First Topic

File updated  13-Jan-2000 09:31


Introduction

Working in 3-D on a computer requires that you visualize three-dimensional objects drawn on a two-dimensional medium—the computer screen. Rhino provides tools to help you do this.

You can manipulate the views and look at your model from different angles easily by dragging with your right mouse button. You can do this in both a wireframe view and a shaded view.

The fundamental geometric objects in Rhino are points, NURBS curves and surfaces, and polygon meshes.


Start Using Rhino

In the exercises, you will use Rhino’s commands, navigation tools, shaded preview, render, and use some basic object manipulation.


To look at your first Rhino model

In the Tutorials folder, open First Model.3dm.

This model contains five objects: a cube, a cone, a cylinder, a sphere, and a rectangular plane.

Wireframe view

You won’t be able to select or move the plane. You will learn about how to do this later. It is just there to provide you with a floor underneath the objects.


Shade the model

1	Click the mouse in the Perspective viewport to make it active.

An active viewport is the viewport where all your commands and actions take place.

2	From the Render menu, click Shade.

Shaded view

The objects appear shaded. Shade lets you preview the shapes with a surface instead of a mass of curves. Previewing with no color also lets you focus on the geometric shape of the object instead of color and texture.

3	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Render the model

When you have a view you like, you can render the view.

1	From the Render menu, click Render.

When you render the model, you can see the color and texture that has been applied to the objects.

The first exercise mode rendered in color.

2	Close the render Display Window.


Move around in shaded mode

1	Click in the Perspective viewport to make it active.

The title of the active viewport highlights.

2	From the Render menu, click Shade.

3	In the Perspective view, drag with your right mouse button held down to rotate the view.

There is a planar surface under the objects that helps you stay oriented. If the objects disappear, you are looking at the bottom of the plane.

4	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Try on Your Own

Click in other viewports and shade them.

Render the other viewports.

What happens when you drag with your right mouse in other viewports?

Dragging the right mouse in the viewports that do not have a perspective view pans instead of rotating. You will learn more about navigating around in Rhino as we go along.


Panning

You have used the right mouse button to rotate in the Perspective viewport. You can drag with the right mouse button to pan in parallel viewports. Dragging the right mouse button to manipulate the view does not interrupt any commands you are using.


To pan in a viewport:
To pan in a viewport

In the Top viewport, drag with the right mouse button to pan the view.


Zooming In and Out

Sometimes you want to get closer to your objects or move back so you can see more. This is called zooming. As with many things in Rhino, there are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to hold down the Ctrl key and drag up and down in a viewport with the right mouse button.


To zoom in and out:
To zoom in and out

In the Top viewport, hold the Ctrl key, click and hold the right mouse button, and drag the mouse up and down.

Drag up to zoom in.

Drag down to zoom out.

What if …

Instead of panning or rotating, something funny happened.

If you just right-click in viewport, the last command starts again. You must hold the right mouse button down while panning or rotating.

I panned in another viewport, and it shaded too. What’s going on?

When you are in shaded mode and make a change in any viewport, the viewport also displays in shaded mode. Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Zooming Extents

The Zoom Extents command zooms your viewports so the objects fill the viewport as much as possible. You can use this command to make everything visible.


To zoom extents in a viewport

From the View menu, click Zoom, and then click Extents.

If you get lost, it’s often handy to zoom extents in all your viewports at once, so there is a command to do just that.


To zoom extents in all viewports

From the View menu, click Zoom, and then click Extents All.


Drag Objects

We are now going to try dragging objects around. First, however, we are going to set the grid snap so the objects stay lined up with each other. In this model snap is set to one grid line.


Turn on grid snap

In the status bar, click Snap to turn on the grid snap.

Grid snap may already be on in your system. Be careful that you don’t turn it off instead of on. If grid snap is on, the word "Snap" will be black in the status bar. If it is off, the word "Snap" will be gray.

This is an important step. Grid snap only lets you move in certain intervals. In this model, grid snap is set to one  grid line. Grid snap helps you line up your objects as if you were building with LEGO® blocks.


Select the cone

Click the cone.

The cone turns yellow to show it is selected.


Drag the cone to move it

Drag the cone in the Perspective viewport until it lines up with the cylinder.

Drag the cone.

It will be inside the cylinder.

The cone moves on the base that is represented by the grid. This base is called a construction plane. Each viewport has its own construction plane. When you start Rhino, the Perspective viewport construction plane is the same as the Top viewport. You will learn more about using construction planes later.


Move the cone in the Front viewport

In the Front viewport, drag the cone to the top of the cylinder.

Watch what happens in the Perspective viewport.

There are many times when you have to watch what is happening in other viewports to accurately place your objects.

Drag the cone in the Front viewport.


Shade the Perspective viewport

1	Click in the Perspective viewport.

2	From the Render menu, click Shade.

3	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Try on Your Own

Drag the objects around. Use the Front viewport to drag the objects vertically and the Top or Perspective viewport to drag them horizontally.

Try these:

Drag the cone to the top of the box.

Drag the sphere so its equator is at the top of the cylinder.

Drag the cone and sphere.

Try some other movements on your own.

Use Shade and Render to look at your work.

