3D Animation, Modifiers: Array: Helical staircase [Blogs experimental] [ Blender ]

Los geometry modifiers for transforming simple elements to complex objects that serve to build our scenarios.

Here's an example that will allow us to form a spiral staircase ( straight axial helical) from a simple step that will apply a repetitive transformation law.

A transformation of great interest are the “Arrays”, for defining a set of copies of a given element, changes along with the movement as (rotation and translation) and scaling of an object, in a single complex transformation (with a single operator)

Start from an object “Cube” to modify at will to form a step. For this we can enter edit mode the object, scaling it in direction “The”, and editing the vertices of a face by upward direction “X” or “And” to complete the form.

This way of changing the subject (scaled) can not be advised, as it involves global changes that are chained to apply the modifier, difficult to control the outcome.

Therefore we enter the editing mode of the object and changing the position of the corresponding vertices to form the desired shape for the step.

Then add an object “empty” (axes represented by dark) that serve to control the transformation, defining the rotation and translation of the steps or rungs of our ladder helical.

This object will place the end of the rung basis.

With the selected step, will enter the Object Edit mode (Editing) to incorporate the required modifier.

Once the vertices of the object modified to suit the geometry we want, return to Object Mode (Object)

In version 2.6x have to select the menu:

And then Array:

on 2.4

Tab “Modifiers” will have a button to add the modifier “Add Modifiers”

We will select the modifier “Array”, so as to be incorporated together with a new set of controls that allow to adjust their fundamentals.

Will default activated “Relative Offset” and a number of copies (Fixed Count) igual a 2.

Option “relative offset” indicates that each new copy of the selected object will be compared to the previous sliding the magnitude we have indicated. We will not use this mode, so we will proceed to disable clicking on the appropriate button or control.

In his stead, offset to activate an object (Object Offset), need to indicate the name of the object you use to control the transformation, to include in the text box labeled “Whether:”. In our case we use the element “Empty” we defined in a previous step.

Also adjust the number of copies (steps) we want to perform, introducing the control value “Count”

If we change the position and scale of the object “Empty”, and turn the same shaft “The” dynamically see how changes the screw or “spiral” we have created. We have incorporated a cylindrical element to complete the model.

In version 2.6x the interface is somewhat changed