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834 Chapter 8: Modifiers
3. Use the CrossSection modifier to connect
spline cross-sections, unless you plan on
manually creating the splines that connect the
model’s c ross-sections.
4. Apply the Surface modifier, then adjust the weld
threshold to generate a patch object. Ideally all
spline vertices that will for m a patch surface
are coincident; the Threshold parameter allows
patchcreationevenifverticesarenotquite
coincident.
5. Optionally, add an Edit Patch modifier to edit
the patch surface.
Tip: Make a reference copy of the spline object,
then add the Surface modifier to the copy and
edit the ori ginal. As you edit the orig inal spline
object, patches appear on the reference copy
as splines form three-or four-sided shapes.
This allows you to view a shaded surface as you
model.
You can take this a step fur ther and add a
Mirror modifier to the reference copy. As you
create splines for one side of a head or body, the
reference copy displays an entire model.
Model ing with S urfa ce Tools
There are two primary methods of using the
Surface modifier to create patch models.
• Create splines that represent a model’s cross
sect ions, add the CrossSection modifier to
connect the cross sec tions, and apply the
Surface modifier to create the patch surface.
This approach works for models like the body
of an airplane.
Alternatively, use the
editable spline Cross
Section function
to connect the cross sections,
and then use the
editable patch Spline Surface
tools
to create the surface.
• Create a network of splines manually, and then
apply the Surface modifier or editable patch
Spline Surface tools to create the patch surface.
This approach works for modeling a face or
body of a character.
Modeling Examples
Scooter: Splin es form cross sections of the b ody
One method of using Surface Tools is to create
splines that represent a model’s cross sections,
then the CrossSection and Surface modifiers a re
applied to create the patch surface.