CH13- Nurbs and Metashap

01-Using Nurbs

02-Creating a Lofted Tunnel

03-Meta Shapes

Return to Contents
Nurbs

When you press the 'Shift + A' and select ' Add', you will notice other object types
beside meshes, cameras and lights that can be created. One type of object that can be
created is Surface (NURBS).

Using NURBS

If you look at the Surface menu, you will see a variety of shapes that can be created.
These shapes can be used as they are or converted to meshes so you can work with
verticies. To get you started and give you the idea how this is achieved follow the
procedure outlined below.

Start a new scene in Blender and delete the default cube. Place the
scene in top view ( Num Pad 7). Add a Nurbs Circle (Shift + A
Key – Add – Surface – NURBS Circle). The NURBS Circle will
be displayed in the scene in Object mode.

Tab to Edit mode and you will see the circle surrounded by
manipulation handles which by default are all selected. Deselect
the handles (A Key). Right click on a handle to select it. If you
have the manipulation widget turned on you can use it to move
the handle and deform the circle. Alternatively G Key and drag
the mouse.

Widget

Tab into Object mode to see the deformed circle.

The deformation may be what you want or you

may wish to further refine the shape. You can
do this by converting the NURBS shape
(Surface) in to a Mesh object. With the shape
selected in Object mode press Alt + C and in
the drop down select ' Mesh from Curve/Meta/
Surf/Text'. We are converting 'Surf' (Surface)
into a Mesh. Obviously this same command is
applicable to converting Curve, Meta and Text
into a Mesh object.
Tab to edit mode and you will see the shape now has
verticies applied which you can select and manipulate to
further modify the shape. A Key will deselect the vertice you
have just moved and A Key again will select all verticies.

Vertices selected and Moved

Tab to Object mode then Alt + C

and this time select 'Curve from
Mesh/Text'. This is creating a Mesh
Curve object from the Mesh Object.
Tab back to edit mode and you now
have a Curve Circle object. You
can now use the Geometry values in
the Properties window – Object
data buttons to manipulate the
objects shape or select verticies and move them. Since this is a Curve circle it can be
used as a path in animating.

Single Vertice Selected and

Moved

This is simply showing that by converting from one type of object to another gives
different options for shape manipulation.
Creating a Lofted Tunnel

This process will take several profiles of a NURBS Circle which are all manipulated
to different profiles and connect them together forming a hollow object (Tunnel).
The first thing you need to do is create a NURBS
Circle as previously described. The circle is
entered in the scene in Object mode. Tab into Edit
mode. Select the points and shape the circle a bit.
After shaping go back into Object mode. Change
your view so you are looking down on the circle
(Top view Num Pad 7). Use the “ Shift-D ” keys
to duplicate the circle several times and position
them. Then rotate your view so you can select
each circle. In Edit mode edit the shapes . After
shaping the circles, exit edit mode and select them
all by RMB clicking on them while holding
'Shift'. Join them together, pressing Join in the
Tool Shelf. For the final step press Tab for Edit
Shift select Circles and Join mode then A Key to select all vertices then F
Key.

A l Vertices selected

F Key Creates Lofted Shape

Shape Rotated
Meta Shapes

There are several Meta Shapes you can use in Blender. When Meta Shape get close to
one another they begin to pull and flow together like droplets of liquid. The shapes
can be animated, textured, and reflection and transparency can be applied to create
some stunning effects. Meta shapes are added to a scene like any other object.

Meta Ba l

Meta Tube

Meta Ba l and Meta Tube

In close proximity

Meta Cube

Meta Plane

Meta E lipsoid

Meta Shapes are added to a scene in Object mode. Remember to deselect one shape
before adding another otherwise they will be joined.