
NT Browser.
2 Open the CourseWare directory.
Note The default location of the CourseWare

directory is C:\AW\StudioTools9.5
\Studio\CourseWare. For more
information, see the Installation Guide.
3 Click the arrow next to the Projects field, and

select Set Current.
You have set the CourseWare directory as the

current project. Now the system will
automatically go to the CourseWare project to
find all of the files associated with the wire file
for this tutorial.

19
4 Double-click the wire directory to open it.
The wire directory is opened, and its files are

displayed.
5 Double-click the file called 2_chair.wire to

open it.
6 If you were already working in StudioTools, a

dialog box pops up, asking if you want to delete
all objects, shaders, views and actions. Click Yes.
The File Browser closes and the StudioTools

interface appears.

20
You will see four sketches of the chair, in the
Top, Perspective, Front and Right views. These
sketches are reference images known as image
planes. You’ll use them as a guide to model the
chair.
If the views do not take up the full view window

space, from the Layouts menu, select All
Windows > All Studio.
Creating a cube
Follow the steps below to create a primitive cube.
1 Select the Cube tool (Objects > Primitives > Cube).

To select the Cube tool, click and hold the Sphere
icon until the entire Primitives drawer appears.
Then, click the Cube icon to select the Cube tool.

21
The Cube tool is displayed in the Objects palette,
and is outlined in red to indicate that it is
currently the active tool.
2 Maximize the Right view, and click in the view

near the left leg of the chair to create a cube.
(Don’t worry about the exact placement, because
you will adjust the cube’s placement later.)

22
I
A cube appears. When you create an object, it is

automatically selected, or active. Selected
objects are drawn with white lines, and objects
that are not selected are drawn with dark blue
lines. Most tools and commands work on
selected objects. Since the cube is selected, any
tools or commands you select will be applied to
it.
Note The cube has a large manipulator attached

to it, as do all primitives when they are first
added to the scene. The manipulator can be
useful for transforming a primitive, but it is
not relevant to this tutorial. In any case, the
manipulator disappears as soon as you
select another tool or menu item.
For more information on manipulators, see
Creating Objects in the NURBS Modeling
book.
Tip To delete the cube, press the Delete key.
The actual cube is circled. The manipulator

consists of everything else attached to the
cube: the blue and green shapes, the red
Scaling the cube
dotted line, etc.
Next you’ll scale the cube to the correct size.
1 Select the Scale tool (Xform > Scale).

23
Go to the Xform palette and find the Scale icon by
moving the mouse pointer over the icons until a
yellow rectangle containing the word Scale
appears.
Note The yellow rectangle is a Tool Tip. Tool Tips

identify the icons in the Palette.
Click the Scale icon to select the Scale tool.
It is outlined in red to indicate that it is the active

tool. At the same time, the cube’s manipulators
disappear. Because the cube is so small, you can’t
really see the cube, only a small bright green dot
which is the cube’s pivot point.
2 Drag the mouse to the right to scale the cube

approximately to the size of the chair in the
image.
To “drag the mouse” click and hold down the left

mouse button in a view and move the mouse,
then release the mouse button.
Tip To undo a scale, select Edit > Undo.

24
The cube is much bigger than the sketch of the
chair leg.
Moving the cube’s pivot point
Next you’ll move the cube’s pivot point.
When you move, scale or rotate an object, the

transformation is centered on the object’s pivot point.
For example, when you rotate an object, the object
rotates about its pivot point.
This point is indicated by a small green circle, and is,

by default, at the object’s center. There are times,
however, when you want a transformation to be
centered on a point that does not lie at an object’s
center. In these cases you must first move the
object’s pivot point using the Set Pivot tool.
Follow the steps below to move the cube’s pivot

point.

25
1 With the cube still selected, select the Set Pivot
tool (Xform > Local > Set Pivot).
To select the Set Pivot tool, right click the Xform
palette tab to display the palette menu.
The Xform palette menu appears. Click Local to

display the submenu.
In the submenu, click Set Pivot.

26
The submenu disappears. In the Xform palette,
the Set Pivot icon is outlined in red to indicate
that it is the active tool.
2 Next, you will position the pivot point precisely

on an edge of the cube. When you need to
position an object precisely, you must use one of
the three snap modes.
● Curve snap mode lets you position an object

precisely on a curve.
● Grid snap mode lets you position an object

precisely on a grid intersection.
● Magnet snap mode, also known as point snap mode,

lets you position an object precisely on an object
point.
Click the crv button, located below and to the

right of the menu bar, to turn on curve snap
mode.

27
3 Click the bottom edge of the cube with the right
mouse button.
The pivot point snaps precisely onto the edge of

the cube.
4 Click the crv button again to turn off curve snap

mode.
Moving and scaling the cube
Next you’ll continue moving and scaling the cube.

28
1 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move).
2 Hold down the Alt key to turn on grid snap

Ctrl Alt
mode, and drag the mouse in any direction you
like.
Note You can also turn on a snap mode by

holding down the appropriate hotkeys.
To turn on curve snap mode, hold down the
Ctrl and Alt keys.
To turn on grid snap mode, hold down the
Alt key.
To turn on magnet snap mode, hold down
the Ctrl key.
To turn off a snap mode, release the hotkeys.

29
The cube moves so that its pivot point always
snaps to a grid intersection.
3 Drag the cube to the origin. (The origin is located

where the two thick black grid lines intersect.)
Then, release the Alt key to turn off grid snap
mode.

30
4 With the cube at the origin, select the Scale tool
(Xform > Scale).
5 Drag the middle mouse button to scale the cube

horizontally, until it is the same width as the
chair leg in the image.
Note In orthographic views, the left mouse button

transforms objects in any direction, the
middle mouse button transforms objects
horizontally, and the right mouse button
transforms objects vertically.

31
6 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move), and drag the
middle mouse button to the left to move the cube
directly over the chair leg.
Note When you use the middle mouse button

with Xform > Move, a horizontal indicator
appears to remind you that you are
constrained to the horizontal direction.

32
7 Select the Scale tool (Xform > Scale) and drag the
right mouse button down to scale the cube
vertically until it’s the same height as the chair
leg.
Centering the pivot and scaling the cube in the other

views
Next you’ll center the cube’s pivot point and scale its
width.
1 Minimize the Right view and maximize the

Front view.

33
2 Select the Center Pivot tool (Xform > Local > Center
Pivot) to automatically move the cube’s pivot
point back to its center.
The pivot point moves to the center of the

transformed cube.

34
3 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move) and drag the
middle mouse button to the right to center the
cube over the chair leg.
The cube’s pivot point is directly over the chair

leg.

35
middle mouse button to the left to scale the cube
to the width of the chair leg.
The cube is as wide as the chair leg.

36
5 Select the Set Pivot tool (Xform > Local > Set Pivot)
and drag the right mouse button down to move
the pivot point to the bottom of the cube.
Saving your work
Now you will save the chair leg as a new file.
It’s always important to save your work at each

stage. However, to safeguard the files in the
CourseWare project, the CourseWare project is
write-protected. You cannot save any new work to
the CourseWare project.
To save your work, you must create a new project

directory. Project directories are special directories
created by StudioTools that allow you to efficiently
store all the files related to a specific project together.

environment, go to the section Saving your work in a
UNIX environment.

37
environment, go to the section Saving your work in a
Windows NT environment.
Saving your work in a UNIX environment

environment, follow the steps below to save your
work.
1 Select the Save As command (File > Save As) to

open the File Browser.
The File Browser opens.
2 Look in the lower right corner of the File Browser

to find the Project button. Then, click and hold
the Project pop-up menu button, drag to New
Project, and release the mouse button to select it.
The File Browser jumps to the user_data

directory (where StudioTools stores projects) and
creates a new directory called new_project.
3 Double-click the name of the new_project

directory.
The name becomes editable in a text box.

38
4 Change the name of the directory in the text box
to Lessons and press Enter.
You will save all the files you create in following

lessons in this new project.
5 In the Project pop-up menu, select Set Current to

make the Lessons project the current project.
When you select the Set Current command, the

File Browser jumps to the wire directory in the
project.
6 In the File text box (located in the bottom left of

the File Browser), type mychair.wire and
press Enter.
7 Click the Save Wire button to save the file.
StudioTools saves the file mychair.wire in the

Lessons project.
General Tip It is good modeling practice to save

often, as insurance against having to
start from the very beginning if you
make a mistake.
Saving your work in a Windows NT environment

environment, follow the steps below to save your
work.

39
The File Browser opens.
2 Click the arrow next to the Projects field, and

select New Project from the menu.

40
A new project is created, which is immediately
displayed in the File Browser.
3 Click the Up 1 Level button to move up one

directory, to the directory that contains the
new_project directory.

41
4 Click the right mouse button on the new_project
directory and select Rename from the menu.
5 Type Lessons and press the Enter key.

42
6 Click the arrow next to the Projects field and
select Set Current from the menu to make Lessons
the current project.
The Lessons project is displayed in the File

Browser.
7 In the Filename field, type mychair.wire and press

the Enter key.
StudioTools saves the file mychair.wire in the

Lessons project.
General Tip It is good modeling practice to save

often, as insurance against having to
start from the very beginning if you
make a mistake.
Retrieving a file
When you retrieve a wire file, you may notice that

image planes are missing. (A missing image plane is
shown in a view window as a dotted rectangle, with
no image.) This happens when StudioTools cannot
resolve the path to reference images on the disk or
network, for instance when reference images are

43
moved to a new location, or when a wire file is saved
to a new project.
To edit the paths to reference images, use the File

Reference List window.
Retrieving a file
1 Choose the Open command (File > Open).
2 In the File Browser, locate the file called

mychair.wire.
A dialog box appears, asking if you want to

delete all objects, shaders, views and actions.
Click YES.

44
The file appears in Studio. In the picture shown,
the image plane for the Front view is not visible.
3 Select the Show File References command (File >

Show > File References).
This command opens the File Reference List

window.
The File Reference List window appears.
The locations of the four image planes are listed

in the File Reference List box. When StudioTools
cannot find an image plane, a small question
mark appears at the left of the path name.
Even if images are properly referenced, the File

Reference List window can provide useful
information if you move wire files to other
machines, or share files with others on a
network.

45
Now you need to edit the path for the Front
image plane, so that the image will be visible in
your scene.
Tip Even if the image planes in your retrieved

file are visible, follow the steps below to
learn how to find image planes. This will be
useful to you in future tutorials!
4 The Front image plane pathname ends with

CourseWare/pix/Rietveld_Front.tif. Locate this
pathname in the File Reference List window, then
click the arrow (>) to the right of the pathname.
This opens the File Browser, which will allow

you to locate reference images.
5 All of the image planes for the tutorials are

stored in the pix directory of the CourseWare
directory. In the File Browser, locate the
Courseware directory, then open the pix directory,
and click the file called Rietveld_Front.tif.
6 Click the Replace Path button.
The File Browser closes and you see the four

views again. In the File Reference List window, the
pathname for the front image plane has changed.

46
7 To force the view window to refresh and display
the image, click any view window that is not
currently active. Then the image appears in the
Front view.
8 Repeat steps 4 to 7 to replace the pathnames for

the Top, Right, and Perspective image planes, so
that all image planes are visible, as shown.
Part 2: Creating the second chair leg

In this section, you will create a second chair leg.
Duplicating the original chair leg
First you’ll duplicate the original chair leg.

47
1 With the first chair leg still selected, select the
Copy command (Edit > Copy) to copy the chair leg
to the invisible clipboard.
2 Select the Paste command (Edit > Paste) to paste

the copied chair leg back into the scene.
It may not seem like anything has happened,

because the chair leg is pasted into the scene at
exactly the same position as the original chair
leg. However, the duplicated chair leg is now
selected and the original chair leg is now
unselected.
Moving and scaling the duplicated chair leg
Now you’ll move and scale the duplicated chair leg

to the correct position and size.

48
2 Minimize the Front view and maximize the

Right view.
3 Click and hold the middle mouse button

anywhere in the view but not directly on the
chair leg. Then, drag the mouse to the right to
move the duplicated chair leg over the rear chair
leg in the image.

49
Note The duplicated chair leg is drawn with white
lines, and the original chair leg is drawn
with dark blue lines. Selected objects are
drawn with white lines, and objects that are
not selected are drawn with dark blue lines.
Also, the duplicated leg’s pivot point is at
the bottom of the chair leg, the same as the
original chair leg.
4 Select the Scale tool (Xform > Scale), and drag the
right mouse button up to scale the chair leg until
it’s the same height as the chair leg in the image.

50
The duplicated chair leg is scaled to the correct
height.
Saving your work

save the current scene.
2 Call your file mychair2.wire.
Note The file is automatically saved to the

Lessons directory, because you set the
Lessons directory as the current project
when you first saved the file.
Part 3: Creating the armrest and support beams

In this section, you will create vertical and
horizontal support beams, and an armrest.

51
Creating the vertical support beam
1 With the back chair leg still selected, select the

Duplicate Object command (Edit > Duplicate >
Object) to duplicate the chair leg. This is like
copying and pasting in one step.

52
middle mouse button to move the duplicated
chair leg over the vertical support beam in the
image.
3 Drag the right mouse button up to move the

bottom of the duplicated chair leg over the
bottom of the support beam.

53
right mouse button down, until the duplicated
chair leg is the same height as the support beam.
The duplicated chair leg is the same height as the

support beam.
Creating the armrest
1 Select the Pick Nothing tool (Pick > Nothing) to

deselect all objects.

54
2 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object) and click
directly on one of the edges of the back chair leg
to select it.
3 Select the Duplicate Object command (Edit >

Duplicate > Object) to duplicate the back chair leg.

55
4 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move) and click
anywhere in the view, but not directly on any
objects. Then, drag the mouse to move the
duplicated chair leg over the armrest in the
image.
5 Select the Rotate tool (Xform > Rotate) and drag

the mouse to rotate the duplicated chair leg until
it lines up with the armrest.
If there isn’t enough room on your screen to drag

the mouse, release the mouse button, move the
mouse back within the view, and drag the mouse
again.
Note Dragging the left mouse button rotates about

the X axis, dragging the middle mouse
button rotates about the Y axis, and dragging
the right mouse button rotates about the Z
axis.

56
right mouse button until the length of the
duplicated chair leg is the same as the armrest.
The duplicated chair leg is the same length as

the armrest.

57
7 Minimize the Right view and maximize the Front
view.
middle mouse button to position the duplicated
chair leg over the armrest in the image.

58
middle mouse button to scale the width of the
duplicated chair leg to the correct size.
The duplicated chair leg matches the armrest.

59
Tip Check the Top view to make sure that the
duplicated chair leg matches the armrest.
Creating the horizontal support beam
1 Minimize the Front view and maximize the Right

view.


60
directly on one of the edges of the back chair leg
to select it.

Duplicate > Object) to duplicate the back chair leg.

61
the mouse to rotate the duplicated chair leg until
it matches the angle of the horizontal support
beam in the image.
right mouse button to move the duplicated chair
leg over the horizontal support beam.

62
Note Make sure that the pivot point is on top of
the right edge of the horizontal support
beam.
7 Select the Scale tool (Xform > Scale) and scale the
duplicated chair leg until it is the same length as
the horizontal support beam.

63
The duplicated chair leg is the same length as the
horizontal support beam.

view. Then, select the Move tool (Xform > Move)
and with the duplicated chair leg still selected,
drag the middle mouse button to move the
duplicated chair leg over the horizontal support
beam.

64
The duplicated chair leg is over the horizontal
support beam.
Grouping the chair components
Now you’ll group all of the separate chair

components together.
1 Minimize the front view and maximize the

Perspective view.

65
directly on one of the edges of the front chair leg
to select it. Then click on one of the edges of the
vertical support beam. Continue clicking on each
component until they are all selected.

Note The Pick Object tool is automatically selected.

When you select the Pick Nothing tool, all
objects become deselected and the last active
tool becomes active again.

66
4 An easier way to pick several objects is to use a
pick box. Move the mouse to one corner of the
view and drag the left mouse button to the
opposite corner, so that the red pick box
surrounds the objects you want to pick.
A red box surrounds the objects as you drag the

left mouse button.

67
Note Once the objects are picked, you will see that
each object has its own pivot point.
5 Select the Group command (Edit > Group) to group

all of the selected objects together.
When you group objects together, they behave

like a single object.

68
Note There is now only one single pivot point,
located at the origin.
Mirroring the chair components
Now you’ll mirror the chair components to create

the opposite side of the chair.
1 Select the Duplicate Mirror command (Edit >

Duplicate > Mirror) to duplicate the chair
components across an axis plane, in this case the
YZ plane.

69
The components are duplicated and mirrored
across the YZ plane.
Saving your work

save the current scene, and call your file
mychair3.wire.
Part 4: Creating the lateral support beams

In this section, you’ll create five lateral support
beams for the chair.

70
Creating the first lateral support beam
First you’ll create and scale a primitive cube.
1 Minimize the Perspective view and maximize

the Right view.
2 Select the Cube tool (Objects > Primitives > Cube)

and click near the center of one of the lateral
support beams in the sketch.
Tip There are five lateral support beams. In the

Right view, they look like small yellow
cubes.

71
mouse to scale the width of the cube to the
correct size.
The cube is the same width as the lateral support

beam in the image.

72
Front view.
5 With the cube still selected, and the Scale tool

still active, drag the middle mouse button to scale
the length of the cube to match the lateral
support beam.
The cube matches the lateral support beam.

73
Duplicating the first lateral support beam
Now you’ll duplicate the first lateral support beam,

to create four more support beams.
1 Minimize the Front view and maximize the Right

view.

Duplicate > Object) to duplicate the lateral support
beam.

74
mouse to move the duplicated support beam
into position.
The second lateral support beam is in position.

75
4 Continue duplicating the support beam and
moving the duplicates into position, until you
have created all five lateral support beams.
Saving your work

save the current scene, and call your file
mychair4.wire.
Part 5: Creating the seat and back

In this section, you’ll create the seat and back of the
chair.
Creating the seat
First you’ll create the chair seat.

76
1 Select the Cube tool (Objects > Primitives > Cube)
and click on the seat in the image.
middle mouse button to scale the cube
horizontally.

77
3 With the Scale tool still active, drag the right
mouse button to scale the cube vertically and
make it a bit thinner.

view.
5 With the cube still selected, and the Scale tool

still active, drag the middle mouse button to
scale the cube to the length of the seat.

78
The cube is the length of the seat.

Right view.

79
the mouse to rotate the cube and align it with the
seat.
The cube is aligned with the seat.
Creating the back
Finally, you’ll create the chair back.

80
1 With the chair seat still selected, select the
Object) to duplicate the seat.
mouse to move the duplicated seat over the
chair back in the image.

81
the mouse to rotate the duplicated seat and align
it with the chair back.
middle mouse button to scale the duplicated seat
to the correct size.
Note You may need to move and scale it a few

times to position and size it correctly.

82
The duplicated seat is the correct size.

Perspective view.

83
6 Select the Pick Nothing tool (Pick > Nothing).
Saving your work
Select the Save As command (File > Save As) to save

the current scene, and call your file
mychair5.wire.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the chair.
You now know how to:
● Start StudioTools
● Use Help
● Open files

84
Conclusion
● Create cubes
● Transform objects using the Move, Scale, and

Rotate tools
● Move and center an object’s pivot point
● Turn on curve snap, grid snap, and magnet snap

mode
● Save files
● Copy and paste objects
● Duplicate objects
● Pick and unpick objects
● Group objects
● Mirror objects

85
Conclusion
86
Conclusion
Tutorial 2: Modeling a Teakettle
New in this Tutorial:

■ Curves > New Curves > New
Introduction Curves (cvs) (page 90)
■ Pick > Point Types > CV

In this tutorial, you will model a teakettle like the (page 95)
one below.
■ Surfaces > Revolve
(page 98)
■ Surfaces > Set Planar

(page 103)
■ Using layers (page 106)
■ Surfaces > Swept Surfaces >

Extrude (page 114)
■ Curves > Arcs > Arc (three point)

(page 109)
■ Surfaces > Skin (page 145)
■ Display Tgls >Shade (page 153)
You’ll learn how to:
● create curves using control vertices and key-

points
● create revolved, planar, extruded, and skinned

surfaces
● organize a scene using layers
● view a model in shaded mode.

87
Introduction
This tutorial consists of eight parts:
● Part 1: Creating the kettle body
● Part 2: Creating the kettle bottom
● Part 3: Assigning objects to layers
● Part 4: Creating the handle
● Part 5: Creating the grip
● Part 6: Creating the spout
● Part 7: Creating the knob
● Part 8: Viewing the kettle in shaded mode
Part 1: Creating the kettle body

In this section, you’ll create the kettle’s body by
revolving a profile curve.

the File Browser.
2 In the File Browser, locate the CourseWare

directory and set it as the Current Project.
3 Open the file called 3_teakettle.wire,

located in the wire file of the CourseWare
directory.
(For information on how to open a file, see

Opening the tutorial file on page 16.)

88
Click YES.
The file is opened.
Note The scene contains four reference images or

image planes. You’ll use these as a guide to
model the kettle.
If you do not see any image planes, the
image plane display has been turned off. To
turn on image plane display, from the
DisplayTgls menu, choose Object toggles >
Image planes.

89
Creating the body profile curve
1 Maximize the Front view.
Note Each window contains a sizing icon at the

right end of its title bar. To enlarge the
window, click the outer part of the icon. To
return the window to its normal size, click
the inner part of the icon.
2 Select the New Curve (cvs) tool [Curves > New

Curve > New curve (cvs)].
Tip The Tool Tip name for this tool is New

curve (CVs).
This tool allows you to create a curve by placing
control vertices, or CVs for short. CVs control the
shape of a curve.
A curve that has CVs is referred to as a NURBS

curve, for Non-Rational Uniform B-Spline.

90
Ctrl Alt
mode, and click the middle mouse button on the
Z (vertical) axis, just below the knob in the
reference image, to place the first CV.
A control vertex appears.
This is the first CV of the curve. The first CV of a

curve is displayed as a small box.
4 Release the Alt key to turn off grid snap mode.
5 Click and hold down the middle mouse button to

the right of the first CV to create the second CV,
move the mouse to position the CV, and then
release the middle mouse button.
By using the middle mouse button, the second

CV is horizontally aligned with the first CV.

91
The second CV appears.
The second CV of a curve is displayed as a small

U.
Note The straight red line joining the first and

second CVs is not the curve. It is the hull. As
you add more CVs, the hull is extended.
6 In the view title bar, drag the track icon up to

track the view up slightly.
7 Click and hold down the left mouse button along

the edge of the kettle to create the third CV, move
the mouse to position the CV, and then release
the left mouse button.
The third CV appears.
Each CV subsequent to the second CV is

displayed as an X.
Note The hull now consists of two straight red line

segments between the first and third CV.
There is still no curve.

92
8 Click and hold down the left mouse button
along the edge of the kettle to create the fourth
CV, move the mouse to position the CV, and
then release the left mouse button.
The fourth CV appears.
Note A white curve now connects the first CV

and the fourth CV. The hull now consists of
three red straight-line segments that connect
all CVs together.
curve
At this point, don’t worry about the shape of the
curve. Later, you’ll adjust the position of each
CV to change the shape of the curve.

93
9 Click the left mouse button on the bottom right
corner of the kettle to create the fifth and final
CV.
The fifth CV appears, and the curve extends

down to the fifth CV.
10 Select the Pick Nothing tool (Pick > Nothing) to complete

the curve and deselect it.
Editing the body profile curve
Now you’ll edit the shape of the profile curve by

moving the CVs.

94
1 Select the Pick CV tool (Pick > Point Types > CV).
Tip The Tool Tip name is Pick CV.
2 Click the third CV or drag a pickbox around it.
Note Remember, CVs do not lie on the curve. CVs

are located on the hull.
mouse to move the CV so that the curve lies
directly on the edge of the kettle in the reference
image.
Tip To check the shape of the curve, select the

Pick Nothing tool (Pick > Nothing). The curve
will display in blue because it is unpicked.
Then, if you need to move the third CV
further, click it to select it, then drag the
mouse.

95
The top part of the curve lies directly on the edge
of the kettle in the reference image.
4 Click the fourth CV to pick it.
5 With the Move tool still active, drag the mouse to

move the CV so that the curve lies directly on the
edge of the kettle in the reference image.
Note An active tool is outlined in red.

96
The curve lies directly on the edge of the kettle
in the reference image.
6 Click the fifth CV to pick it.

mode, and, with the Move tool still active, click
the right mouse button on the X axis to move the
CV directly onto the X axis.
X axis

97
The fifth CV is moved directly onto the X axis.
8 Release the Alt key to turn off grid snap mode.

deselect the CV.
Revolving the body profile curve
Now you’ll revolve the profile curve to create a

surface for the kettle body.
1 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object) and pick
the profile curve.

98
2 Select the Revolve tool (Surfaces > Revolve) to
revolve the curve and create a surface.
The curve is revolved and a surface is created.

deselect the surface.
4 Most surfaces that you create in StudioTools

have what’s known as construction history.
Construction history allows you to easily change
a surface after you have created it.
For example, if you move a CV on the original

profile curve, the revolved surface will
automatically update.
Select the Pick CV tool (Pick > Point Types > CV)
and click on the third CV to pick it.