From the Transform menu, click Move and try this command. It is a little different from simply dragging. The Move command lets you use some placement techniques you will learn later.


Copy Objects

To create more objects, you will copy the shapes.


To copy objects

1	Click the box to select it.

2	From the Transform menu, click Copy.

3	At the Point to copy from ( Vertical InPlace ) prompt, click somewhere in the Top viewport.

It usually helps to click a spot that relates to the object like the middle.

4	At the Point to copy to prompt, click where you want the first copy.

Zoom in closer if you like.

To zoom, hold Ctrl and drag with the right mouse button.

5	At the next Point to copy to prompts, click other places to make some copies of the box.

6	When you have enough copies, press Enter.


Undo a Mistake

If you did something you did not want to do, you can undo your actions. Undo only works on geometry changes, not view changes.

To undo commands, from the Edit menu, click Undo.

The prompt displays the action you are undoing.

You can undo a series of commands.

You can also Redo the Undo if you go too far.

To redo a command from the Edit menu, click Redo.

You can press the Esc key to cancel a command any time.


Try on Your Own

Make copies of more objects and drag them around. See if you can build something.

Watch the prompt for instructions.

Move your mouse from one viewport to another in the middle of a command to see what happens.

Shade your viewport often to see what your shapes look like.

Build a castle.


Create Surfaces

You can draw surfaces directly by placing corner points or by drawing a rectangular plane. However, most surfaces you create in Rhino will be based on a curve or another surface.

Rhino contains a variety of surface constructions, including free-form surfaces fit to points, tapered offset surface constructions, rolling-ball fillets, and blend surfaces.


Open the practice model

In the Tutorials folder, open Practice.3dm.


Create surface from edge curves Step 1
Create a surface from edge curves
Step 1

You can create a surface from three or four curves that form the sides of the surface.

Zoom in on the curves shown below and select the curves.


Create a surface from edge curves
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Edge Curves.

2	From the Render menu, click Shade to see the surface.

3	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Revolve a curve around an axis
Step 1

Revolving a curve creates a surface by revolving a profile curve about an axis.  This is sometimes called lathing.

Zoom in on the curves shown below and select the profile curve.


Revolve a curve around an axis
Step 2

From the Surface menu, click Revolve.


Revolve a curve around an axis step 2
Revolve a curve around an axis
Step 3

Turn on End object snap to help you locate the endpoints of the axis line.

1	In the Status Bar, click Osnap.

2	In the Osnap dialog box, click End.


Revolve a curve around an axis
Step 4

Select endpoints of the axis line as revolve axis.

1	At the Start of revolve axis prompt, snap to one end of the axis line.

2	At the End of revolve axis prompt, snap to the other end of the axis line.

3	In the Revolve Options dialog box, click OK.

4	From the Render menu, click Shade to see the surface.

5	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Extrud a curve to make a surface step 1
Extrude a curve to make a surface
Step 1

Zoom in on the curve shown below and select the curve.


Extrude a curve to make a surface
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Extrude, and then click Straight.

2	At the Extrusion distance ( Direction Cap=No BothSides Tapered ) prompt, drag a distance with your mouse and click.

3	From the Render menu, click Shade to see the surface.

4	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Sweep a curve along a single rail curve
Step 1

Sweeping creates a surface with cross sections that maintain the initial orientation of the shape curve(s) to the path curve.

Zoom in on the curves shown below.


Sweep a curve along a single rail curve
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Sweep 1 Rail.

2	At the Select rail curve prompt, select the rail curve.


Sweep a curve along a single rail curve
Step 3

1	At the Select cross-section curves ( Point ) prompt, select the cross-section curve, and press Enter.

2	In the Sweep 1 Rail Options dialog box, click OK.

3	Check Shaded Preview and then click Preview to see the surface.

4	Click OK.


Sweep a curve with two rails
Step 1

Using two rails for a sweep creates a smooth surface through two or more shape curves that follow two curve rails. The rails also affect the overall shape of the surface. Use this command when you want to control the location of the edges of the surface.

Zoom in on the curves shown below.


Sweep a curve with two rails
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Sweep 2 Rails.

2	At the Select 2 rail curves prompt, select the two rail curves.


Sweep a curve with two rails
Step 3

1	At the Select cross-section curves ( Point ) prompt, select the two cross-section curves, and press Enter.

2	In the Sweep 2 Rails Options dialog box, click OK.

Or, click Shaded Preview and then click Preview.


Revolve a curve with a rail
Step 1

Rail Revolve creates a surface by revolving a profile curve around an axis while at the same time following a rail curve. This is basically the same as a Sweep Along 2 Rails, except one of the rails is a central point.

Zoom in on the curve shown below.


Revolve a curve with a rail
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Rail Revolve.

2	At the Select profile curve prompt, select the profile curve.


Revolve a curve with a rail
Step 3

At the Select path curve prompt, select the path curve the revolve will follow.


