Modeling Blocks (Split Polygon Tool & Manipulating Edges)

Modeling Blocks

This is a continuation of the exercise modeling blocks, in this post I would elaborate upon the split polygon tool and ways to manipulate an object via it's edges.


Split Polygon Tool

I needed to make a smooth edge triangle, so I accomplished this first by duplicating the model block I did earlier on and deleted its bevel node so that it would retain it's shape when it's edges were not yet smoothed. I deleted the bevel node using the channel box as demonstrated in the lab sheet.

Deleting the bevel node from the duplicated block

Now I use the split polygon tool, split polygonal tool is a tool that allows us to draw an edge between 2 different edge, I think it's main purpose is to divide a certain objects into 2 or more sections so that the object can be for further manipulated.


So in this case I click on the 2 edges of the block as shown below to insert in another edge that splits the block into 2 components, before manipulating it later on.

The first point clicked when using the split polygon tool

The second point of the split polygon tool hence making an edge now

Now the model block has an edge separating it hence, however I did go into the side mode to make sure the new edge was perpendicular to the other 2 to ensure that the block model is indeed split into half.


Hence I continued to use the split polygon tool until the all the faces of the block was divided by an edge. 

The model block now totally divided into half by an edge that circles it

So now that I've completed the edges, I now move on to manipulating the object edges to form a triangle which is now possible thanks to the center edge. I first select the 2 other edges and then using the move tool move it to form the triangle.

Selecting the 2 outer edges (highlighted)

Using the move tools, I move the 2 edges to form the triangle

Now that i've formed the triangle I simply select all of it's edges that needs to be smoothed and apply the bevel tool :D

The final product with smoothed edges

Extra notes about split polygon tool

Snapping Tolerance: This controls how close the vertex must be to snapping point (in this case the upper edge) before it snaps to it. Setting this to 100 would constrain the vertices to always be at snapping points (which is to say the vertex sits on the edge in this case)


Number of points: This indicates number of snapping points inside the edges (meaning how many vertex sitting on the edge at the point we snapped it), in this case we only wanted one triangle shape hence only one midpoint was needed, hence we only used one point.


However should we have wanted a jagged shape perhaps like a mountain we would have increase the number of vertex we wanted.


Insert Edge Loop Tool

When I was researching on the split polygon tool on google, I happen to chance about a reference about the insert edge loop tool, basically what it does is insert edges until it surrounds that particular point of the object, this is what we wanted for the triangle, hence I felt this would have been a better solution to the problem as with this method I would not require to go into the different views to ensure that the lines were straight.

Inserting edge loop example