Shape
Magic is different from traditional 3D modelers. The following explanation
will help you better understand how Shape Magic models are formed.
- Think of the Side View as a cardboard silhouette. Although there
is no Front View, the same silhouette is used for the Front. So imagine
you have two pieces of cardboard perpendicular to each other (A).
- Think of the Top View as a cookie cutter that will be used to cut
out a thin plate (B). If the model has no top and/or bottom face,
think of the Top View as a second cookie cutter with a smaller diameter
that hollows out the thin plate (C).
- As you move up the cardboard silhouette, the diameter gets larger
and smaller. The cookie cutters get larger and smaller too (B >
C > D).
- As you cut out each plate, you stack them on top of each other.
If the plates are thick, you'd get a coarse stack (E).
- As you stack the plates, special
effects can be added. For example, each plate may be rotated slightly
(twist) or the plates may be tilted (bend and curve).
- Shape Magic uses very thin plates. So you get a smooth model as
the final result (F).
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