Revolve a curve with a rail
Step 4

1	At the Start of revolve axis prompt, snap to an endpoint of the revolve axis line.

2	At the End of revolve axis prompt, snap to the other end of the revolve axis line.

3	From the Render menu, click Shade to see the surface.

4	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Loft a surface through curves
Step 1

Lofting creates a smooth surface that blends between selected shape curves. This surface looks similar to the example in the next section, "Sweep a Curve with Two Rails," but is created without rail curves. Instead, the edges of the surface are created by fitting smooth curves through the shape curves.

1	Zoom in on the curves shown below.

2	Select the three curves.


Loft a Surface through curves
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Loft.

2	In the Loft Options dialog box, click OK.

Or, try some of the Style options, click Shaded Preview, and then click Preview to see the various loft styles.


Blend a surface between two surfaces
Step 1

You can create a blend between two surfaces that will smoothly meet at the surface edges.

1	Zoom in on the surfaces shown below.

2	Rotate the view so you can see both surfaces.


Blend a surface between two surfaces
Step 2

1	From the Surface menu, click Blend.

2	At the Select edge to blend - pick near one end ( PlanarSections Degree=Quintic ) prompt, select an edge to blend.

Select the edges as shown.

3	At the Select edge to blend - pick near one end ( PlanarSections Degree=Quintic ) prompt, select the edge on the other surface.

4	From the Render menu, click Shade to see the blend surface.

5	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Offset a surface
Step 1

You can offset a surface a specified distance to create a new surface.

1	Zoom in on the surface shown below.

2	Select the surface.


Offset a surface
Step 2

From the Surface menu, click Offset.


Offset a surface
Step 3

At the Offset distance prompt, type 2 and press Enter.


What's Next

This is the end of this tutorial.

If you want to try other tutorials, click the Home button at the top of the screen to return to the Rhino Tutorials window.


Create a flashlight

You will learn how to use Rhino solids to create a simple model of a flashlight. While building the model you will create the basic shape with a cylinder, and a truncated cone. A sphere is added to create the switch. To complete the model you will add solids together and subtract other solids from your basic shapes.


You will learn

You will be entering numbers to set sizes for the shapes. This lets you draw to a certain scale. The units in Rhino can stand for anything you want them to be: inches, feet, centimeters. For the moment, they will be simply units. When the model is finished you will have three distinct parts—the flashlight body, the lens, and the switch.


This tutorial shows how to

Create a cylinder

Type distances at the prompt

Create a truncated cone

Create a sphere

Add two solids together

Subtract one solid from another

Assign colors to an object for rendering

Render the model


Start the flashlight model

Each command is available from either the menu or the toolbars. In this exercise, we will use the menu commands. You are, of course free to find the command in the toolbars if you prefer to use them.

1	From the File menu, click New.

2	In the Template File dialog box, select 4 Viewports.3dm and click Open.


Draw the body

The flashlight body is created using cylinders and truncated cones. You will also create a cylinder and a truncated cone that will be used to hollow out the inside of the flashlight body.

1	From the Solid menu, click Cylinder.

2	Move the cursor to the Right viewport.

3	At the Base of cylinder ( Vertical ) prompt, type 0,0

This sets the base point for the cylinder at the origin (0,0,0 point) of the coordinate system for the Right viewport.

4	To set the radius of the cylinder, at the Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, type .75 and press Enter.

5	To set the length of the cylinder, at the End of cylinder prompt, type 5.5 and press Enter.

6	Turn Ortho on.

Click Ortho in the status bar or hold down Shift.

7	At the next End of cylinder prompt, in the Front viewport, click so the cylinder points to the right.

8	From the View menu click Zoom, then click Extents All.

9	From the Render menu, click Shade All Viewports.

10	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Draw the flashlight reflector shield

1	From the Solid menu, click Truncated Cone.

2	At the Base point of truncated cone ( Vertical ) prompt, snap to the center of the right end of the cylinder.

To turn on the Center object snap, on the status bar, click Osnap, then check Cen.

It’s easiest to use the Perspective viewport for this.

3	To set the radius for the base of the cone, at the Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, type .875 and press Enter.

4	To set the radius for the top of the cone, at the next Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, type 1 and press Enter.

5	To set the length of the cone, at the End of cone prompt, type 2 and press Enter.

6	At the next End of cone prompt, pick in the Front viewport to the right of the cylinder.

You may have to zoom out a little to get some space in the Front viewport. Hold down Ctrl and drag with the right mouse button. You can do this right inside the command. The end of the cone won’t be entered until you click with the left mouse button.

7	Zoom extents in all viewports.

8	From the Render menu, click Shade All Viewports.

9	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Cut the reflector shield

You will now copy the truncated cone to create another truncated cone that will be used to cut the inside shape of the reflector shield.

1	Select the truncated cone.

2	From the Transform menu, click Copy.

3	At the Point to copy from ( Vertical InPlace ) prompt, in the Front viewport pick any point.

4	At the Point to copy to prompt, turn on Ortho and drag the cone to the right until the sides of the copy are inside the first cone.

5	Pick a point to place the copy, and press Enter.

Move the truncated cone to the right so it does not cut into the sides of the flashlight.

It may help at this point to turn off the Center object snap.

Ortho will keep it moving in a straight line.


