Mesh Tools menu

Tools

Append to Polygon

Lets you add polygons to an existing mesh using a polygon edge as a starting point.

Select Mesh Tools Append to Polygon to set the Append to Polygon Tool Options.

Connect

Lets you connect vertices and/or edges via other edges. See Add edges between polygon components with the Connect Tool.

Select Mesh Tools Connect to set the Connect Tool Options.

Crease

Lets you crease edges and vertices on a polygon mesh. You can use the Crease Tool to modify your polygonal meshes and obtain shapes that transition between hard and smooth, without unduly increasing the resolution of the base mesh.

Select Mesh Tools Crease to set the Crease Tool Options.

TIP:Shift + right-click on an object when you are in either edge or vertex selection mode to open the Crease Tool.

Create Polygon

Lets you create individual polygons by placing vertices in the scene view.

Select Mesh Tools Create Polygon to set the Create Polygon Tool Options.

Insert Edge Loop

Lets you insert one or more edge loops across either a full or partial edge ring on a polygonal mesh. An edge loop is a path of polygon edges that are connected in sequence by their shared vertices.

Select Mesh Tools Insert Edge Loop to set the Insert Edge Loop Tool Options.

Make Hole

Lets you create a hole in a polygon face, optionally in the shape of another face.

Select Mesh Tools Make Hole to set the Make Hole Options.

Multi-Cut

Lets you cut, slice, and insert edge loops. You can extract or delete edges along a cut, insert edge loops and cuts with edge flow and subdivisions, and edit in Smooth Mesh Preview mode.

Select Mesh Tools Multi-Cut to set the Multi-Cut Tool Options.

Offset Edge Loop

Lets you insert two edge loops on either side of any edge(s) you select.

An edge loop is a path of polygon edges that are connected in sequence by their shared vertices. The parallel edge lines formed by an edge loop traverse the extent of the edge selection. Duplicating edges in this fashion is useful when you want to add localized detail to a polygonal mesh on either side of a single edge or line of edges.

Select Mesh Tools Offset Edge Loop to set the Offset Edge Loop Tool Options.

Paint Reduce Weights

Lets you paint a region on the mesh to specify where you want the polygons to be reduced.

Paint Reduce Weights works in conjunction with the Mesh Reduce command to let you reduce the number of polygons in a mesh while attempting to retain the shape of the original. See Reduce Options .

Select Mesh Tools Paint Reduce Weights to set the Paint Reduce Weights Tool Options.

Paint Transfer Attributes

Lets you blend between the source and target's attribute values on a per vertex basis to control the influence of either mesh on the resulting deformation. The blending is controlled by an attribute map you paint on the mesh using the Artisan brush tools.

Select Mesh Tools Paint Transfer Attributes to set the Paint Transfer Attributes Tool Options.

Quad Draw

Lets you model in a natural and organic way, using a streamlined, one-tool workflow for retopologizing meshes. The manual retopology process lets you create clean meshes while preserving the shape of your reference surface.

Select Mesh Tools Quad Draw to set the Quad Draw Tool Options.

Sculpting Tools

Lets you sculpt virtual 3D surfaces like you sculpt real 3D objects from clay or other modeling materials. Instead of using clay, the virtual 3D surfaces are constructed using polygons. For a list of the Sculpting Tools, see Sculpting shelf.

Select Mesh Tools Sculpting Tools <tool name> to set the corresponding Sculpting tool settings.

Slide Edge

Lets you reposition a selection of edges or entire edge loops on a polygon mesh.

You can either Shift-select edges individually or double-click an edge to select an entire edge loop, and then middle-drag to slide the selected edges. The vertices associated with the selected edges move along their shared perpendicular edges. Alternately, you can Shift + middle-drag to move the edges/edge loop along each vertex normal.

Select Mesh Tools Slide Edge to set the Slide Edge Tool Options.

Target Weld

Lets you merge vertices or edges to create a shared vertex or edge between them. Components can only be merged if they belong to the same mesh.

Select Mesh Tools Target Weld to set the Target Weld Tool Options.