Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
FIG. 3.6
The Cut tool can be used to cut a path across a model.
●
Make sure no faces, edges, or vertices are selected, and select
Modify
>
Cut
from the top menu or press
X
.
You will notice the cursor has changed to a two-tone arrow and, regardless of
the selection mode you were in before, you are now in multi-select mode. This
is the interactive tool we mentioned earlier. It has an entrance (
X
) and an exit
(
Esc
or
Right Click
), and the program will function much dif erently while the
tool is in use.
A common usage of
Cut
is to draw out a path for a new edge, so let's try that.
●
First, select a vertex on one side of the cube. Once selected, the vertex will
turn green, indicating it is the starting point of a cut (Figure 3.6a).
●
Next, move the cursor on an edge opposite to the i rst point (Figure 3.6b).
You will notice you can drag along the edge to place a new vertex. Release
the mouse button to complete the placement of the new vertex.
●
Now click on a face adjacent to the newly created vertex, and again
you will see you can drag the new vertex anywhere within the face
( Figure 3.6c ).
●
Finish the cut by clicking on a vertex at the edge of the selected face
(Figure 3.6d). Press
Enter
to i nalize this cut path and start a new one, or
press
Esc
to exit the tool.
It is important to note that a cut cannot jump across an edge between two
faces, so to make a continuous cut across multiple faces you must use the tool
to cut a new vertex into each edge as you cross it.
As mentioned previously, when vertices, edges, or faces are selected and
Cut
is called, it will behave as a command rather than an interactive tool, with the
following results:
●
With two or more vertices selected, Cut will connect any selected vertices
that share a face, splitting that face with a new edge.
●
With an edge selection, Cut will divide each edge with a new vertex and
split any polygons containing more than one of the selected edges by
connecting the newly created vertices.
●
With a face selection, if a face loop is selected, Cut will divide the face loop.