Insert edges in Alias

00:02

We're going to have a look at the Subdiv Insert tool

00:06

and I'll start with these Insert mode settings

00:09

and I'll just use this hood with the indented scoop area.

00:15

So the Parallel option has Pick Edge Loop selected, which is normally what you want.

00:20

And if the controls aren't already displayed,

00:22

then the first click will display them.

00:24

So I can then just click on one edge

00:27

and then drag as far as the next edge loop in either direction.

00:32

So I'll just undo that

00:34

and then with Perpendicular instead you click on

00:37

an edge to insert a new loop across it

00:40

and you get the same results when there's a simple flow of quads.

00:46

But where the topology is more complex like the five edges here in this corner

00:50

or the three down here,

00:52

then we can get different results.

00:55

When you use Parallel, it's limited to a simple edge loop up to a complex junction.

01:00

So here I would have to insert twice to get another loop

01:04

on the edge of the scoop.

01:06

But if I undo those, what Perpendicular allows me to do

01:09

is work across that whole inner edge in one go.

01:13

So I can add in a loop at the top

01:15

and another one lower down.

01:17

So both modes can be really useful.

01:19

And you can see that inserting brings the limit surfaces

01:22

closer to the control cage for a tighter shape.

01:26

So next, I'll look at the Offset mode with Relative and Parameter settings.

01:32

On this roof, I've got just one face loop that's across the center line.

01:37

So if I wanted to split that with an Insert,

01:41

and I'll just stick with Perpendicular,

01:44

you can see that this Parameter value goes from around 0 to 1.

01:49

So if I want to insert exactly at the center,

01:51

then because it's symmetrical, I can type in 0.5 in the tool window.

01:56

And that means I could delete these faces for example

01:59

and just go back to one half of the roof.

02:04

So that was the Relative mode

02:06

and I'll switch back to Parallel now as it's got this Both option.

02:11

So if I click here and drag,

02:12

you can see the Relative option gives

02:14

me quite different offset distances on both sides

02:17

because it's relative to the face length.

02:21

If I undo that and switch to Distance

02:24

and then do exactly the same.

02:26

You can see that the offset is now an equal distance on both sides.

02:31

So I'm just gonna put that back to Single because in practice,

02:34

I probably use Bevel instead,

02:38

but this offset mode also affects the angle of the insertion.

02:41

And I can show this on the wheel arch.

02:45

So the Distance setting keeps this initial angle constant,

02:48

and so it can distort the layout a bit,

02:52

whereas Relative adjusts the angle of the flow between the edges as it goes along.

02:58

And that's why Relative is the default setting.

03:02

So undo those and have a look at the last option which is Edge Flow.

03:06

But first, I'm going to copy and paste

03:09

and then Template so that we can compare any changes to the original.

03:13

So the default is without Edge Flow.

03:16

And here the control cage is kept the same

03:19

and it's simply split.

03:21

But if I turn Edge Flow on,

03:22

then the control cage is now modified to try

03:25

to maintain the curvature shape of the limit surfaces.

03:29

So if we shade those, you can see that it's resulted in a flatter shape

03:33

when I haven't got Edge Flow

03:35

and with Edge Flow on, it's moved further out and it's rounder.

03:40

But in practice,

03:41

you're probably going to pick those new inserted edges and

03:44

move them around until you get the shape you want anyway.

Video transcript

00:02

We're going to have a look at the Subdiv Insert tool

00:06

and I'll start with these Insert mode settings

00:09

and I'll just use this hood with the indented scoop area.

00:15

So the Parallel option has Pick Edge Loop selected, which is normally what you want.

00:20

And if the controls aren't already displayed,

00:22

then the first click will display them.

00:24

So I can then just click on one edge

00:27

and then drag as far as the next edge loop in either direction.

00:32

So I'll just undo that

00:34

and then with Perpendicular instead you click on

00:37

an edge to insert a new loop across it

00:40

and you get the same results when there's a simple flow of quads.

00:46

But where the topology is more complex like the five edges here in this corner

00:50

or the three down here,

00:52

then we can get different results.

00:55

When you use Parallel, it's limited to a simple edge loop up to a complex junction.

01:00

So here I would have to insert twice to get another loop

01:04

on the edge of the scoop.

01:06

But if I undo those, what Perpendicular allows me to do

01:09

is work across that whole inner edge in one go.

01:13

So I can add in a loop at the top

01:15

and another one lower down.

01:17

So both modes can be really useful.

01:19

And you can see that inserting brings the limit surfaces

01:22

closer to the control cage for a tighter shape.

01:26

So next, I'll look at the Offset mode with Relative and Parameter settings.

01:32

On this roof, I've got just one face loop that's across the center line.

01:37

So if I wanted to split that with an Insert,

01:41

and I'll just stick with Perpendicular,

01:44

you can see that this Parameter value goes from around 0 to 1.

01:49

So if I want to insert exactly at the center,

01:51

then because it's symmetrical, I can type in 0.5 in the tool window.

01:56

And that means I could delete these faces for example

01:59

and just go back to one half of the roof.

02:04

So that was the Relative mode

02:06

and I'll switch back to Parallel now as it's got this Both option.

02:11

So if I click here and drag,

02:12

you can see the Relative option gives

02:14

me quite different offset distances on both sides

02:17

because it's relative to the face length.

02:21

If I undo that and switch to Distance

02:24

and then do exactly the same.

02:26

You can see that the offset is now an equal distance on both sides.

02:31

So I'm just gonna put that back to Single because in practice,

02:34

I probably use Bevel instead,

02:38

but this offset mode also affects the angle of the insertion.

02:41

And I can show this on the wheel arch.

02:45

So the Distance setting keeps this initial angle constant,

02:48

and so it can distort the layout a bit,

02:52

whereas Relative adjusts the angle of the flow between the edges as it goes along.

02:58

And that's why Relative is the default setting.

03:02

So undo those and have a look at the last option which is Edge Flow.

03:06

But first, I'm going to copy and paste

03:09

and then Template so that we can compare any changes to the original.

03:13

So the default is without Edge Flow.

03:16

And here the control cage is kept the same

03:19

and it's simply split.

03:21

But if I turn Edge Flow on,

03:22

then the control cage is now modified to try

03:25

to maintain the curvature shape of the limit surfaces.

03:29

So if we shade those, you can see that it's resulted in a flatter shape

03:33

when I haven't got Edge Flow

03:35

and with Edge Flow on, it's moved further out and it's rounder.

03:40

But in practice,

03:41

you're probably going to pick those new inserted edges and

03:44

move them around until you get the shape you want anyway.

Video quiz

Required for course completion

In the Insert Edge dialog, which of the following options will enable you to split a symmetrical face loop into two equal parts?

(Select one)
Select an answer

1/1 questions left unanswered

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