99
mouse to move the CV slightly.
When you release the mouse button, the

revolved surface automatically updates.
6 With the Move tool still active, drag the mouse to

move the CV back to its original position.

100
The surface updates again.

deselect the CV.
Saving your work
Now you’ll save the scene as a new file.

2 In the File Browser, locate the Lessons

directory. Set the Lessons directory as the
Current Project.
3 Save your work in the wire file of the Lessons

directory. Call your file mykettle.wire.
For information on creating the Lessons project

or saving your work, see Saving your work on
page 37.

101
Part 2: Creating the kettle bottom
In this section, you’ll create the kettle’s bottom using
a planar surface.
Opening the tutorial file (optional)
If you successfully completed Part 1, you can

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the kettle
bottom on page 103.
If you were not successful in Part 1, open the file

called 3_teakettle_part2.wire, located in the
wire directory of the CourseWare directory. This
file contains the completed model from Part 1.
I
Note If the image planes do not appear, you must

set the file references to the pix directory of
the CourseWare directory. For information on
how to do this, see Retrieving a file on
page 43.

102
Creating the kettle bottom
1 Maximize the Perspective view.
2 In the view window title bar, click the boxed

camera icon to display the pull-down menu.
3 Select Working Camera from the menu to display

its view.
Note The reference image disappears. This is

because each reference image (image plane)
is attached to a specific view. This scene
contains two perspective views: Render View
Camera and Working Camera. The image
plane is attached to the Render View Camera
view.

103
4 Select the Set Planar tool (Surfaces > Set Planar).
This tool allows you to create a trimmed planar

(flat) surface across a closed planar curve.
5 Click the bottom edge of the revolved surface.
6 Click the Go button to create a flat surface for the

kettle’s bottom.

104
The planar surface is created.

Saving your work


directory. Call your file mykettle2.wire.
Part 3: Assigning objects to layers

In this section, you’ll assign the objects you have
created to a new layer.

105

proceed directly to the next step: Assigning objects to
layers on page 106.

I

page 43.
Assigning objects to layers
Layers are a way of grouping related objects together

and organizing a scene. By default, all objects that
you create are assigned to the Default Layer.

106
1 Select the New Layers command (Layers > New) to
create a new layer.
A new layer button called L1 appears in the

Layer Bar. (The Layer Bar is located just below
the prompt line and just above the view window
area.)
2 In the Layer Bar, double-click the L1 layer.
Type the word Body, and press Enter to rename

the layer.
3 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object) and drag
a pick box around all of the objects to select
them.

107
4 In the Layer Bar click and hold down the left
mouse button on the Body layer to display the
pull-down menu. Then, select Assign from the
menu to assign all selected objects to the Body
layer.
5 Click and hold down the left mouse button on

the Body layer, and select Set State and then
Reference to make the layer a reference layer.
You cannot pick or delete objects in a reference

layer. This can be useful when you want to use
objects as a reference for creating other objects,
but you don’t want to accidentally pick or delete
them.

Saving your work


Part 4: Creating the handle

In this section, you‘ll create the handle by extruding
a profile curve along a path curve.

108
Creating the handle path curve
First you’ll create a curve that represents the path of

the handle.

the Front view.
2 Track the camera view to position the reference

image handle in the center of the view.
3 Select the Three Point Arc tool [Curves > Arcs > Arc
(three point)].

109
4 Click three points along the handle to create a 2
keypoint curve that follows the shape of the
handle.
Note Be sure to place the first and third points just

inside the kettle body, close to the handle
ends.
1 3
5 When you place the third point, the arc is

created.
Note A keypoint curve does not have CVs.

Instead, the actual keypoints control the
shape of the curve. Unlike CV curves,
keypoint curves can also create perfectly
circular arcs.

deselect the curve.
Creating the handle profile (generation) curve
Next you’ll create a curve that represents the profile

of the handle.

110
1 Select the Circle tool (Objects > Primitives > Circle)
2 Hold the Ctrl key to turn on magnet snap mode,

then click on the first keypoint of the handle
path curve.
Note When magnet snap mode is on, you can

snap to a point on a curve or surface.
Magnet snap mode is also known as point
snap mode.
The circle appears. It is snapped to the start

point of the arc.
3 Release the Ctrl key to turn off magnet snap

mode.

111
mouse to scale the circle to the size of the
diameter of the handle.
Tip Drag the dolly icon in the title bar to get a

close-up view of the circle.
The circle is the correct size.
5 Select the Rotate tool (Xform > Rotate).

112
6 Type 90 0 0 in the prompt line, then press Enter
to rotate the circle ninety degrees about the X
axis, zero degrees about the Y axis, and zero
degrees about the Z axis.
7 Drag the middle mouse button left to rotate the

circle slightly until it looks perpendicular to the
path curve.
The circle is perpendicular to the path curve.

deselect the circle.

113
Extruding the handle profile curve along the handle
path curve
Now you’ll extrude the profile curve along the path

curve, to create the extruded surface for the handle.
1 Select the Extrude tool (Surfaces > Swept

surfaces >Extrude).
You are prompted to select the curve(s) to
extrude.
2 Click the circle.
3 Click the Go button.
4 You are prompted to select the extrude path.
Click the keypoint curve to select it as the path

curve.

114
The extrude action is performed.
Tip To scale (adjust) an extruded surface across

its cross-section, simply scale the generation
curve. The extruded surface will update to
conform to the scaled curve. This is possible
because of construction history.

Assigning parts of the handle to a new layer
1 Select the New Layers command (Layers > New) to

create a new layer.
2 In the Layer Bar double-click the L2 layer, type a

new name called Handle, and press Enter to
rename the layer.
The new layer is renamed Handle.

115
the handle surface and the handle profile curve.
Do not pick the handle path curve.
4 In the Layer Bar, click and hold down the left

mouse button on the Handle layer, and select
Assign from the menu to assign the selected
objects to the Handle layer.
Note Do not assign the path curve to the Handle

layer.

116
5 In the Layer Bar, click and hold down the left
mouse button on the Handle layer, and select Set
State and then Reference from the menu to make
the layer a reference layer.
Saving your work


Part 5: Creating the grip

In this section, you’ll create a grip for the handle by
extruding a profile curve along a path curve.

117

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the grip path
curve on page 118.

I

page 43.
Creating the grip path curve
First you’ll create a curve that represents the path of

the grip.

118
1 In the Front view window title bar, drag the
dolly icon to dolly the view into the grip in the
reference image.
2 Select the Three Point Arc tool [Curves > Arcs > Arc
(three point)] and hold down the Ctrl and Alt
keys to turn on curve snap mode.
Tip The Tool Tip name for this tool is Arc (three
point).
3 Click the handle path curve (the blue curve) at

one end of the grip in the reference image to
place the first keypoint.

119
The first point of the arc appears.
4 With curve snap mode turned on, click the

handle path curve about halfway along the grip.
The second point of the arc appears.

120
5 With curve snap mode turned on, click the
handle path curve at the other end of the grip.
The arc appears. It is perfectly aligned with the

handle path curve.
6 Release the Ctrl and Alt keys to turn off curve

snap mode.
Creating the grip profile curve
Now you’ll create a curve that represents the profiles

of the grip.
1 Select the Circle tool (Objects > Primitives > Circle).

121
2 Hold down the Ctrl key to turn on magnet snap
mode, and click on the first keypoint of the grip
path curve.

mode.
mouse to scale the circle to the correct size.
The circle is the same size as the grip in the

reference image.

122
5 Select the Rotate tool (Xform > Rotate) and type
the numbers 0 0 90 and then press Enter to rotate
the circle zero degrees about the X axis, zero
degrees about the Y axis, and ninety degrees
about the Z axis.
6 Drag the left mouse button to rotate the circle

slightly until it looks perpendicular to the path
curve.
The circle is perpendicular to the path curve.

deselect the circle.
Assigning the handle path curve to the Handle layer
1 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object).

123
2 Click the handle path curve.
3 In the Layer Bar, click the Handle layer and from

the pull-down menu choose Assign.
The handle path curve is assigned to the Handle

layer. Because the Handle layer is set to the
reference state, the handle path curve is also set
to the reference state.
Extruding the grip profile curve along the grip path

curve
Now you’ll extrude the profile curve along the path

curve.
1 Select the Extrude tool (Surfaces > Swept surfaces >

Extrude).

124
2 You are prompted to select the curves to
extrude. Click the circle.
3 Click the Go button to select the circle as the

generation curve.
4 Click the grip keypoint curve to select it as the

path curve and to create the extruded surface.

125
The extruded surface is created.

Creating the grip ends
Now you’ll create flat surfaces for the ends of the

grip.

Perspective view.
2 In the view window title bar, drag the tumble

icon, track, and dolly icons until you can clearly
see one of the ends of the grip.

126
4 Click on one of the edges of the end of the grip

surface.

grip’s end.

127
A planar surface is created.

7 Move the camera to see the other end of the grip

surface, then click the edge of the grip surface.

grip’s end.

128
A planar surface is created.


129
Saving your work

2 Make sure that the Lessons directory is the

current project.

Creating the grip decoration
Now you’ll create a sphere for decoration on the end

of the grip.
1 Select the Sphere tool (Objects > Primitives >

Sphere).
2 Move the camera until you can clearly see the

end of the grip.

130
3 Hold down the Ctrl key to turn on magnet snap
mode, and click on the first point of the grip
path curve to create a sphere.
The sphere is snapped to the first point of the

grip path curve.

the Front view.

131
mouse to scale the sphere to the size of the
sphere in the reference image.
The sphere is the correct size.
6 Select the Set Pivot tool (Xform > Local > Set Pivot).
7 Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys to turn on

curve snap mode, then click and hold the left
mouse button on the sphere’s middle wireframe
line or isoparm, and drag the mouse to move the
pivot point to the right side of the sphere.

132
The pivot point is on the right side of the sphere.
8 Release the Ctrl and Alt keys to turn off curve

snap mode.

Perspective view.
10 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move), then hold

down the Ctrl key to turn on magnet snap
mode, and then click on the first point of the
grip path curve to move the sphere there.

133
The sphere moves to the first point of the grip
path curve.

mode.

the Front view.

the middle mouse button to rotate the sphere into
the correct position.

134
The sphere is in the correct position.
Saving your work


Duplicating the grip decoration
Now you’ll duplicate the sphere for the opposite end

of the grip.

135
1 In the Perspective view, with the sphere still
selected, select the Duplicate Object command
(Edit > Duplicate > Object).
The sphere is duplicated. The duplicated sphere

is placed exactly on top of the original sphere.
The duplicated sphere is the active sphere.

136
2 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move), then hold
down the Ctrl key to turn on magnet snap
mode, then click on the last point of the grip
path curve to move the sphere there.
3 In the Front view, select the Rotate tool (Xform >

Rotate) and drag the middle mouse button to
rotate the sphere into the correct position.

137
4 The sphere is in the correct position.

deselect the sphere.
all of the grip curves and surfaces.
7 Assign the grip curves and surfaces to the Handle

layer.

138
Since the Handle layer is set to the Reference
state, all of the grip curves and surfaces are
automatically set to the reference state.
Saving your work


Part 6: Creating the spout

In this section, you’ll create a spout by skinning a
surface between two profile curves.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the spout
base profile curve on page 140.

139
I

page 43.
Creating the spout base profile curve
First you’ll create a profile curve for the base of the

spout.

140
1 Get a close-up view of the spout in the Front
window.
2 Select the Circle tool (Objects > Primitives > Circle)

and click just inside the kettle body, near the
spout.

141
3 Scale up the circle until it is about as big as the
base of the spout.
4 Select the Rotate tool (Xform > Rotate), and type 0

0 90, then press Enter, to rotate the circle zero
degrees about the X axis, zero degrees about the
Y axis, and 90 degrees about the Z axis.
Drag the left mouse button to rotate the circle

slightly until it looks perpendicular to the spout.

142
Creating the spout top profile curve
Next you’ll duplicate the spout base profile curve to

create a profile curve for the top of the spout.
1 With the circle still selected, select the Duplicate

Object command (Edit > Duplicate > Object) to
duplicate the circle.
A second circle is placed at the exact location of

the first circle. The new circle is the active
(highlighted) one.

143
2 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move) and move the
active circle over the top of the spout.
Tip Position the cursor so it isn’t touching any

objects before you drag to move the circle,
otherwise you will unpick the circle and pick
another object.
3 Scale the active circle down until its diameter is

about the same as the top of the spout.

144
Skinning a surface between the spout profile curves
1 Select the Skin tool (Surfaces > Skin).

You are prompted to select the first curve.
2 Click the first circle (at the base of the spout).
3 You are prompted to select the second curve.

Click the second circle.
The skin action is performed.
4 Select the Pick Nothing command (Pick > Nothing).

145
Assigning the spout to a layer
1 Create a new layer and call it Spout.
2 Assign the new curves and surface to the Spout

layer.
3 Set the Spout layer to Reference.

146
Saving your work


Part 7: Creating the knob

In this section you’ll create a knob for the top of the
kettle using a primitive cylinder and sphere.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating a primitive
cylinder on page 148.


147
I

page 43.
Creating a primitive cylinder
First you’ll create a primitive cylinder for the kettle

knob.
1 Get a close-up view of the top of the teakettle in

the Front window.

mouse button on the Body layer, and select Set
State and then Pickable from the menu so you can
pick objects in the layer.
3 Select the Cylinder tool (Objects > Primitives >

Cylinder), and then hold down the Ctrl and Alt
keys to turn on curve snap mode.

148
4 Click and hold down the left mouse button on
the top of the kettle body, and drag the mouse to
position the cylinder at the top of the kettle.
5 Scale the cylinder until it is as big as the disc.
The cylinder is as big as the disc.
6 Select the Rotate tool (Xform > Rotate) and type

90 0 0, then press Enter, to rotate the cylinder.

149
The cylinder is rotated.
Before you can scale the cylinder again, you

should reset its axes so that they are the same as
the scene’s axes. Because the cylinder has been
rotated, its axes are no longer aligned with the
scene’s axes and it is not obvious which mouse
buttons will now scale the cylinder in which
directions.
7 Select the Zero Tranforms command (Edit > Zero

Transforms) to reset the axes on the cylinder.
right mouse button to scale the cylinder
vertically until it is the same height as the
cylinder in the reference image.

150
The cylinder is the same height as the cylinder in
the reference image.
9 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move) and move the
cylinder up so that it is resting on top of the
kettle body curve.
Creating a primitive sphere
Finally you’ll create a primitive sphere for the kettle

knob.

151
1 Snap a sphere to the top of the cylinder. Then,
scale it up until it matches the sketch.
Sphere is snapped to the top of the cylinder.
Tip Dolly in the Perspective window to check

that the sphere is correctly positioned.
2 Choose Pick > Nothing.
Assigning the cylinder and sphere to the Body layer
1 Assign the new material to the Body layer.

152
2 Set the Body layer to Reference.
Saving your work


Part 8: Viewing the kettle in shaded mode

Follow the steps below to view the teakettle model
in shaded mode.
Viewing the teakettle in shaded mode
1 Make all of the layers pickable.

153
2 Make the Perspective window active.
3 Select the Shade ❐ command (DisplayTgls > Shade

❐).
The Toggle Shade Settings option box is displayed.

154
4 In the Tesselator section, set Quality to High.
5 Click the Shade On button.
The teakettle is shaded using a blue color. This is

the default color for all surfaces.

155
Saving your work


Conclusion
Congratulations! You now know how to:
● use a sketch as a guide for a 3D model
● create a curve using control vertices
● edit a curve
● use the 3 point Arc tool
● create four types of surfaces:
◆ revolved surfaces
◆ planar trimmed surfaces
◆ extruded surfaces
◆ skinned surfaces
● work with layers
● duplicate objects
● view your model in shaded mode

156
Conclusion
Tutorial 3: Modeling the Mouse
ew in this Tutorial:
■ Marking Menus (page 160)
Introduction
■ ObjectDisplay > Control ❐ (page 167)
In this lesson, you will model a computer mouse. ■ Curves > New Curves >
New curve (edit pts) (page 168)
■ Surfaces > Swept Surfaces >

Swept (page 171)
■ PIck > Components (page 175)
■ Surface Edit > Create

CurvesOnSurface > Intersect
(page 189, page 214)
■ Pick > Object Types >

Curve on surf (page 191)
■ Surface Edit > Trim > Trim

(page 192, page 216, page 218)
■ Surfaces > Fillet Surfaces >

You’ll learn how to: Round (page 197)
● use marking menus
● control the display of objects
● create curves using edit points
● create swept surfaces
● intersect and trim surfaces
● and create rounded edges.
This lesson consists of six parts:

157
Introduction
● Part 1: Creating the side surface on page 158
● Part 2: Creating the top surface on page 177
● Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the surfaces on
page 188
● Part 4: Rounding the edges on page 195
● Part 5: Creating the housings for the buttons on
page 203
● Part 6: Creating the buttons on page 221
Part 1: Creating the side surface

In this section, you’ll create a surface for the sides of
the mouse by sweeping one curve along a second
curve.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 4_mouse.wire, located in

the wire file of the CourseWare directory.


158
Click YES.
The file is opened. The scene contains four

reference images or image planes. You’ll use these
as a guide to model the mouse.
If you do not see the image planes, the image

plane display has been turned off. To turn on
image plane display, choose DisplayTgls > Object
Toggles > Image planes.
Customizing the view windows
1 Select the Window Sync command (DisplayTgls >

Window Toggles > Window sync) to synchronize the
orthographic views so whenever you adjust
your view, the image planes remain aligned.
2 Select the Grid command (DisplayTgls > Window

Toggles > Grid) to turn off the view grids and
better view the reference images.

159
Creating the top shape curve
First you’ll create a curve that represents the shape of

the mouse when viewed from above.
1 Maximize the Top view.
2 Select the Circle tool (Objects > Primitives > Circle).
3 Place the circle at the origin.
(In the prompt line, type 0 0 0, then press Enter.)
4 Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys, and click the
middle mouse button to display its marking menu.

160
The marking menu for the middle mouse button
appears. A marking menu is a convenient way
of selecting tools or commands. Each mouse
button has its own marking menu containing
related tools or commands. To display a mouse
button’s marking menu, hold down the Ctrl and
Shift keys and click the mouse button.
5 With the marking menu displayed, drag right

with the middle mouse button until the mouse is
over the Xform > Scale tool, then release the
mouse button to select the Scale tool, and then
release the Ctrl and Shift keys.
A thick black line extends from the middle of the

marking menu to the cursor, and the box
surrounding the Xform > Scale text becomes
black. The Xform > Scale tool is now the active
tool.
6 Drag right with the left mouse button to scale

the circle in all directions, until it is as wide as
the mouse.

161
7 Use the right mouse button to scale the circle
horizontally, until the top of the circle meets the
top of the mouse.
Note The circle is not yet a perfect match for the

mouse. You will have to move some of the
CVs to make the circle match the mouse.
Editing the top shape curve
Next you’ll edit the top shape curve by moving CVs.
1 Press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys, and click
the left mouse button.

162
The marking menu for the left mouse button
appears.
2 Select the Pick CV tool (Pick > Point Types > CV).
3 Drag a pickbox around the bottom three CVs of

the circle.
Tip Choose this tool from the middle mouse

button marking menu!

163
5 Move the bottom three CVs until the bottom part
of the circle matches the mouse.
Tip Choose this tool from the left mouse button

marking menu!
7 Choose Pick > Point Types > CV.

marking menu!

164
8 Draw a pickbox between the top CV and the
middle CVs, so that only the CVs to the right
and left of the top CV are active.
9 Scale the two CVs until the circle matches the

sketch.
Tip If you make a mistake, you can undo it by

choosing Edit > Undo.

165
Note You may want to dolly in to the sketch to
make sure that the CVs are exactly located
on the edge of the mouse.

166
Creating the side profile curve
Now you’ll create a curve that represents the side

profile of the mouse.
1 Pick the curve.
Tip Choose the Pick > Object tool from the left
mouse button marking menu.
2 Select the option box beside the Object Display

Control command (ObjectDisplay > Control ❐) to
open the Object Display Control window.

167
The Object Display Control window is opened. This
window lets you view or hide the controls (key
points, hulls, edit points, CVs, poly normals) on
the objects in your scene.
By default, the Scope field is set to ACTIVE, and

all of the controls are checked on. This means
that the controls on all active objects in your
scene are visible.
3 Turn off all of the controls except Edit Points.

Then, click the Go button.
Only the edit points are visible on the curve.
Note Edit points lie directly on the curve (as

opposed to CVs).
4 Select the New Edit Point Curve tool [Curves > New
Curves > New Curve (edit pts)]. This tool allows you
to create a curve by placing edit points.

168
Sometimes it’s easier to create a curve by placing
edit points. However, it’s usually easier to edit a
curve by moving CVs.
5 Turn on magnet snap mode. In the Top view,

snap a CV to the edit point at the bottom of the
re-shaped circle. Then, turn off magnet snap
mode.
Note To turn on magnet snap mode, hold down

the Ctrl key. To turn off magnet snap mode,
release the Ctrl key.
6 In the Right view, track and dolly until you have

a good close-up view of the back of the mouse.
Note the sketched curve at the back of the

mouse. It starts at the bottom of the mouse and
extends past the rounded edge at the back.

169
7 Place an edit point on the sketched curve at the
back of the mouse.
8 Dolly out from the sketch, and place the last edit
point high above the mouse, well beyond the
end of the sketched curve.
9 In the Object Display Control window, set Scope to

ALL, and set All to OFF to turn all controls off.
Then click the Go button.

170
All of the controls become invisible. Only the
curves are visible.
10 Close the Object Display Control window.
11 Select the Pick > Nothing tool (Pick > Nothing).
Sweeping the top shape curve along the side profile

curve
Now you’ll create the side surface by sweeping the

top shape curve along the side profile curve.
1 Select the Swept tool (Surfaces > Swept Surfaces >

Swept).

171
2 You are prompted to select the generation curve.
(This appears in the prompt line.)
Pick the side profile curve.
3 You are prompted to select the path curve.
In the Perspective view, pick the top shape curve.
The swept surface is created.

172
4 Check the Front view to confirm that the swept
surface matches the sketch.
Note The swept surface has been overbuilt, to

extend beyond the sides of the mouse in the
sketch. This is deliberate. You will intersect
the swept surface with another surface later
in this tutorial. When a surface is intended
to be intersected, it should be overbuilt, so
that there are no gaps between intersecting
surfaces.
Viewing the new surface in shaded mode

173
2 Select the option box beside the Shade command
(DisplayTgls > Shade ❐) to open the Toggle Shade
Settings option box.
3 In the Tessellator section, set Quality to HIGH. Then,

click the Shade On button.
Note The HIGH quality setting is automatically

saved.
The shaded model is displayed. If you like,

tumble the camera around the model to examine
it.
4 Click the Shade Off button.

174
5 Close the Toggle Shade Settings option box.
Assigning the curves to a new layer
It is good modeling practice to set up a Curves layer

early in your workflow.
Then, you can assign the curves to this layer and

make the layer invisible so that the curves don’t
clutter up the workspace.
If you need to re-create the surfaces, just make the

Curves layer pickable, edit the curves, and create
new surfaces!
1 Create a new layer called Curves.

For information on creating new layers, see Part
3: Assigning objects to layers on page 105.
2 Double-click the Pick > Components tool to open

its option box.

175
In the Pick Components option box, set All to Off to
turn off all of the components. Then, click the
Curves checkbox to turn it on, so that you will
only be able to pick curves with this tool. Finally,
click the Go button.
Now it will be very easy for you to pick the

curves!
3 Pick the two curves.
4 Assign the curves to the Curves layer.
5 Make the layer invisible. The curves become

invisible but the swept surface is still visible.

176
Saving your work


Current Project.

directory. Call your file mymouse.wire.

page 37.
Part 2: Creating the top surface

In this section, you’ll create a surface for the top of
the mouse by skinning three profile curves together.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the top
profile curve on page 178.

called 4_mouse_part2.wire, located in the wire
directory of the CourseWare directory. This file
contains the completed model from Part 1.

177
I

page 43.
Creating the top profile curve
Now you’ll create a curve that represents the top

profile of the mouse.
1 Select the New CV Curve tool [Curves > New

Curves > New Curves (cvs)].
2 In the Right view, get a close-up view of the left

part of the mouse. Then, click well beyond the
left side of the mouse to place the first CV.

178
3 Place three more CVs along the top curve of the
mouse. When you place the fourth CV, the curve
appears.
4 Place two more CVs along the top curve. Be sure

to place the last (sixth) CV well beyond the right
side of the mouse, on the line used to sketch the
top surface.
The curve should have six CVs in total. The

curve will need to be edited so that it matches
the sketch.


marking menu.
6 Select the Pick CV tool (Pick > Point Types > CV)
from the left marking menu, and then
immediately select the Move tool (Xform > Move)
from the middle marking menu. This will allow
you to continuously select and move the CVs
without having to select the Pick CV tool and
Move tool each time.

179
7 Move each CV until the curve precisely follows
the top profile of the mouse in the reference
image. (To move a CV, click on it and drag the
mouse.)

Duplicating the top profile curve
Now you’ll duplicate the top profile curve to create

two more profile curves.
1 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object) from the
left marking menu and click on the top profile
curve to select it.

Duplicate > Object) to duplicate the curve.
The curve is duplicated and placed exactly on

top of the first curve (which is why it looks as
though there has been no change).

