In this quick video tutorial for Blender 2.6 we take you through using the mesh modeling Spin tool. This feature makes it very easy to model things like cups, bottles or anything else with a cylindrical profile. It also allows you to duplicate objects in a circular pattern.
- 1
Discussion
53 Responses to “Blender Feature: Using the Spin Tool”Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
good tip
all your quick tip videos i reckon should have their own category
thanks for all your vids you guys do an awesome job
oh and happy new year to all blender heads
cool thanks! i was just working with the spin tool with the “Retro Headphones” tutorial, I had to do try and error because it used 2.49
Straight and to the point. I have learned of this tool some time ago but Blender has a million and one features that it is very easy to forget how useful some of these little gems are. Once you have gained some experience then relearn these tricks it makes you think of the time savings they could have provided in all of your most recent projects. Thank you kindly for bringing this to light. Well done
This reminds me that blender needs to add rotation under the array modifier.
In the array modifier, select “constant offset”, number of duplicates on the “count” field, select “object offset”, create Empty object ( the center or origin of you object must be in the origin or center of the Empty),type the name of the Empty object in the “object offset field”. Rotate the empty and copies are distributed around it. This does not create a closed mesh as the spin tool, only copies of meshes (or objects around of the “object offset”).
a proper “polar array modifier” would still be alot better.
And make so much more sense.
cookie, how about doing a follow-up tutorial one the screw modifier?
Screw a path, that way you can make cylindrical shapes
and they stay live and you can edit them in real time..
Just before you apple the modifier you have to
convert the path to mesh alt+c(remember that in the cueve object data you can select the resolution with the “preview”
doing it with way do dont have to remove doubles, or recalculate normals.
Added to my list
i need an editor, i hope you can decipher my engrish.
Oh.. and dont “screw it”,
use the (screw modifier) on it.. not the screw button..
in the front view make a vertical path, go into edit mode and make it the
profile of a glass or a pot.
now add an empty to the scene, make sure its added at the center(cursor to center)
add a screw modifier to the path(curve)
in the AxisOB put the “empty” object
set your angle and steps.
now with the path curve selected tab into edit mode, and
you can change the shape of the object in realtime,
watch the updates as you move the points.
to turn the object into polys, select the curve in object mode,
press alt+c and choose the bottom choice “Mesh from Curve”.
Oh another thing..
using the “z” key(wireframe)
is a nice way to see the inside of the object
for instance if you are making a pot that will be transparent,
this way you can make the inside profile.
I tried making a screencast with blender Alt+f3 but the recording kept stopping
everytime i press the enter button?
Maybe you could do a tut on screencasts? or tell us how to make the recording keep going even when you press the enter button.
like when i rotate a path curve then in the tool panel type in 90degrees
then press “enter” then screencast stops. (grrrr)
What happen’d to the 720p videod – Is this some tomporary thing or !!?.
It’s hard for me to follow the videos from my Laptop.
We need the 720p videos back.
-khalid
Hi Khalid, you should have the option to enable “HD”. If there’s not, have you tried watching it on Vimeo just in case?
-Jonathan
Nice tip; all these commands that need exploring…
Cheers Jonathon.
Thanks for the tip and all your hard work. Here’s a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
@ 830 that is how I make windows, doorways and entrances that need that rounded look.
Good tip.
Keep up the good work!
It would indeed be awesome if there was a “quick tips” sub-section to Blender Cookie, similar to the “getting started in blender” section.
This would be a really practical aspect to learning the modifiers and other newly added features.
Wishing you all much success in 2012, thanks guys.
You mean like this? http://cgcookie.com/blender/category/tutorials/tips/
Or specific only to features like the Spin tool?
Ooops, sorry, I just found the “tips” section under the “tutorials” tab on the header bar, jeees , u guys are really pro!
I guess I mean next to the “getting started” tab, there could be “quick tips” or “quick start” tab, then followed by meatier tutorials.
It was just a fleeting thought really, just to go from a new blender user, you could get the basics, then some features, then bigger projects/tutorials.
Cheers, BC is just great anyway!
very good tutorial!
i wish there was a modifier in the modifiers panel such it spin would be animated…
3:22 kinda looked like the aperture science logo
Awesome! I had been looking for something like that.
neato. I have just thought of 1000 things i could do with this modifier. Everything from a saw blade to a portal opening up. Fun Stuff
This seems very handy. lol
is it my imagination or is the sound disabled
Most likely something on your computer; sound definitely works here :S
thank you jonothon whatever it was it fixed itself. irony I couldn’t get sound here. but could on vimeo. but every thing is better and i thank you.
All good, except when the part happens to make a vase like structure. I tried ctrl and left mouse clicking on my laptop but it doesnt make a path or start making a vertice for some reason. Any suggestions?
Have you by chance changed the selection mouse to left click? If so then you will extrude with CTRL + RMB
I have the same problem as Jessecarles101. :/ Isn’t there any key to do so? Btw. I’ve just installed Blender today, and I wanna say that you videos are extremely good. I’ve seen all of your beginner tutorials – really really great job!
Hi, im having the same problem when you start drawing the vase outline. No combination of ctrl clicks works and I haven’t changed any default settings. Is there a setting I have to change?
excellent lesson, thank you.
This is an excellent tip but, in general, I think that these tips are a wonderful way to learn specific things, that may be missing from one’s Blender experience or knowledge. Thanks a million! I find myself saying: “OH, I always wanted to know how to do that!”.
I’m thrilled you like it! Are there any other small features you’d like to see similar tips on?
Hello, Jonathan, thanks a lot for these wonderful tutorials, While I was trying to loop cut the curved figure at 09:11 horizontally, one of the sides couldn’t be cut (i.e the loop cut didn’t go all the way), I even tried the knife tool to get rid of the problem, but even after using it the cut didn’t go all the way
I am using Blender 2.63a
Thanks in advance
Hi there,
Can you send me a screenshot of the problem mesh? Most likely you have something that is terminating one of the loops, making it impossible to cut through.
-Jonathan
How do I render this using a glass material in cycles?
wath is the specular intensity and hardnes,and how much need to be transparency to be like glass?
Nice video, this is a great place to start with blender if you are a beginner, you can create some really interesting shaped meshes in seconds.
At 3:20 – 3:28 you say: By default the spin tool axis that it uses is always perpendicular to the 3D view-port… I don’t understand your explanation. Can you or a member please explain it better?
Hi there,
What I mean is that it will always spin in around the viewport as if you’re looking at a clock face. In other words, it will spin and lie flat to the angle the viewport is.
I hope that helps!
Jonathan
Yes that’s what I needed an analogy. Thanks.
Hello Jonathan, I apologize for not replying sooner, I figured out the problem, One of the edges had been duplicated when I used the spin tool so the loop cut didn’t go all the way,
Thanks a lot once again for your quick reply and your blender tutorials.
Around the 4:24 mark, when you left a trail to make the vase… how do I configure my settings to do that? the “action mouse”
Hi Trey.
You can do this by pressing Ctrl+Action Mouse when you have at least one vertex selected. It’s merely another way to extrude a selection.
Thank you!
http://blenderart3d.blogspot.fr/
I couldn’t draw the shape I’m using a macbookpro the hotkey and the shortcut are different here
Hi Shoroq,
Actually the hotkeys on a Mac, Linux, and Windows machine are identical in Blender. What was not working for you?
The move that comes after deleting the plane “-_-
I got it thanks
thanks