Add the two parts of the flashlight body together

1	From the Solid menu, click Union.

2	At the Select surfaces or polysurfaces to union prompt, select the cylinder, and press Enter.

3	At the Select surfaces or polysurfaces to union. Press Enter when done prompt, select the first truncated cone, and press Enter.

Not much appeared to happen, but the cylinder and the truncated cone are now one piece.


Cut the inside of the reflector shield

1	From the Solid menu, click Difference.

2	At the Select first set of surfaces or polysurfaces prompt, select the flashlight body, and press Enter.

3	At the Select first set of surfaces or polysurfaces. Press Enter for second set prompt, press Enter.

4	At the Select second set of surfaces or polysurfaces (DeleteInput=Yes) prompt, select the new truncated cone and press Enter.

5	At the Select second set of surfaces or polysurfaces. Press Enter when done ( DeleteInput = Yes ) prompt, press Enter.

6	Shade the Perspective viewport.

7	Drag with the right mouse button held down to rotate the view in the Perspective viewport a bit so you can see inside the flashlight.

8	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Cut out the inside of the flashlight body

You will now draw a cylinder that you will use to "hollow out" the inside of the flashlight body.

1	From the Solid menu, click Cylinder.

You will create a cylinder that will be subtracted from the inside of the flashlight.

2	At the Base of cylinder ( Vertical ) prompt, pick a point in the Perspective viewport that is at the center of the cylinder at the flashlight base.

3	At the Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, type .625 and press Enter.

4	At the End of cylinder prompt, pick a point in the Front viewport to the right of the truncated cone.

This sets both the length of the cylinder and the rotation angle at the same time.


Move the cylinder away from the base

We need to move the cylinder away from the base a little so it won’t cut through the flashlight’s bottom.

You can move objects just by selecting and dragging them.

1	Select the cylinder you just created.

2	Turn Ortho on and Center object snap off.

Sometimes having object snaps on interferes with your ability to click and drag freely.

3	In the Front viewport, click near the right end of the cylinder and drag it a little bit to the right.

4	Zoom extents in all viewports.


Cut out the interior of the flashlight

1	From the Solid menu, click Difference.

2	At the Select first set of surfaces or polysurfaces prompt, select the flashlight body.

3	At the Select first set of surfaces or polysurfaces. Press Enter for second set prompt, press Enter.

4	At the Select second set of surfaces or polysurfaces ( DeleteInput = Yes ) prompt, select the new cylinder.

5	At the Select second set of surfaces or polysurfaces. Press Enter when done ( DeleteInput = Yes ) prompt, press Enter.

6	Shade the Perspective viewport.

7	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Draw the lens

The lens is a small cylinder inside the flashlight body.

1	From the Solid menu, click Cylinder.

2	At the Base of cylinder ( Vertical ) prompt, snap to the center of the inside edge of the truncated cylinder.

3	At the Radius <0.625> ( Diameter ) prompt, press Enter.

The radius is already set to .625 because you entered it for the last cylinder radius. To use this radius again, press Enter.

4	At the Choose a point prompt, in the Front viewport pick a point slightly to the left of the center point.

It helps at this point to turn off the Center object snap. Otherwise, it’s hard to drag the cylinder a very small amount.

You are trying to make a thin piece of glass.

The glass won’t show much in your model, but later, when you render it, you can make the flashlight more realistic by making this cylinder transparent.


Draw the switch button

The switch is just a sphere drawn so part of it sticks up above the flashlight body.

1	From the Solid menu, click Sphere, and then click Center, Radius.

2	At the Center point prompt, in the Front viewport pick a point near the top of the cylinder.

3	At the Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, pick a radius.

You can type .4 and press Enter, or just draw a size that looks good to you.


Render the flashlight

You can use Rhino to add color, texture, and lights to your model to make simple presentations. In this exercise you will add only color to the flashlight parts and use Rhino’s render to create a more realistic picture.

To see what our starting point is, render the flashlight model with no color or lights assigned.

1	Click in the Perspective viewport.

2	From the Render menu, click Render.

A separate window appears with the model rendered.


Add color to the flashlight body

Render color and texture are object properties that are not visible in wireframe or shaded mode.

1	Select the flashlight body.

2	From the Edit menu, click Object Properties.

3	In the Object Properties dialog box, under Render color, click the color swatch.

4	In the Select Color dialog box, from the Named Colors list, select Red, and click OK.

5	In the Object Properties dialog box, check Highlight.

6	Move the Highlight slider to near the middle of the Small to Big range.

7	Click OK.


Set the lens to be transparent

1	Select the lens.

2	From the Edit menu, click Object Properties.

3	In the Object Properties dialog box, move the Transparency slider to the right.

Don’t move it all the way to the right or it will disappear completely. You want it to be a little opaque so you can still see it.

4	From the Render menu, click Render.


Try on your own

Draw some solids that overlap each other. Try the Union, Difference, and Intersection commands on them to cut and join them.

Change the colors and the highlight, and render in other viewports.

This is the end of this tutorial.

If you want to try other tutorials, click the Home button at the top of the screen to return to the Rhino Tutorials window.


Create a Rubber Ducky

This exercise focuses on the free-form, squishy aspect. Unlike the flashlight model, the exact size and placement of the objects is not critical. The overall form is the main objective.


