Sculpt a surface
Refine the shape of a mesh with Clay, Normal and Flatten brushes.
Before you start
Start with a mesh you can edit and save your scene. Sculpting moves existing vertices, so the mesh needs enough geometry for the detail you want. Begin with broad shapes before adding fine detail.
Make your first brush stroke
- Select the mesh and switch to Sculpting.
- Choose Clay, Normal or Flatten. Set a comfortable Brush Size and start with a low Intensity.
- Drag across a small area of the surface. Use Invert brush when you want the opposite effect.
- Inspect the result from another angle. Undo an unwanted stroke, then adjust the brush size or intensity before trying again.
Choose a brush
| Controls | What changes |
|---|---|
| Clay | Build up or remove volume over the brushed area. |
| Normal | Move the surface along its normals. |
| Flatten | Bring the brushed area toward a flatter surface. |
| Brush Size | Control how much of the surface a stroke reaches. |
| Intensity | Control the strength of the stroke. |
| Invert brush | Reverse the brush effect. |
Give the surface enough geometry
Sculpting moves existing vertices. Use Subdivide or an appropriate remesh workflow to prepare sufficient geometry, then inspect the shape before brushing. Increase density gradually; more geometry also costs editing performance.
If the result looks rough
Check the mesh density and use smaller, lighter strokes. Inspect the silhouette as well as the surface. Smooth shading changes how a mesh is lit; it does not add geometry or repair the shape.
Practice in Show3D
Open the editor and follow the steps with your own scene.