Datasheet
10 Chapter 1: Working in 3D
zoom to ll the view aer the mouse button is released. Finally, you can zoom with the
scroll wheel. is last option is also context sensitive and will zoom toward the cursor
position.
While in the camera view, using the Alt+Ctrl / Option+Control key combo with the right
mouse button adjusts the focal length of the camera and enables you to zoom in and out, as
opposed to actually moving the camera in and out in space.
e real complication comes with rotation. Rotation works based on the combination
of two axes. Consider the way we rotate in two dimensions. With the x and y axes cover-
ing the screen horizontally and vertically, we can rotate along the perpendicular axis (in
this case, z). Because only two axes are present, we can rotate in only one dimension. e
addition of the third axis adds two more possible rotation options, as we now have three
planes to consider (xy, xz, and yz). As if this did not complicate things enough, there is
one more point to consider: the center of rotation. In a 2D layout, we rotate relative to the
center of the document. If we were to rotate only in relation to the origin (center of space),
we would be very limited in our access to the work area.
To move freely in a 3D workspace, we need to rotate our viewport dynamically. So
there are three types of rotation to deal with:
• Around the view focal point
• On a virtual tripod
• Rolling around the axis perpendicular to the perspective
Figure1.7 shows a model from the front. Figure1.8 shows that same object with the
view rotated to show the depth of the model.
Figure1.7
Flat front view
of a model
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