Creating a polygon primitive

You’ll create the top portion of the helmet mesh from a cube primitive using the image planes as a reference. Primitive objects are one method for starting 3D meshes because they can be modified to create other forms.

To create a cube primitive for the helmet mesh

1. Ensure you are working in the perspective view.
2. Select Create > Polygon Primitives > Cube >.
3. In the options window, select Edit > Reset Settings, and then set the following:
   • Width: 14
   • Height: 14
   • Depth: 14
   • Width divisions: 1
   • Height divisions: 2
   • Depth divisions: 1
4. Click the Create button.

   A cube primitive is created at the origin with the dimensions you specified and one subdivision around the middle. This cube primitive is comprised of four-sided polygon faces called quads. Quad polygons are used frequently with 3D character models as they are easily smoothed and deform well when bound into a skeleton.

   

   You can smooth the cube so it appears more rounded on the corners and subdivide it into smaller faces using the Smooth feature.

To smooth and subdivide the cube primitive

1. With the cube still selected in the scene view, select Mesh > Smooth > , and set the following options in the window that appears:
   • Add divisions: Exponentially
   • Division levels: 2
2. Click Smooth.

   The cube primitive is smoothed and is rounded at its corners. The cube has also been subdivided into smaller faces.

   

   The polygon faces are still four-sided even though their shape and position have been modified by the smooth operation.

   Note

   If the top, domed portion of the smoothed cube doesn’t roughly match the helmet sketches as indicated in the image below, scale the cube with the Scale Tool to make it match.

   

To rename the polygon mesh

1. With the cube still selected, rename the cube primitive from pCube1 to helmetmesh using the Channel Box.