12. Tools panel

There are several drawing tools available:

1. Brush icon is drawing by default: You draw with a pen.

2. Pulverizer icon: A mode of drawing with accumulation.

3. To perform various color operations, choose command:

3.1 A panel of color modifier parameters will show up on top:

3.2 Point the cursor on ''Desaturate''. You will see these operations:

−Desaturate (color reducing). When you press CTRL the opposite action is performed – colorize.

−Saturate (increment of chromatic level). When you press CTRL the opposite action is performed – desaturation

−Darken (color darkening). When you press CTRL the opposite action is performed – lightening.

−Lighten (increment of brightness). When you press CTRL the opposite action is performed –darkening.

− Sharpen (sharpen the color). Use CTRL to smooth.

− Smoothing (soft smoothing). Use CTRL to sharpen the surface.

−Increase hue. Increase hue (use CTRL to decrease hue). The transparency determines the degree of hue change.

−Decrease hue. Decrease hue (use CTRL to increase hue). The transparency determines the degree of hue change.

3.3 Draw on an object using color, then choose the "Darken" command. Draw again on the object in the same place to see how your current color darkens. Try different color operations modes.

3.4 The "Transparency" slider is responsible for degree of color modification while drawing. Use hot keys "О" and "Р".

1. Layer height reduction or increase:

4.1 Choose the operation on layer height (increase or decrease). When drawing, it is only the current layer height that is changed. Press ''CTRL'' to perform a revert operation. As pen shape, so as line and material are taken into account when drawing.

4.2 Additional options:

Here’s a choice of operations with current layer height provided:

−Magnification (The layer height is increased while drawing; hold CTRL to have it decrease).

−Reduction (The layer height is decreased while drawing; hold CTRL to have it increase).

4.3 «Degree of change» slider is responsible for the degree of height change. The maximal value(1) corresponds to height increase or decrease two times.

5. Clone tool:

5.1 Press ''CTRL'' and left mouse-click to mark a source point for copying. Then draw using the left mouse button. You can copy not only with round pen, but also with frame and contours (press ''E'' to check it out).

5.2 Additional options in the ''Clone tool'' menu:

5.3 You can clone not only with standard translation, but also through various other operations:

-Translation (In this mode press ''CTRL'' and left mouse-click to select the source point): Dx - the horizontal shift of source point.

Dy - the vertical shift of source point.

Example:

− Mirroring (Copying with reflection of a plane. Press ''CTRL'' and left mouse-click to select the point for the plane to go through).

Example:

−Inversion (Copying with inversion against the point. Press ''CTRL'' and left mouse-click to mark the center point of inversion): Center X and Center Y - positions of pivot point on screen. Press ''CTRL'' and left mouse-click in corresponding place to change it.

Example:

− Clone sector (Copy a sector rotated at some angle against the pivot point. Press ''CTRL'' and left mouse button mark the rotation center point. This mode can be used to multiply a pattern drawn in one sector all around):

Center X and Center Y are positions of control point on screen. To change its position, press CTRL and left mouse button in corresponding place.

Amount of sectors - amount of sectors when cloning a pattern in a sector.

Counter clockwise – when enabled, the sector will be copied counter-clockwise.

5.4 When symmetry is turned on, the additional ''Symmetrical copy'' option appears in the ''Clone tool'' menu:

It allows you to copy points from one side of the model to another.

Example:

6. Transform/copy tool

6.1 Drag the frame and select an area to be transferred. The frame acquired can be dragged, rotated. Use ''SHIFT'' to preserve proportions. Use ''CTRL'' to drag vertices independently of each other. Press ''ESC'' to cancel the transformation and ''ENTER'' to apply it. This mode is good to use in combination with frame, circle and curves (press ''E'' to open the draw types menu). The border width determines the edge softness when transforming. By disabling channels (depth, diffuse, specular) you can transform the remaining channels only. In the transform mode the surface area gets erased from its old place and copied onto the new one. In order to simply copy without deleting,do not tick the "Erase old position" option:

6.2 Other options:

Depth modulator. Additional depth modulator for transformed area.

Opacity modulator. Additional opacity for transformed area.

Specular modulator. Additional specular modulator for transformed area.

Store. Store transform parameters and image to InstallDir\UserData\StoreData\Rects\

Restore. Restore transform parameters.

Export. Export to PSD – file.

Import. Import from PSD – file.

Edit. Edit image with external editor that should support PSD - files. By default it is Adobe Photoshop.

7. Copy/Paste mode:

When calling this command, an advanced menu will pop up:

− Copy/Paste. You can copy parts of surface to clipboard using "CTRL''+''C" and then paste them using ''CTRL''+''V''. If the cursor is not pointing on an object, it will be pasted to the same place it was copied from. Images in clipboard can be edited in another graphics editor, then put back to clipboard and pasted onto the object surface. If the color channel is open for editing, the color texture is placed to clipboard; if it is disabled, then the depth texture will be placed into clipboard; in case the depth is disabled for editing, then specular texture will be placed there. Hence, you can copy and edit in a different graphics editor any of the channels depth, specular or diffuse. If you press "CTRL"+"SHIFT"+"C" a new pen is made from a surface part and gets added to the pen list. When you press "CTRL"+"SHIFT"+"V" the mirror-reflected part is pasted. Bear in mind that copying and pasting are pen-turn sensible. Copying and pasting objects with the help of hot keys is not limited to Copy/Paste tool, but is possible in any other mode.