In this tutorial you will
This tutorial shows you how to

Create simple surfaces

Rebuild a surface

Edit surface control points

Draw and project curves

Split surfaces

Blend between two surfaces

Light and render the model


Start the model

Each command is available from either the menu or the toolbars. In this exercise, we will use the menu commands. You are, of course free to find the command in the toolbars if you prefer to use them.

1	From the File menu, click New.

2	In the Template File dialog box, select 4 Viewports.3dm and click Open.


Create the body and head shapes

The body and head of the ducky are created by modifying two spheres. The size and placement of the spheres doesn’t need to be exact.


Create the basic shapes

1	From the Solid menu, click Sphere, then click Center, Radius.

2	At the Center of sphere prompt, in the Front viewport, pick a point.

3	At the Radius ( Diameter ) prompt, pick another point in the same viewport to create a sphere as shown.

4	Repeat this procedure for the second sphere.


Move a control point on the sphere

1	Select the large sphere.

2	From the Edit menu, click Point Editing, then click Control Points On.

3	Select a control point and drag it.

4	Click in the Perspective view.

5	Shade the Perspective viewport.

Notice that you have sharp edges in the sphere.  To make them smoothly deformable, you must add control points and thereby the ability to deform smoothly.

6	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.

7	Press Esc to turn off control points.

8	From the Edit menu, click Undo.

9	Press Esc repeatedly repeatedly until control points are off.


Make the spheres deformable

1	Select both spheres.

2	From the Surface menu, click Edit Tools, then click Rebuild.

3	In the Rebuild Surface dialog box, change the Point Count to 8 for both U and V.

Change the Degree to 3 for both U and V.

Check Delete input.

Clear Current layer.

Click OK.

Having more control points allows more control over smaller parts of the surface. A degree-three surface will have a smoother shape when deformed.


Modify the body shape

1	Select the large sphere.

2	From the Edit menu, click Point Editing, then click Control Points On.

3	In the Front viewport use a window to select the control points near the bottom of the sphere.

4	From the Transform menu, select Set Points.

5	In the Set Points dialog box, check Set Z, clear Set X and Set Y, and click World Coordinates.

6	In the Front viewport, drag the selected control points up.

This aligns all of the selected control points to the same z-value (up in Front viewport), which flattens the surface.

7	Adjust the control points at the top of the body using the same technique.


Drag control points to form the tail

In the Front viewport, use a window to select the control points at the upper left edge of the body, and drag them up to form the tail.

Look in the Top viewport to see which control points are selected. In the Front viewport, you can only see the control points closest to you in the view. This is because the second control point is directly behind the one you can see in the Front viewport.


Drag control points to form the chest

1	Use a window to select the control points at the front of the body, and drag them to the right to bulge out the chest.

2	Use a window to select the control points at the upper right, and drag them up and to the right.

Adjust the control points further until you get the shape you want.

3	Shade the Perspective viewport.

4	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.

5	Press Esc repeatedly until control points are off.


Create the head

1	Select the small sphere.

2	From the Edit menu, click Point Editing, then click Control Points On.


Drag control points to create the bill

1	Use a window to select the control points on the right side and drag them to begin forming the bill.

2	Use a window to select the control points as shown below and drag down to continue forming the bill.


Make the bill wider

1	Select control points in the Top viewport and drag to make the bill wider.

2	Press Esc repeatedly until control points are off.

3	Shade the Perspective viewport.

4	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Separate the bill from the head

For the final rendering, the bill must be a different color from the body, so they must be separate surfaces. You can split a single surface into multiple surfaces many ways. The following technique is just one.

To make the head and bill two separate surfaces, split it with a curve. It is easiest to draw a planar curve and project it to the surface to create a non-planar curve on the surface.


Create the curve for the bill

1	From the Curve menu, click Free-form, and then click Interpolate Points.

2	In the Front viewport create a curve that looks like the red curve below.


Project the curve onto the surface of the head

1	From the Curve menu, click From Objects, then click Project.

2	At the Select curves to project prompt, in the Front view, select the curve (1) and press Enter.

3	At the Select surfaces or polysurfaces to project onto prompt, select the head (2), and press Enter.

The curve is projected onto the head.

4	Delete the original curve.


Split a surface with a curve

1	From the Edit menu, click Split.

2	At the Select object to split prompt, select the head (1).

3	At the Select cutting objects prompt, select the new projected curve (2) and press Enter.

The bill is now a separate surface.


Create the ducky's neck

The ducky needs a neck. We are first going to make a hole in the surface of the head and a corresponding hole in the surface of the body so we can create a blended surface between the two edges.

1	Select the head.

2	From the Surface menu, click Rectangle, then click Cutting Plane.

3	At Start of cut plane prompt, in the Front view, pick the first point of a line (1) to define a plane.

4	Toggle Ortho on.

5	At the End of cut plane prompt, select the end point of a line (2) that cuts through the lower part of the head, and press Enter.


Trim the head with the cutting plane

1	From the Edit menu, click Trim.

2	At the Select cutting edges ( Options ) prompt, select the cutting plane you created (1).

3	At the Select cutting edges ( Options ) prompt, press Enter.

4	At the Select object to trim ( Options ) prompt, select the bottom part of the head surface.

5	At the Select object to trim ( Options ) prompt, press Enter to end the command.

The bottom of the head will be trimmed.

