Presenter 3D Tutorials

Path Extrude Tool Use
The Path Extrude tutorial demonstrates the use of the Path Extrude tool for creating free-form 3D objets from 2D shapes that are swept along a spline path.

Path Extrude
Path Extrude takes a 2D shape and extrudes it along a spline path.

Before starting Path Extrude go to the Groups Palette and hide all the visible objects.

Go to the color swatch and select a color for your 2D shape.

Select the Oval Tool and draw a circle in the Front Window. You can also use any 2D shape for this operation.

Delete the extra 4 vertices from the oval.

Make sure that you can see the oval in the Top window. Place the cursor in the middle of the oval in the Front window and press the Spacebar key down once. This locks it on the Y and X axes.

Using the Bezier Tool, start at the oval and draw a curved line in the Top view (Illustration 26).

Illustration 26 - Drawing a path

NOTE: Notice that the curved line which will be the path that the circle is extruded along was automatically placed in the middle of the circle. This is due to the fact that you locked the Y and X axes using the Spacebar.

In the Groups Palette, select the oval by clicking on its name - Ellipse.

Select the Path Extrude Tool.

In the Top view, while pressing the Option key down, click on the path (curved line). You should now see a set of double lines delineating the direction of the path extrude.
NOTE: The Path Extrude Info Palette lets you move the position of the path extrude or change its width and height (Illustration 27).

Illustration 27 - The Path Extrude Info Palette

If you click the Tweek It button in the Path Extrude Info Palette you will get another info palette that allows you to path extrude one section at a time and twist the extrude at different points (Illustration 28).

Illustration 28 - Tweeking the Path Extrude

When you are ready, then click the Path Extrude button.
NOTE: Your extruded shape should look like a bent pipe (Illustration 29).

Illustration 29- Path Extrude result