3D Mini: Fun With Duplicate Special

Duplicate Special is a very powerful tool  that allows you to make copies of an object, but also change the attributes of each duplicated object.
   
Let’s start basic controls.
Create a cube.  Create > Polygon Primitives > Poly Cube

Duplicate_Special_1First Translate (move) the cube’s X position to  -10.  Translate X: –10

Now open the duplicate special attribute box,   . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

 

Change the following:

Translate X: 2

Number of Copies: 9

Duplicate_Special_2

NOW . . . Repeat what you have learned and duplicate, the row (select all the cubes in the row), and then duplicate the row of rows (select all the cubes),  to make a 10 cube X 10 cube X 10 Cube.  Post in your Blog.

10X10-1


          
Scaling

Create a cube and position it off-center.  Translate (move) the cube’s X position to  -10. 

Translate X: –10

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 2

Scale Z: 1.25

Number of Copies: 9

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

Scale

Scale3-2

Duplicate_Special_3


ROTATE

First scale your cube to 6 units in the Z direction.  Scale Z: 6     

Change the cube’s Scale Z to 12.  Translate X: -10

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 1

Rotate X: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

Rotate3

Duplicate_Special_4 

                 


Pivot Point

Repeat Last Step:  create a cube scale it to 6 units in the Z direction.  Scale Z: 12 and change the cube’s Translate X to -10.  Translate X: -10  
          
This time we are going to move the pivot point.  Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot on;  the manipulator changes shape.  Snap the manipulator to the Origin center (0, 0, 0) of the grid in all axis.  To do this hold the the {x} key on the keyboard while moving the manipulator.  I moved it only in the x-direction to the left of the cube.   Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot off;  the manipulator changes shape. 

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 1

Rotate X: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

Duplicate_Special_5             
           

rotate2-2

Duplicate_Special_6



RING

Create a torus and change the cube’s Translate X to 6.  Translate X: 6 and then

Under the torus’ inputs change the Section Radius to something a bit smaller. I changed mine to 0.1 units.

torus

Move the pivot point.  Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot on;  the manipulator changes shape.  Snap the manipulator to the Origin center (0, 0, 0) of the grid in all axis.  To do this hold the the {x} key on the keyboard while moving the manipulator.  I moved it only in the x-direction to the left of the cube.   Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot off;  the manipulator changes shape. 

Duplicate_Special_7

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings


Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Rotate Y: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)



      ring-2      

Duplicate_Special_8
            


SPIRAL

This time make another torus and position it off center by changing the pivot point.  I used the same object, but just made it a lot bigger. 

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Rotate Y: 18

Scale X: 0.75

Scale Y: 0.75

Scale Z: 0.75

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)


Duplicate_Special_10


GROUP

Create a few shapes and position them Off-center. Make 3 or more objects off center. 

Rings2-1


Group them together.  Select all the objects and press {Ctrl} + {g} to group them.  The pivot point should automatically move to the center of the grid.   

Rings2-2

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special (open the options box), then reset the option settings.  Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Rotate Y: 66

Scale X: 0.90  (*This scales in down by 10% after each duplication)

Scale Y: 0.90  (*This scales in down by 10% after each duplication)

Scale Z: 0.90  (*This scales in down by 10% after each duplication)

Number of Copies: 30

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

I changed the following settings:

Rings2-3

Rings2

Another Example:Duplicate_Special_12             
            
    
           
What am I looking for?

Create 3 complex Duplicate Special Designs. For each design, create 2 screen shots:           

  • One showing your Duplicate Special settings and your original shape.
  • One showing your final Duplicate Special design.