B.2 Surface Mode Tool Functions

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The already existing Surface Mode tools are still found listed under the "Surface" category, found at the top of the panel. They now have the added advantage of being able to be combined with any of the other new Surface functions, with improved triangle mesh construction, (which is a natural function of LiveClay). For a complete description of each of these tools, see the "Surface Mode" section of the manual, page 48.

The beta versions of all new LiveClay/specific tools are found under the "LC" category. These are comprised of totally unique tools, as well as tools which can be considered as LiveClay "presets" - in other words, they represent one LiveClay tool, each with different settings for that same tool.

Cutoff: Use this tool to perform boolean subtraction operations using the "E Panel" polygonal and curve-based tools. Very tight, clean edges are possible with this tool.

Decimate: A mesh simplification tool that preserves sharp edges as much as possible. Tsmooth: Similar to the smoothing procedure invoked by using the "Shift" key, but respecting edges.

LiveClay: The original, very smooth and controllable polygonal "on the fly" brush. Add new geometry with the Left Mouse Button, remove by holding down the "Control" key at the same time. The stroke plateaus.

BuildClay: Similar to the LiveClay brush, but respecting the Alpha shape without the plateau effect.

CreaseClay: Similar to Surface "Pinch", but with a flattening effect.

Reduce: Similar to "Decimate" but will round edges and smooth them.

ExtrudeClay: A general brush which adds an "inflation" as the mouse button is held down. Polygons are stretched to achieve this inflation.

SnakeClay: A kind of "hook" brush that stretches polygons into a tapering shape.

TubeClay: Extrudes a tube-like shape toward the active camera plane by means of repeated "rubbing".

SmudgeClay: Similar to the voxel "Smudge" tool. Smears polygons in the direction of the stroke.

InflateClay: Adds local inflation and has a unique ability to add "sphere-like" swellings to a tube or tendril shape (think grapes on a vine).

SwirlClay: Swirls local geometry in a clockwise direction.

Ripple: Adds a wave-like noise to local geometry (think water effects).

FlattenClay: Produces an effect like the repeated flattening of a blacksmith's hammer.

WrinkleClay: Produces an effect like the wrinkling and gathering of fabric.

General Brush: A smooth and fast brush that respects Alpha brush shapes.

Each LiveClay tool has a variety of specific options that are available in the "Tool Options" panel. These options are divided into 3 categories:

Detail: Adjust the refinement level, overall detail and final smoothing to be performed with every stroke.

Procedural Noise: Adjust the depth of the noise, the scale, whether it has hard edges, the type of noise and the overall level of detail with these settings.

Blend Factors: LiveClay based tools have the unique property of allowing the user to determine, beforehand, what happens when strokes interact with each other. Strokes can repel each other, forming a distinct polygonal boundary - or they can merge together like melted wax.

The items found in the "Adust" portion of the Tool palette work just like their voxel counterparts, (with optimizations for LiveClay, polygonal topology).

Objects:

VoxLayer: A very useful tool, especially for medical illustration, but also for making precisely controlled "skins" that follow, exactly, the external contours of any layer - (think cloth and layered mechanical construction).

Merge: Brings precision boolean modeling into the LiveClay polygonal arena - at a greatly reduced price.

The rest of the "Objects" tools behave just like their voxel counterparts - as do the "Commands" tools. See pages 48 to 50 of the manual.