custom polygons (tracing)
 

ive been playing around with this maya 7.0.1 now for hours and i seem to be missing a basic piece of knowledge....


how do i create a polygon by tracing my own shape? All i can find are polygon primitives.

you see I have a drawing of a sword i want to 'trace" AND I CANT FIGURE OUT HOW...

That's a problem that's been bugging me. All I did was make a plane, model the outline.

try using the create polygon tool.:beer:

wow um double post! BUT ARRAN! where is the create polygon tool?

I have 7.0.1 ple, and under create is alot of stuff but nothing that says polygon tool

check under the polygon menu.

i have a bunch of tabs abov thr window. General, Curves, Surfaces, Polygons...ect

under the polygon tab I have:

shere
cube
cylinder
cone
plane
torus
pyramid
pipe
helix
combine
seperate
mirror
smooth
smooth prxy
reduce
split polygon tool
extrude face
extrude edge
extrude vertex
chamber vertex
cut faces
merge vertices
merge edge tool
flip edge
collapse
extract
sculpt greomtry tool
planar mapping
cylindrical mapping
spherical mapping
automatic projection
uv texture editor


THATS ALL I HAVE

I tried them all and none of them are a "CREATE POLYGON TOOL"

Hit f1 to get the help menu up and search for 'Create Polygon Tool', it'll tell you where it is and how to use it too.

no, it's under the menu headings. Select Modeling from the pull down menu set on the left and then select polygons from the menu headings at the top. Create polygon tool is like the first or second choice. If you can't see the menu headings than hit ctrl and spacebar a few times until all of your menus and whatnot are visible. It's definitely there - it's not like your version is missing it.

but yeah, like happymat said: F1!

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

I appreciate it immensely and it has helped me alot!

Now Im trying to use splitpoly, how do I get it to let me pick a spot in open space to make like a curve before i finish on an edge?


when ever I click in the "open" of a polygon, it snaps it to an edge...

maybe i should just start a new topic...

open up the tool options by double clicking on the tool. There you will see an option for snapping to edges which you can turn off.

dude arran you rock! thanks a bunch!

this program is getting easier and esier to use. Only thing I absolutely dont like is the way selection is done, to where there isnt a default. You cant like...hit esc and go back to a bsic pointer selection. You have to manually switch between tools to do anything.

This of course isnt super bad, just..i have to get use to it :)

Next up! Imk tryin to turn my "2d" polygon model into "3d"

I went with extrude face and it made it 3d, but it turned it into....a double sided empty box, with my original plane still in the center.

I know my book tells me how to do it, but Im at lunch at work, and im addicted. I can just look it up when im home.

well there are hotkeys...

q = pointer (select)
w = move
e = rotate
r = scale
t = show manipulator
y = last tool used (like split poly tool, append to poly tool, ep curve tool, etc... whatever you used last besides move, rotate, and scale)

no problem.:beer:

yeah, just learn the short cut keys that neostrider has kindly given you and it will get a lot quicker.

wow, thanks guys that helps a ton!