The polygon editor’s Extrude Tool Group consists of the Extrude Element Tool, the Extrude Normal Tool, and Extrude Inset Tool. Polygons can be extruded to extend existing geometry. Polygons, edges and vertices (sometimes referred to as points) can be extruded. Extrusion can be constrained with the methods listed below.
Rotation for any element (polygon, edge, vertex) is;
1. Free-form, grid relative
2. Perpendicular to grid
3. Along standard axis (X, Y, Z)
4. Along custom axis/Guide
5. Along selection normal
6. Insetting polygons
7. Combining inset operations
1. Free-form, grid relative
2. Perpendicular to grid
3. Along standard axis (X, Y, Z)
4. Along custom axis/Guide
5. Along selection normal
6. Insetting polygons
7. Combining inset operations
Tools are organized into tool groups. Each tool within the group can have its own key, but can also be cycled to to become the active tool via a ‘tool group’ key. By default, the U key cycles the tool group, but also activates the current tool within the group when another tool is currently active. This allows for flexibility in switching tools.
Extrude Element
Tool
Extrude Normal
Tool
Extrude Inset
Tool
Extrude Element Tool
1. Free-form, Active Grid Relative
Any polygon or group of polygons can be extruded. By default, if no constraint modifiers are held (i.e., X, Y, or Z or perpendicular to grid), extrusion will take place free-form but parallel to the active grid.
In the right image, a polygon was extruded free form with no constraints. The extrusion direction is simply governed by the active grid movement (parallel to the active grid).
In the left image the Shift key was held to constrain movement to a 90° angle.
Unconstrained grid relative extrusion.
Grid relative extrusion with Shift key for 45° constraints.
2. Perpendicular to Grid
The Shift+Command(Ctrl) keys constrain the extrusion perpendicular to the active grid.
Z grid active, extrusion is perpendicular to grid
Y grid active, extrusion is perpendicular to grid
3. Along Standard axis
Extrusion can take place along a standard axis without regard to what the active grid is set to. Note that when you hold the modifiers, a guide shows up indicating the direction of movement. To extrude along the:
X axis, hold Shift+X
|
Y axis, hold Shift+C
|
Z axis, hold Shift+Z
|
Y axis, hold Shift+C
|
Z axis, hold Shift+Z
Z axis guide activated, extrusion is along
the Z axis.
the Z axis.
Y axis guide activated, extrusion is along
the Y axis.
the Y axis.
4. Along Custom Guide (Axis)
Once a guide is assigned (in this case to an edge), extrusion takes place along the guide regardless of the active grid.
A guide was assigned to an edge.
The selected face is extruded along the custom guide direction.
Extrude Normal Tool
5. Along Selection Normal
The polygon normal of each selected element is used for the extrusion axis.
By default, extrusions happen as a group, meaning connected polygons remain connected as they are extruded. However, by double clicking the extrusion tool, polygons can be set to extrude as individual, unconnected elements.
Note that the green line which appears is the normal indicator for the point clicked. However each polygon is extruded along its own normal direction.
Selection normal. Extrusion happens along the selected polygon’s normal.
Group selection normal. Extrusion happens along each element’s normal, connected at the edges.
Region Extrude Option. The Region option allows connected polygons to be operated on as a connected unit. If it is disabled, each polygon becomes its own boundary and is extruded individually.
Group Selection. Extrusion happens along each element’s normal, not connected at the edge.
Extrude Inset Tool
6. Insetting Polygons
This function is quite straightforward. It simply creates a new series of polygons ‘inset’ from the original selection boundary. This is one of the more useful modeling functions.
An Inset operation can be done as a group or as individual polygons.
Simply click a polygon or selected set of polygons and move the mouse left to right.
Single polygon inset
Multiple polygon inset with Group option.
Multiple polygon inset with Region Extrude option disabled.
7. Combining Extrude Inset Operations
Two extrude operations can be combined.
1. Selected polygons.
2. Polygons extruded using the Extrude Normal tool.
3. The U key was tapped once to switch to the Extrude Inset tool. The polygons were then inset without creating new geometry.
2. Polygons extruded using the Extrude Normal tool.
3. The U key was tapped once to switch to the Extrude Inset tool. The polygons were then inset without creating new geometry.
Selected polygons
Extrude Normal operation.
Extrude Inset operation
