Saucers 101

This is an introductory lesson for 3d Modelling and Animation using a freeware application called Anim8or by Steve Glanville. READ carefully and don't skip a step, and you'll develop requisite skills and vocabulary that you'll need for later, more advanced tutorials.

You start in OBJECT mode. This it like a "virtual fabrication workshop" where you can construct props for your animated movies.

In this exercise, we're making flying saucers.

1. Create a SPHERE

Use anywhere on screen to make the saucer part.
NOTE: A sphere is a simple "primitive" 3D object.
1. It CAN be:
  1. Easily resized
  2. Reduced or Increased in polycount
2. It CAN'T be:
  1. Squished, Cut, or Molded until it's been converted into a mesh
Double click the sphere and change:
1. It's diameter to 100,
2. It's xyz location to 0,0 and 0. Note that It's now been relocated to the exact center of your virtual universe.
3. Set it's "Div Lon" (Longitudinal Divisions) to 24 to make it smoother around it's equator. - Click OK -

2. Convert the SPHERE to MESH.

With the sphere selected, use BUILD | CONVERT TO MESH from the dropdown menu.
Notice that the "bounding box" turns from yellow to WHITE. This will allow the sphere to become "bendable" so it can be sculpted.

3. SQUASH the SPHERE into a SAUCER

turn off the X and Z switches - this will allow only the height (Y) to be modified. CLICK Y with the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON
ANIM8OR100: Use the left mouse button to choose the Y-axis. Use the RIGHT mouse button to toggle multiple switches on or off
Use NON-UNIFORM SCALE to "squash" the shape into a saucer.
Remember to turn on X and Z back on - you will need them later. USE THE RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON

4. Hide the Saucer

SELECT it, then just hit the small 'h' key on your keyboard
NOTE: Hidden objects can be restored by tapping a CAPITAL H on the keyboard - try it, then re-hide the saucer

5. Create another SPHERE

Repeat STEP ONE, but make this one 50 units diameter, with 12 DIV LON and 16 LAT
Place it at xyz 0,0,0
This will become the DOME. Notice that primitives have a YELLOW bounding box when selected!

6. Convert the SPHERE to MESH

Just as you did before, use BUILD | CONVERT TO MESH from the dropdown menu.
Notice that MESH as WHITE bounding box when selected!

7. SELECT the bottom half

You have to first go into POINT EDIT MODE
Select WIREFRAME view (it's near the top of the screen)
Select the VERTEX SELECT option under COMPONENT so that you will only affect the points.
Use the DRAG SELECT tool to select only the points of the dome BELOW the equator.

8. DELETE the BOTTOM HALF

Hit the delete key and return to smooth shaded view to see the newly cleaved dome.

9. UnHide the Saucer

Return to OBJECT EDIT MODE by clicking the in the top left corner of the toolbar.
Hit SHIFT-"H" on your keyboard to SHOW ALL OBJECTS.
CONGRATULATIONS! You now have a very basic saucer object that we can customize in the next lesson.