Mesh concepts ============= Until now, we've been manipulating entire objects (like the cube). We've been in **Object Mode**. To make changes inside the object itself, we need to enter **Edit Mode**. The cube is an example of a **mesh object**. A mesh is made up of individual **vertices**. These are connected by **edges**. Edges can be connected together to create **faces**. To access the vertices, edges, and faces of the mesh and manipulate them, we need to switch to **Edit Mode**. Everything you've learned so far -- changing the view, grabbing, scaling, rotating, selecting, deleting, Space bar, undo -- works the same. ==================== ================================================ Action Description ==================== ================================================ :kbd:`Tab` Toggle between Object Mode and Edit Mode ==================== ================================================ .. admonition:: Exercise: mesh concepts :class: Exercise .. figure:: /images/object-cube.png :width: 250px The cube in Object Mode * With the cube selected, enter Edit Mode (:kbd:`Tab`) .. figure:: /images/edit-cube.png :width: 250px The cube in Edit Mode * Deselect all (:kbd:`A`), then select one vertex .. figure:: /images/edit-cube-vertex.png :width: 250px One vertex selected in Edit Mode * Add an adjacent vertext to the selection, and notice how the **edge** is highlighted. .. figure:: /images/edit-cube-edge.png :width: 250px One edge selected in Edit Mode * Select the other adjacent vertices to select the **face**. .. figure:: /images/edit-cube-face.png :width: 250px One face selected in Edit Mode * Move, scale, and/or rotate the face and/or individual vertices and/or edges. * Switch back to Object Mode, and then scale, rotate, and move the entire cube .. figure:: /images/object-cube-warped.png :width: 250px "Cube" in object mode after playing around with vertices, edges, faces More selection tools -------------------- When working on more complex meshes, we need more powerful selection tools. ==================================== ================================================ Action Description ==================================== ================================================ :kbd:`B` "Bounding box" selection. Drag :kbd:`LMB` to select :kbd:`Z` Toggle between solid and wireframe views :kbd:`C` "Circle" selection. :kbd:`LMB` to select, :kbd:`Enter` or :kbd:`RMB` to confirm. :kbd:`MW` (when in circle selection) Resize the selection circle ==================================== ================================================ .. admonition:: Exercise: selections in solid vs wireframe view :class: Exercise * Switch to Object Mode * Delete the cube * Add a torus .. figure:: /images/add-torus.png :width: 200px New torus * With the torus selected, switch to Edit Mode .. figure:: /images/edit-torus.png :width: 200px Torus in Edit Mode * Deselect all .. figure:: /images/torus-deselect.png :width: 200px All vertices deselected * Switch to front orthographic view (:kbd:`Numpad1`, :kbd:`Numpad5`) .. figure:: /images/torus-front-ortho.png :width: 250px Front ortho view * Using :kbd:`B`, select all vertices .. figure:: /images/torus-front-selected.png :width: 250px Selected vertices with :kbd:`B` * Rotate the view with :kbd:`MMB`. Which vertices were selected? Why? .. figure:: /images/torus-front-selected-rotated.png :width: 250px Rotated view * Switch to wireframe view (:kbd:`Z`) .. figure:: /images/torus-wireframe.png :width: 250px Wireframe mode * Deselect all again * Switch to front view again * Using :kbd:`B`, select all vertices again .. figure:: /images/torus-wireframe-selected.png :width: 250px Front view after using :kbd:`B` to select in wireframe mode. * Rotate view again -- what happened this time? Making and filling holes ------------------------ .. admonition:: Exercise: the effect of deleting a vertex/edge/face :class: exercise * Switch to Edit Mode on the torus * Switch to solid view (:kbd:`Z`) * Select a single vertex and delete it (:kbd:`X`, :menuselection:`--> Vertices`) .. figure:: /images/torus-delete-vertex.png :width: 250px Deleting a single vertex also removes the edges and faces it's part of * Elsewhere on the torus, select a single edge and delete it (:kbd:`X`, :menuselection:`--> Edges`) .. figure:: /images/torus-delete-edge.png :width: 250px Deleting an edge also removes the faces it's part of, but doesn't remove the vertices that make it up. * Elsewhere still, select a face and delete it (:kbd:`X`, :menuselection:`--> Face`) .. figure:: /images/torus-delete-face.png :width: 250px Deleting a face does not affect edges or vertices. The vertices that made up the face have been re-selected to better show the hole Filling in edges and faces -------------------------- In general, it is easier to work with **quads** (faces with 4 edges) than **tris** (3 edges). Blender does support **ngons** (faces with >4 edges), but these can cause issues when exporting for 3D printing. ==================================== ================================================ Action Description ==================================== ================================================ :kbd:`F` (in Edit Mode) "Fill" (create an edge or face) ==================================== ================================================ .. admonition:: Exercise: creating new edges and faces :class: exercise * Patch the smallest hole created above by creating a face (select the 4 vertices, :kbd:`F` to fill) .. figure:: /images/torus-patched-face.png :width: 250px Patched hole created by deleting face * Patch the second-smallest hole from above, but first create an edge in the middle (select 2 vertices, :kbd:`F`), separating the hole into two small quads. .. figure:: /images/torus-patched-edge-1.png :width: 250px Added a new edge * Then create new faces on either side by selecting all 6 vertices and hitting :kbd:`F`. .. figure:: /images/torus-patched-edge-2.png :width: 250px Added new faces .. note:: * Leave the larger hole for now -- we need to learn another technique. Selection extras ---------------- At the bottom of the 3D window are buttons that allow selection of entire edges or faces. Depending on what part of a model or what kinds of tasks you're doing, it may be more convenient to switch to another mode. .. figure:: /images/v-e-f-selection.png From left to right: vertices, edges, faces .. figure:: /images/selection-vertex.png Default vertex selection .. figure:: /images/selection-edge.png Edge selection: :kbd:`RMB` on an edge will select it. .. figure:: /images/selection-face.png Face selection: :kbd:`RMB` in the middle of a face will select it. .. seealso:: See the Blener manual's `introduction to meshes `_ and the `editing meshes `_ for lots more on mesh editing.