6	Delete the cutting plane.


Cut a hole in the body that matches the opening in the bottom of the head
Create a curve for cutting a hole in the body for the neck

1	From the Curve menu, click From Objects, then click Project.

2	At the Select curves to project prompt, in the Perspective viewport, select the edge curve at the bottom of the head (1).

3	At the Select curves to project prompt, press Enter.

4	At the Select surfaces or polysurfaces to project onto prompt, in the Top viewport, select the body (2) and press Enter.

It is important to project this in the Top or Perspective viewport. The curve is projected perpendicular to the active construction plane.

The head may not be entirely over the body. If it is not, move the head and bill surfaces.

The curve is projected to the top and the bottom of the body.


Trim the body with the curve

1	From the Edit menu, click Trim.

2	At the Select cutting edges ( Options ) prompt, select the curve at the top of the body and press Enter.

3	At the Select object to trim ( Options ) prompt, select the body on the inside of the curve and press Enter.

A hole will be created in the body. If Trim doesn’t work try Split.

4	Delete the projected curves.

Use a window in the Front viewport. Occasionally the curve gets broken into pieces.


Create the blend surface between the head and body

1	From the Surface menu, click Blend.

2	At the Select edge to blend - pick near one end ( PlanarSections Degree=Quintic ) prompt, select the curve at the bottom of the head (1).

3	At the Select edge to blend - pick near one end ( PlanarSections Degree=Quintic ) prompt, select the curve on the body (2).

4	At the Select seam point to adjust, press Enter when done ( FlipDirection Automatic Natural ) prompt, check to see that the seam point lines up.

If it doesn’t, select one of the seam points and drag it until it lines up with the other one.

Look at the direction of the two white arrows. They probably go in opposite directions. If you make the blend surface this way, the ducky's neck will be twisted.

5	At the Location of seam point ( FlipDirection ) prompt, pick a seam point on one of the curves, type F and press Enter.

This makes both arrows point the same direction.

6	At the Location of seam point ( FlipDirection ) prompt, press Enter.

A surface is blended between the body and the head.


Join the parts

1	From the Edit menu, click Join.

2	At the Select object for join prompt, select the body.

3	At the Select next surface or polysurface to join prompt, select the neck.

4	At the Select next surface or polysurface to join prompt, select the head.

5	At the Select next surface or polysurface to join prompt, press Enter.

6	Shade the Perspective viewport.

7	Click in a viewport to exit shaded mode.


Make an eye

1	From the Solid menu, click Ellipsoid.

2	Toggle Ortho and Snap on to help.

3	At the Center of ellipsoid prompt, pick a point in the Top viewport.

4	At the End of first axis prompt, pick a point.

5	At the End of second axis prompt, pick a point that gives approximately the same radius as the previous pick.

6	At the End of third axis prompt, pick a point in the Front viewport that creates a flat ellipsoid.


Make the pupil for the eye

To be able to assign a different color for the pupil of the eye, the ellipsoid surface has to be split into two parts.

1	From the Curve menu, click Circle, then click Center, Radius.

2	At the Center of circle ( Vertical AroundCurve ) prompt, pick the center of the ellipsoid.

3	At the Radius <1> ( Diameter ) prompt, pick a point in the Top viewport that is slightly smaller than ellipsoid.


Create a curve to cut the ellipsoid

1	From the Curve menu, click From Objects, then click Project.

2	At the Select curves to project prompt, in the Top viewport, select the circle and press Enter.

3	At the Select surfaces or polysurfaces to project onto prompt, in the Top view, select the ellipsoid and press Enter.

4	Delete the original circle and the one on the bottom of the ellipsoid.


Split the ellipsoid with the curve

1	From the Edit menu, click Split.

2	At the Select object to split prompt, select the ellipsoid.

3	At the Select cutting objects prompt, select the circle on the top of the ellipsoid.

4	At the Select cutting objects prompt, press Enter.


Assign a render color to the pupil

1	Select the surface at the top of the ellipsoid. If it is broken into two halves, join the pieces together. Make sure the top of the ellipsoid is selected.

2	From the From the Edit menu, click Object Properties.

3	In the Object Properties dialog, under Render Color, click the color control patch and select a render color for the pupil of the eye, like black.

4	Render the Perspective viewport.


Move the eyes to the surface of the head

1	From the Transform menu, click Orient, and then click On Surface.

2	At the Select objects to orient prompt, select all the eye parts, and press Enter.

4	At the Point to orient from ( OnSurface ) prompt, snap to the center of the ellipsoid.

3	At the Select surface to orient on prompt, select the head.

5	At the Point to orient to ( NoCopy ) prompt, move the cursor onto the head to place the eye and click.

6	Press Enter to end the command.


Mirror the eye to the other side of the head

1	Select the eye parts on the head.

2	From the Transform menu, click Mirror.

3	At the Start of mirror plane prompt, move the cursor to the Top viewport, and type 0,0.

4	At the End of mirror plane prompt, drag the mirror plane with Ortho.


Render a picture of the ducky

Rendering creates a "realistic" picture of your model with colors you assign. These render colors are different from the layer colors you might be using, which control the display in wireframe mode.


