14. A chair

The interesting part of building this chair is that you get to use two powerful tools: the Stretch tool and the Model tool. You will appreciate knowing how to use these tools when you are making your own complex models.

The seat

Þ Step 1: Base construction drawing (1)

q Tool: Drawing tool, Rectangle q Do it: 1. Face view (key 2). 2. Draw a 30x110 rectangle. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Construction/Drawing/ Rectangle

Þ Step 2: Base construction drawing (2)

q Tool: Smooth q Open the model file: Faut01 q Do it: Apply a smoothing value of 5. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Modeling/Smooth

Þ Step 3: Flatten the upper and lower edges

q Tool: Scale q Open the model file: Faut02 q Do it: Flatten the upper and lower edges of the seat: 1. Select the points of the upper edge. 2. Set the value 0 on the Y axis. 3. Select the points of the lower edge. 4. Set the value 0 on the Y axis. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Assembly/Scale

Þ Step 4: Generate a mesh

q Tool: Hull Coons q Open the model file: Faut03 q Do it: With the Coons tool, generate a mesh. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Construction/Surfaces/Coons Surfaces

Þ Step 5: Give a 3D shape to the seat

q Tool: Bend q Open the model file: Faut03b q Do it: 1. Side view (key 4). 2. Select the Bend tool. 3. Draw a bending curve which will be the seat profile. 4. Validate. The mesh is modified following the curve. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Modeling/Bend

Þ Step 6: Adjust the back

q Tool: Stretch q Open the model file: Faut04 q Do it: 1. Select the points of the upper edge of the back. 2. Select the Stretch tool. 3. Set the points upright. 4. Validate. The upper part of the back is set upright. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Modeling/Stretch

Þ Step 7: Mold the seat

q Tool: Metanurbs q Open the model file: Faut05 q Do it: 1. Select the Metanurbs tool. 2. A control box with 3x3x3 control lines appears around the object. 3. Press the + key twice to get 5x5x5 control lines. 4. One by one, stretch the central points of the control lines, following the external face of the seat. 5. When the seat is hollowed enough, put the tool aside to see the result. 6. If it is not satisfactory, select the tool again, set the control lines to 5x5x5 and model some more. 7. When the seat has a good shape, smooth it with a value of 3, and save it q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Modeling/MetaNURBS

The foot

Þ Step 1: Draw the foot section

q Tool: Drawing tool, Circle q Open the model file: Faut06 q Do it: 1. Face view (key 2). 2. Top view (key 5). 3. Draw a circle with radius = 6 and 12 points. 4. Use the center of gravity of the seat to set the center of the circle. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Drawing/Circle

Þ Step 2: Extruding the foot

q Tool: Extrusion q Do it: 1. Side view (key 4). 2. Extrude toward the bottom with a vertical constraint for the first part (cylinder); this part should be long enough for a good height of the seat and a little more, because later we will do a Boolean operation. 3. Then, remove the constraint and draw the second part of the foot (the base). q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Construction/Extrusion

The whole chair

Þ Step 1: Adjust the height of the seat

q Tool: Move q Do it: 1. Move the seat toward the top with a vertical constraint to adjust the height of the seat. 2. Save the model. q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Assembly/Move

Þ Step 2: Boolean operation between the seat and the foot

q Tool: Boolean q Open the model file: Faut07 q Do it: 1. Perform a Boolean operation between the seat and the foot. 1. Display the different results with the +/- keys. 2. Validate the foot only. 3. Save the model q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Tools/Modeling/Cut/Boolean

Þ Step 3: Texture it!

q Tool: Material editor q Open the model file: Faut07 and Faut08 q Do it: 1. Open the model Faut07. 2. Suppress the foot. 3. Open the model Faut08. All that’s left to do now is to choose some textures to make a beautiful chair! q See the detailed explanations in the chapter: User Manual/Rendering/Rendering Parameters/Material editor