for Blender v2.

42a

Rectangle with rounded corners

Bas van Dijk

v1.0 – January 2007

Copyright (c) 2007 - Bas van Dijk

You may redistribute and copy this document as long as it keeps unchanged and it is
provided in its original format. No commercial printing of this e-book is allowed.
Preface
BlenderCourse teaches you about 3D modelling and provides you short tutorials about a
specific subject. The main thought is: Just do it! During different courses you learn
various techniques. If necessary there is a small instruction, but in my opinion you learn
best when doing the exercise by yourself.

BlenderCourse is intended for everyone who can use a computer. This means you
understand terms as “double click” and “tab-key”.

You do not need any 3D-modelling knowledge; the terms used will be explained during
the different courses.

If you see an error or something is not clear, I want to ask you to contact me through
feedback@blendercourse.com. More Blender Course material can be found at
http://www.blendercourse.com.

Have fun with Blender Course!

Bas van Dijk

Wijdewormer, the Netherlands, January 2007

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Introduction
This document is using several symbols. Below is the explanation of these symbols:

An arrow () means instruction. This means you have to follow the step after it.

Example:  Click with the right mouse button on the object.

A text between < and > means a key on the keyboard.

Example: Press <Enter> to confirm the operation.

A combination of more than one key will be written with the plus sign (+).

Example: Press <Alt> + <F4> to exit the program.

A button on the screen will be written between [ and ].

Example: Click at [OK] to close the window.

If there is an arrow () between two words, this means a click sequence in a
menu.

Example: Choose File  Save

A new technique or additional information will be written inside a grey box.

Example:
This is how this technique works.

Nodes and handles

This tutorial uses the terms “Node” and “Handle”. The figure below shows what is meant
by these terms. Nodes are marked in Yellow, the handles in red.

nodes and handles

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Rectangle with rounded corners
This lesson teaches you how to create a rectangle with rounded corners. In order to draw
this we use Bezier Curves.

 Start Blender.

 Choose File  New (figure 1).

figure 1

 Click with the right mouse button on the cube to select.

 Press <X> to delete the cube.

A menu appears (figure 2).

figure 2

 Choose [Erase Selected].

The cube is deleted now.

 Move the mouse cursor to the centre of the Top View.

 Press <Spacebar>.

 Choose Add  Curve  Bezier Curve (figure 3).

figure 3

 Press <Ctrl> + <> to maximize the Top View.

Your view should look like figure 4.

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 figure 4

Right click on the centre of the left node (marked red in figure 5).

figure 5

 Press <G> to move the node.

 Hold <Ctrl> while moving in order to keep the node aligned to the grid.

 Move the node to the position which is marked in red in figure 6.

figure 6

 Press <R> to rotate the node.

 Hold down <Ctrl> while moving in order to rotate aligned to the grid.

 Rotate the node till the handles are perfectly horizontal (figure 7).

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 figure 7

 Select the right node (marked red in figure 7).

 Press <R> to rotate the node.

 Hold down <Ctrl> while moving in order to rotate aligned to the grid.

 Rotate the node till the handles are perfectly vertical (figure 8).

figure 8

Move the two handles (marked red in figure 8) to the middle of the bigger grid
squares as shown in figure 9.

figure 9

 Save your work (<F2>) as BC_Corners.01.blend

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  Select the top node (marked red in figure 10)

figure 10

 Hold <Ctrl> and click with the left mouse button, three grid squares to the left of
the previous one in order to create a new node (figure 11).

figure 11

 Press <Shift> + <S> and choose [Selection -> Grid] in order to align the node to
the grid (figure 12).

figure 12

 Hold <Ctrl> again and click with the left mouse button on the position marked red
in figure 13.

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 figure 13

 Press <Shift> + <S> again and choose [Selection -> Grid] to align this node to
the grid as well.

 Rotate the nodes and handles the same way as with the first corner. In the end
your scene should look like figure 14.

figure 14

 Create the whole rectangle and make sure the last node is at the same position as
the first one (figure 15).

figure 15

 Save your work (<F2>) as BC_Corners.02.blend

 Press <Tab> for Object Mode.

 Press <Alt> + <C> for convert object type.

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A menu appears (figure 16).

figure 16

 Choose [Mesh].

 Press <Tab> for Edit Mode.

 Press <A> in order to select all vertices.

 Press <Shift> + <F> for face fill (figure 17).

figure 17

 Press <Tab> to leave Edit Mode.

 Press <F12> for rendering the image.

Your image should look like figure 18.

figure 18

 Save your work (<F2>) as BC_Corners.03.blend

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