180
3 In the Top view, select the Move tool (Xform >
Move) from the middle marking menu, and drag
the middle mouse button to move the curve
beyond the right side of the mouse.

181
4 In the Right view, drag the right mouse button to
move the curve just below the highlight line in
the mouse reference image.
The curve is just below the highlight line in the

reference image.

Duplicate > Mirror) to duplicate the curve across an
axis plane, in this case the YZ plane.

182
The mirrored curve appears to the left of the
mouse.
6 Look in the Front view to confirm the position of

the mirrored curve.
Skinning the top profile curves
Finally you’ll create the top surface by skinning the

three profile curves together.
1 Select the Skin tool (Surfaces > Skin).

183
2 You are prompted to select the first curve.
In the Top view, click on the left profile curve.

Then hold down the Shift key and click first on
the middle profile curve, then on the right profile
curve to create a single skinned surface across
the three profile curves.
Release the Shift key.
The skin surface is created.
Note The top surface extends well beyond the

edges of the mouse. Later you’ll trim off the
excess.


184
Assigning the curves to the Curves layer
1 Select the Pick Components tool (Pick >

Components).
2 Drag a pick-box around the curves to select

them.
Because the Curves layer is set to the invisible

state, the curves become invisible.

185
Saving your work

2 Save your work in the wire directory of the

Lessons project. Call your file
mymouse2.wire.
Viewing the new surfaces in shaded mode
2 Choose DisplayTgls > Shade to display the

surfaces in shaded mode.
Remember, you set Tessellator Quality to HIGH

earlier in the tutorial. The system has saved this
setting.

186
The shaded model is displayed. Note how the
skin surface and the swept surface intersect.
3 Tumble the camera around the surfaces to

examine them.
4 Select the Shade command (DisplayTgls > Shade)

to turn off shaded mode.

187
Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the surfaces
A common way of combining NURBS surfaces is to
intersect the surfaces and then trim them along the
lines of intersection. This is exactly the approach that
you will take with the top and side surfaces of the
mouse.
First, you will intersect the surfaces. When you

intersect surfaces, you create curves-on-surface,
which are lines that are created on the surfaces where
the surfaces intersect. You will then trim the
intersecting surfaces along the curves-on-surface, so
that the unnecessary surface areas are discarded, and
only the necessary surfaces areas remain.
For more information on intersecting and trimming

surfaces, refer to Editing Surfaces, in NURBS Modeling
in Alias.

proceed directly to the next step: Intersecting the side
and top surfaces on page 189.


188
I

page 43.
Intersecting the side and top surfaces
Now you’ll intersect the side and top surfaces.
1 Select the Intersect tool (Surface Edit > Create

CurvesOnSurface > Intersect). This tool creates the
curves-on-surface that are used to intersect the
surfaces.
2 You are prompted to select the curves or

surfaces to intersect.
Pick the skin surface (the top surface).

189
Then, click the Go button.
3 You are prompted to select the curves or surfaces

to intersect.
Pick the swept surface (the side surface).

190
The surfaces are intersected. Two curves-on-
surface are created, one on each surface where
the two surfaces intersect.
By default, the Intersect tool creates a curve-on-

surface on each surface, because when you trim
surfaces (as you do after using the Intersect tool)
you usually want to trim both intersecting
surfaces.
Note Both surfaces are now drawn with a dotted

outline to indicate that each has a curve-on-
surface.
4 Select the Pick Curve-on-Surface tool (Pick > Object

Types > Curve on surf).
5 Maximize the Perspective view, and drag a pick

box around the intersected surfaces to pick the
curves-on-surface.

191
The highlighted curve that appears is the two
curves-on-surface. It looks as though there is
only one curve-on-surface, but in fact there are
two curves-on-surface at the exact same location:
one on the skin surface and one on the swept
surface.
6 Select the Pick Nothing tool (Pick >Nothing) to

Trimming the side and top surfaces
Now you’ll trim off the excess from the side and top
surfaces.
Note A trimmed surface is not actually cut. It

exists in a hidden form that does not render
or affect modeling. You can easily recover
the discarded part of a trimmed surface by
using the Surface Edit > Trim > Untrim tool.
1 Select the Trim tool (Surface Edit > Trim > Trim).

192
2 You are prompted to select a target surface to
trim.
Pick the skin surface.
3 You are prompted to select the regions of the

surface you want to keep.
Click any part of the skin surface inside the

swept surface. This indicates that you want to
keep the skin surface inside the curve-on-
surface, and trim away the skin surface outside
the curve-on-surface.

193
The Trim tool places an indicator where you
clicked.
4 Click the Go button to perform the trim

operation.
The skin surface is trimmed.
Note The trimmed part of the surface is only

hidden, not deleted, so you can undo the
trim at any time using the Untrim tool (Surface
Edit > Trim > Untrim).

194
5 Look at the mouse in the Perspective view. You
will see that the swept surface extends beyond
the trimmed skin surface.
6 Repeat steps 1-4 to trim the swept surface.
Hint: use the Right view!
Saving your work


directory. Call your file mymouse3.wire.
Part 4: Rounding the edges

Now that you have intersected and trimmed the top
and side surfaces, there is a sharp edge where the
two surfaces meet.

195
To create a smooth curved surface where the top and
side surface meet, you will create a rounded edge
using the Surfaces > Fillet Surfaces > Round tool.
For more information on rounded edges, corners,

and fillets, see Building Surfaces in NURBS Modeling
in Alias.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating a variable
fillet round on page 197.

I

page 43.

196
Creating a variable fillet round
In this section you will create a variable fillet round.

A variable fillet round is a round fillet that has two
different radiuses.
1 Select the Round tool (Surfaces > Fillet Surfaces >

Round).
2 You are prompted to select a pair of surface

edges.
First, move the camera in the Perspective view

until you have a close-up view of the back of the
mouse. (The back of the mouse has a narrower
top surface than the front of the mouse.)
Then, click the surface edge that adjoins the skin

and swept surfaces, to the right of the centerline.
(If you click the centerline, the system will
prompt you to pick a pair of surface edges.)

197
A radius indicator appears on the edge.
3 Click and hold the middle mouse button, and

drag until the indicator is on top of the
centerline.

198
4 Maximize the Right view and get a close-up
view of the radius indicator.
Currently, it is set to 10.0 units. This radius is

much too large!
5 Click and hold the left mouse button, then drag

to interactively adjust the size of the radius
indicator. When the radius matches the sketch,
release the left mouse button.
6 In the prompt line, type 1.25 to change the

radius size. Then, press Enter.

199
The radius changes to 1.25 units. It matches the
sketch quite well!
7 Create a different radius for the front of the

mouse.
Maximize the Perspective view, and click the

surface edge to the right of the centerline at the
front of the mouse.

200
8 Drag with the middle mouse button to position
the radius indicator over the centerline, then
drag with the left mouse button to size the
radius until it matches the sketch.
9 In the prompt line, type 0.5 to change the

radius size. Then, press Enter.
10 Maximize the Perspective view, then click the

Build button.

201
The variable round fillet is created.
Note Because this is a simple shape, you can set

two radius sizes. For more complex shapes,
it is best to use only one radius size.
Saving your work



202
Viewing the trimmed and filleted surfaces in shaded
mode
1 Maximize the Perspective view and select the

Shade command (DisplayTgls > Shade) to turn on
shaded mode. Tumble the camera around the
surfaces to examine them.
2 When you are finished, select the Shade

command (DisplayTgls > Shade) to turn off
shaded mode.
Part 5: Creating the housings for the buttons

To create the housings for the mouse buttons, you
will create three spheres, intersect them with the top
surface, and trim them to create concave ovals.

203

proceed directly to the next step: Creating a sphere for
the middle housing on page 204.

I

page 43.
Creating a sphere for the middle housing
First you’ll create a sphere for the middle button

housing.
1 Select the Sphere tool (Objects > Primitives >

Sphere).

204
2 In the Right view, get a close-up view of the
buttons. Then, turn on curve snap mode and
click on the center wireframe line or isoparm of
the top surface, over the center mouse button in
the reference image, to place a sphere there.
Tip To turn on curve snap mode, hold down the

Ctrl and Alt keys.
3 Scale and rotate the sphere so that it

approximately matches the sketch of the
housing.
Tip Use the middle mouse button marking

menu to quickly access the Xform > Scale and
Xform > Rotate tools.
Scale and rotate the sphere to match the

housing, as shown below.

205
4 In the Top view, adjust the sphere’s shape and
location until you get as close a match as possible
to the sketch of the housing.
Tip Remember to use the right mouse button to

move the sphere, so that it is constrained to
the vertical direction and remains centered
on the mouse.
5 Maximize the Perspective view and select the

Shade command (DisplayTgls > Shade) to turn on
shaded mode. Confirm that the sphere intersects
the top surface of the mouse.

206
Creating spheres for the right and left housings
Now you’ll duplicate the sphere to create housings

for the right and left mouse buttons.

the Top view.
2 With the sphere still selected, select the Duplicate

Object command (Edit > Duplicate > Object) to
duplicate the sphere. Then, move the duplicated
sphere to the right mouse button.

207
3 Move, rotate and scale the duplicated sphere
until it matches the sketch of the right housing,
as shown.
4 Maximize the Perspective view and get a close-

up view of the right sphere.

208
5 Move the camera in the Perspective view, until
you get a good view of the side of the active
sphere.
The active sphere does not intersect the top

surface of the mouse.
6 Move and rotate the sphere until just over half of

it lies above the top surface of the mouse. Track,
dolly and tumble in the Perspective view to
evaluate the position of the sphere.
Tip To undo a transformation (a move, scale, or

rotation), choose Edit > Undo.

209
Duplicate > Mirror) to duplicate the sphere across
the center axis of the mouse.
The active sphere is mirrored across the YZ axis.

210
Note how this sphere intersects the top surface,
exactly like the right sphere.

Duplicating the spheres and assigning them to a new

layer
The spheres that you created and positioned for the

housings can also be used to create the mouse
buttons.
In this section, you will duplicate the spheres and

assign them to a new layer called Buttons. Then,
when you need to create the mouse buttons, you can
use the spheres stored in the Buttons layer.
1 Create a new layer and call it Buttons.

211
2 Pick the three spheres.
3 With the three spheres selected, select the

Object).
4 Assign the duplicated spheres to the Buttons

layer.
5 Make the Buttons layer invisible.

212
The three duplicated spheres become invisible,
but the three original spheres are still visible.
Saving your work


Intersecting and trimming the spheres and top surface
The spheres need to be intersected by the skin

surface (the top surface), so that you can trim away
the top parts of the spheres.
If you successfully completed the first part of Part 5,

you can proceed directly to the next step: Intersecting
the spheres with the top surface on page 214.

213
If you were not successful in the first part of Part 5,
open the file called 4_mouse_part5A.wire,
located in the wire directory of the CourseWare
directory. This file contains the completed model
from the first part of Part 5.
I

page 43.
Intersecting the spheres with the top surface
Now you’ll intersect the spheres with the top surface

and trim off the excess.
on an isoparm of each sphere to pick the three
spheres.
Tip If you accidentally pick the top surface,

select the Pick Nothing tool and try again.

214
CurvesOnSurface > Intersect).
3 You are prompted to select the curves or

surfaces to intersect.
Pick the top (skin) surface.
The spheres are intersected by the top surface. A

curve-on-surface is created on each surface
where the surfaces intersect.
Note Each sphere now has a dotted line on its

surface. A dotted line indicates that a curve-
on-surface has been created on that surface.

215
Trimming the spheres
1 In the Perspective view, move the camera until

you are looking at the front of the mouse and can
see all three spheres clearly.
3 You are prompted to pick a target surface to trim.
Pick the sphere on the right.

surface you want to keep, or click the Discard
button to switch.
Since you want to discard the top part of the

sphere, click the Discard button to switch to the
discard process.

216
surface that you want to discard.
Click the top part of the sphere.
The top of the sphere is discarded.
7 Repeat the trimming process for the middle and

left spheres.
Note Skip step 4 when you trim the middle and

left spheres.
The spheres are trimmed.

217
Trimming the top surface
Now that you have intersected and trimmed the

spheres, you need to discard the top surface that
covers the bottom half of the spheres.
1 Since the Trim tool is still active, you do not need

to choose it again. You are prompted to select a
target surface to trim.
Pick the top surface of the mouse.

surface you want to discard, or click the Keep
button to switch.
In this case, it is easier to indicate which surface

you want to keep. Click the Keep button.

218
3 Click the top surface anywhere outside of the
spheres.
5 A warning dialog appears, asking if you want to

delete the construction history for the type
‘Round’.
If the construction history is deleted, you will

not able to rebuild the round fillet. However,
you have no need to rebuild the round fillet.
Click the OK button.

219
The top surface is trimmed.

to turn on shaded mode.
The trimmed spheres are clearly visible.


220
Saving your work


Part 6: Creating the buttons

In this section, you’ll create the mouse buttons using
the duplicated spheres.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the buttons
on page 222.


221
I

page 43.
Creating the buttons
1 Make the Buttons layer visible.
The three spheres become visible.

222
the middle sphere.
Note When you click the sphere, a pop-up menu

may appear, listing two spheres (the
trimmed sphere you used to create the
housing, and the sphere from the Buttons
layer). Click the highest numbered sphere.
3 In the Top view, use the middle and right mouse

buttons to scale the sphere, and use the right
mouse button to move the sphere, until the
sphere matches the sketch of the button.
Tip Use the middle mouse button marking

menu!

223
The middle sphere matches the sketch of the
button.
4 In the Perspective view, select the Shade

command (DisplayTgls > Shade).
5 Tumble the view to confirm that the middle

sphere is resting in the housing.
6 In the Top view, scale and move the right and left
spheres until they match the sketch of the right
and left mouse buttons.

224
7 Confirm the placement of the right and left
buttons in the Perspective view.
Saving your work


Viewing the final model (optional)
If you would like to see the final model of the

mouse, open the file called 4_mouse_final.wire,
directory.

225
I
The file is opened and the final model is

displayed in the Perspective view.

page 43.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed this tutorial.
● use marking menus
● use the Control window to display and hide hulls,

edit points, and CVs
● create a curve using edit points
● create swept surfaces
● choose components of an object using the Pick

Components tool
● intersect surfaces
● pick curves-on-surface
● trim surfaces
● create variable round fillets

226
Conclusion
Tutorial 4: Modeling a Shower Gel Bottle

■ Partially revolved surfaces
Introduction (page 229)
■ Symmetry in Layers (page 231)

In this tutorial, you will model a shower gel bottle.
■ Surfaces > Boundary Surfaces >
Square (page 232, page 250)
■ Degree 5 curves (page 240)
■ Curve Edit > Project Tangent

(page 243)
■ Positional continuity (page 244)
■ Tangent continuity (page 246)
■ Curvature continuity (page 247)
■ File > Import (page 274)
You will learn how to:
● use layer symmetry
● create square surfaces
● create degree five curves
● create curves and surfaces that are continuous

with one another
This tutorial consists of six parts:

227
Introduction
● Part 1: Creating the primary surfaces on page 228
● Part 2: Creating the transition surface on page 240
● Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the revolved
surface on page 256
● Part 4: Creating the bottom surface on page 264
● Part 5: Completing the bottle on page 270
● Part 6: Importing curves for the hook on page 274
Part 1: Creating the primary surfaces

When you create a model, you begin by creating the
primary slabs or surfaces, which are the largest
surfaces on the model. Then, you create the transition
surfaces, which are surfaces that transition between
the primary surfaces.
To create the shower gel bottle, you will first

construct three primary surfaces: a partially revolved
surface, a square surface, and a skin surface.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 5_showergel.wire,

located in the wire directory of the
CourseWare directory.


228
Click YES.
The file is opened. All four views are displayed.
The Front and Right views each show an image

plane of the shower gel bottle.
(If you do not see any image planes, the image

plane display needs to be turned on. Choose
DisplayTgls > Object toggles > Image planes.)
All of the views contain prepared curves. You

will use these curves to create the surfaces of the
shower gel bottle.
Creating the partially revolved surface
First you’ll create the primary surfaces for the

shower gel bottle.

229
1 In the Perspective view, get a close-up view of
the top curve.
top curve
2 Double-click the Revolve tool icon (Surfaces >

Revolve) to open the Revolve Options box.
3 In the Revolve Options box, set the Sweep Angle to

-90. Make sure that the Revolution Axis is set to Z.
Now you have specified that the curve will be
revolved -90 degrees around the Z axis.
Click the Go button.

230
4 You are prompted to select a curve to revolve.
(This appears in the prompt line.)
Click the top curve.
The curve is revolved -90 degrees about the Z

axis.
MIrroring the surface
1 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object). The new
surface is automatically picked.
2 Assign the new surface to the Geometry layer.

231
Note The partially revolved surface becomes
drawn with light blue lines. This is because
the Geometry layer is set to the Inactive state.
Also, a mirror image of the revolved surface
appears, drawn with dashed lines. This
mirrored surface appears because the
Geometry layer has its Symmetry option
turned on. Any changes you make to the
original surface will automatically update in
the mirror-image surface.

Square surfaces
If you have four boundary curves or four curve

segments, you can use the Square tool to create a
surface that maintains continuity with adjacent
surfaces.
Note The Square tool is one of the tools you can

use to make surfaces continuous with
adjoining surfaces. The N-sided, Birail and
Curve Network tools also have this capability.
Creating a square surface
Now you’ll create a surface from the boundary

defined by the four middle curves.
1 Double-click the Square tool icon (Surfaces >

Boundary Surfaces > Square ❐) to open the Square
Control option box.

232
The Square Control option box is opened.
2 You are prompted to select the first boundary

curve.
Locate the four boundary curves below the 1

partially revolved surface. Because the adjacent
curves intersect, the four curves can be used to 4 2
create a square surface.
Click the top curve of the four boundary curves.

Then, click the other three boundary curves in a
clockwise order.
3
Note The names of the four curves appear in the
Square Control option box in the order you
select them.

233
The square surface is created.
An ideal surface has the least number of evenly

spaced isoparms required to define its shape.
However, the square surface has ten unevenly
spaced isoparms (the vertical lines across the
surface). This is because the top and bottom
curves used to create the surface do not have the
same number of edit points.
When you create a surface from curves that do

not have the same number of edit points, the
surface will have an extra isoparm for each
additional edit point. This is known as cross knot
insertion, because edit points are also referred to
as knots.
You need to rebuild the top curve, so that it has

the same number of edit points as the bottom
curve, resulting in a surface with a minimum
number of spans.
3 In the Square Control option box, click the Rebld

column in the top row to rebuild the top curve of
the square surface.
Note The top (first) curve is listed in row 1, but it

is called curve #3. The second curve is listed
in row 2, but is called line #10. The third
curve is listed in row 3, but is called curve #6.
The fourth curve is listed in row 4, but is
called line #11.

234
The top curve is rebuilt so that it has the same
number of knots as the bottom curve. Then the
square surface is rebuilt, with only six isoparms
that are evenly spaced across the surface.
Because you will construct the shower gel bottle

from separate primary surfaces, you need to
consider the continuity of each surface’s edge so
the bottle will look like one organic whole.
Continuity is a measure of how well the ends of
two curves or the edges of two surfaces blend or
flow into each other.
There are three main types of continuity:

position, tangent, and curvature.
Position continuity means that two curve ends or

two surface edges are touching and there are no
spaces between them. Two surfaces that have
position continuity appear to have a sharp edge
between them.
Tangent continuity means that the tangents of

two curve ends or two surface edges are the
same at the point where they meet. Two surfaces
that have tangent continuity appear to smoothly
blend into each other as long as the surfaces
have a dull finish or are not very shiny.
Curvature continuity means that the rates of

changes of the tangents of two curve ends or
two surface edges are the same at the point
where they meet. Two surfaces that have
curvature continuity appear to smoothly blend
into each other even if the surfaces have a very
shiny finish.

235
4 Click the FREE button in the Continuity column of
the second row and select Implied Tangent from
the menu.
This ensures that the edge of the surface defined

by the second curve will be tangent continuous
with a mirror-image of the surface, so that the
seam between the surfaces is smooth, without
any bumps or hollows. This option is most useful
when you model one half of an object and then
duplicate or mirror it to create the other half of
the object.
The square surface is rebuilt.
Note The second curve (the right edge of the

surface) is now labelled Implied.
5 In the fourth row, set the Continuity to Implied

Tangent.

236
The square surface is rebuilt.
Note The fourth curve (the left edge of the

surface) is now labelled Implied.
6 Close the Square Control option box.
Mirroring the surface

The square surface becomes drawn with light
blue lines, and a mirror-image of the square
surface appears, drawn with dashed lines.
(Remember, Symmetry is toggled on in the
Geometry layer.)
Creating a skin surface
Now you’ll create a surface by skinning two curves

together.

237
1 Create a skin surface across the two bottom
unattached curves.
For more information on creating skin surfaces,
see Skinning a surface between the spout profile
curves on page 145.
The skin surface is created.

238
MIrroring the surface

Again, the surface is mirrored. Both surfaces
appear in light blue.
Saving your work


Current Project.

myshowergel.wire.

page 37.

239
Part 2: Creating the transition surface
In this section, you’ll create the transition surface
between the skinned surface and the square surface.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the left
boundary curve on page 240.

called 5_showergel_part2.wire, located in the

page 43.
Creating the left boundary curve
First you’ll create the left boundary curve for a

transition surface between the skinned surface and
the square surface.

240
1 In the Geometry layer, turn off Symmetry.
2 In the Perspective view, dolly in to the area

between the square and skin surfaces.
3 Double-click New Edit Point Curve tool icon

[Curves > New Curves > New Curves (edit pts)] to
open its option box.
4 Set the Curve Degree to 5 and click the Go button.
This will allow you to create a curve that has six

CVs. (The number of CVs is always one more
than the degree of the curve.) You need to have
six CVs so that you can adjust the curve to be
curvature continuous to the surfaces. This will
become clear when you have completed the
section Making the left boundary curve continuous
with the square surface on page 248.

241
5 Turn on curve snap mode and click the bottom
edge of the square surface, then without releasing
the mouse button, drag to the bottom left corner of
the square surface to place the edit point there.
Note To turn on curve snap mode, press and hold

the Ctrl and Alt keys.
Tip If you make a mistake, select the Undo

command (Edit > Undo) to undo it.
6 Turn on curve snap mode again, click the top

edge of the skinned surface, and without releasing
the mouse button, drag the mouse to the top left
corner of the skinned surface to place an edit
point there and complete the curve.
The curve joins the square and skin surfaces.


242
Creating the right boundary curve
Now you’ll create the right boundary curve for a

transition surface between the skinned surface and
the square surface.
1 Create another five degree edit point curve

between the square and skin surfaces, at the
right end of the surfaces.
Making the left boundary curve continuous with the

skinned surface
Now you’ll make the left boundary curve have

curvature continuity with the skinned surface.
1 Make the Geometry layer pickable.

243
2 Double-click the Project tangent tool icon (Curve
Edit > Project tangent ❐) to open the Project Tangent
Adjustment option box. You will use this box to
adjust the continuity of the left curve to the
bottom surface.
3 You are prompted to select the curve or surface

to modify.
Click the lower part of the left curve, close to the

skinned surface.
Note When curves or surfaces touch one another

at their edges, they have positional continuity.
At this point, the curve has only positional
continuity with the skin surface.

244
4 You are prompted to select the curve which
defines the tangent plane or intersecting surface.
Click the skin surface.
A tangent manipulator appears on the curve,

pointing in the V direction of the surface.

245
Tip All surfaces have two directions: length (the
U direction) and width (the V direction). If
the tangent manipulator is not pointing in
the V direction, choose V from the Tangent
Align menu. If the tangent manipulator is
pointing up, not down, choose Reverse from
the Tangent Align menu.
5 Dolly in to the lower part of the left curve.
The bottom two CVs of the curve are in line with

the first two CVs of the skin surface. The
tangents of both the curve and surface match. At
this point, the curve has tangent continuity with
the skin surface.
When curves or surfaces touch at their edges and

the tangents at their edges match (that is, have
the same slope), these curves or surfaces have
tangent continuity.
The surfaces of objects made with a dull finish

will look smooth and continuous as long as they
have tangent continuity. Most plastic products
with a grainy finish have surfaces with tangent
continuity only. (Objects that are not reflective
are usually constructed from surfaces with
tangent continuity only.)

246
6 In the Project Tangent Adjustment option box, set
Xform Control to Curvature.
The curve changes shape, so that it is curvature

continuous with the skinned surface. That is,
now the bottom three CVs are lined up with the
tangent manipulator.
When curves or surfaces have tangent

continuity and their curvature matches (that is,
the rate of change of the direction for both
curves is the same), these curves or surfaces
have curvature continuity. Curvature continuity
maintains the incline of the adjoining curves or
surfaces.
All exterior car panels with a glossy (paint)

finish have surfaces with curvature continuity.
Reflections across adjoining surfaces will run
smoothly between the surfaces, without any
breaks.
For more information on curvature continuity,

refer to the Background Information chapter in the
NURBS Modeling book.

247
Making the left boundary curve continuous with the
square surface
Now you’ll make the left boundary curve have

curvature continuity with the square surface.
1 With the Project Tangent tool still selected, click

the upper part of the left curve, close to the
square surface.
2 You are prompted to select the curve which

defines the tangent plane or intersecting surface.
Click the square surface.

