8
Creating NURBS Models 1081
See also
Creating NU RBS Models (page 1–1081)
Working with NURBS Models (page 1–1081)
Modifying NURBS Models and Creating
Sub-Objects (p age 1–1083)
Sub-Object Selection (p age 1–1086)
CV Sub-Objects and Point Sub-Objects (page
1–1086)
Rigid Surfaces (page 1–1090)
Dependent Sub-Objects (page 1–1088)
Nonrelational NURBS Surfaces (page 1–1118)
Creati ng NU RB S M odels
There are a variety of ways to create NURBS
models. Thisisasummaryofhowyoucreatea
top-level, parent NURBS object:
•Youcancreatea
NURBS curve (page 1–1107)
on the
Shape (page 1–257)
panel of the Create
panel.
•Youcancreatea
NURBS surface (page 1–1102)
on the
Geometry (page 1–149)
panel of the
Create panel. When you use this technique, the
NURBS surface is initially a flat rectangle. You
can alter it using the Modify panel.
• Youcanturna
standard geometry primitive
(page 1–165)
into a NURBS object.
• Youcanturna
torus knot (page 1–184)
into a
NURBS object.
• Youcanturna
prism (page 1–200)
extended
primitive into a NURBS object.
• Youcanturna
spline (page 1–261)
object
(Bezier spline) into a N URBS object.
• Youcanturna
patch grid (page 1–980)
object
(Bezier patch) i nto a NURBS object.
• Youcanturna
loft (page 1–347)
object into a
NURBS object.
To turn objects other than NURBS curves and
surfaces into NURBS objects, use the Modify
panel. Right-click the object’s name in the stack
display (see
Modifier Stack (page 3–802)
)and
choose Con vert To: NURBS.
In viewports, the
quad menu (page 3–741)
also
lets you convert objects to NURBS. Select and
then right-click the object, and in the Transform
(lower-right) quadrant, choose Convert To: >
Convert to NURBS.
• In addition, the modifiers
Extrude (page
1–671)
and
Lathe (page 1–699)
let you choose
NURBS output, which creates a NURBS object.
Working with NURBS Models
When you work with NURBS models, usually you
follow these overall steps:
• Create one NURBS object as the "starter"
object. This can be a surface object, a curve
object, or a converted geometry primitive, as
described in
Creating NURBS Models (page
1–1081)
.
Often modelers like to identify a single, master
surface as the main component of the model.
Converted geometr y primitives are good if you
wantthestartersurfacetobecomethemaster
surface. See
Creating NURBS Surfaces from
Geometric Primitives (page 1–1117)
.Pointand
CVsurfacesaregoodasstartersforrectangular
surfaces.
•OntheModifypanel,youcanedittheoriginal
object, or you can create additional sub-objects .
See
Using the NURBS Toolbox to Create
Sub-Objects (page 1–1085)
.
You might even choose to delete the original,
starter object once you have built a model from
newer sub-objects.