Set the color for the beak

1	Select the beak.

2	From the From the Edit menu, click Object Properties.

3	In the Object Properties dialog, set a render color for the beak, like orange.


Set the color for the body

1	Select the body.

2	From the From the Edit menu, click Object Properties.

3	In the Object Properties dialog, set a render color for the body, like yellow.

4	From the Render menu, click Render.

We will be rendering several times. You can close the Display Window without affecting your model.


Place lights

1	From the Render menu, click Create Spotlight.

2	At the Base of cone ( Vertical ) prompt, select a point in the middle of the model.

3	At the Radius < > ( Diameter ) prompt, drag the radius until it is approximately twice as large as the model.

4	At the End of cone prompt, use elevator mode and two viewports to place the end of the cone so the light cone shines on the ducky from the upper left side.

5	From the Render menu, click Render.


Try on your own

Try placing more lights.

Change the color of the ducky.

This is the end of this tutorial.

If you want to try other tutorials, click the Home button at the top of the screen to return to the Rhino Tutorials window.


What are NURBS?
Non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) geometry is a mathematical representation that can accurately define any shape from a simple line, circle, arc, or box to the most complex 3-D free-form organic surface or solid.

Because of their flexibility and accuracy, NURBS models can be used in any process from illustration and animation to manufacturing.


Points
Points mark a single set of coordinates in space. They are most often used as construction objects and place markers.

Points.


NURBS curves
Rhino offers many tools for creating curves. Straight lines, multi-segment polylines, arcs, circles, and rectangles are curves.

NURBS curves.


Surfaces
Surfaces are NURBS surfaces with a mathematical definition at every point. The network of lines are a visualization tool only.

NURBS surfaces.


Commands
Rhino uses commands to accomplish various tasks. As you work through the exercises, you will learn what commands do, when and how to use them and how to decide which command to use to accomplish your task.

In the exercises, you will use Rhino’s navigation tools, shaded preview, render, and use some basic object manipulation.


Start Window
		Getting Started
	Getting Started   Tutorials    Features    Technical Support    Order Rhino    Exit	Rhinoceros is a 3-D NURBS modeling program for Windows. With Rhino you can create anything from a heart valve to a ship hull and from a mouse to a monster. Rhino provides a flexible, accurate, and fast working environment. You can model and render objects that you could previously create only using software and hardware many times more expensive. Using the Rhino evaluation version This evaluation version is fully functional to give you hands-on experience. After the first 25 saves and exports, you will not be able to save your models or renderings. Try the tutorial examples Three step-by-step tutorials walk you through Rhino features. Order Rhino To order Rhino, find your nearest dealer to place an order. 100% satisfaction guaranteed If Rhino does not meet your expectations, return it for an immediate full refund.


		Tutorials
	Getting Started   Tutorials    Features    Technical Support    Order Rhino    Exit	These tutorials cover some of the basic concepts behind Rhino.    A brief tour You will use Rhino's basic navigation tools, shaded preview, and render to create fundamental geometric objects.    Build a model with solids While making a simple model of a flashlight you will create accurately sized solids, combine the solids together, and render.    Create organic shapes Focusing on flexible, free-form shapes, you will create and edit surfaces by manipulating control points, draw curves, blend between surfaces, and render the model with lights.


		Features
	Getting Started   Tutorials    Features    Technical Support    Order Rhino    Exit	Rhino combines the accuracy of traditional CAD with the flexibility of spline-based modeling technology, to create objects that are smooth NURBS curves and surfaces rather than line segments or polygon meshes.  Rhino uses trimmed free-form NURBS surfaces to accurately represent curved shapes, including curved shapes with holes in them.  Rhino also integrates solids (surfaces joined together at their edges) and surface modeling so that solids can be exploded into surfaces, edited, and then joined back together again.   Any combination of curves, surfaces, and solids can be trimmed. NURBS  Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) are mathematical representations that can accurately define any shape from a simple 2-D line, circle, arc, or box to the most complex 3-D free-form organic surface or solid.  Because of their flexibility and accuracy, NURBS models can be used in any process from illustration and animation to manufacturing.    Detailed Feature List


		Technical Support
	Getting Started   Tutorials    Features    Technical Support    Order Rhino    Exit	Rhino Gallery Visit the Rhino Image Gallery at www.rhino3d.com/gallery to browse through rendered images submitted by Rhino users. Technical Support Newsgroup: Get help from other users and the Rhino technical support team. Post your question on the Rhino newsgroup at news://news.mcneel.com/rhino. Newsgroup Searchable Archives: View and search past messages from the Rhino newsgroup archives at http://support.mcneel.com/rhino_archive. Robert McNeel & Associates Tech line phone: (206) 545-6877


Detailed Technical Feature List
	Detailed Feature List

Description

Rhino can create, edit, analyze, and translate NURBS curves, surfaces, and solids in Windows. Rhino has limited support for polygon meshes. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size.