248
The first three CVs of the curve are now lined up
with the tangent manipulator, so the curve is
now curvature continuous to the top boundary
surface. (Remember, you set Xform Control to
Curvature in the previous section.)
This is why you needed to create a curve with

six CVs. Three CVs are required to make the
curve have curvature continuity with the
skinned surface, and three CVs are required to
make the curve have curvature continuity with
the square surface.
Making the right boundary curve continuous with the

skinned and square surfaces
Now you’ll make the right boundary curve have

curvature continuity with the skinned surface and
the square surface.
1 Using the same procedure as you did with the

left curve, make the right curve curvature
continuous with the top and bottom boundary
surfaces.

249
2 When you are finished, close the Project Tangent
Adjustment option box, and select the Pick Nothing
tool (Pick > Nothing).
The tangent manipulator disappears.
Creating a square surface
Now you’ll create a transition surface between the

skinned surface and the square surface using four
boundary curves.
1 Double-click the Square icon to open the Square

Control option box.

250
2 Click the four boundary curves between the
square and skin surfaces in a clockwise order, 1
starting with the top curve. 4
2
3
The square surface is created.
3 In the Square Control option box, make curves 1

and 3 curvature continuous. Set Continuity to
FREE for curves 2 and 4. Rebld should be off for
all four curves.

251
The square surface is reconstructed.
Tip If your square surface does not look like the

one shown, delete the surface and delete the
right curve. Then re-create the right curve
and construct the square surface again.
4 Close the Square Control options box.
Assigning the new curves and surface to layers
1 Select the Pick Component tool (Pick > Component).
A set of icons appears just below the File menu.

These icons allow you to set the types of objects
that you can pick with the Pick Component tool.
2 Click each icon so that they all appear raised,

except for the Curves icon (third from left).

252
3 Pick the four boundary curves of the new square
surface.
5 Make the Curves layer invisible.
All the curves on the model become invisible,

but the surfaces remain visible.
6 Pick the new square surface.

253
7 Assign it to the Geometry layer.
Viewing the shaded model
1 Select the Shade command option box

(DisplayTgls > Shade ❐) to open the Toggle Shade
Settings option box.
2 In the Toggle Shade Settings option box, set the

Tessellator Quality to High.
3 Click the Shade On button to shade the model.

254
The model is shaded.
4 If you like, dolly and track out from the new

surface to take a look at the entire model.
5 When you are finished looking at your work,

close the Toggle Shade Settings option box.


255
Saving your work


myshowergel2.wire.
Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the revolved surface

In this section, you’ll intersect the revolved surface
with the primary square surface, trim off the excess,
and create a rounded edge between them.

proceed directly to the next step: Intersecting the
revolved surface and the primary square surface on
page 257.


256
page 43.
Intersecting the revolved surface and the primary

square surface
First you’ll intersect the revolved surface with the

primary square surface.
1 Pick the revolved surface.


257
3 You are prompted to select the intersecting
curves or surfaces.
Pick the primary square surface.
A curve-on-surface is created on both the

partially revolved surface and the top square
surface. The two surfaces have been intersected.
Remember, surfaces with curves-on-surface on

them are displayed with dotted lines.
Trimming the intersected surface
Now you’ll trim off the excess from the revolved

surface.

258
2 You are prompted to select a target surface to
trim.
Pick the revolved surface.

surface to keep.
You want to keep the revolved surface that is

inside (or above) the curve-on-surface, so that
you can create a cap for the shower gel bottle.
Click this part of the partially revolved surface.
Note If you are prompted to select the regions to

discard, click the Keep button to switch to
the Keep procedure.

259
4 Click the Go button to perform the trim
operation.
The revolved surface is trimmed.
Note In most trimming operations, you trim both

intersected surfaces. However, in this case,
the primary square surface does not need to
be trimmed because it is already the right
size.
Rounding the edges
Now you’ll round the sharp edge between the

revolved surface and the primary square surface.
1 Select the Round tool (Surfaces > Fillet

Surfaces > Round).

260
2 You are prompted to select a pair of surface
edges.
Click the edge of the trimmed partially revolved

surface to pick the two surface edges.
A radius indicator appears on the edge. It is set

to 1.0, which is much too large.
3 In the promptline, type 0.1. Then, press Enter.

261
4 Click the Build button to build the rounded edge.
A round fillet is created.
Note To start over, click Undo All.
Tip Dolly in to the round fillet in the Right view,

to confirm that the round fillet with a radius
of 0.1 matches the sketch.

262
Assigning the new geometry to a layer
1 Pick the round fillet.
Tip To confirm that you have chosen the round

fillet, pick the geometry, then choose
Windows > Information > Information window.
The name of the picked geometry is
displayed in the Name field. The round fillet
is called round_group.
2 Assign the round fillet to the Geometry layer.
Saving your work

263

myshowergel3.wire.
Part 4: Creating the bottom surface

In this section, you’ll create a primitive plane for the
bottom surface, intersect and trim the plane and the
skinned surface, and create a rounded edge between
them.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating a plane on
page 265.


264
page 43.
Creating a plane
First you’ll create a primitive plane at the bottom of

the bottle.
1 In the Top view, select the Plane tool (Objects >

Primitives > Plane) and snap a plane to the origin.

265
2 Scale the plane so that it is about 2 units square,
large enough to intersect the lower part of the
skin surface and be trimmed back.
3 Curve snap the pivot point of the plane to the top

left corner of the plane.

266
4 Grid snap the plane to the origin (so that the
plane’s pivot is at the origin).
5 In the Right view, move the plane down until it

is at the bottom of the bottle, just above the
bottom of the skin surface (as shown in the
sketch).

267
Tip To constrain movement in the vertical
direction, use the right mouse button.
The plane should be positioned as shown.
Intersecting and trimming the plane
Do It Yourself!
You have had some practice intersecting and

trimming surfaces. Now you can do it yourself!
To refresh your memory on how to intersect surfaces,

refer to Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the revolved
surface on page 256.
1 Intersect the skin surface with the plane.

268
2 Trim the plane and the skin surface.
Remember to trim both surfaces!
Rounding the bottom edge
Do It Yourself
You have had some practice with creating rounded

fillets. Now you can do it yourself!
To refresh your memory on how to create rounded

fillets, refer to Rounding the edges on page 260.
1 Create a round fillet at the trimmed intersection

of the plane and skin surface. Set the radius to
0.1.

269
1 Assign the plane and round fillet to the Geometry

layer.
Saving your work


myshowergel4.wire.
Part 5: Completing the bottle

In this section, you’ll duplicate the bottle section that
you have created and use layer symmetry to
complete the bottle.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the bottle on
page 271.


270

page 43.
Creating the bottle
1 In the Perspective view, pick all of the surfaces.
Tip Choose Pick Objects from the Geometry layer

to pick all of the surfaces.

271
2 Select the Group command (Edit > Group) to group
all of the surfaces together.

Duplicate > Mirror) to duplicate the grouped
surfaces across the YZ plane.

272
The mirrored surfaces are displayed.
4 Turn on symmetry to display the other half of

the bottle.
The whole bottle is displayed.

273
Saving your work


myshowergel5.wire.
Part 6: Importing curves for the hook

The last part of the shower gel bottle is the hook. To
create the hook, you will import some prepared
curves and then create the hook surface from these
curves.
When you import files, you bring in additional data

to your scene, so that you can use that data as you
model. This data can be two-dimensional or three-
dimensional. For instance, if you were modeling a
telephone, you might import the geometry for the
circuit board in order to design a telephone of
adequate proportions.
For more information on importing files, see the

Studio Interface book.

proceed directly to the next step: Importing the curves
for the hook on page 275.

274

page 43.
Importing the curves for the hook
1 Select the Import ❐ command (File > Import > File

❐).

275
The Import File Options box is opened.
By default, all of the options are turned ON (that

is, the ON button next to each option is
depressed).
2 In the Wire Options section, click the OFF button

next to all of the options except Keep Layers.
When you import the file, no windows, cameras,

animation, etcetera will be added to your scene.
The only items that will be imported are the
geometry and the layers.
3 Click the Import File button.
The File Browser is opened.
4 Open the CourseWare directory, then open the

wire directory. Import the file called
showergel_lowercurves.wire.

276
The lower curves, and the layer called
LowerCurves, are imported into StudioTools.
Creating an extruded surface
1 Set the Geometry layer to the Inactive state.
2 Pick the middle two lower curves.

277
3 Select the Extrude tool (Surfaces > Swept Surfaces >
Extrude).
4 You are prompted to select the curve to extrude,

or to click the Go button.
Click the Go button.
5 You are prompted to select the extrude path.
Pick the small curve at the top left of the upper

highlighted curve.

278
Both curves are extruded.
Creating a skin surface
1 Create a skin surface between the top and

bottom curves.
Note Be sure to choose the very bottom curve, not

the second extruded curve, for the skin
surface.

279
Intersecting and trimming the hook surfaces
1 Intersect the extruded surfaces with the skin

surface.
2 Trim the skinned surface.

280
3 Trim the top extruded surface of the hook.
Keep the
Make sure that you keep the inner part of the inner part of
the surface.
surface.
The top extruded surface is trimmed.

281
4 Trim the extruded surface at the bottom of the
hook.
Make sure to keep the inner part of the surface.
Keep the inner

part.
The bottom extruded surface is trimmed.

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1 Make the LowerCurves layer invisible.
Note The lower curves are already assigned to the

LowerCurves layer.
2 Assign the new geometry to the Geometry layer.
Because Symmetry is toggled on in the Geometry

layer, the hook is automatically mirrored across
the XZ plane.

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Creating a round fillet for the hook
1 Make the Geometry layer pickable.
2 Create a round fillet for the top and bottom

extruded edges of the hook. Set the fillet radius
to 0.05.
3 Assign the round fillets to the Geometry layer so

that they are mirrored across to the other side of
the hook. (By default, new geometry is assigned
to the current layer, in this case the Default Layer,
which does not have Symmetry toggled on.)

284
Viewing the shaded model
Select the Shade command (DisplayTgls > Shade) to

view the completed shaded model.
If you like, toggle off the grid display by choosing

DisplayTgls > Window toggles > Grid.
Note If you were not successful in Part 6, you can

view the final model by opening the file
5_showergel_final.wire, located in the
wire directory of the CourseWare
directory.
If the image planes do not appear, you must
page 43.
Saving your work


myshowergel6.wire.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the shower
gel bottle. You now know how to:

285
Conclusion
● create partially revolved surfaces
● mirror surfaces using symmetry
● how and why to create degree 5 curves
● create and rebuild square surfaces using the

Square tool
● make curves continuous with surfaces using the

Project Tangent tool
● the meaning of positional continuity, tangent

continuity, and curvature continuity
● how and why to import files

286
Conclusion
Tutorial 5: Modeling a TV Remote

■ Curves > Arcs > Arc tangent to
Introduction curve (page 290)
■ Curves > Blend curve toolbox

In this tutorial, you will model the top part of a
(page 295)
television remote control.
■ Curves > Blend curve toolbox >
Blend curve create (page 295)
■ Surfaces > Draft (page 301)
■ Layers > Symmetry > Create

geometry (page 311)
■ Surfaces > Swept surfaces >

Birail (page 315)
■ Surface Edit > Create

CurvesOnSurface > Project
(page 326)
You will learn how to: ■ Object Edit > Offset > Offset
(page 333)
● create an arc tangent to a curve
● create blend curves
● create draft surfaces
● create real surfaces from symmetrically mirrored

surfaces
● create birail surfaces
● project curves onto surfaces
● offset curves

287
Introduction
This tutorial consists of five parts:
● Part 1: Creating the side curves
● Part 2: Creating the side surfaces
● Part 3: Creating the top surface
● Part 4: Creating the button holes
● Part 5: Creating the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
Part 1: Creating the side curves

In this section, you’ll create curves that represent the
sides of the TV Remote.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 6_tvremote.wire,located

in the wire directory of the CourseWare
directory.


288
Click YES.
The file loads into the four Studio views.
You will see three image planes, one in each of

the orthographic windows.
There are eleven construction points placed along

the side of the TV Remote. Construction points
are objects that function like any object in
StudioTools. You can snap CVs, edit points,
blend curve points, or other objects to the
construction points to create a surface.

289
Creating the front curve
1 In the Top view, move the camera to get a close-

up view of the left side of the sketch.
2 Select the Arc Tangent to Curve tool (Curves > Arc >
Arc tangent to curve).
This tool creates a keypoint arc tangent to an

existing curve.

290
3 Turn on curve snap mode, click the vertical line
and then drag the point down to the bottom of
the line, where it meets the horizontal axis.
Tip To turn on curve snap mode, press and hold

the Ctrl and Alt keys.
The first point of the arc should be at the locator

marked Arc1.

291
4 Turn on magnet (point) snap mode, and click the
construction point marked Arc2.
Tip To turn on magnet (point) snap mode, press

and hold the Ctrl key.
The arc appears. It matches the left lower side of

the sketch, and it is tangent to the vertical line at
the horizontal axis.

292
Creating the back curve
1 Move the camera to get a close-up view of the

right side of the sketch.
2 Select the Three Point Arc tool [Curves > Arc > Arc
(three point)].

construction point marked 3Pt1.

293
5 Turn on magnet (point) snap mode and click the


294
The three point arc appears.
Creating the side curve
To create the outer side curve (the curve between the

left and right sides of the TV Remote), you will use
the construction points and the Blend Curve toolbox.
1 Select the Blend Curves Toolbox tool (Curves >

Blend curve toolbox).
The Blend Curve toolbox appears.
This toolbox contains special tools that let you

easily create curves that blend smoothly through
a series of points or with other curves.
For more information on blend curves, see the


295
2 Select the Blend Curve Create tool.(

construction point marked B1.
Tip To turn on magnet (point) snap mode, hold

down the Ctrl key.
The blend point appears.
4 Turn on magnet snap mode, and click the

construction point marked B2.

296
The first section of the blend curve appears.
5 Track the camera until you can see the

construction point marked B3. Then, activate
point snap mode and click the construction
point.
The blend curve extends and re-shapes itself, to

make the smoothest possible curve between the
three blend points.

297
6 Magnet snap to the remaining three construction
points, moving from left to right.
Note how the blend curve extends and re-shapes

itself, as it calculates the smoothest possible
curve between the six blend points.
The final blend curve extends beyond the right

and left ends of the model.
8 Close the Blend Curve toolbox.

298
Saving your work


Current Project.

Lessons project. Call your file mytv.wire.

page 37.
Part 2: Creating the side surfaces

In this next section you will use the two arcs and the
blend curve to create a draft surface.
Draft surfaces are used to ensure that a model can be

extracted from an injection mold. Draft surfaces start
from a set of curves and extend away from the
curves at an angle to a pull direction. (When you
create a draft surface, the pull direction is indicated
by a manipulator.)
For more information on draft surfaces, see the

Note If your StudioTools package does not have

the Surfaces > Draft tool, read through the
following procedures, then use the
Surfaces > Extrude tool to extrude three

299
separate surfaces along three separate
straight lines that are five degrees in from the
vertical.

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the outer
draft surface on page 301.

called 6_tvremote_part2.wire, located in the

page 43.

300
Creating the outer draft surface
1 Change the view layout to the Studio layout.
2 Make the ConstraintPoint layer invisible.
3 Click the SideSurf layer button to make it the

active layer.
Then, when you create the draft surface, it will

automatically be assigned to this layer.
Make sure that the SideCurves layer is still

visible!
4 Choose the Draft tool (Surfaces > Draft).
Note The Tool Tip name is Draft, flange, and collar.

301
5 You are prompted to select the curves to build a
draft surface. (This appears in the prompt line).
Click the arc tangent to the curve, at the left side

of the sketch.
6 Click the blend curve.
7 Click the three point arc, at the right side of the

sketch.

302
Look in the Perspective view to see the draft
surface.
pull direction
A draft surface begins at a curve and extends in manipulator
a certain direction, known as the pull direction, at
a certain angle, known as the draft angle, for a
certain distance, known as the surface depth. You
can easily control the draft angle to ensure that
the surface can be removed from an injection
mold during manufacturing.
Two manipulators appear on the draft surface.

The large manipulator in the center of the
angle/distance
surfaces is the pull direction manipulator. The pull manipulator
direction is straight up from the draft surface.
The small manipulator near the front surface is
the angle/distance manipulator and represents the
draft angle and surface depth.
Editing the outer draft surface
Now that you have created the draft surface, you

need to edit the draft angle and surface depth.
1 Maximize the Front view and get a close-up

view of the left side of the draft surface. Then,
click the blue sphere on the angle/distance
manipulator.

303
2 You are prompted to choose the draft angle of the
draft surface. In the prompt line, type 5, then
press Enter.
The draft surface is angled in to the pull direction

by 5 degrees. This angle will allow the model to
be withdrawn from the injection mold.
3 Click the magenta cube at the top of the angle/

distance manipulator.

304
A measurement locator appears.
It is set to 1.0 centimetres, which is the default

depth measurement.
4 You are prompted to choose the depth of the

draft surface. Type 0.5 and press Enter.
The depth is now 0.5 centimetres.
5 Track the camera to the right to see the draft

surface on the right arc. It is also 0.5 cm in depth,
and angled in to the pull direction by 5 degrees.

305
Intersecting the draft surfaces
Now you are ready to intersect and trim the three

component surfaces that make up the draft surface.
Because the Draft tool groups all component surfaces
together as one surface, you will use the Pick
Component tool to pick the separate surfaces.
1 Double-click the Pick > Component tool icon to

open the Pick Components Option box.
2 In the Pick Components Options box, set All to Off,

then click Surfaces. Then click the Go button.
Now you will be able to pick the component

surfaces of the draft surface.
3 In the Perspective view, pick the side surface (the

surface built on the blend curve).


306
surfaces. Click the front and back surfaces (the
surfaces built on the arcs).
The surfaces are intersected.
Trimming the component surfaces

T
2 Get a close-up view of the left side of the draft

surface, and click the surface built on the arc.

307
3 You are prompted to select the region of the
surface you want to keep. Click the front surface.
Note If you are prompted to select the region of

the surface you want to discard, click the
Keep button to switch to the Keep process.
The front surface is trimmed.

308
5 Move the camera until you get a good view of
the side surface. Then, click the side surface, to
the right of the front surface.
6 Click the surface again in the same location to

keep this surface.
7 Click the Go button to trim away the ends of the

side surface.

309
The side surface is trimmed.
8 Click the back surface (the surface built on the

three point arc).
9 Click the section of the back surface you want to

keep.

310
The back surface is trimmed.
11 Dolly the camera to get a look at the whole

trimmed draft surface.
Using the layers
1 Make the SideCurves layer invisible.

311
2 Toggle on symmetry for the SideSurf layer.
The mirror image of the draft surfaces are

displayed. However, they are only a visual
representation and not real surfaces.
3 Select the Create Geometry command (Layers >

Symmetry > Create Geometry) to convert the
mirror image surfaces into real surfaces.
The mirror image is now a real surface.

312
4 Make the InnerSurf layer visible.
This layer contains draft surfaces that represent

an opening in the center of the TV remote.
The inner surface of the TV Remote is displayed.
5 Select the Shade option command (DisplayTgls >

Shade ❐).
The Toggle Shade Settings option box is opened.

313
6 Set the Tesselator Quality to HIGH.
7 Make sure the Perspective view is active, and

click the Shade On button.
The model is displayed in shaded mode.
Saving your work


Lessons project. Call your file mytv2.wire.

314
In this section, you will create the top surface for the
TV Remote.
To create the top surface of the TV Remote, you must

start with a new wire file. This new file contains new
layers and constraint points that are necessary to
continue modeling the TV Remote.
Opening the tutorial file (mandatory)
Open the file called 6_tvremote_part3.wire,

directory.

page 43.
Creating a birail surface
First you’ll create a birail surface. A birail surface is a

surface that has been created by sweeping or
blending one or more curves along two path curves,
or rails.

315
1 Make the Perspective view active. Then, in the
Layer Bar, make the TopSurf layer the active layer,
make the TopCurves layer visible, and make all
other layers invisible.
The top curves appear. You will use these curves
to create the birail surface.
2 Double-click the Birail tool (Surfaces > Swept

Surfaces > Birail) to open its option box.
The Birail tool allows you to create a surface by

blending one or more profile or generation curves
along two path curves.
The Birail Controls option box is opened.

316
3 In the Birail Controls option box, set Generation
Curves to 2+.
You will create a birail surface using three

generation curves.
4 Make sure that all five Rebuild options are turned

off.
5 Click the three short curves in the Perspective

view, as shown. 3
2

317
7 You are prompted to select the primary path
curve. Click the first path curve (below the
horizontal X axis).
8 You are prompted to select the secondary path

curve. Click the second path curve (above the
horizontal X axis).
The birail surface is created. I
9 Make the Right view active and look at the birail

surface. It is a truly three-dimensional surface,
because each generation curve is a different
shape.

318
10 Close the Birail Controls option box.
Viewing the model
1 Make the TopCurves layer invisible.
2 Make the InnerSurf and SideSurf layers visible.
3 Select the Toggle Shade command (Display Tgls >

Shade).

319
The shaded model is displayed.
4 Turn off Toggle Shade.
Intersecting and trimming the surfaces
Now you’ll intersect the top surface with the front,

back, and side surfaces. Then you’ll trim off the
excess.
1 Select the Pick > Component tool. It should still be

set to pick surfaces only.
2 Draw a pick box around the model to pick all of

the surfaces.

320
3 Pick the top surface to de-select it.


surface. Pick the top surface.

321
6 Move the camera so that you have a good view
of the front surface.
7 Choose the Trim tool (Surface Edit > Trim > Trim).
8 Click the front surface.
9 You are prompted to select the region of the

surface you want to keep. Click the lower part of
the front surface, below the curve on surface.

322
The surface is trimmed.
11 Trim the remaining five outer surfaces, and then

trim the six inner surfaces, until only the lower
parts of all 12 surfaces remain (as shown).
12 Now trim the top surface: pick the top surface,

and then click the top surface inside the outer
surface but outside the inner surface.

323
The top surface is trimmed.
Viewing the model
1 Select the Shade command (DisplayTgls > Shade).

324
Saving your work


Part 4: Creating the button holes

In this section, you’ll create the button holes.
To create the top surface details, you must start with

a new wire file. This new file contains a new layer
containing curves that are necessary to continue
modeling the TV Remote.

325
Opening the tutorial file (mandatory)
Open the file called 6_tvremote_part4.wire,

directory.

page 43.
Creating the holes for the buttons
First you’ll create the button holes for the top of the
TV Remote.
1 Make the DetailingCurves layer visible.

326
This layer contains several circles that you’ll use
to create the button holes, and a curve that you’ll
use to create the LCD (in Part 5).
2 In the Top view, pick the top surface.
The top surface becomes active.
3 Select the Project tool (Surface Edit > Create

CurvesOnSurface > Project).
This tool creates a curve-on-surface by

projecting a curve onto a surface.

327
4 In the Top view, click each circle to project it onto
the top surface.
Note You must be in the Top view when you

perform the project operation! If you project
the button curves onto the top surface in any
other view, you will not be successful.
The button curves are projected onto the top

surface. (When they are projected, they change
color from red to green.)
Trimming the button holes
1 Make the Perspective view active and get a close-

up view of the button holes.

328
3 Click the top surface, outside of the button

holes.

surface you want to keep. Click a region of the
top surface that is not within a circle.
Note If you are prompted to select the regions of

the surface you want to discard, click the
Keep button to switch to the Keep process.

329
5 Click the Go button to trim out the button holes.
The button holes are trimmed.
Tip If you’ve made a mistake, choose the Untrim

tool (Surface Edit > Trim > Untrim) to untrim the
top surface.
Viewing the model in shaded mode

to turn on shaded mode and preview the model.

330
2 Turn off shaded mode.
Saving your work



331
Part 5: Creating the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
In this section, you’ll create the liquid crystal display
(LCD).

proceed directly to the next step: Creating the LCD
curve and surface on page 333.

called 6_tvremote_part5.wire, located in the

page 43.

332
Creating the LCD curve and surface
1 Pick the LCD curve.
2 Make the Top view active, then select the Offset

tool (Object Edit > Offset > Offset).
This tool creates a new curve by offsetting the

selected curve.
An approximation of the new curve appears.

333
3 Drag the left mouse button back and forth to
interactively adjust the distance that the new
curve is offset from the original curve.
4 In the prompt line, type -0.1 and press Enter to

set the offset distance precisely.
5 Click the Go button to accept and select the new

offset curve.

334
The second curve is offset from the original.
6 In the Front view, with the new offset curve

selected, select the Move tool (Xform > Move).
Then, drag the right mouse button to move the
curve down so it is slightly below the top
surface.

335
The offset curve is slightly below the top surface.
7 In the Perspective view, select the Skin tool

(Surfaces > Skin) and click first on the original
curve, then on the offset curve to create a
skinned surface between them. 1
The skinned surface is created.


336
Intersecting and trimming the LCD surface
1 Make the DetailingCurves layer invisible.
2 Pick the skinned surface.

CurvesOnSurface > Intersect), then pick the top
surface to intersect it with the skinned surface.

337

to turn on shaded mode and better visualize the
surfaces.
The surfaces are displayed in shaded mode.

