Simple Splines

1. Creating Splines

Splines are 2 dimensional objects that can be extruded(pulled straight), lofted(pulled any direction or in any shape) or lathed(spun) into a 3 dimensional shape

Splines are best initially not drawn in the perspective menu. Use either Front, Top, or Left

Click to access the splines menu.

The Circle, Arc, Ngon, Rectangle, Ellipse, Donut, Star, and Helix are easy to use.

Its just like drawing primitives

The Line is a little trickier.

Straight Line: Click and drag. Each time you want to change Direction. Click again. To End the line Right Click

Curvy Line: Click and Drag. When you click the second time, drag the mouse. Click again when you want to place another point. It is a little tricky. Practice a bit.

You can make nice curves though if you use these settings when you are creating the line

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2. Modifying Splines

With a Spline Selected, Clicking on the modify button

You should now see Notice how you can select the vertices in the spline

So you can move the point using the x and y arrows. The Green Bezier curve lets you modify the curve. Try it out.

Once you have the shape that you want its time to extrude the shape.

I'm going to use a simple shape to show you how to extrude

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3. Extruding Splines

Make a simple spline

Here is a star

Click on the Modifier button and choose Extrude. Set the parameters as shown

In the perspective view you shape should now be 3d. The amount determines how much extrusion takes place while the segments can be used if you want to turn the object into an edible mesh.

for fun I am going to put a bend modifier on my star shape

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4. Lofting with splines

Construct the following splines. A line, a rectangle and a circle as shown

We are going to take the rectangle and imagine that we are going to force playdough through it. The line will determine the direction the playdough will be pushed through.

With the line selected click on compound objects and choose loft.

You should see a button that says Get shape

click on the rectangle

WOW

See how the line turns into the shape. It is as if playdough was forced through the rectangle with the path being the line

so why the circle??????

We are going to make the rectangular shape change to circular along the length of the object.

Change the Path Percentage until it says 50. This means that our circular shape will happen 1/2 way through our object.

Now choose Get shape again and click on the circle

I got the above shape. The rectangle changes into a circle.

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The path does not have to be straight.

See here you I have created a curved path and will loft the donut shape

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5.Lathing with Splines

Wood lathing involves spinning a spindle shaped piece of wood to make stairway posts and other circular items.

I am going to attempt to make a Genie Bottle using splines

Using the line tool this is what I'm starting with

Now go to the Modifier menu and choose lathe.

Initially is looks like I have a problem

But if I move the Axis of the lathe by opening the lathe modifier by clicking on the plus sign to reveal this

I then click on Axis

and return to the view and move the axis to the right

I don't know if it looks better but it looks a little more like a Genie Bottle but it’s the best I can do.