8

PathDeform Modifier 749
2.
Apply PathDeform.
3. On the Parameters rollout, click Pick Path.
4. Select a spline or NURBS curve.
Deform the object by adjusting the various
controls in the Path Deform panel and by
editing the path object.
Exa mple: To use the PathDefor m modifier to curve
tex t:
1. In the Top viewport, create a circle with a radius
of 100 units.
2. In the Front viewport, create a text shape with
six or seven letters, and a size of 25. (You can
use the default "MA X Text".)
3. Apply an Extrude modifier (page 1–671) to the
textshapeandsetAmountto-5.0.
4. On the main toolbar, set the Reference
Coordinate System to Local.
Looking at the axis tripo d for the extruded text
object, you can see that its Z axis runs from
back to front, relative to world space.
5. Apply a PathDeform object-space modifier to
the text object, click the Pick Path button, and
then select the circle.
A circular g izmo is displayed. The circle
runs through the local Z axis of the text
object. Because of its orientation, its effect is
minimal, but you can see a slight wedge-shaped
deformation from the top view.
6. InthePathDeformAxisgroup,choosetheY
option, and then the X option.
Thecirclegizmorotatestorunthroughthe
specified axes, deform ing t he text object
differentlywitheachchange.
7. Adjust the Percent spinner to view its effect,
and then set it to 0.TrythesamewithStretch,
Rotation, and Twist, and then restore them to
their original values. (Tip: Use the CTRL key
w ith Twist to amplify the effect.)
8. Turn Flip on and off to switch the direction of
the path.
9. In the stack display, choose the Gizmo
sub-object level, and move the gizmo path
around.
The text object is further deformed by its
relative position to the gizmo.
10. In the stack display, turn off sub-object
selectionbyselectingtheoriginalcircleshape.
11. Adju st the circle’s radius.
The deformation of the text object changes
becauseitsgizmoisaninstanceoftheshape
object.
Interf ace
Modifier Stack
Gizmo—At this sub-object level, you can t r ansform
and animate the gizmo like any other object,
altering the effect of the modifier. The PathDeform
gizmo is a representation of the deforming path
object,sotransformingitdetermineswhichpart
of the path affects the modified object.