338
6 Trim the top surface so that the surface inside
the LCD surface is trimmed away (as shown).
and pick the top surface.
7 Trim away the top part of the LCD surface, so

that only the LCD surface that extends below
the top surface remains (as shown).
Tip Use the Discard process.
Creating a planar surface for the LCD

339
2 Create a flat surface across the bottom of the
skinned surface.
Viewing the model
1 Turn off the Shade command (DisplayTgls >

Shade).
2 Move the camera to see the entire wireframe

model.

340
3 Turn on the Shade command to see the entire
model in shaded mode.
Note If you were not successful in Part 5, you can

view the final model by opening the file
6_tvremote_final.wire, located in the
wire directory of the CourseWare
directory.
If the image planes do not appear, you must
page 43.
Saving your work



341
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the television
remote. You now know how to:
● create an arc tangent to a curve
● create blend curves
● create draft surfaces
● create real surfaces from symmetrically mirrored

surfaces
● create birail surfaces
● project curves onto surfaces
● offset curves

342
Conclusion
Tutorial 6: Rendering the teakettle

■ Creating and editing lights (page 344)
Introduction
■ Windows > Multi-lister > List All
In this tutorial, you’ll render the teakettle that you (page 346)
modeled in a previous tutorial.

■ Render > Quick Render (page 347)
■ Objects > Lights > Spot (page 354)
■ Lambert Shading Model (page 361)
■ Phong Shading Model (page 361)
■ Creating and editing shaders (page 365)
■ Blinn Shading Model (page 373)
■ Textures (page 375)
■ Chrome texture (page 375)
■ Assigning shaders to surfaces

Rendering is the process of generating a two- (page 378)
dimensional image of a three-dimensional scene,
somewhat like taking a photograph with a camera. ■ Render > Render (page 387)
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to: ■ Creating shadows (page 389)
● render a scene using Quick Render
● create and edit lights, shadows, and shaders
● assign shaders to surfaces
● render a scene at final quality

343
Introduction
This tutorial consists of four parts:
● Part 1: Creating and editing lights
● Part 2: Creating and editing shaders
● Part 3: Rendering the scene
● Part 4: Creating shadows
Part 1: Creating and editing lights

In this section, you’ll preview render the scene using
Quick Render, edit the default lights, and create and
edit a new light.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 7_basic_rend.wire,

directory.


344
Click YES.
The file is opened.
Preview rendering the scene
First you’ll preview render the scene. Preview

rendering produces a lower quality image than final
rendering, but is much faster and is useful for
previewing a scene as you work.

345
1 Select the Multi-lister List All command (Windows >
Multi-lister > List all) to open the Multi-lister.
The Multi-lister opens. The Multi-lister contains a

swatch for each rendering element in a scene.
All scenes contain two basic swatches: The

Environment swatch and the DefaultShader swatch.
The black Environment swatch represents the

scene’s background or surroundings. The blue
DefaultShader swatch represents the default color
and other material properties of all surfaces.
These are the default swatches that are always

contained in the Multi-lister. They cannot be
deleted.

346
The Multi-lister can also contain lights and
textures. Lights illuminate the surfaces in a
scene. Textures are two-dimensional or three-
dimensional patterns that you can apply to the
environment, or to shaders or lights.
3 Select the Quick render command (Render > Quick

render) to preview render the view.

347
The Quick Render window appears on top of the
view.
Note You will see a small steering wheel icon in

the top left corner of the Quick Render
window. When this icon is visible, it
indicates that the Quick Render is in process.
Notice that the Multi-lister now contains two new

lights. Whenever you Quick Render a scene that
doesn’t contain any lights, StudioTools
automatically creates two default lights to
illuminate the surfaces.

348
4 When the Quick Render is finished, click
anywhere in the Quick Render window to close
it.
Note The Quick Render gives only an

approximation of the final render. The
quality of a Quick Render does not compare
to the quality of a real render, but Quick
Render is much faster than a real render,
and it is useful for assessing the shaders and
lights in your scene.
Increasing the intensity of a default light
Now you’ll increase the brightness of one of the

default lights and then preview render the scene
again.
1 In the Multi-lister, select the List Lights command

(List > Lights) to list only light swatches.

349
Now only the light swatches are displayed in the
Multi-lister. The light swatches are called Light and
Light #2.
Note Light#1 isn’t used explicitly as a name; the

first light with a given name is implicitly
numbered 1.
2 Double-click the Light swatch to open the Control

Window.
The Control Window contains a list of editable

parameters for the active swatch in the Multi-lister.
This light is an ambient light, as you can see by

looking in the Type field. An ambient light
illuminates a scene somewhat like a light bulb in
a white room. Some of its light comes from the
location of the light, and some of its light comes
from all directions.
Note The icon in the Multi-lister swatch also

identifies this light as an ambient light.

350
3 Click the Light#2 swatch to display its
parameters in the Control Window.
This light is a directional light, as you can see by

looking in the Type field. A directional light
illuminates a scene as a very distant light source,
such as the sun, would. All of its light shines in
the same direction.
Note The icon in the Multi-lister swatch also

identifies Light#2 as a directional light.

351
4 Click the Common Parameters tab to display these
parameters.
5 Double-click the Intensity field, type 5, then press

Enter to increase the light’s brightness.
The Light#2 swatch in the Multi-lister becomes

much brighter.
6 Close the Light#2 Control Window.

352
7 Quick render the scene.
The quick render is now much brighter.
8 Click anywhere in the Quick Render window to

close it.
9 Double-click the Light#2 swatch to open the

Control Window.

353
10 Change the intensity value to 1.0 to reduce the
light’s brightness.
11 Close the Control Window and the Multi-lister.
Creating a new light
Now you’ll create a spotlight.
1 Maximize the Right view.
2 Select the Spot Light tool (Objects > Lights > Spot).

354
3 Click the top left region of the Right view to
create a spot light.
The spotlight appears in the scene.

355
4 Open the Multi-lister and list only lights
(Windows > Multi-lister > Lights).
A new swatch, representing the spotlight, has

appeared in the Multi-lister. It is called Light#3.
Note the spotlight icon in the top left corner of
the swatch.
5 Close the Multi-lister.
6 Minimize the Right view to display all four

views.

356
The spotlight icon has two manipulators that
you can use to adjust the position and direction
of the light. The position manipulator is located
Position
at the tip of the spotlight cone. The direction
manipulator is located at the base of the
spotlight cone.
Direction
7 Drag the direction manipulator to move it so the

spot light points toward the kettle. To move a
manipulator in an axis direction, drag one of the
arrow icons.
You may need to move the manipulator a few

times in each view to position it correctly.
Tip If your light is out of position, you may need

to move the whole light. To do so, choose
Pick > Nothing. Then choose Pick > Object and
pick the light. Then, choose Xform > Move.
Tip If the manipulators for the light disappear, it

is easy to display them:
Choose Pick > Object. Click the light to pick

it. Then, click the Light icon displayed in the
Objects palette.

357
The spot light is pointing towards the teakettle.
Make sure that the spot light is pointed towards

the teakettle in the Front view.

358

Editing the spotlight
Now you’ll increase the brightness of the spot light

and change its color.

359
2 Open the Multi-lister.
3 Double-click the DefaultShader swatch to open its

Control Window.

360
The Shading Model is Lambert. Lambert materials
do not have shiny highlights. They are useful for
simulating dull materials like chalk or matte
paint.
4 Click LAMBERT to display the Shading Model

menu. Select Phong from the menu.
Phong materials have shiny highlights and are

useful for simulating glossy materials like
plastics and ceramics.
The DefaultShader in the Multi-lister updates to

display a Phong surface. The Phong surface is
shiny and has a highlight.


361
6 Change the intensity to 0.2 to reduce the light’s
brightness.
7 Click the Light#3 swatch to display its parameters

in the Control Window.
8 Click the Color field to open the Color Editor.
9 Click one of the red swatches in the color palette

to set the light’s color to red.
Both the Control Window and swatch in the Multi-

lister update.

362
10 Close the Color Editor.
11 In the Light#3 Control Window, change the light’s

intensity to 20.
The Light#3 swatch updates.

363
A red highlight appears on the teakettle.
2 Click anywhere on the Quick Render window to

close it.
Saving your work

364

Current Project.

directory. Call your file myrender1.wire.

page 37.
Part 2: Creating and editing shaders

In this section, you’ll create and edit three shaders
representing three different materials, and then
assign them to the appropriate surfaces in the scene.
Creating three new shaders
First you’ll create three new shaders.
1 Open the Multi-lister (Windows >Multi-lister > List

All).

365
2 In the Multi-lister, select the New Shader
command (Edit > New Shader) to create a new
shader based on the DefaultShader.
A new shader swatch appears in the Multi-lister. It

is called Shader and is a copy of the DefaultShader.
3 Create two more new shaders.

366
4 In the Multi-lister, select the List Shaders command
(List > Shaders) to list only the shaders.
Editing the first new shader
Now you’ll edit the first new shader so you can

assign it to the tabletop in the scene.
1 Click the Shader swatch to display its

Note If the Control Window is not already open,

double-click the shader ball of the Shader
swatch.
The Shader Control Window is displayed. It is the

same as the DefaultShader.

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2 In the Shader Name field, type Tabletop and press
Enter to change the shader’s name to Tabletop.
The shader name updates in the Multi-lister.
3 Change the Shading Model setting to Lambert.
5 Click half-way between the red and yellow

colors in the Color Blending Palette, so that a
brown color appears in the Current Color Palette.
This will be the general tone of the tabletop.
Color Blending Current Color

Palette Palette

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Note When you change the color in the Current
Color Palette, note how the sliders shift to
reflect the new color.
6 To get a darker brown, move the V slider closer

to the left end of the scale.
Note The Tabletop swatch and the Color field in the

Control Window update to reflect the color in
the Current Color Palette.

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Editing the second new shader
Now you’ll edit the second new shader so you can

assign it to the grip and decoration of the kettle.
1 Click the Shader#2 swatch to display its

2 Change the name of the shader to Plastic.
Note The Shading Model is Phong. You will keep

this setting.
3 Drag the Diffuse slider to change how the shader

reflects light in all directions, until you are
satisfied with the look of the shader swatch in
the Multi-lister.

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We set the Diffuse value to 0.651.
4 In the Plastic Control Window, click the Color field

to open the Color Editor.
5 Select a color that you would like to use for the

kettle grip and decoration, for example, yellow.

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Editing the third new shader
shader:editing;editing:shadersNow you’ll edit the

second new shader so you can assign it to the
teakettle itself.
1 Click the Shader#3 swatch to display its

2 Change the name of Shader#3 to Metal.
4 Select a color that you would like to use for the

body of the teakettle, for example, gray.

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6 Change the Shading Model to Blinn.
Blinn materials have shiny highlights and are

useful for simulating metallic materials like
chrome or gold.
The Blinn shader is used for very shiny surfaces

such as chrome and mirrors. It’s hard to see the
difference between the Phong and Blinn shaders
in the Multi-lister, but the difference is apparent
when you render the scene.
The two values that affect the Blinn shader the

most are Eccentricity and Reflectivity.
Eccentricity controls the “ping” or the highlight

on the surface. A high Eccentricity value washes
out the surface.
7 Drag the Eccentricity slider to change the size of

the shader highlight until you are satisfied with
the look of the shader swatch in the Multi-lister.

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We set the Eccentricity value to 0.430.
8 Notice the Map buttons along the right side of the

Control Window. By clicking on one of these
buttons you can assign (or map) a texture onto a
parameter.
Click the Map button beside the Reflection

parameter to open the Texture Procedures Window.

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The Texture Procedures window appears.
There are three types of textures: surface

textures, solid textures, and environment
textures.
Surface textures are two-dimensional patterns.

Solid textures are three-dimensional patterns
that you can use to make an object appear to be
carved out of a solid material, like wood or
marble. Environment textures are three-
dimensional patterns that you can use to
simulate a background or to simulate
environmental reflections on surfaces.
9 Click the Environments tab to display the

Environment textures.
10 Click the Chrome button to map a chrome texture

to the Reflection parameter and simulate
environmental reflections.

375
The Metal shader swatch updates and a new
Chrome texture swatch appears in the Multi-lister.
At the same time, the chrome texture’s

parameters appear in the Control Window.
11 In the Control Window, click on Light Placement to

display these parameters.
12 Drag the Width slider completely to the left to set

the value to zero.
13 Click on Grid Placement to display these

parameters.

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14 Drag the Width and Depth sliders completely to
the left to set their values to zero.
15 Click the arrow button in the top left corner of

the Control Window to display the Metal shader’s
parameters.
16 In the Metal Control Window, drag the Reflectivity

slider to change how much the Chrome texture is
reflected by the Metal shader, until you are
satisfied with the look of the shader in the Multi-
lister.
We set the Reflectivity value to 0.779.
17 Close the Control Window.

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Assigning the shaders to the model
Now you’ll assign each shader to the appropriate

surfaces in the scene.
1 In the Layer bar, click on the Body layer button,

and select Pick Objects from the menu to select all
objects in the Body layer.
All of the surfaces of the teakettle body are

picked (highlighted).
2 Confirm that the Metal shader is picked

(highlighted) in the Multi-lister.

378
3 In the Multi-lister, select the Assign Shader
command (Shading > Assign Shader) to assign the
Metal shader to the selected surfaces.
The Metal shader is assigned to the Body surfaces

of the teakettle.

deselect all picked objects.
5 In the Multi-lister, select the Pick Objects command

(Shading > Pick Objects) to select all surfaces that
have the current shader assigned to them, and
confirm that you assigned the Metal shader to the
correct surfaces.

379
The Body surfaces are picked (highlighted).
6 Assign the Metal shader to the surfaces of the

Handle layer.

380
7 Assign the Plastic shader to the surfaces of the
Grip and Decoration layers.
8 Assign the Tabletop shader to the surfaces of the

Tabletop layer.
9 Close the Multi-lister window.
Saving your work

381

myrender2.wire.
Part 3: Rendering the scene

In this section, you’ll create shadows and render the
scene at final quality.
First you’ll preview render the scene.


382
2 Make the Perspective window active.
The scene is rendered.
Notice that the entire scene is washed out with

red light from the spot light.

383
4 Click anywhere in the Quick Render window to
close it.
5 Open the Multi-lister and list only light swatches.
6 Double-click the Light#3 swatch to open its

Control Window.

384
7 Change the intensity of the light to 2 and press
Enter to decrease the light’s brightness.
9 Select the white swatch in the color palette to set

the light’s color to white.

385
The light’s color is white.
10 Close the Color Editor, Control Window and Multi-

lister.
11 Quick render to view the changes in the scene.
The scene is no longer washed out with red light

from the spot light.
The Quick Render does not display the

environment, reflections, or shadows. These
elements will appear in the final render.

386
12 Close the Quick Render window.
Rendering the scene at final quality
Now you’ll render the scene at final quality.
1 Select the Render command (Render > Render) to

2 In the File Browser, go to the Lessons project

(this is the current project).
3 In the Lessons project, open the sdl directory.

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4 In the Filename field, type render1 and press
Enter to begin rendering.
StudioTools first creates a file named render1 in

the sdl directory.
The sdl (scene description language) file is a text

file that contains a description of the entire scene.
StudioTools then renders the sdl file to create an

image file named render1 in the pix directory.
When rendering begins, a progress gauge

appears. (This may take a few minutes to appear.
If, after a few minutes, the progress gauge is not
visible, select DisplayTgls > Render toggles >
Render status.)
5 Select the Show Pix command (File > Show pix) to

display the rendered image as it is rendering or
after it is completely rendered.

388
The image quality is much better than the
preview rendered image. However, it still does
not contain reflections or shadows. (It is also
very facetted, which you will learn how to
correct in the next tutorial.)
There are no reflections in the scene because the

default setting for Direct Render is Raycaster. (In a
more realistic render, the ball on the lid and the
environment would be reflected in the teakettle
surface.) Raycasting does not display reflections.
To see reflections in your scene, you have to use
Raytracer. You will learn about Raytracer in the
next tutorial.
You can see that the teakettle casts no shadows.

This is because lights have their shadows turned
off by default. You will create shadows for the
scene in the next section.
Part 4: Creating shadows

In this section, you’ll create shadows and re-render
the scene.

389
1 Open the Multi-lister and list only lights.
2 Open the Control Window for Light#3.
3 Click the Active Effects tab to display these

parameters.

390
4 Click the ON button next to Shadows to turn on
shadows for the spot light.

6 Click the ON button next to Shadows to turn on

shadows for the directional light.
7 Close the Control Window and the Multi-lister.
Rendering the scene with shadows
1 Select the Render command (Render > Render) to


391
2 In the Filename field, type render2 and press Enter
to begin rendering.
There are two types of rendering in StudioTools:

raycasting and raytracing. Both raycasting and
raytracing can produce high-quality images, but
raycasting cannot produce images with real
reflections or refractions. However, you can often
raycast simulated reflections by using reflection
maps, as we did with the chrome texture. Keep
in mind that raytracing takes much longer than
raycasting. You’ll learn more about raytracing in
the next tutorial.
3 Select the Show Pix command (File > Show > Pix)
to display the rendered image.

392
4 The image now contains shadows.
Note The image does not contain reflections, and

it is very facetted, especially at the base of
the teakettle. You will learn how to create
reflections and correct the facetting of an
image in the next tutorial.
Saving your work


myrender3.wire.

393
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the first
rendering tutorial.
● open the Multi-lister
● preview render a scene
● create new lights
● edit lights
● position lights
● increase the intensity of a light
● create new shaders
● edit shaders for flat, plastic and metallic surfaces
● assign shaders to surfaces
● render a scene at final quality
● create shadows
● render a scene with shadows

394
Conclusion
Tutorial 7: Advanced Rendering

■ Render Globals parameters (page 396)
Introduction
■ Environment Control Window (page 405)
In this tutorial, you will learn more advanced ■ Sky texture (page 407)
rendering techniques, including color mapping,
bump mapping, environment mapping, 3D textures, ■ Fractal texture (page 409)
and raytracing.
■ Granite texture (page 415)
■ Bulge texture (page 427)
■ Deleting a texture (page 431)
■ Raytracing (page 431)
■ Render > Render ❐ (page 433)
■ Adjusting surface reflectivity (page 436)
This tutorial consists of five parts:
● Part 1: Editing the Render Globals parameters
● Part 2: Creating a background environment
● Part 3: Creating a 3D solid texture
● Part 4: Creating a 2D bump texture
● Part 5: Raytracing

395
Introduction
Part 1: Editing the Render Globals parameters
In this section, you will adjust the Render Globals
parameters to improve the quality of the rendered
image. Then, you will render the scene again, and
save your work.
You will begin by re-rendering the scene from the last

tutorial.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 8_adv.rend.wire, located

in the wire file of the CourseWare directory.


Click YES.

396
The file is opened.
Rendering the scene
1 Select the Render command (Render > Render).

The file browser opens.
2 In the File Browser, go to the Lessons project.

Set the Lessons project as the Current Directory.
(For information on how to do this, see Saving
your work on page 37.)
3 In the Lessons project, open the sdl directory.

397
4 Type render3 in the filename field, then click the
Save SDL button.
The file browser closes and the render begins.
When rendering begins, a progress gauge

appears. (This may take a few minutes to appear.
If, after a few minutes, the progress gauge is not
visible, select DisplayTgls > Render toggles >
Render status.)
5 When the render is complete, select the Show

Render command (Render > Show Render).
The render is displayed.
The body of the teakettle has a chrome material

assigned to it, the grip has a plastic yellow
material assigned to it, and the table top has a
flat brown material assigned to it.
Also, you can see that the render is very facetted,

especially the base of the teakettle. There are two
variables that affect the quality of the render. The
first is the overall quality setting that you assign
to the rendering process in general, and the
second is the tessellation of the model.

398
6 Click anywhere in the Show Render window to
close it.
Editing the Render Globals parameters
1 Select the Render Globals command (Render >

Globals) to open the Render Globals window.
The Render Globals window allows you to set all

the variables for the quality of the final render,
including the size and type of image.
2 Click and hold the MEDIUM button in the Global

Quality Level field.

399
A pop-up menu appears.
Global Quality Level is one of the most important

variables in the Render Globals window, because
it specifies the quality of the final render. LOW
produces a faster image, but the render quality
will be significantly reduced: the final result will
be facetted, and may not contain all the
reflections that would be achieved with a higher
setting.
HIGH produces a very high quality image, but the

image will also take much longer to compute.
The rendering process is a very time consuming

and iterative process. Achieving a perfect result
the first time is almost impossible. The typical
rendering process is to set some variables in the
scene and then render an image to see the results,
then change the variables again and re-render
the scene to see the new results.
For this reason, when you are starting the

rendering process, you will typically render the
scene using LOW or MEDIUM Global Quality Level,
to make the rendering speed faster. Once you
have achieved the look that you are happy with,
you will render the scene at HIGH Global Quality
Level to achieve a better quality result.
3 Set the Global Quality Level to HIGH.

400
4 Click the tab called Global Quality Parameters to
open this section.
5 Set Mesh Tolerance to 0.02.
When an image is rendered, its surface is

divided into triangles. This process is called
tessellation. Each surface of a model has a
specific tessellation value. When the tessellation
value is low, the surface is divided into few
triangles and it may appear faceted when
rendered, even if the Global Quality Level is set to
HIGH. In some cases, the only way to reduce the
facetting is to increase the model's tessellation
value. Tessellation value is another important
variable in the quality of a final render.
Mesh Tolerance is the maximum allowable

distance (measured in centimeters) between a
NURBS surface and its tessellated version. By
setting Mesh Tolerance to a low value, you
increase the quality of the final render. (What
actually happens is that the tessellation value for
the entire scene increases.)
6 Close the Render Globals window.

401
Rendering the image again

The file browser opens to the sdl directory of
the Lessons project.
Click the Save SDL button to overwrite the

previous file named render3.

overwrite the file. Click OK.
The rendering process begins.

402
2 Once the render has completed, select the Show
Render command (Render > Show Render) to view
the image.
The entire model is much smoother, and in

particular the base of the teakettle is no longer
facetted.
Note The rendered image is saved to the pix

directory of your current project.

403
3 Click anywhere on the Show Render window to
close it.
Saving your work


directory. Call your file myadv_rend.wire.

page 37.
Part 2: Creating a background environment

Next, you'll create an environment that will be used
later to reflect onto the teakettle.

404
Creating a cloudy sky background environment
First you’ll create a sky texture with clouds for the

background of the scene.
1 Open the Multi-lister window, and display only

the shaders.
2 Double-click the Environment shader to open the

Environment Control Window.
The environment shader allows you to

determine the type of image that is produced in
the background of your scene. The environment
can be either a 2D image or a series of images
that produces a 3D environment.

405
3 In the Background section, click on the Map button
next to the Color field to open the Texture
Procedures window.
There are three types of textures: Surface,

Environments, and Solid.
4 Click the three texture tabs to open them.
The Surface section contains 2D textures.
The Environments section contains full three

dimensional environments.

406
The Solid section contains textures that appear to
be created from a block of solid material, like
wood or marble.
5 Click the Sky button in the Environments section.
This opens a parameter window called

SkyTexture. The sky texture is a very realistic
program that simulates a sky. The sky texture
can simulate a sunrise or sunset, or you can
create a sunset as it might appear on some
faraway planet.
For this example, you will not be creating an

animated sky, but you will create a static sky.
6 In the SkyTexture Control Window, click the Cloud

Parameters tab.

407
This section contains variables that control the
clouds in the sky. Currently there are no clouds
in the sky texture, as you can see in the Multi-lister
swatch. One way to create clouds is to map a
two-dimensional texture to the Cloud texture
variable.
7 Click the Map button next to the Cloud texture

variable.
The Texture Procedures window appears.

408
8 Click the Fractal button in the Surface section.
This is a two-dimensional texture that works
well in simulating clouds and other textures like
fog or smoke.
A new Control Window appears called Fractal. You

will not need to edit the default variables for the
fractal texture, because they are sufficient for
producing a good cloud image.
Note The Multi-lister now contains a Fractal swatch.

The Fractal texture is used to simulate
clouds. These clouds are visible in the
SkyTexture swatch.
9 Click the left arrow at the top of the Fractal

Control Window.
This brings you back to the SkyTexture Control

Window.

409
10 Click the Floor Parameters tab to open this section.
11 Click the OFF option next to the variable

Has_Floor. This turns off the default floor in the
Sky texture.
The floor disappears from the SkyTexture swatch

in the Multi-lister.
12 In the Sun_Parameters section, drag the slider in

the Elevation field down towards zero. Notice that
the sky texture in the Multi-lister becomes orange,
as it does in real life at sunset, and finally black.
Now drag the slider back to its maximum value.

Notice how the sky texture changes from black to
orange and finally to a very bright washed out
color.

410
Set the Elevation value to 40, to mimic the sun at
noon. Change the size of the sun variable from a
value of 0.531 to 2.0 and change the azimuth
value from 145.0 to 0.0.
The SkyTexture swatch updates.
13 Close the SkyTexture Control Window and the Multi-

lister.
Rendering the scene
Now you’ll render the scene to see the sky texture.

The File Browser opens to the sdl directory of

Save SDL button.
The File Browser closes and the render begins.

411
3 Select the Show Render command (Render > Show
Render) to view the rendered image.
Note The sky texture is in the background of the

image. Because the sky texture is a true 3D
texture, if you moved the camera angle and
re-rendered the scene, you would see the sky
from another position.

