Presenter 3D Tutorials

Sweep Tool Use
The Sweep tutorial demonstrates the use of the Sweep tool for creating swept objects like springs, seashells, and spiral staircases.

Sweep
Sweeping is the act of both extruding and lathing a 2D shape at the same time to make a 3D object. It both pushes the shape back in space and rotates it. It is used mainly for creating spring-like objects or sea shells.

Before starting the Sweep, go to the Groups palette and hide all the 2D and 3D objects.

Press Command D to refresh the screen.

Click on the color swatch to select a color.

Your origin lines should be visible in the Front window. If not, then drag new ones into it.

Select the Oval Tool and draw an oval in the Front window to the right and down a little from the Origin lines (Illustration 19).

Illustration 19 - Sweep Step 1

Press Shift S or select the Sweep Tool.
Look at the Sweep Info Palette at the top your screen (Illustration 20).

Illustration 20 - The Sweep Info Palette

Type in the same settings as shown in Illustration 20.
NOTE: Your Front window should now show a similar display as Illustration 21. You should see 3 triangles along a line.

Click on the triangle at the bottom of the line and drag it to the left so that it is on top of the vertical origin line. This triangle determines the width of the sweep.

Now, drag the top triangle up. It is located right above the one that you dragged before and along the axis line. As you drag it up it makes the sweep taller.

The Sweep Info Palette will display higher numbers next to the Y.
The same triangle can also be dragged to the right or left to change the angle of the sweep.
If you drag the third triangle located to the right of the top triangle, you can vary the width of the sweep so that it either expands as it goes up or contracts.

Try dragging the triangle to the right or left of the axis line. Dragging this same triangle in the Top view will increase or decrease the amount of rotations. The triangles and circles around the oval can be dragged to twist the sweep or reduce or enlarge it.

Illustration 21 - Sweep Step 2

When you are finished experimenting, restore the old settings in the Sweep Info Palette as shown in Illustration 20.

Press the Sweep button in the Sweep Info Palette.
NOTE: Illustration 22 shows what the result of sweeping might look like.

If your object does not look like a spring, then press Command Z to undo and select your oval and then the Sweep Tool.
TIP: Experiment with different settings and moving the triangles and circles and then press the Sweep button again. If you use the Sweep Info Palette, you can type higher numbers for Sweep degrees.

Illustration 22 - Sweep result

TIP: In the future before you sweep a 2D shape be sure to eliminate extra vertices. With an oval you only need 4 vertices. You can sweep any kind of 2D shape - triangles, squares, pentagons, etc.