Using Soft Select

Learning Resources > Tutorials > Getting Started with Maya > Polygonal Modeling > Lesson 2: Sculpting a polygon mesh >

Using Soft Select

You can use Soft Select to select components with falloff on a polygon or NURBS surface. Falloff is an area around the selected components that is affected by a transformation according to a weighting. Transforming components with falloff allows you to perform a smooth transformation over multiple components without having to adjust each component individually.

For this lesson you use Soft Select to make a number of adjustments to the head model, starting with the nose.

To stretch the nose

Select the Move Tool by clicking the icon on the Toolbox.
-click the head model and select Vertex from the marking menu.
The vertices appear on the mesh.
Select a vertex on the tip of the nose.
Press the ‘b’ key.
A circular colored area appears around the selected vertex.

This colored area represents the falloff. Yellow represents areas of low falloff while black represents areas of high falloff. Areas with low falloff are affected more by transformations to selected components than areas of high falloff.

Next you need to adjust the Falloff radius.
Hold the b key and drag left or right.
The falloff area grows and shrinks as you move the mouse. Adjust the size so that it encompasses as much of the nose as possible without touching the face.
Drag the z axis manipulator away from the face.
As you drag the vertex away, the rest of the nose is smoothly stretched with it.
Select the Rotate Tool from the toolbox and, using the z axis manipulator, rotate the vertex down approximately 45 degrees.
Select the Move Tool again and drag the y axis (it appears yellow when selected and green when unselected) manipulator down.
This creates a bend in the nose.
Turn off Soft Select by pressing the b key on your keyboard.