412
close it.
Saving your work


directory. Call your file myadv_rend2.wire.

413
Part 3: Creating a 3D solid texture
Next, you will create a granite 3D solid texture that
will be used for the tabletop.
Creating a granite texture
1 Open the Multi-lister window.
2 Double-click the Tabletop shader to open the

Tabletop Control Window.
3 In the Tabletop Control Window, change the Shading

Model to Phong. This will allow you to create a
more reflective type of surface for the tabletop.
4 Click the Map button next to the Color field to

open the Texture Procedures window.

414
5 In the Solid section, click the Granite button.
The Granite Control Window opens.
6 Within the Granite Texture Parameters there are

four variables that control the color of the
granite. Click the color swatch next to the Filler
Color parameter.

415
The Color Editor opens.
7 Select a teal color, or set the red value to 51, green

to 255, and blue to 255. Change the Value variable
to 0.2. This creates a base color of dark teal for
the granite.
8 Now you will change the accent colors within

the granite. Click the Color2 parameter to open
the Granite:Color 2 Editor.

416
Change the Value variable to 0.2.
9 Click the Color3 parameter to open the Granite:

Color 3 Editor.
Change the Value variable to 0.4.

417
10 Look at the Tabletop swatch in the Multi-lister. It
displays the edited Granite texture.
Note The flat brown shader originally assigned to

the Tabletop shader is invisible, because
textures supersede shaders.
11 Close the Color Editor, Granite Control Window, and

Multi-lister.
Rendering the scene
Now you’ll render the scene to see the granite texture

on the tabletop

2 Click the Save SDL button to overwrite the

previous file named render4.

overwrite the file. Click OK.
The rendering process begins.

418
The tabletop now has a granite surface.

Although the camera angle that you are using
does not show the thickness of the tabletop, if
you were to re-position the camera to view the
table thickness and re-rendered the scene, the
table would look like it was cut from a solid
piece of granite.

419
close it.
Saving your work



420
Part 4: Creating a 2D bump texture
In this section you will create a new shader for the
Grip surface by duplicating an existing shader. Then,
you will apply a bump map to the new shader to
create the effect of a bumpy surface.
Creating a new shader for the Grip surface
2 Click the Plastic shader to make it active.

421
3 In the Multi-lister, select the Copy command (Edit >
Copy).
A new shader is created called Plastic#2.
4 In the layer bar of the modeling window, click on

the Grip layer button, and select the Pick Objects
option.

422
The grip becomes active.
5 Assign the new Plastic#2 shader to the grip.
6 Select the Pick Nothing command (Pick > Nothing)

command to deselect all objects.
7 Double-click the Plastic#2 shader to open the

shader's Control Window.
You will change the characteristics of the

material to be more like a hard sponge. The
surface will still be somewhat shiny, but will not
be very reflective.

423
8 Set the Diffuse parameter to 0.2.
9 Set the Shinyness value to 2.
10 Click the color swatch to open the Color Editor.

424
11 In the Color Editor, click the red color swatch,
then close the color editor.
12 At the top of the Plastic#2 Control Window, change

the shader name to Grip.
Creating a bump map for the Grip shader
To create an effect of a bump on a surface, you use a

technique called bump mapping. Any image can be
used as a source for creating a bump on a surface.
Typically, the image used in a bump map is black
and white. For example, to create a golf ball, you
would use an image that was all white with black
circles on it. The computer would push the surface
inwards everywhere there was a black circle on the
image.

425
Now you will create a bump map on the grip shader
using a texture from within StudioTools.
1 In the Grip Control Window, click the Special Effects

tab.
2 Click the Map button next to the Bump parameter.

426
The Texture Procedures window is opened.
3 In the Surface section, click the Bulge texture. You

will use this texture as the image in the bump
mapping procedure.

427
The Bulge Control Window is opened.
4 Click the Surface Placement tab to open this

section.
The Surface Placement parameters control the

number of times the image is repeated across the
surface.
5 Click the Urepeat field and type 20, then press

Enter. Click the Vrepeat field and type 20, the
press Enter.
6 Look at the Grip swatch in the Multi-lister. The

bulge texture is apparent.
7 Close the Bulge Control Window and the Multi-lister.

428
Rendering the scene
Now you’ll render the scene to see the bumpy grip

texture.


Save SDL button.


429
The grip now has a bumpy surface.

close it.

430
Saving your work


Part 5: Raytracing
So far you have been rendering your scene using a
type of renderer called a raycast renderer. A raycast
rendering requires a lot of tricks to make it look real,
because raycasted images do not produce reflection
or refraction.
There is a second type of renderer called a raytracer.

This type of renderer is much more accurate and can
produce accurate reflections and refractions.
Raytracing is also a process that takes much longer
to compute than a typical raycast render.
In this section, you will learn how to raytrace an

image. First, you will delete the Chrome texture from
the Metal shader. Then, you will raytrace the scene.
Deleting the chrome texture
In the previous tutorial, you applied a chrome

texture to the teakettle surface. The chrome texture is

431
Part 5: Raytracing
assigned to the Metal shader. Now you will delete this
texture.
2 Click the Chrome#2 swatch to make it active.
3 In the Multi-lister, select the Delete Active command

[Delete > Active].
4 Click the OK button to confirm that you want the

chrome to be deleted from the model.
5 Close the Multi-lister.

432
Part 5: Raytracing
Raytracing the scene
1 Select the Render options command (Render >

Render ❐) to open the Rendering Options box.
The Rendering Options box is opened.
2 In the Renderer Type section, click Raytracer.

433
Part 5: Raytracing
3 Click the Save button to save Raytracer as the
Renderer Type.
The Rendering Options box is closed.


Save SDL button.
Rendering a raytraced image takes much longer

than rendering a raycasted image. This is
because raycasting requires much more time to
properly compute all of the reflections in the
scene.

434
Part 5: Raytracing
The sky texture is reflected in the entire scene,

including the teakettle and the tabletop. The
reflection of the grip is visible in the top of the
teakettle, and the reflection of the teakettle is
visible in the tabletop.

435
Part 5: Raytracing
close it.
Adjusting the reflectivity of surfaces
In some cases, you may prefer to limit the amount of

reflection that occurs on a surface. Next you will
change the reflectivity of the teakettle and the color
on the teakettle.

436
Part 5: Raytracing
2 Double-click the Metal shader to open its Control
Window.
3 In the Metal Control Window, change the Reflectivity

value from 0.5 to 1.0. This will make the
teakettle very reflective, similar to a mirror.
5 In the Color Editor, change the color of the metal

surface from grey to red. Then, decrease the
Value setting to 0.25 to create a dark red color.

437
Part 5: Raytracing
7 Click the Tabletop shader to display its

8 In the Reflectivity field change the setting from 0.5

to 0.2. This will reduce the amount of refection
on the tabletop.
9 Close the Tabletop Control Window and the Multi-

lister.
Raytracing the scene again


Save SDL button.

438
Part 5: Raytracing
The teakettle is a reddish color, as opposed to

grey. The reflectivity of the teakettle in the new
render is very high, like a perfect mirror. The
tabletop is not as reflective as it was in the
previous render.
Saving your work


439
Part 5: Raytracing
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have finished the advanced
rendering tutorial.
● improve the quality of a final render by adjusting

variables in the Render Globals window
● create a background environment, specifically a

cloudy sky at noon
● create a solid three-dimensional texture (granite)
● create a two-dimensional bump texture (bulge)
● delete a texture
● raytrace a scene
● adjust the reflectivity of surfaces

440
Conclusion
Tutorial 8: Animating the Mouse
New in This Tutorial:

■ Keyframes (page 442)
Introduction
■ Set Keyframe Option box (page 443)
Welcome to the first Animation tutorial! In this
tutorial you'll animate the computer mouse that was ■ Time Slider (page 447)
modeled in a previous tutorial.
■ Editing animation in the Action Window
(page 456)
■ Tangent Type > Slow seg out (page 452)
■ Adding keyframes to the middle of an

animation (page 453)
■ Tangent Type > Linear seg in (page 458)
■ Moving a keyframe (page 460)
■ Motion path (page 462)
■ Tangent Type > Fast seg in (page 467)

You'll learn how to:
■ Animating the camera (page 471)
● animate objects using keyframes, motion paths,
and turntables
■ Turntable animation (page 475)
● animate cameras and views
■ Deleting animation (page 475)
● edit animations using animation curves.
■ Exploded view animation (page 480)
This tutorial consists of six parts:
● Part 1: Animating a sphere using keyframes
● Part 2: Editing a keyframe animation

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Introduction
● Part 3: Animating along a motion path
● Part 4: Animating the camera
● Part 5: Turntable animation
● Part 6: Creating an exploded view animation
Part 1: Animating a sphere using keyframes

In this section, you'll animate a sphere.

the File Browser.

3 Open the file called 9_mouse_anim.wire,

directory.


Click YES.

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The file is displayed in the Front view.
Setting keyframes
A keyframe represents an object's position at a certain

time. You can animate an object by setting a few
keyframes at certain points. StudioTools can then fill
in the object's motion between each pair of
keyframes.
1 Select the Set Keyframe option box (Animation >

Set keyframe ❐)to open the Set Keyframe Options
box.

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The Set Keyframe Options box is opened.
2 In the Frame section, click Prompt. Then, click the

Save button.
The Set Keyframe Options box closes.

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the sphere to select it.
Tip To select the sphere, click one of its isoparms

(wireframe lines).
4 Select the Move tool (Xform > Move) and hold

down the Ctrl key to turn on magnet xnap
mode.
5 Drag the mouse to 1st point, indicated by a

small cross, to move the sphere there. Then,
release the Ctrl key to turn off magnet snap
mode.

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The sphere is snapped to 1st point.
6 Select the Set Keyframe command (Animation > Set

keyframe) to create a keyframe for the sphere at its
current position.
7 Then type 0 and press Enter to set the point-in-

time for the keyframe to frame zero.
8 With the Move tool still active, turn on magnet

snap mode again.
9 Drag the mouse to 5th point to move the sphere

there, then turn off magnet snap mode.

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The sphere is snapped to 5th point.

keyframe) to create a keyframe for the sphere at
its current position.
11 Type 60 and press Enter to set the point-in-time

for the keyframe to frame sixty.
Playing back the animation
Now you'll play back the animation, by using the

Time Slider.

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1 Select the Tgl time slider command (Animation > Tgl
time slider) to toggle the display of the Time
Slider.
The Time Slider appears. It is located just below

the StudioTools menus and Layer Bar.
At the right end of the Time Slider are icons

similar to those on a tape recorder or
videocassette recorder that let you play, stop,
rewind, or fast forward an animation.
In the center of the Time Slider is the Scrub Bar

containing a series of ruler-marks and numbers
that indicate the individual frames of the
animation.
And at the left end of the Time Slider is a button

that allows you to set the range of frames that are
displayed in the Scrub Bar.
2 Click the Play button in the Time Slider to play

back the animation.

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The sphere does not move until frame zero, at
which point it appears at 1st point and moves
straight across to 5th point at frame 60.
Note The current frame of the animation is

indicated by the gray rectangle moving
along the Scrub Bar, and in the title bar of the
view window.
3 Click the Stop button in the Time Slider, or click

anywhere in the Front view, to stop the
animation.
4 Click the Scrub Bar and drag the mouse back

and forth to interactively play back the
animation.
Saving your work


Current Project.

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directory. Call your file myanim.wire.

page 37.
Part 2: Editing a keyframe animation

In this section, you'll edit the sphere's animation.
Editing the animation curve tangents
First you'll change the sphere's rate of speed at the

beginning of the animation by editing its animation
curve tangents.
1 With the sphere still selected, select the Action

Window command (Animation > Action window) to
open the Action Window.
The Action Window displays the animation of

selected objects using line graphs called
animation curves. Each animation curve
represents one of the object's parameters. An
animated parameter is referred to as a channel.
The horizontal axis represents time and the

vertical axis represents the parameter's value.
Each keyframe is indicated by a small red dot.

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The parameter names are listed along the left
side of the window.
2 Select the Look At command (Views > Look at) in

the Action Window to better view all of the
animation curves.
The complete animation curves are displayed.
3 Click each of the parameter names to select and

highlight its corresponding curve.
You will note that all of the animation curves are

horizontal except for one diagonal line.

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4 Click the first parameter name (X Tra) to select it.
This is the X translation parameter.
The parameter and the diagonal line are

highlighted.
The X Translation line is the only non-horizontal

line because the sphere is animated only in the X-
axis direction. The curve is a straight line because
the sphere moves at a constant rate of speed.
5 Select the Slow Segment Out command

(TangentType > Slow seg out) to change the tangent
of the curve at each keyframe. This changes the
sphere's rate of speed at the beginning of the
animation.
The diagonal line becomes curved, so the sphere

will begin moving very slowly and gradually
increase its speed.

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6 Click the top left corner of the Action Window to
close it.
Now you’ll play back the animation.

back the animation.
The sphere now begins moving very slowly and

gradually increases its speed.
2 Click the Stop button in the Time Slider to stop

the animation.
Adding keyframes
Next you'll add keyframes to the middle of the

animation.

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1 Turn on magnet snap mode, and snap the sphere
to 3rd point.

current position. Then type 30 and press Enter to
set the keyframe to frame 30.
3 Magnet snap the sphere to 2nd point.

current position. Then type 15 and press Enter to
set the keyframe to frame 15.

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5 Magnet snap the sphere to 4th point.
6 Set the keyframe to frame 45.

back the animation.
The sphere now passes smoothly through each

point.

the animation.

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Editing the animation curve
Now you will edit the animation curve in the Action

Window.

There is now a second curve that is not

horizontal. This wavy curve represents the
sphere's translation in the Z-axis direction.
2 In the Action Window, select the Pick Nothing

command (Pick > Nothing) to deselect all curves.

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3 In the Action Window, select the Pick Keyframes
command (Pick > Keyframes).
4 Drag a pick box around all keyframes to select

them.
Selected keyframes are highlighted in yellow.

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5 Select the Linear Segment In command (Tangent
Type > Linear seg in) to change the tangent of each
curve at each keyframe.
The smooth curves are now jagged lines. This

will make the sphere's motion abruptly change at
each point.

close it.

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Play back the animation.
Note that the sphere now passes abruptly through

each point. Its action is no longer smooth.
Moving keyframes on an animation curve
Finally you'll edit the sphere's animation curve by

moving a keyframe.


in the Action Window to deselect all curves.

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3 Select the Pick Keyframes command (Pick >
Keyframes).
4 Click the second keyframe of the Z Translate

curve to select it.
Tip To get a better view of the action curves, you

will have to move the camera in the Action
Window. You can drag the track and dolly
icons in the title bar, or you can use the
camera hotkeys: hold down the Shift and Alt
keys, and drag the middle mouse button to
track, the right mouse button to dolly.
5 Select the Move command (Xform > Move) in the

Action Window
6 Drag the right mouse button up to move the

keyframe value from 1 to 2.

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The second keyframe is at 2.
7 Close the Action Window.
1 Play back the animation.

The sphere now moves high above 2nd point.
Note When the sphere is exactly above 2nd point,

it is at frame 15 in the animation. To see the
sphere at frame 15, type 15 in the current
time field (the first field to the right of the
Scrub Bar), then press Enter.

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Saving your work


directory. Call your file myanim2.wire.
Part 3: Animating along a motion path

In this section, you'll animate a sphere along a
motion path curve.
Animating along a motion path
First you'll animate the sphere along a curve.

mouse button on the Ball layer, and select Visible
from the menu to make the layer invisible.

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2 Make the Motion layer visible.
The Motion layer contains a sphere and a looped

curve.
on the sphere to select it.
4 Select the box beside the Set Motion tool (Anim >
Set motion ❐) to open the Set Motions Option box.
(To display a palette menu, right click on the

palette tab.)

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The Set Motion Options box is opened.
5 Set the Start Frame field to 0 to set the beginning

of the animation to frame 0. Set the End Frame
field to 60 to set the end of the animation to
frame 60. Then, click the Go button.
6 Click the looped curve to animate the sphere

along the curve.

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The sphere moves at a constant speed along the

curve.
Editing the timing curve
Now you'll edit the sphere's animation curve to

adjust its speed.

2 Select the Look At command (Views > Look at) to

better view all animation curves.

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The animation curves are much more complex
Timing curve
than the previous animation. When you animate
an object along a motion path, StudioTools
creates a keyframe at each frame of the
animation. (Remember, a keyframe is indicated
by a red dot.)
There is one diagonal line that has only two

keyframes. This is known as the timing curve,
and it represents the constant speed of the sphere
along the curve.
To edit an animation along a motion path curve,

you usually edit the motion path curve (in the
view window) or the timing curve. You don't
usually edit the animation curves because they
are so complex.

Keyframes).
4 Click the last keyframe of the timing curve to

select it.

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5 Select the Fast Segment In command (Tangent
Type > Fast seg in) to change the tangent of the
timing curve at the selected keyframe.
The diagonal timing line is now curved. This

will make the sphere begin moving very slowly
and gradually increase its speed.

close it.

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The sphere now begins moving very slowly and
gradually increases its speed.
Editing the motion path
Now you'll edit the sphere's motion path curve.

deselect all objects
.
the motion path curve to select it.
3 Select the box beside the Control command

(ObjectDisplay > Control ❐) to open the Object
Display Control window.

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4 Set Scope to Active and make sure that only the
Hulls and CVs options are on, then click Go.
5 Click Exit to close the Object Display Control

window.
The hulls and the CVs of the motion path curve

become visible.


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7 Select the Pick CV tool (Pick > Point Types > CV)
and click one of the motion path curve's CVs to
select it.
right mouse button up to move the CV up.
The CV is moved up and the shape of the motion

path curve is changed.

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The sphere now follows the new shape of the motion

path curve.
Saving your work


Part 4: Animating the camera

In this section, you'll animate the view of the scene
by creating keyframes for the view's camera. You
can also animate a camera using motion paths.

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Perspective view.
2 In the view window title bar, drag the tumble,

dolly and track icons to move the camera so that
you have a better view of the motion path curve
and sphere.
Tip Use the camera hotkeys: hold down the Shift

and Alt keys, and drag the left mouse button
to tumble, the middle mouse button to track,
and the right mouse button to dolly.
3 In the view window title bar, click the large

camera icon to select the view's camera.
A green dot, indicating the camera's pivot point,

appears in the view.

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4 Use the camera icons in the view title bar, or the
camera hotkeys, to adjust the view for the
beginning of the animation, as shown.
5 Create a keyframe for the camera at this

position. Set the keyframe to frame 0.
Note If a dialog box appears, asking if you want

to overwrite keyframes, click NO. Then,
open the Set Keyframes Options box and set
Frame to Prompt. Then click the Save button.
Now repeat step 5 to create a new keyframe.
6 Adjust the view for the middle of the animation,

as shown.

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7 Create a keyframe for the camera at this position.
Set the keyframe to frame 30.
8 Adjust the view for the end of the animation, as

shown.
9 Create a keyframe for the camera at this position.

Set the keyframe to frame 60.
As the sphere moves along the curve, the view

changes.

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Saving your work


Part 5: Turntable animation

In this section, you'll animate a computer mouse
using turntable animation.
Turntable animation is an easy way to make an

object appear as if it were sitting on a rotating
turntable.
Deleting the animation from the camera
Before you can set up a turntable animation, you

must delete the animation from the camera.
1 With the camera still selected, and its pivot point

visible, select the box beside the Delete Channels
command (Delete > Del channels ❐) to open the
Delete Channels Options box.

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2 Set Channel types to Both, Objects to Active,
Parameters to All, and Hierarchy to None, then click
Go to delete all animation from the camera.
3 A dialog box appears, asking if you want to

delete all animation from active objects. Click
Yes.
The view no longer changes during the animation.
Setting up the camera
Now you’re ready to set up the camera for the

turntable animation.

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1 Make the motion layer invisible.
The sphere and motion path become invisible.

Only the pivot point of the camera is visible in
the scene.
2 Make the camera layer visible.
A wireframe model of a computer mouse and

mouse pad becomes visible.

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on the mouse to pick the mouse and the mouse
pad.
5 Select the box beside the Turntable command

(Animation > Turntable ❐) to open the Turntable
Options box.

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6 Set Direction to Negative and Frames/Rev to 60,
then click Go.
The model rotates about the Z-axis as if it were

on a turntable.

the animation.
Saving your work



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Part 6: Creating an exploded view animation
In this section, you'll animate each of the mouse's
components to create an exploded view assembly
animation.
You'll animate the mouse so it first appears

unassembled, then being assembled, and finally fully
assembled. Since the mouse is currently assembled, it
will be easiest to first set a keyframe for the final
position of the mouse components.
Setting the final keyframe
First you'll create keyframes for the end of the

animation.
1 Make the camera layer invisible.

The mouse and mouse pad become invisible.
2 Make the final layer visible.

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A new model of a computer mouse appears.
3 Click the Play button in the Time Slider to make

sure nothing is animated.

the play back.
5 Select the Pick Object tool (Pick > Object) and drag
a pick box around the mouse to select all of its
components.

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keyframe) to create a keyframe for each mouse
component at its current position. Set the
keyframe for frame 150.
7 In the Time Slider, click the Start/End button

(located at the left end of the Time Slider).
Select Min/Max from the menu.
The Scrub Bar’s range is changed from 0 to 100 to

0 to 150.
Setting the initial keyframe
Now you will set the initial keyframe for the

animation.
1 Get a close-up view of the mouse buttons.

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on a mouse button to select all three mouse
buttons. (The mouse buttons are grouped
together as node #70.)
4 Dolly out from the scene, as shown.

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5 Move the mouse buttons well above the model,
using the right mouse button.
The mouse buttons have been moved above the

model.
6 Deselect all objects.

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7 Pick the top surface of the mouse, then drag the
right mouse button up to move the top surface
well above the rest of the model but just below
the mouse buttons. (The top surfaces are
grouped together as node #76.)
9 Move the mouse cord well above the rest of the

model but just below the top surface.
Tip Look in the Right view to confirm the

location of the cord.

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11 Drag the left mouse button to move the circuit
board well beyond the side of the mouse.
13 Select all of the mouse component objects.
14 Create a keyframe for the mouse components at

this position. Set the keyframe to frame 0.

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As the mouse components come together, they

intersect each other. The circuit board should be in
its final position in the base of the mouse well before
the rest of the components come together.
Saving your work


Editing the circuit board animation curves
Now you'll edit the animation curve for the circuit

board so it doesn't intersect other surfaces during
the animation.

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2 Pick the circuit board.
3 Open the Action Window.
4 Select the Look At command (Views > Look at) to

better view all the animation curves.
The animation curves appear.

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5 Click the X Tra parameter to select it and
highlight its animation curve.
The X translation animation curve is

highlighted.
6 Get a close-up view of the right end of the

highlighted animation curve.
Tip Use the camera hotkeys: hold down the

Shift and Alt keys, and drag the middle
mouse button to track, the right mouse
button to dolly.

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Keyframes) in the Action Window.
9 Click the last keyframe to select it.

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The last keyframe is highlighted.
Note Make sure that you do not also select the last
keyframe of the horizontal blue curve!
10 Adjust the view to better see the entire curve.
11 Select the Move command (Xform > Move) in the

Action Window.
12 Type 100 and press Enter to move the keyframe

to frame 100.

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The keyframe moves to frame 100.

The circuit board reaches its final position at
frame 100.
2 Play back the animation in the Front view.
The circuit board passes through the base of the

mouse.

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3 Stop the animation.
Setting a new keyframe
Now you will set a new keyframe, so that the circuit

board does not intersect the base of the mouse.
1 Go to frame 20, where the circuit board is just

about to intersect the base of the mouse. (To go
to frame 20: drag the time bar in the Scrub Bar to
frame 20, or type 20 in the current frame field.)
right mouse button to move the circuit board
above the base of the mouse.

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The circuit board is above the base of the mouse.
3 Create a keyframe for the circuit board at its

current position. Set the keyframe to frame 60.
The circuit board now rises above the base of the

mouse. Don’t worry if the cord, top surface and
buttons now intersect the circuit board: you will edit
their animation curves later.
Note The circuit board overshoots its final position

slightly. By default, keyframes are smoothly
blended together which can sometimes
produce this effect.

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Editing the animation curve
1 With the circuit board selected, open the Action

Window.
2 Select the Look At command (Views > Look at) in

the Action Window to better view all animation
curves.
Some animation curves have small dips or

valleys in them next to a keyframe. The dip just
before the last keyframe is causing the circuit
board to overshoot its final position.

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4 Select the Pick Curves command (Pick > Curves) in

the Action Window and drag a pick box around all
animation curves to select them.
All animation curves are selected.

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5 Select the Linear Segment In command
(TangentType > Linear seg in) in the Action Window
to change the tangents of the animation curves
at each keyframe.
The tangent curves at each keyframe were

curved, now they are straight.
The circuit board no longer overshoots its final

position.

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Saving your work


Reviewing the sphere animation
Now you’ll review the sphere animation to see how

it looks with the mouse animation.
1 Make the motion layer visible.
2 Adjust the view to better see the entire scene.
The sphere travels along the motion path curve,

but it arrives at its final position too early, at
frame sixty (60).

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Editing the sphere animation
Now you’ll edit the sphere animation.
1 Pick the sphere only.
2 In the Action Window, get a good view of the

animation curves.
Tip Use the Look At command (Views > Look At).
3 Pick the last keyframe of the timing curve.