NURBS

Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) are mathematical representations that can accurately define any shape from a simple 2-D line, circle, arc, or box to the most complex 3-D free-form organic surface or solid.

Because of their flexibility and accuracy, NURBS models can be used in any process from illustration and animation to manufacturing.

Features (new in 1.1)

User interface: extremely fast 3-D graphics, unlimited viewports, shaded working views, perspective working views, coordinate read-out, named views, popup recently-used commands, customizable popup commands, synchronize views, configurable middle mouse button, customizable icons and user workspace, customizable popup toolbar, extensive explorer-like on-line help, electronic updates, newsgroup support, and a 650-page color manual.

Construction aids: unlimited undo and redo, undo and redo multiple, exact numeric input, object snaps, grid snaps, ortho, planar, named construction planes, next and previous construction planes, orient construction plane on curve, layers, layer filtering, background bitmaps, object hide/show, show selected objects, swap hidden objects, object lock/unlock, unlock selected objects, control and edit points on/off, and points off for selected objects.

Create curves: point, line, polyline, polyline on mesh, free-form curve, circle, arc, ellipse, rectangle, polygon, helix, spiral, conic, TrueType text, point interpolation, control points (vertices), sketch.

Create curves from other objects: extend, fillet, chamfer, offset, blend, from 2 views, cross section profiles, intersection, contour, section, border, silhouette, extract isopram, projection, pullback, sketch, wireframe, detach trim, 2-D drawings, flatten developable surfaces, extract points.

Edit curves: control points, edit points, handlebars, smooth, fair, change degree, add/remove knots, add kinks, rebuild, refit, match, simplify, change weight, make periodic, adjust end bulge, adjust seam.

Create surfaces: from 3 or 4 points, from 3 or 4 curves, from planar curves, from network of curves, rectangle, deformable plane, extrude, ribbon, rule, loft, developable, sweep along a path, sweep along two rail curves, revolve, rail revolve, blend, patch, drape, point grid, heightfield, fillet, chamfer, offset, TrueType text.

Edit surfaces: control points, handlebars, change degree, add/remove knots, match, extend, merge, join, untrim, split surface by isoparms, rebuild, shrink, make periodic, Boolean (union, difference, intersection), unroll developable surfaces.

Create solids: box, sphere, cylinder, tube, pipe, cone, truncated cone, ellipsoid, torus, extrude planar curve, extrude surface, cap planar holes, join surfaces, TrueType text.

Edit solids: fillet edges, extract surface, Booleans (union, difference, intersection).

Create meshes: from NURBS surfaces, from closed polyline, mesh face, plane, box, cylinder, cone, and sphere.

Edit meshes: explode, join, weld, unify normals, apply to surface, reduce polygons.

Edit tools: cut, copy, paste, delete, delete duplicates, move, rotate, mirror, scale, stretch, align, array, join, trim, split, explode, extend, fillet, chamfer, offset, twist, bend, taper, shear, orient, orient planar object on curve, flow along curve, smooth, project, object properties.

Anotation: arrows, dots, dimensions (horizontal, vertical, aligned, rotated, radial, diameter, angle), text blocks, leaders, hidden line removal.

Analysis: point, length, distance, angle, radius, bounding box, normal direction, area, area centroid, area moments, volume, volume centroid, volume moments, curvature graph, surface curvature, geometric continuity, deviation, naked edges, nearest point, surface analysis (draft angle, zebra stripe, environment map, Gaussian curvature, mean curvature, and minimum or maximum radius of curvature), hydrostatics.

Rendering: shade, shade (OpenGL), shade selected objects, render (with textures, bumps, highlights, transparency, spot lights, and shadows, and customizable resolution), render preview (OpenGL), render preview selected objects, turntable, BMRT (raytrace and radiosity) user interface, POV (raytrace) user interface.

File formats supported: DWG/DXF(AutoCAD 2000, 14, 13, and 12 ), SAT (ACIS), X_T (Parasolid), 3DS, LWO, STL, OBJ, AI, RIB, POV, UDO, VRML, BMP, TGA, JPG, CSV (export properties and hydrostatics), IGES (Alias, Ashlar Vellum, AutoFORM, AutoShip, Breault, CADCEUS, CAMSoft, CATIA, Cosmos, Delcam, FastSurf, FastSHIP, Intergrity Ware, IronCAD, LUSAS, Maya, MAX 3.0, MasterCAM, ME30, Mechanical Desktop, Microstation, NuGraf, OptiCAD, Pro/E, SDRC I-DEAS, Softimage, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, SUM 4, SURFCAM, TeKSoft, Unigraphics).

File management: Notes, templates, merge files, export selected objects, save small, incremental save, bitmap file preview, Rhino file preview.

I/O plug-ins: 3D Studio MAX, and programmer's I/O tool kit with source code.

3-D digitizing support: MicroScribe 3D and Faro Space Arm.

 Hardware requirements

Rhino was designed to run on ordinary Windows desktop and laptop computers.

Pentium compatible or higher processor.

Windows 95/98/NT for Intel. Rhino will not be ported to any other operating systems.

20 MB disk space.

32 MB RAM. More is recommended.

No special graphics cards are required - standard Windows accelerator cards will provide the best display performance.