Create a curve-on-surface

Maya provides several techniques for creating a curve-on-surface:

• Draw a curve-on-surface by placing edit points
• Project a curve onto a surface along the view direction
• Project a curve onto a surface along the surface’s normals
• Intersect two surfaces to create a curves on surface

Draw a curve-on-surface by placing edit points

1. Select the surface on which you want to draw a curve-on-surface.
2. In the Status Line, click the “Make the selected object live” icon.
3. Choose Create > CV Curve Tool or Create > EP Curve Tool.
4. Draw a curve on the live surface.
5. When the curve is finished, click the “Make selected object live” icon again.

Project a curve onto a surface along the view direction

1. Select a surface and one or more curves.

   Select the objects in a view pointing in the direction you want to project. For example, if you want to project along Y, select the objects in the Top view.

2. Select Edit NURBS > Project Curve on Surface > and set Project Along to Active View.
3. Click Project.
   

Project a curve onto a surface along the surface’s normals

1. Select a surface and one or more curves.
2. Select Edit NURBS > Project Curve on Surface > and set Project Along to Active View.
3. Click Project.
   

Intersect two surfaces to create a curves on surface

1. Select two surfaces.
2. Select Edit NURBS > Intersect Surfaces.

   The default is to create curves-on-surface on both surfaces. To only create curves-on-surface on the first or second surface, open the option box (Edit NURBS > Intersect Surfaces > ) and set the Create Curves For option.