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4 Move the keyframe from frame sixty to frame
one hundred.
Tip Use the Move command (Xform > Move).
The sphere now arrives at its final position at frame

one hundred (100), but it now intersects the top
mouse components.

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Saving your work


Editing the top components' animation
Next you'll edit the animation curves of the mouse's

top components so they don't intersect the sphere.
1 Click on the Scrub Bar and drag the time bar to

about frame 95, towards the end of the
animation.

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3 Scrub back to approximately frame 20 and pick
the buttons, cord, and top surface.
4 In the Action Window, get a good view of all

animation curves.
5 Pick all of the keyframes at frame 0.

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6 Move the selected keyframes to frame 80.
The top components no longer intersect the sphere,

but the mouse buttons descend too quickly and
slightly intersect the top surface.

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Editing the buttons’ animation
1 Pick the mouse buttons only.
2 In the Action Window, get a good look at all

animation curves.
3 Deselect all curves, then pick all of the keyframes

at frame 150.

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4 Move the selected keyframes from frame 150 to
frame 180.
Play back the animation in the Perspective view.
The buttons descend slowly and lag behind the

descent of the top surface. The buttons do not
intersect with the top surface.

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Saving your work


Animating the camera
Finally you'll animate the camera view.
1 Deselect all objects, then, in the Perspective view

window title bar, click the large camera icon to
select the view's camera.
The camera's green pivot appears in the view.

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2 Adjust the view for the beginning of the
animation, just to the right of the motion path
curve.
3 Create a keyframe for the camera at its current

4 Adjust the view for the middle of the animation,

in this case a three-quarter side view of the front
of the mouse, about 120 degrees to the right of
the previous view.


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6 Adjust the view for the end of the animation, in
this case a three-quarter side view of the back of
the mouse (about 120 degrees to the right of the
previous view).

8 Play back the animation. The camera revolves

around the model as it is assembled.
Setting the shaded mode options
Now you’re ready to view the animation in shaded

mode.
1 Open the Toggle Shade Option box.

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2 Set Tessellator Quality to High to increase the
quality of the shading. Then, click the Shade On
button to turn on shaded mode.
The model is displayed in shaded mode.
Tip If you want to adjust your view, first turn off

shaded mode, then move the camera using
the hotkeys or the icons in the view title bar.
(The camera moves very slowly when you
are in shaded mode.)


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Saving your work


Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed this tutorial.
● set keyframes
● use the time slider to play back animation
● edit animation in the Action Window
● add keyframes to the middle of an animation
● move keyframes
● set a motionpath
● animate a camera
● create a turntable animation
● delete animation
● create an exploded view animation

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Conclusion
Appendix: Working with Image Planes
Overview
Image planes are two-dimensional images that you
can import into Studio to use as guides for building
three-dimensional models.
Most models built in Studio are based on three

different views of the model: the right view, the front
view, and the top view.
In this appendix, you will learn how to import

image planes into your scene, and how to move the
image planes so that they are the most useful for
modeling.
Importing Image Planes
If you have sketches of two or three different views

of a model, you can import them into Studio as
separate image planes. Then, you can use the image
planes as guides for building the three-dimensional
model.
We have created four image planes for you to import

into Studio (the right, front, and top views, as well as
the perspective view).
Be sure to import the correct image plane into each

view by making the appropriate view active before
you import its image plane.

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Overview
Importing an image plane into the Right view
Follow the steps below to import an image plane into

the Right view.
1 From the File menu, select New. This opens a new

file for your work.
2 Make sure that all four views are displayed, in

the Studio layout. (To set the views to the Studio
layout, choose Layouts > All windows > All (Studio).

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Overview
3 Click the Right view to make it active.
Note When a view is active, it is outlined with a

white line. There can be only one active
view at a time.
4 From the File menu, choose Import > Image plane.
5 Find the CourseWare project.
6 Choose Set Current from the Project menu to set

the CourseWare project as the current project.
7 In the pix directory, open the Tutorial2

directory, and double-click the file called
Teakettle_Right.tif.

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Overview
Note If you are running Studio in a UNIX
environment, double-click the icon to the left
of the file called Teakettle_Right.tif.
The image plane is loaded into the Right view.
Tip If you load the wrong image plane into a

view window, you can delete it. From the
Delete menu, choose Del image planes. (Be
aware that this will delete all of the image
planes!) Then, import the correct image
plane into the view window.
Importing image planes into the other views
Using the previous procedure as a guide, you can

import the remaining image planes of the teakettle.
1 Import the image plane

Teakettle_Front.tif into the Front view.
Tip To delete one image plane only, choose

Pick > Object Types > Image Plane. Click to
select the image plane you want to delete,
then choose Delete > Del Active.

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Overview
2 Import the image plane Teakettle_Top.tif
into the Top view.
3 Import the image plane

Teakettle_Persp.tif into the Perspective
view.
Now each view contains an image plane of the

teakettle.

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Overview
Moving Image Planes
You will move the image planes to the best locations

on the grid for creating the curves and surfaces of the
teakettle.
Note When you move one image plane, you will

have to move at least one other image plane
to maintain the correct orientation to
common axes.
Moving the image plane in the Right view
1 From the tool palette, choose Pick > Object Types >
Image plane.
Note If you are running Studio in an NT

environment, select Pick > Object Types >
Image plane ❐ and turn off Pick Current Image
Layer. Then click Go.

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Overview
The image plane icon is displayed in the Pick
palette.
2 Click the image plane in the Right view. The

image plane becomes active, and the green pivot
point becomes visible.
3 Choose Xform > Move.
4 In the Right view, drag the image plane until the

base of the teakettle is on the Y axis (the
horizontal axis).
Remember, to constrain movement to the

vertical direction, use the right mouse button.
Note You cannot use grid snap to move image

planes on the grid.

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Overview
Moving the image plane in the Front view
1 In the Front view, move the base of the teakettle

up to the y axis (the horizontal axis) so that it
corresponds to the Right view.
2 Use the middle mouse button to center the knob on

the Z axis (the vertical axis).
Center the knob on the Z axis.

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Overview
Moving the image plane in the Top view
In the Top view, use the right mouse button to center

the kettle handle on the X axis (the horizontal axis),
so that it corresponds to the Front view.
Tip To synchronize the alignment of the image

planes to common axes, choose DisplayTgls >
Window toggles > Window sync. This action
moves the camera in each view so that the
cameras are synchronized and the image
planes are correctly aligned to common Center the handle on the X axis.
axes.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You now know how to:
● import image planes
● customize image planes

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Conclusion
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Conclusion
Learning StudioTools Glossary
Glossary
Absolute mode
See Addressing mode.
Action
An action is a mapping of time versus values (animation).
Active window
A StudioTools modeling window. Actions are performed based on the active window. Clicking on
a window makes it active.
Adaptive subdivision
See Subdivision.
Addressing mode
The way the Alias system handles the co-ordinates you enter when moving, scaling, or rotating
objects.
In absolute mode, moves occur with respect to the location (0,0,0) in world space, and rotations
occur with respect to the object’s original orientation to the world space X, Y and Z axes, and
scaling occurs with respect to the object’s original size.
In relative mode, moves and rotations occur with respect to the object’s current position and
rotation with respect to the X, Y and Z axes, and scaling occurs with respect to the object’s current
size.
Algorithm
A rule or procedure for solving a mathematical problem that frequently involves the repetition of
an operation.
Alias
A name used for the Alias|Wavefront software system for modeling, animation, painting and
rendering, with connections to peripheral input and output devices. Also the name of the main
menu level in that system.

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Glossary
Alias pix
See Pix.
Alpha Value
The level of transparency of an object. 1=opaque, 0=transparent.
Anamorphic
A type of unsymmetrical lens. In the Camera Editor for SurfaceStudio, you can select Film Back
values to mimic the squeeze ratio of an anamorphic lens
Anchor
An anchor is a bone acting as the root node for any bones beneath the anchor. See Inverse
kinematics (IK).
Anim sweep
A type of surface created by the movements of an animated curve through time. Studio takes a
series of “snapshots” of the curve, which you can connect for a skinned surface; or you can use the
snapshots as “generation” curves for other surface commands such as Extrude, Swept, or Birail.
See the Swept Surfaces > Anim sweep command.
Animation
The process of creating and recording images that change over time. Though often interpreted as
implying only two-dimensional image changes, it can be applied to any model or scene changes in
three dimensions as well.
Animation parameter
An attribute of an item that can be animated. For example, X, Y, and Z Translation, Rotation, and
Scale.
Animation SDL
A file format used to store animation information. It is a text file format similar to SDL, but
includes hierarchy and animation information.
Anti-aliasing
A group of methods for avoiding unwanted visual effects due to limited display resolution. These
effects include staircasing along diagonal lines, moiré effects in checkerboards, and temporal
aliasing (strobing) in animated scenes.
ASCII
American Standard for Computer Information Interchange. Alphanumeric text interchange
format readable by a number of machines and programs.

522
Glossary
Aspect ratio
The ratio of width to height of a rectangular area, such as a window, viewport, pixel, or CRT.
Attributes
Qualities or characteristics that affect the visual representation of surfaces, for example: color,
reflectivity, transparency, and texture(s).
Autofly
The action of animating the camera view of a scene along a path to simulate passage through a
scene.
Axis, Axes
An axis is a straight line indicating the origin and direction. By using two axes, a plane is
determined: for example, the XY plane is defined by placing the x and y axes so they intersect at
the 0 point (origin). Three dimensions are determined by using three axes: X, Y, and Z.
Azimuth
The horizontal angle from a reference point. In StudioTools, a horizontal angle from the camera’s
current orientation.
B-spline
A particularly smooth class of approximating splines. B-splines are fully approximating: such a
curve generally passes through its control points only if several of them lie on the same straight
line. See also NURBS.
Backdrop
An image brought in to one or more modeling windows. Backdrops are not rendered. They are
used for reference purposes when constructing models and scenes.
Background
An image, color, color ramp, or environment rendered behind all objects in a scene.
Bake
The creation of animation curves with keyframes at regularly specified intervals.
Bi-cubic
Describes a surface that is defined by a cubic equation in both dimensions.
Bi-linear
Describes a surface that is defined by a linear equation in both dimensions.

523
Glossary
Bi-quadratic
Describes a surface that is defined by a quadratic equation in both dimensions.
Birail
A type of surface created by moving one or more “generation” curves along two path curves, or
“rails.” The new surface is the surface described by the generation curves. See the Swept Surfaces >
Birail command.
Bit mapping
A technique for creating a graphics display by describing it in terms of pixels.
Bitpad
A two-dimensional input device, consisting of a sensing surface (pad) and a pointing device (pen,
mouse, or puck).
Blend curve
A normal NURBS curve created with construction history by blend curve tools.
Blinn shading
A method of computing the shading of three-dimensional surfaces, developed by James Blinn. It is
used mostly for metallic surfaces. It has four characteristics: Diffusion, Specularity, Eccentricity and
Refractive Index. See also Lambert shading and Phong shading.
Bone
The connection between each joint (rotation pivot point) in the skeleton. Bones are used to build
skeletons for inverse kinematics animation.
Boolean Tools
Tools that work on shells. They allow you to combine, remove, or keep only the intersections of
shell volumes. See Surface Edit > Shells (See also NURBS).
Bounding Box
In a modeling window, a box that encloses an object and its CVs.
Branch node
Among DAG nodes, branch nodes have two or more nodes below them. For more information, see
DAG node. Also called a group node.
Buffer
A memory area in which information is stored for later retrieval.

524
Glossary
Bulge Definition
A file format that defines muscle bulges on the geometry around skeleton bones.
Bump mapping
A rendering technique that simulates bumpiness. It achieves this result by using the surface
normals of a bumpy surface in place of the true values of the surface in a rendering.
Cache
Temporary storage for frequently used data.
CAD/CAM
Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing.
CAI
CATIA/neutral format. File names are of the form *.cai.
CAID
Computer Aided Industrial Design. The method of designing electrical and mechanical devices,
components, and systems using computer systems. CAID typically makes extensive use of
computer graphics.
Camera
A position from which a scene is viewed. A camera is described by a combination of its position,
viewing direction, rotation, and field of view.
Camera depth
A file that contains depth information corresponding to the image created from a camera. It is
used for post-render 3D compositing.
CATIA Direct Connect

A stand-alone utility that allows the exchange of 3D model data between Alias and CATIA using
the CATIA/Alias neutral format CAI.
Caustic
A bright spot formed when light refracts through a transparent object or reflects off a curved
surface in such a way that it is focused into a small area. Monte Carlo path tracing can correctly
compute images containing caustics, as part of global illumination.
Chain
A number of bones between an anchor and an end-effector. A chain can be part of a DAG node
hierarchy or an entire hierarchy.

525
Glossary
Channel
A set of data that describes what values its animation parameter should assume at different frame
times.
Checkpoint
A checkpoint is an interim, saved copy of your work. If necessary, you can reload the checkpoint
and abandon work done since it was saved.
Chord-length parameterization
See Parameterization.
ClayMate
An AutoStudio tool used to incorporate digitized data back into a 3D wireframe model.
Clipping
Removing the parts of the graphic image that are outside defined boundaries.
Cluster
A group of CVs and DAG nodes that can be transformed and manipulated together. A cluster has
no geometry of its own, but refers to other geometry. You specify the members of the cluster and
can name it.
Color map
An image applied to a shader that varies the color information across the surface.
Color value
The relative lightness or darkness of a color.
Comb plot
A graphical tool that evaluates the quality of a curve, and of the surface resulting from it. The tool
projects a series of lines perpendicular to the curve in the direction the curve is bending. The
length of each line represents the curvature of the curve at the point intersected by the line.
Component
Part of an object, such as one face of a cube. A component is easily identified by examining the
SBD (Scene Block Diagram). Any node beneath the top node (object level) and above the bottom
node (control vertex level) represents a component of the object.
Composite
An image formed by combining two or more images.

526
Glossary
Configuration
The settings in the user interface that determine things such as the coordinate system and what
hardware (scanners, plotters, video systems) you can use.
Confirmation box
A popup window that appears when a choice must be made or an error or other condition must
be acknowledged. The window contains an explanatory message and one or more selections.
Console window
A command-line window provided by your operating system; for example, an MS-DOS window
in Windows NT or a shell window in UNIX.
Contiguous
Being in contact with. For example, a surface is contiguous with another surface when it shares an
edge.
Continuity
The measure of how well two curves or surfaces “flow” into each other. Finding undesired
discontinuities is one of the main reasons for using curve or surface evaluation tools. Alias
provides specific curve continuity and surface continuity functions, as well as tools to create
continuity relationships between objects.
Control hull
See Hull.
Control vertex (CV)

A point that controls the shape of a curve or surface (see Spline). A CV has a world-space position
(its position in terms of the X, Y, Z coordinate system) and a parametric position (its location on its
surface, defined in terms of U,V coordinates). As you plot CVs to construct curves, each CV has
an initial weight factor of 1. When all CVs have the same weight factor, the curve is said to be non-
rational. When CVs on a curve have different weight factors, the curve is said to be rational.
Changing the weight factor of a CV modifies the curve segment that is controlled by that CV. As
the weight factor is increased, the affected CV exerts a greater pulling effect on the curve.
Coordinate system
A method of describing the placement of a point in some space. In computer graphics, there are
several coordinate systems, each one holding the values for the picture at some stage of the
graphics process. See also World space.
Cursor
An arrow or other shape showing the current location of the pointing device.

527
Glossary
Curve
A connected sequence of straight or curved lines.
Curve-on-surface
A type of curve that exists directly in the parameter space of an existing surface. A curve-on-
surface is typically used in trimming operations or as a boundary curve for surface construction
that will match the curvature of the surface on which the curve was constructed.
CV
See Control vertex (CV).
DAG node
DAG stands for “directed acyclic graph.” “Acyclic” means that the DAG nodes can not form loops
- the hierarchy goes from the top down and never from a lower level to a level higher up. A DAG
node is represented in the Scene Block Diagram (SBD) by a rectangle. DAG nodes at different
levels of the hierarchy represent groups, sub-groups or components, objects, surfaces, and control
vertices. Imagine that a hierarchy is an upside-down tree: leaf nodes are located at the ends of
branches. The root node is the node from which all branches originate.
Data files
User-generated and user-saved files from painting, modeling, rendering, animation, filming, and
printing.
Default
The initial setting of a menu, pop-up, or function. You get this setting when you first start using
the system.
Degree
A measure of the complexity of a curve or surface. Degree 1 is linear; degree 2 is quadratic; degree
3 is cubic.
Depth map
A function that creates a file that defines the Z depth of each pixel. The depth file is used to create
texture maps, and is valid under IRIX, Solaris, and Windows NT.
Diffusion
A measure of the diffuse component of the light reflected from the surface of an object. The diffuse
component carries the color of the surface; the specular component appears as highlights.

528
Glossary
Displacement map
A texture map that distorts the surface by moving the surface down or up along the surface’s
vertex normals. Low values move the surface down; high values move it up. The visual effect of a
displacement map is similar to that of a bump map. A bump map simulates bumpiness, while a
displacement map actually creates bumpiness on a surface. Displacement maps are more
compute intensive than bump maps, but they achieve more realistic results. See Bump mapping.
Dolly
To move the camera forward (dolly in) or backward (dolly out).
Drag
To click on an object, and while the mouse button is held down, to move the cursor to another
location.
DXF (Drawing Exchange File)

A file format developed by Autodesk, Inc. for the exchange of geometric and drawing
information between microCAD systems.
Eccentricity
A way of describing and controlling the size of highlights on an object when using the Blinn
shading model.
Edit point
A point that controls the shape of a curve or surface and is placed directly on the spline.
Elevation
(1) An angle that something is above the horizon.
In the Perspective window using Tumble, if you type a positive value for elevation angle, the
camera turns downwards, so objects appear to move up. In the Perspective window using Local
Camera Move, for Azimuth/Elevation a positive number moves the camera up under the scene. (2)
In drafting, it means a view from the side.
End-effector
Typically, the last bone in a skeleton chain; you can use any bone as the end-effector. See Inverse
kinematics (IK).
Environment map
A texture map that, applied to a surface, provides a reflective appearance without raytracing.

529
Glossary
Euler rotation
A global rotation rotates objects by incrementing their Euler rotation angles. This means that the
rotation is done in order: first Z, then Y, then X. Thus the rotational axes for Y and X depend on the
rotations that were done before.
EvalViewer
A purchasable option for UNIX platforms that examines surface quality.
Extrude
To make a three-dimensional surface or shape by sweeping a curve or face through space. The
extrusion will have the curve or face as its cross-section. Extrude is sometimes known as “sweep,”
although another surfacing option exists called Sweep which is more powerful.
Face
A type of specialized surface defined by a closed curve. The surface may have holes in it. Faces,
being lightweight and planar, render very quickly. However, a face’s surface is never explicitly
represented; the only way to change the shape of a face is by modifying its boundary curves. This
means that most surface modification tools will not work on faces. However, they work with most
curve editing tools. Unless you are trying to reduce file size and rendering time, you will want to
use other types of surfaces instead.
Fast Render
A real-time rendering tool capable of handling Alias models, multiple light sources, texturing, and
reflection mapping. As this tool was designed to take advantage of SGI’s Reality Engine board set,
we suggest that you use this hardware for maximum performance.
FBD
Frame Buffer Device (video term).
FDM
Fused Definition Modeling. A manufacturing technique.
File
Information stored on disk under a name. A file can contain information about a scene, textures,
animation, or text.
Filter
An algorithm for converting data, for example from IGES to wire file format. Also, in non-
technical uses, anything that chooses some items while rejecting others.

530
Glossary
Font
Type characters (letters, numbers, and symbols) belonging to a specific type face in a given
weight, style and size.
Fractals
A class of shapes that exist in fractal or non-integer dimensions, created by fractal geometry,
which applies recursive subdivision to a basic form while introducing a random factor at each
subdivision.
Frame buffer
Memory used for storing an image for viewing.
Frustum
The camera frustum (or frustrum) is a truncated pyramid that encloses the volume of space
visible from the camera. The truncated pyramid is defined by three rectangles: the first (closest to
the eye point) represents the near clipping plane; the second represents the plane at the focal
distance from the eye point; and the third represents the camera’s far clipping plane.
Gamma correction
A process of adjusting the relative light intensities in a display device (video or film) to achieve
correct apparent brightness or colors.
Geometric data
In solid modeling theory, describes the basic shape of an object. In StudioTools, it is represented
by NURBS.
Gradient
See Ramp.
Group
When an object is part of a group, it retains its own transformations (position, rotation and scale)
and can also be affected by any transformations made to the group.
Hermite
A type of spline curve that passes through the control points and has the specified slope at each
control point. Hermite curves are used in animation for specifying parameter curve actions.
Hidden surfaces
Surfaces that are obscured from view in the current rendering of the object.

531
Glossary
Hierarchy
1. A graphics database that defines the parts of an object in relationship to each other, so that the
movement of one part is dependent upon the movement of another part. For DAG nodes, CVs and
cameras, hierarchy refers to the hierarchy represented in the SBD window. See also DAG node.
2. For shaders, textures, and lights, hierarchy refers to the implicit hierarchy in the Multi-lister. See
the Rendering book.
High degree
Curves or surfaces that are higher than degree 3 in either parametric direction. Such objects may
exist as a result of data transfer from other systems. See the introduction to Advanced Modeling.
HSL
Hue, Saturation, and Luminance are the three components of the HSL color model. Hue describes
the color (red, yellow, etc.), saturation describes the amount of white mixed in (red vs. pink), and
luminance describes the overall brightness of the color.
HSV
Hue, Saturation, and Value are the three components of the HSV color model. Similar to HSL, but
Value describes the lightness or darkness of a color.
Hue
One component of color. Hue describes the tone of the color (red, yellow, blue, etc.). See HSL and
HSV.
Hull
A network of lines that join the control vertices of a curve or surface. The hull shows the
relationship between neighboring CVs. The hull is tangent to the endpoints of the curve. With B-
splines, the hull of a closed curve is larger than, and surrounds, the curve.
IGES
Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. A file format for transferring graphics data between
CAD/CAM systems.
Image plane
A two-dimensional image that can be added to a model. It always directly faces the computer
screen.
Image resolution
The number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions.

532
Glossary
In-betweening
Computerized interpolation between key frames of an animation sequence.
Inflection line
A curve on a surface that lies between saddle- shaped regions and the rest of the surface. Saddle
shaped regions, or ogees, occur near a pucker in a surface, and these regions often represent flaws
in the shape of the surface.
Inflection point
A point on a curve where curvature changes from concave to convex or vice versa.
Information line
Gray rectangle beneath the buttons on the menu bar. Information, prompts, and warnings are
provided here. Also called the status line.
Inverse kinematics (IK)

In inverse kinematics (IK), you describe the target location of an end-effector bone, and the
inverse kinematics algorithm determines how each joint must be rotated for the end-effector to
reach the target. Inverse kinematics is ideal for working with complex hierarchical objects.
Typically, a hierarchy of limbs or parts of a figure is assembled by moving them into relative
positions and grouping them in a hierarchy. This is usually known as an “articulated figure.”
IRIS
Integrated Raster Imaging System. The name of a workstation family on which Alias software
runs.
Isoparametric curve (isoparm)

1. A line of constant U or V value on a surface. 2. A line of constant parameter at an edit point
Joint
The rotation pivot point at the top end of a bone node, with three axes of rotation. See Inverse
kinematics (IK).
Keyframe
In animation, the state (size, location, etc.) of an item at a point in time is specified by a keyframe.
Intermediate frames are created by the system.

533
Glossary
Keypoint curve
A type of curve that, unlike other curves, retains information on relationships and constraints (for
example, radius, sweep angle and center point). You can use this information for geometric
accuracy and ease of editing. Examples of keypoint curves include straight lines, arcs, circles, and
ellipses.
Knot spacing
Lambert shading
A method of shading developed by J.H. Lambert. It is used mostly for matte surfaces, such as
chalk or latex paint. The Lambert model has only one characteristic, Diffusion. See also Blinn
shading and Phong shading.
Layer
An association or a collection of objects completely independent of any group hierarchy in your
model. Each stage has a different set of layers.
Leaf node
Among DAG nodes, leaf nodes have no nodes below them. For more information, see DAG node.
Light
A source of illumination in the three-dimensional model. A light can be assigned an intensity,
color, position, etc.
Light, ambient
A lighting model that produces a constant illumination on all surfaces, regardless of their
orientations. The StudioTools system also provides an ambient shade value to give depth to
objects.
Light, area
A lighting model that produces a sheet of illumination with parallel rays traveling along the
normal to the surface, like a rectangular light box.
Light, directional
Light from a point light source located at infinity in the user’s world coordinates. The rays from
the source are parallel and the direction of light is the same for all objects, regardless of their
position. A directional light is similar to the sun.
Light, linear
A lighting model that produces lines of illumination, like fluorescent lighting tubes.