− Store into a file. Save the clipboard image into a file

− Restore from a file. Loads the clipboard image from a file

Using these functions you can create a library of stamps. Load a plane or a cube, for example, draw a button or a rivet, then save to a file. As relief, so as color and specular will be saved too.

8. Draw with spline:

8.1 You will see additional menu "Curve parameters" pop up:

8.1.1 Parameters of curve

-Curve profile

Uniform – the curve with no linear modulation.

Sharp - the curve sharp on edges.

Obtuse (flatten) - the curve flattened on edges.

Arrow – one kind shape of arrow.

Arrow back –one kind shape of arrow.

Doulble arrow –one kind shape of arrow.

Arrow(mod) –one kind shape of arrow.

Back arrow(mod) –one kind shape of arrow.

Double arrow(mod) –one kind shape of arrow.

Arrow(mod1) –one kind shape of arrow.

Back Arrow(mod1) –one kind shape of arrow.

Doulble arrow(mod1) –one kind shape of arrow.

Sinual –one kind shape of arrow.

−Ignore back faces. When this option is activated, you draw only on visible part of the suface.

−Closed curve. Close the curve.

−Use spacing. Points will be set along curve with some spacing and jittering. It allows to make new effects with curves.

−Toggle hardness. This mode allows you to toggle hardness of the vertex in spline by click on he vertex. ''ESC'' cancels this mode.

−Profile parameter. This parameter affects the linear curve profile in case you selected the sharp or obtuse profile.

−Depth modulator. Modulator, impacting the entire curve depth (height).

−Width modulator. Modulator, impacting the entire curve width.

−Opacity. Transform current combination of points to circle if possible.

−To line. Transform current combination of points to line if possible.

− Subdivide. Subdivile curve.

− Equalize. Set equal distances between points.

−Store curve. Save curve to a file with CURV extension, placed into InstallDir\UserData\StoreData\Curves\ by default.

−Restore curve. Load curve from a file with CURV extension, located in InstallDir\UserData\StoreData\Curves\ by default.

8.1.2. Moving the whole curve:

Rotate curve as a whole. You can also use ''CTRL'' and drag point to rotate the whole curve.

Move curve as a whole. You can also use ''SHIFT'' and drag point to do this.

Scale the whole curve.

8.2 In order to draw with a spline, we shall determine a spline of several points first. When pointing the cursor onto one of the blue dots, it gets highlighted. By mouse-clicking you can capture it and drag in a new position. Click again to release the control dot. Splines are handy to use together with stripes to carefully draw a chain or a string of riveting. Click "Enter" to apply the spline onto object:

Left mouse-click to add new points in the spline. Use "ENTER" to draw a curve, "CTRL"+’ENTER" for to draw a curve with inverse depth. Use "BKSP" to delete the last point, "ESC" to delete all points.

8.3. You can draw arrows in easy way.

8.4 Spacing mode. Points will be set along curve with some spacing and jittering. It allows to make new effects with curves.

8.5 Curves will be drawn correctly, even if knot points are far from each other and surface between them is curved much.

9. Applying text onto curve:

9.1. If you choose this mode you will see such menu:

Using this menu you can select the font for text, input the text, so as change parameters of the curve the text is applied along:

−Ignore back faces. When this option is activated, you draw only on visible part of the surface.

−Closed curve

−Toggle hardness. This mode allows you to toggle hardness of the vertex in spline by click on the vertex. ''ESC'' cancels this mode.

−Depth modulator. Modulator, impacting the entire curve depth (height).

− Width modulator. Modulator, impacting the entire curve width.

−Opacity. Transform current combination of points to circle if possible.

−To line. Transform current combination of points to line if possible.

−Subdivide. Subdivide curve.

−Equalize. Set equal distances between points.

−Store. Save text and font, from a .txt file, placed into InstallDir\UserData\StoreData\ Texts\ by default.

−Restore. Restore text from a .txt file, located in InstallDir\UserData\StoreData\ Texts\ by default.

9.2. Add new points into the spline by pressing left mouse button. Use ''ENTER'' to draw convex text over the curve, ''CTRL''+''ENTER'' for pressed-in one. Use ''BKSP'' to delete the last point, ''ESC'' to delete all points. Click on the blue sphere to move it.

9.3. You can apply the text in any place of the object, for example:

10. Erase – erasing the color, geometry or specular in current layer.

The range of erasing depends on the scroll box «Erasing degree»:

Erasing does not affect the lower layer.

