Primitives and Modifiers

This function allows you to add complex models with your scene. Primitives are meshes and can have open surfaces. These primitives and other objects belonging to the model can be modified using various modifiers to create a more complex model. You can add many different primitives to scenes including cones, stars, spiral stairs, spheres, capsules, pyramids, gears, and archways.

Primitives help you to create additional geometry to replace simple missing parts and complete a scene.

Modifiers provide many different ways to modify existing objects while keeping the file size to a minimum. You can also edit individual primitives and modifiers in the same way as all other objects. For example, normally, you want the center of the Inflate modifier to be a point somewhere in the midst of the object and radius to be the distance of the furthest vertex from center. However, you can change the center anchor of the Inflate modifier object to achieve different effects.

Activities

Creating a Primitive

Open a 3D file, choose the Create Primitives down arrow and select the primitive you want to add.

Applying a Modifier

Open a 3D file, select the objects to which you want to apply the modifier, choose the Create Modifier down arrow and select modifier you want to apply.

Deleting a Primitive

Do one of the following:

  • Select the primitive in the viewport and press Delete.

  • Right-click the primitive in the viewport, 3D Objects list, Parts panel, or Layers panel, and choose Delete Objects.

  • Open the Object Properties window, choose the Object tab, select the primitive in the Object window, and then choose Remove.

Deleting a Modifier

  1. Open the Object Properties window, choose the Object tab

  2. Select the modifier in the Object window and choose Remove.