534
Glossary
Light, point
A lighting model that produces a small source of illumination that radiates equally in all
directions.
Light, positional
Light from a point light source that is relatively close to the viewing area. Rays from this type of
light source are not parallel, and the position of the object with respect to the light source affects
the angle at which light strikes the object.
Light, spot
A lighting model that produces illumination radiating in a cone from the light source.
Lightgroup
A group of nodes representing a light in the SBD window.
Local Axis
Default origin or local axis intersects a pivot point.
LOM
Laminated object manufacturing. A manufacturing technique.
Lossy compression
A compression method that omits less significant data in order to reduce the space taken by the
data.
Magnet snap
See Snap.
Mask
A mask overlay is used to partially or completely prevent painting over an area of the image. The
mask can be edited, like the image. A mask can be used to selectively restrict file input operations.
Matte
A matte is like a mask, but it defines the areas of an image to which file input operations are to
occur. The file format for matte files describes the matte area by scanline. It is valid under IRIX,
Solaris, and Windows NT.
Menu bar
A horizontal set of menus located at the top of the workspace window, containing such functions
as File, Edit, Display, and Help.

535
Glossary
Metaball
A GEO object type that is not supported in Alias. Metaballs are ignored or converted to polysets.
MetaCycle Window
The MetaCycle window is used to break up an animation into component sequences that each
describe a discrete movement. For example a metacycle character might have a walk cycle, a run
cycle, a kick move, and a punch move defined for a fighting game. See also Snippets, and
Transitions.
Model guides
Orthographic drawings that are set up as image planes to guide the building of models.
Modeling coordinates
A coordinate system used in computer graphics that is used to represent an object in terms you
define. For example, a car might be defined in terms of millimeters. Also known as world
coordinates.
Modeling window
An orthographic view or perspective view window where you can see the appearance of a model;
not the SBD window.
Monochrome
An image with a single hue. All variation in the image is based on value or luminosity. Typically, a
monochrome image has gray values only.
Motion path
A three-dimensional curve that defines the x, y, z position of an item during an animation.
Mouse
Hand-held input device used for pointing on screen, which might be used with a mouse pad.
Mouse pad
The small rectangular surface upon which a mouse rests.
Multi-knot
A condition where a curve contains multiple edit points that are coalesced together. Multi-knots
are usually the result of curve or surface editing operations that require a sharp turn in a curve.
They are generally undesirable, as they will cause some tools (such as Birail) to fail, and many
CAD packages will not accept models containing them. See also Multiplicity.

536
Glossary
Multiplicity
A condition where a curve contains multiple CVs at the same location in space. CVs with
multiplicity are generally undesirable, as they will cause some tools (such as Birail) to fail. See
also Multi-knot.
N direction
Normal (at right angles) to a curve or surface.
Non-rational
Curves or surfaces that do not have a weight associated with control vertices, or where the weight
for each CV is 1. This geometry is simpler than rational geometry and is faster to display and
render, but is not sophisticated enough to represent cones, spheres and other conic objects
without some small variation in shape from the true object. Compare with Rational.
Normal
An imaginary line perpendicular to a point on a surface. Surface normals are used to calculate
surface shading. See also Continuity.
NURBS
NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) are a special type of B-spline that can have weighted
control points. NURBS create smooth curves that the Alias system can read from many CAD/
CAM systems, and vice versa. See also Non-rational.
Object
Primitives, text, lights, patches, or other items, especially when situated at the top level of the
Scene Block Diagram. See also Component.
Object space location

Location in object space (with reference to the object’s local axes).
Ogee
A saddle shaped regions, that occurs occur near a pucker in a surface. See Inflection line.
Option Box
A window containing choices that may be made for an executable action.
Original curve
Curve that is to be modified or used to construct a surface. Option boxes frequently have a Keep
Originals option to retain the original curves once the surface has been built.

537
Glossary
Orthographic window
A parallel projection from one side (top, front or right views, or side or back views), such that a
depth cannot be perceived.
Paint
Microsoft Paint or some other third party package for editing bitmapped graphics.
Palette
A matrix of colors in the DesignPaint and StudioTools programs.
Parabola
A curve consisting of all points that lie at the same distance from some fixed line and a fixed point.
Parameter
1. A physical property whose value determines a characteristic or behavior of something. 2. (a) An
arbitrary constant whose value characterizes a member of a system (as a family of curves); (b) an
independent variable used to express the coordinates of a variable point and functions of them.
For example, a CV has a parametric surface value. On a curve, this value is expressed in terms of
“U”; on a surface, it is expressed in terms of “U” and “V”.
Parameter curve
A curve that maps the value of an animation parameter (for example, the scale, rotation, or
translation) versus time.
Parameter window
A window containing choices that may be made for parameters that affect an executable action.
For example, the default shader is a blue Lambert shader. By opening the parameter window,
different parameters that affect the shader (such as the shading model, transparency, and color)
may be changed interactively.
Parameterization
The method of assigning numbers to every point on a curve. Edit points are given values first (the
label of a given edit point is its knot value), and then other points are given values based on their
position on the curve relative to the edit points. The difference between the knot values at adjacent
edit points is the knot spacing.
There are two methods of parameterization. Uniform parameterization distributes knot values at
equal separations (1, 2, 3, and so on), regardless of where they lie in space. The difference in values
between two points on a curve is not related to their true distance from each other.
Chord-length parameterization distributes knot values evenly so that the knot spacing is
proportional to the straight-line distance between edit points.

538
Glossary
Parameterize
To perform parameterization on a curve.
Parametric equation
Any of a set of equations that express the coordinates of the points of a curve as functions of one
parameter or that express the coordinates of the points of a surface as functions of two
parameters. For example, B-splines, NURBS. See also Parameterization.
Parametric surface
A surface in 3D defined by three parametric equations of two parameters each. See also
Parametric equation.
Parametric texture mapping

An algorithm for “wrapping” a two-dimensional pattern or texture around the surface of a three-
dimensional object so that the pattern curves and distorts realistically.
Particle file format

A file format that defines every particle in the system by position, color, number of cycles, and
sometimes size.
Patch
As a noun, a rectangular portion of a parametric surface. As a verb, to create the 3D free-form
surface.
Patch precision
The number of curves displayed per patch. These curves create a “wire frame” that is
representative of the underlying surface. This wire frame helps to show the shape of that surface.
Path (animation)
The trail along which an object is animated.
Pathname
The location of a file in the computer or network file system (on disk). Pathnames begin with a
drive designation, such as “C:\” in Windows or “/” in UNIX, to signify the base or root of the file
system.
Perspective window
A non-orthographic modeling window that provides a three dimensional view of the scene.
Objects close to the eye appear larger; objects further from the eye appear smaller.

539
Glossary
Phong shading
A method of shading the surfaces of three-dimensional objects developed by Phong Biu-Tuong. It
is used for shiny surfaces such as glass or glossy plastic. The Phong model uses three
characteristics, Diffusion, Specularity, and Shinyness, to create a smoothly curving surface with light-
reflecting highlights. See also Blinn shading and Lambert shading.
Pick
To choose a component or object with the mouse, making it active.
Pick box
A rectangle drawn from the mouse cursor from the point where the mouse button is pressed to its
diagonally opposite corner where the mouse button is released after a drag operation. Everything
encompassed or partially encompassed by this box has its current active status reversed. The type
of entity chosen depends on the selected Pick type.
Pick mask
Enables you to select which kinds of components can be picked. The pick mask is a series of small
buttons. It is equivalent to the Pick Component Options box.
Pick walk
The timesaving action of picking one object after another using the Shift or Ctrl keys and the arrow
keys.
Pitch
To plunge or rise: to rotate about a horizontal axis that is at right angles to the direction of travel. It
is relative to the current position.
In the Perspective window using Local Camera Move, for Yaw/Pitch you define the eye position,
view point position (what the camera is looking at), and up vector end point.
Pix
The file format of a 2D picture file produced by Alias RayCasting, RayTracing or QuickRender.
The file format encodes RGB information.
Pixel
A blending of the words “picture element”. A discrete unit of picture information, the smallest
unit of raster graphics. The smallest element of a display surface that can be independently
assigned a color.
Point clouds
Each point in a cloud of points is the measured position of a sampled point of the shape
represented by the cloud. These clouds are used as a way of scanning three dimensional models.

540
Glossary
Polygon
A portion of some plane in space bounded by straight lines.Triangles, rectangles, and pentagons
are all polygons. A polygonal surface comprises multiple polygons that share bounding straight
lines. The shared lines are called “edges” and the polygons themselves are called “faces”. For
example, a cube is a polygonal surface with six faces and twelve edges.
Polyset
A set of polygons, usually triangles, making up a polygonal surface.
Polyset vertex
A corner of a polygon.
Pop-up menu
A menu that appears above a button a mouse button click. An item on a pop-up menu can be
chosen by dragging the mouse over the menu.
Primitive
One of the basic geometric building blocks of object modeling (sphere, cube, cone, etc.) built into
the Alias system.
Procedural texture
A texture created by a computer procedure with a set of parameters, instead of a 2D pix file. The
Alias system provides both 2D and 3D procedural textures.
Quadrilateral (Quad)
A 4-sided polygon. In Alias, a quadrilateral is made up of four normals, vertices, and parametric
coordinates. See also Polygon.
QuickRender
A limited quality, high speed method of adding surfaces and lights to objects, usually for testing
their appearance before rendering.
QuickShade
A high speed hardware rendering of surfaces and lights that permits the user to rotate, scale,
and/or translate objects in near real time.
QuickWire
A limited-quality, high-speed display for wireframe objects. It is useful for displaying unchanging
objects in a crowded scene while you are working on other objects.

541
Glossary
Ramp
A range of values that increases from one value to the next. Usually used to describe color and
monochrome ramps, where the color or gray value linearly or logarithmically changes from one
given color or gray value to the other across the extent of the image.
Rational
Curves or surfaces whose control vertices have different weight values (greater than or less than
1). CVs with lesser weight influence the surface or curve less. The weight must be above zero. This
geometry is more sophisticated than non-rational geometry, but it may create multi-knots and is
slower to display and render. Compare with Non-rational.
RayCasting
A technique for rendering scenes in computer graphics. The casting of non-bouncing rays from the
eye to the object.
RayTracing
A method for tracing the path of light rays from their source to the viewer's eye as they reflect
from and/or pass through the objects (like water or glass) that make up a scene.
Reference surface
An Alias surface that is not be modified but that is to be considered for both position and
continuity constraints when modifying another Alias surface with ClayMate.
Reflectivity
In computer graphics, a surface characteristic used to determine color intensity in lighting models,
which therefore helps determine how the surface looks.
Refraction
The bending of light when passing through a transparent or translucent object.
Refractive index
The degree to which light bends when passing through a transparent or translucent object. For
reference, the refractive index of a vacuum is 0.0, and of water is 1.0.
Relative mode
See Addressing mode.
Rendering
The process of creating finished output from a software scene description. The process of
producing images or pictures. Rendering techniques such as shading, light sourcing, or depth
cueing are sometimes used to make the image look realistic.

542
Glossary
Reparameterize
To reassign a surface’s U and V parameterization, or to recalculate the placement of edit points on
a surface.
RGB
Red, green, and blue. Three additive color components used to create any color by mixing.
Roll
To tilt from side to side: to rotate about a horizontal axis that is along the direction of travel. It is
relative to the current position.
In the Perspective window using Local Camera Move, you can define the eye position, view point
position (what the camera is looking at), and up vector end point.
Root
In UNIX systems, the base of the system. The system administrator account or the level of file
storage that is not in any directory.
Root node
Among DAG nodes, root nodes are the base from which all other nodes spring. For more
information, see DAG node.
Rotate
A transformation turning an object around an axis.
Rotoscoping
Using live footage in the background, to which you can match Alias models.
Saturation
The amount of white mixed in a color (for example, red is more saturated than pink). See HSL and
HSV.
SBD
See Scene block diagram (SBD).
Scaling
The changing of the size of an object, without changing its location or orientation.

543
Glossary
Scene
A collection of objects, either in wireframe form or rendered Scene Description Language
(SDL). Used to control all coloring and lighting attributes of all rendered scenes and animations.
.
SDL files are generated by the renderer and can be hand-edited for greater control of the final
rendered images.
Scene block diagram (SBD)

A diagram depicting the hierarchical structure used to represent the objects and the grouping of
sub-objects in modeling. The SBD window displays the structure of a scene. Items can be picked in
the SBD window, just as they can in the geometric windows.
Scene description language (SDL)

A format for ASCII text files to specify all the information necessary to render a scene, including
models, shaders, lights, and animation. SDL files are generated automatically by the StudioTools
program, but can be edited manually.
Screen resolution
The maximum number of displayable pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions. Also the
number of pixels per inch.
Scroll
To move through a file vertically or horizontally with the use of either scroll bars or arrows. Scroll
bars move through a file quickly; arrows move through the file in small increments.
SDL
See Scene description language (SDL).
Select
In a menu, to highlight. In a model, to pick.
Set
A selection of objects that are grouped together, but do not have a hierarchy. Sets can be exclusive
sets, meaning that their members can not belong to any other sets, or multi-sets, whose members
can belong to other sets.
SGC
Solid ground curing. A manufacturing technique.

544
Glossary
Shader
An entity containing parameters that affect the appearance of a given surface, including the
shading model, transparency, color, refractive index, and any texture maps. Each shader can be
assigned to one or more surfaces, and can be stored in a library independent of wire files.
Shading
The difference in color across a surface due to different surface characteristics and lighting.
Shading model
The algorithm used to create the intensity and color of the visible portions of a scene. The shading
model usually incorporates the surface normal information, the surface reflectance attributes, and
the lighting model.
Shadow
An area that is totally or partially obscured from light by an object. In computer graphics,
RayTracing and RayCasting are two illumination models that can create shadows.
Skeleton
A hierarchical group of bones and joints. See Inverse kinematics (IK).
Sketch
A StudioTools tool for Windows NT used to interactively create freeform curves by dragging the
mouse.
Skin
A surface created to span a number of cross-sectional curves.
Skinning
To create a surface that fits across a number of cross-sectional curves.
SI
Solid imaging. An STL file is “sliced” and the slices are used to create models.
SLA
Stereolithography is a solid imaging technology. (Compare STL.)
Slider
A control in StudioTools for adjusting a value.

545
Glossary
SLS
Selective laser sintering. A manufacturing technique.
Smooth
A StudioTools tool used to smooth a curve, surface, or section of a curve or surface. The result of
the smooth operation is a curve or surface with a more continuous curvature distribution.
Smooth shading
The process of smoothing the polygonal edges of a model to make it appear realistically three-
dimensional. See also Blinn shading, Phong shading, and Lambert shading.
Snap
The ability to position a point or object in exactly the same location as another point or object, to
guarantee continuity. You can snap to CVs and edit points (by holding down the Ctrl key—also
called magnet snap), grid lines (by holding down the Alt key—also called grid snap), or curves (by
holding down both the Ctrl and Alt keys).
Snippets
In the MetaCycle window, snippets represent a single basic movement or cycle that a character
may perform, such as a walk cycle. A snippet is specified by a character's range of frames in a
specified stage.
Solaris(TM) software environment

An operating system developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Solid texture
A procedural texture that, when applied to a three-dimensional surface or group of surfaces, gives
the appearance of an object that has been carved from a block of a substance. Unlike parametric
textures, solid textures have no edges, but provide a continuous-looking appearance.
Specular reflection
The type of reflection that happens when light hits a shiny surface. It causes highlights on the
object.
Specular rolloff
Controls the effect where some surfaces are more reflective at oblique angles. Rolloff values
around 0.700 will create a “wet” look on a surface. Specular rolloff is only applicable to Blinn
shading. Also affects reflected rays in reflection maps.

546
Glossary
Spline
A curved line, made up of polynomial segments and defined by control vertices (CVs). Includes
polylines, cardinal splines, B-splines, and non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). See also
Branch node.
STA
Stereolithography Apparatus
Stage
Objects, lights, and environment saved together as a wire file for retrieval into a scene.
Stage set
Editable text files that refer to the complete collection of all the individual components of a
complex model or scene, including all wirefiles that make up the model and the states in which
they were saved.
STC
Stereolithography Contour is a 2D description of a 3D surface.
STL
A file format used in Stereolithography (a solid imaging technology). This 3D Systems file format
provides a tessellated description of a NURBS surface. (Compare SLA.)
StudioTools
The name of the Alias|Wavefront software system for modeling, animation, painting and
rendering, with connections to peripheral input and output devices. Also the name of the main
menu level in that system.
Subdivision
The division of a surface into tessellated polygons.
Adaptive subdivision is based on the curvature of the surface and divides it into the minimum
number of polygons to produce that curve.
Uniform subdivision divides each patch of the surface into a fixed number of polygons, which are
specified in the U and V directions. The rectangular polygons of initial subdivision are divided
into triangles to create the tessellation.
Approximate total subdivision divides the surface into a number of polygons close to the specified
total.

547
Glossary
Surface
A 2D parametric shape that defines the boundary or skin of an object in three dimensions. The
shape may be flat or warped. Examples of surfaces are patches and faces. See also Parametric
surface.
Surface normal
See Normal or Vertex normal.
Sweep
To create a surface by moving one or more “generation curves” along a “path curve.” The new
surface is the surface described by the generation curves.
Swept surface
In general, any surface created by a Swept Surfaces command, namely Extrude, Swept, Birail, or
Anim Sweep. In particular, a surface created by Swept Surfaces > Swept.
Tablet
Part of an input device, consisting of a mouse or puck and a digitizing tablet.
Tangent
A tangent vector is used to determine the slope of a curve or a surface at a given point. See also
Continuity.
Template
An object can be made into a template for use as a background drawing or modeling reference (the
way a grid is used). The template remains visible, but cannot be picked as an object (it is
protected). A template can also be turned back into an object.
Tessellated
Polygonized, usually with triangles but occasionally with quadrilaterals. Said of a surface (to
convert a NURBS surface to its approximation in polygons). See also Subdivision.
Timing curve
The timing curve graphs the percentage of the total length of the motion path traveled versus time.
It is used to position the in-between frames along the path. Each object in an animation that has a
motion path also has a timing curve.
Toggle
A mode or a button that turns on or off. Each selection of the mode or button causes the action to
be switched.

548
Glossary
Tolerance
The allowable variation in any measurable property, such as fitting, continuity, and curve-on-
surface/trim used in Studio.
Topological data
In solid modeling theory, data that describes how the geometric components of an object are
connected. Loops, edges, and vertices contain the topological relationships between the surfaces
that form the model. Surfaces are called faces and each face comprises loops, edges, and vertices.
Edges connect two loops from adjacent surfaces.
Transform
To rotate, scale, and/or translate a graphical object.
Transitions
Procedurally defined blends that link snippets together. Transitions can be specified in the
MetaCycle window. See Animating in Alias for more information.
Translation
The changing of position of an object without changing its shape, size, or orientation. All points in
a translated object undergo a linear displacement.
Transparency
The amount that light travels through a surface. Complete transparency allows all light through;
no transparency makes the surface completely opaque.
Transparency map
A parametric texture map that varies the transparency and transparent color across a surface.
Trimmed surface
A surface that has been cut by a line, curve-on-surface, or another surface using Trim.
Tumble
To revolve the camera by varying the azimuth and elevation angles in the perspective window.
Turntable
An animation-related function that lets you animate an object or group of objects in a circular
fashion, as though they were revolving on a turntable. Turntable can be used with any of the Alias
rendering packages.

549
Glossary
Twist
In Local Move Camera, rotates the perspective view as though you were tilting your head. A
positive number tilts the view to the right.
U direction
See UV.
Uniform parameterization
Uniform subdivision
See Subdivision.
Units
The default units in which measurements are shown and specified. Linear units include feet,
meters, and so on. Angular units include degrees or radians. You can specify major and minor
units and sub-units, such as miles, feet, and inches or degrees, minutes, and seconds.
UNIX
(Trademark of AT&T/Bell Laboratories.) A platform under which StudioTools runs,
encompassing both IRIX and the Solaris software environment.
Untrim
Untrimming restores the trimmed surface and turns the trim boundaries back into curves-on-
surface, displayed below the surface node.
UV
A grid system for identifying points on a surface. The U, ‘parametric dimension’, represents a grid
line in one direction (that of the original curve) and the V represents a grid line in another
direction (across the surface from the original curve). (Thus they correspond roughly to width and
length.) In the Texture Placement window, the surface’s U and V are mapped to the window’s S
and T dimensions. The UV value of any point on a surface is determined by the U and V values of
the grid lines that intersect at that point. Assignment of the grid lines in one direction is closely
related to curve parameterization.
V direction
See UV.
Value
Lightness or darkness of a color: one component of the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color model.
See HSV.

550
Glossary
VDA(FS)
VDA Surface Interface is a standard file format designed by European auto manufacturers for the
exchange of geometric information between CAD systems.
Vertex normal
The vector coming from the vertex of a polygon; often an average of the normals from all
adjoining surfaces. Vertex normals are used in calculating surface shading. Compare to Surface
Normal.
Vertex
A point in a network of lines that terminates or serves as a connection for another line (the plural
of vertex is vertices).
VRML
Virtual Reality Modeling Language
Weight
A spline curve lies in the region of its control points. For non-rational surfaces, control points are
equally weighted; that is, they have equal influence on the shape of the curve.
For rational surfaces, you can increase or decrease the weight of a particular control point. By
increasing its weight, a control point has more influence on the shape of the curve, usually
drawing the curve closer to it. Conversely, decreasing its weight reduces its influence, often
allowing the curve to move away from the control point. See also Rational and Non-rational.
Windows NT
(Trademark of Microsoft Corporation.) One of the operating systems under which the StudioTools
runs.
Wireframe
An image made up of the edges of objects, and drawn as lines. It resembles a model made of wire.
Objects are displayed as wireframes in the modeler. A method of model construction that
produces objects defined by a network of straight lines, characteristic of vector-based systems.
The drawing of a model by tracing features such as edges or contour lines without attempting to
remove invisible or hidden parts or to fill surfaces.
World
The entire collection of objects which exist as wireframes in the current working environment.
World space location

Location in world space (with respect to the “world’s” axes).

551
Glossary
World space
A coordinate system used in computer graphics that is used to represent an object in terms you
define. For example, a car might be defined in terms of millimeters. Also known as “modeling
coordinates.”
World space texture mapping

A method of mapping textures onto an object’s surface to minimize distortion to the texture.
Multiple surfaces may be connected to form a continuous surface. World space texture mapping
only works on surfaces that will unfold to a flat surface (that is, surfaces that are topologically
equivalent to a sheet of paper).
Xform
Transform. The transformation of control vertices, curves, or objects by moving, scaling or
rotating.
Yaw
To turn left or right: to rotate horizontally about a vertical axis. It is relative to the current position.
In the Perspective window using Local Camera Move, for Yaw/Pitch you can define the eye
position, view point position (what the camera is looking at), and up vector end point.
Zoom
To increase the length of a camera lens, magnifying an aspect of a scene. Note that the results of
zoom and dolly are quite different. Dolly physically moves the camera closer to the point of
interest without changing the length of the lens; perspective distortions peculiar to the lens length
may result at the edges of the scene. Zoom increases the size of the point of interest by increasing
the lens length; depth is not as well perceived as with a shorter lens.

552
Glossary

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Alias|Wavefront, 210 King Street East, Toronto, Canada M5A 1J7

About the Learning StudioTools Tutorials 1

For More Information 2

Tutorial 1: Modeling a Chair 5

Introducing the StudioTools Interface 7

Part 1: Creating the chair leg 16

Part 2: Creating the second chair leg 47

Part 3: Creating the armrest and support beams 51

Part 4: Creating the lateral support beams 70

Part 5: Creating the seat and back 76

Tutorial 2: Modeling a Teakettle 87

Part 2: Creating the kettle bottom 102

Part 3: Assigning objects to layers 105

Part 4: Creating the handle 108

Part 5: Creating the grip 117

Part 6: Creating the spout 139

Part 7: Creating the knob 147

Tutorial 3: Modeling the Mouse 157

Part 1: Creating the side surface 158

Part 2: Creating the top surface 177

Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the surfaces 188

Part 4: Rounding the edges 195

Part 5: Creating the housings for the buttons 203

Part 6: Creating the buttons 221

Tutorial 4: Modeling a Shower Gel Bottle 227

Part 1: Creating the primary surfaces 228

Part 2: Creating the transition surface 240

Part 3: Intersecting and trimming the revolved surface 256

Part 4: Creating the bottom surface 264

Part 5: Completing the bottle 270

Tutorial 5: Modeling a TV Remote 287

Part 1: Creating the side curves 288

Part 2: Creating the side surfaces 299

Part 4: Creating the button holes 325

Part 5: Creating the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 332

Tutorial 6: Rendering the teakettle 343

Part 1: Creating and editing lights 344

Part 2: Creating and editing shaders 365

Part 3: Rendering the scene 382

Part 4: Creating shadows 389

Tutorial 7: Advanced Rendering 395

Part 1: Editing the Render Globals parameters 396

Part 2: Creating a background environment 404

Part 3: Creating a 3D solid texture 414

Part 4: Creating a 2D bump texture 421

Part 5: Raytracing 431

Tutorial 8: Animating the Mouse 441

Part 1: Animating a sphere using keyframes 442

Part 2: Editing a keyframe animation 450

Part 3: Animating along a motion path 462

Part 5: Turntable animation 475

Part 6: Creating an exploded view animation 480

Appendix: Working with Image Planes 511

Learning StudioTools Glossary 521

StudioTools offers a complete solution for the

About the Learning StudioTools Tutorials

The first five tutorials in this book introduce

The sixth and seventh tutorials introduce rendering

The last tutorial introduces animation tools and