11. Masking To hide the necessary parts of surface, use this command:

11.1. Pressing a pen, hide parts of the surface. Pressing with "CTRL" shows previously hidden surface areas. "CTRL+X" shows the entire surface. "+", "-" makes the hidden area wider narrower.

11.2. Using additional ''Hiding'' menu you can store/restore the hidden areas configuration:

11.3. In case you used save/load command, a drop list ''[choose file]'' will appear, so that you could choose the file required:

11.4. For example, the command can be used to comfortably map a texture in beast’s jaws:

12. Freeze mode:

This is a mode of freeze of surface parts to prevent their subsequent change. Freeze mode can be conditional, for example for relief, flat or colored parts depending on mode selected. Blocking masks the action of feathers. Freeze mode is an operation opposite to selection. Choose the freeze mode and draw on object. Notice that you draw with a freeze. Press SHIFT to smoothen out the edges of blocking.

12.1. When calling the blocking mode you will see the freeze menu as follows:

12.2. Point the cursor on the ''Freeze all'' dropping menu. You will see the following menu:

This menu provides for a surface freeze mode selection. When the pen goes along the surface, it gets blocked in accordance with the condition you choose in this menu. There are five blocking modes in total:

-Freeze all. Block with a touch of pen or mouse-click (default mode).

... convexity. Block convex parts of surface.

... concavity. Block concave parts of surface.

... not key color. Block all, but for the color selected as current.

... key color. Block color selected as current.

Use "CTRL" for all types of blocking to unfreeze.

12.3. There exist six commands of freeze modification:

Freeze the whole surface(freeze all the surface according to the currently selected. Hot key – "ENTER")

Unfreeze all (Hot key - "CTRL-D". Can be used in all modes)

Invert freeze / selection (invert freezing. Hot key – "CTRL+SHIFT+I'')

Switching view mode of areas frozen. (Hot key – “NUM LOCK”. Can be used in all modes)

Smooth freezing (blur)

Sharpen freezing (sharpen)

12.4. There are three sliders on the freeze panel:

The first is ''Contrast'' - This parameter increases the contrast of freezing.

The second is ''Details size'' -level of detail when blocking relief parts. When this value decreases, the freeze tool will be more sensible to details.

The third is ''Freeze degree'' -force of blocking smoothening when drawing with “Shift” key pressed.

12.5. Blocking can be saved to a file and loaded. In this way you can create a set of handy blocking outlines for your model. If you saved at least one file, subsequently you will have a drop list offering a selection of files displayed:

13. Fill - filling in self-contained parts with material.

13.1. Fill in inside the set range of colors (if ''Use color tolerance'' is turned on) with frozen surface taken into account.

13.2. You will see an advanced menu too:

13.2.1. Filling

Layer. Fill the whole layer.

Material. you can fill the material of object with the fill pattern.

Object. You can fill the sub-object with the fill pattern.

13.2.2. If you enable ''Fill by freeze'' then you will see the menu as follows:

Instead of color fill-in, the surface will be filled by freezing. The ''Freeze degree'' slider is responsible for maximal freeze values.

13.2.3. If you will switch in the ''Fill with smooth'' mode then smoothing will be performed over closed area instead of filling by color.

13.2.4. If you switch on the ''Lines mode'' the following menu will be displayed:

Lines mode. To fill-in you set 2 points. The vector between them is considered the main direction when using distortions.

13.2.5. If you have chosen the "Fill with gradient", the surface will be filled with color gradient from the main color to secondary one. Otherwise, the main color is used for filling-in. If the pen radius differs in the starting and final point of the line, then the modulation scale will smoothly change from the start to the final point. You can use gradient filling in fill tool in much more intuitive way.

13.2.6. In case the ''Use in other tools'' option is selected, the modulation acts not only in the fill-in mode, but with the standard pen too.

13.3. There are 16 basic and user-adjustable types of modulations available:

Each sphere corresponds to 16 types of modulations (as shown on the picture):

− without modulation (filling will be done without additional modulation)

− Noise (random noise)

−Gaussian noise (random modulation with gaussian noise applied)

− Wavy surface (wavy surface y=sin(x))

− Strips (strips that are perpendicular to the main axe)

− Saw (saw-like shape)

− Hexagon (correct hexagonal grid will be used as volume texture when modulating)

− Random spheres (space filled with random spheres will be used as volume texture when modulating)

− Pores (generation of pore-like surface)

− Spots (generation of ''pimpled''surface)

− Fractal N1 (volumetric Perlin noise)

− Fractal N2 (square of Perlin noise)

− Fractal N3 (Perlin noise limited by planes)

− Fractal N4 (cracks) (this fractal is resembling cracks)

− Fractal wood N1 (a set of distorted planes perpendicular to the view direction)

− Fractal wood N2 (a set of distorted cylinders. To set the cylinder axe, go into the lines mode)

− Fractal tree N3 (wood with knot imitation)

13.4. Custom: Rough skin

To create the new fill pattern you should specify texture of bump and texture of color (optional). They will be mapped on object using cube mapping with soft edges. The screenshots below show the difference between usual cube mapping and mapping with soft edges.<