Sculpt deformer options

This topic covers the options in the Sculpt options window. For information on using the Sculpt deformer, see Create a Sculpt deformer.

Basic tab

Mode

Specifies the sculpt deformer’s mode. Select Flip, Project, or Stretch. Default is Stretch.

Flip

With Flip, a deformation occurs when the sculpt tool nears the target object’s geometry. Also, Flip places the implicit locator at the center of the sculpt tool. This mode is called Flip because when the center of the sculpt tool passes through the surface, the deformed surface flips to the other side of the sculpt tool.

Project

With Project, the sculpt deformer projects the target objects geometry onto the surface of the sculpt tool. The extent to which the projection takes place depends on the sculpt deformer’s Dropoff Distance attribute. Also, the Max Displacement attribute specifies whether the projection occurs directly on the sculpt tool, inside the sculpt tool, or outside of the sculpt tool.

Stretch

With Stretch, when you move the sculpt tool away from the geometry, the affected surface of the geometry stretches or bulges to stay with the sculpt tool. The stretch direction extends from the point marked by the stretch origin locator to the surface of the sculpt tool’s shape.

Inside Mode

Specifies how the deformer influences the deformable object’s points located inside the sculpt sphere. There are two modes: Ring and Even.

Ring

This mode pushes inside points outside of the sculpt sphere, creating a contoured, ring-like effect around the sculpt sphere.

Even

This mode spreads the inside points all around the sculpt sphere evenly, creating a smooth, spherical effect. Default is Even.

Max Displacement

Specifies the distance that the sculpt sphere can push a deformable object’s points from the sphere’s surface. Use the slider to select values from -10.000 to 10.000. Default is 0.100.

Dropoff Type

Specifies how the sculpt sphere’s range of influence declines or drops off. (The range of influence is specified with the Dropoff Distance.) There are two Dropoff Types: None and Linear.

None specifies no decline, providing a sudden dropoff effect.

Linear specifies a gradual decline, providing a dropoff effect that decreases linearly.

Select None or Linear. (Default is Linear.)

Dropoff Distance

Specifies the sculpt sphere’s range of influence. (How the range of influence can decline is specified by Dropoff Type.)

Positioning

Specifies the placement of the sculpt sphere. Click Positioning on to center sculpt sphere within the deformable object. Click off to place sculpt sphere at the workspace origin. Note that if you are creating a stretch sculpt deformer (Mode is set to Stretch), the stretch origin locator will be placed with the sculpt sphere. Default is on, which centers the sculpt sphere within the deformable object.

Grouping

If you are creating a stretch sculpt deformer (Mode is set to Stretch), you can choose whether the stretch origin locator will be put in a group with the sculpt sphere. Click on to group the sculpt sphere with the stretch origin locator. Default is off.

Sculpt Tool

Lets you use a custom NURBS surface or polygon mesh as the sculpt deformer object. See To use a NURBS or polygon object as the sculpt tool for your sculpt deformer.

Advanced tab

See Advanced deformer options.

Deformation Order

Specifies the placement of the deformer node in the deformable object’s history. For more information about deformer placement, see Deformation order.

Exclusive

Specifies whether the deformer set is in a partition. Sets in a partition can have no overlapping members. If on, the Partition To Use and New Partition Name options become available. Default is off.

Partition To Use

Lists any existing partitions, and a default selection Create New Partition. If you select Create New Partition, you can edit the New Partition Name field to specify the name of a new partition. Only available if Exclusive is on.

New Partition Name

Specifies the name of a new partition that will include the deformer set. The suggested partition name is deformPartition, which will be created if it does not already exist. Typically, you might put all your exclusive deformer sets in the partition named deformPartition. However, you can create as many partitions as you like, and name them whatever you want. Only available if Exclusive is on.