Chapter 13: Building Shapes with Points, Lines, and Faces

Understanding Point Sets

Figure 13.1


A set of points at the corners of a square.

Understanding Line Sets

Using Coordinate Indexes to Build Polylines

Figure 13.2


A polyline connecting coordinates to make a ╥Z╙ shape.

Figure 13.3


Three ploylines building a square and crossed diagonals.

Building 3-D Shapes Using Polylines

Figure 13.4


A 3-D polyline box.

Understanding Face Sets

Using Coordinate Indexes to Build Faces

Figure 13.5


A face built using four coordinates.

Building 3-D Shapes Using Faces

Figure 13.6


A box built using six faces.

Dealing with Nonplanar Faces

Figure 13.7


Splitting a square with one corner lifted: the square with one corner lifted but split differently; top-view diagrams showing how the square is split.

Building Complex Faces

Figure 13.8


The concave shape of a person's face, and the face split into multiple convex triangles.

Building Solid Shapes

Smoothly Shading Shapes

Figure 13.9


An edge-on view of two pairs of adjacent faces: two faces with a small crease angle, and two faces with a large crease angle.

Understanding Coordinate Animation

The Coordinate Node Syntax

The CoordinateInterpolator Node Syntax

The PointSet Node Syntax

The IndexedLineSet Node Syntax

The IndexedFaceSet Node Syntax

Experimenting with Point, Line, and Face Sets

Building a Shape Using Points, Lines, and Faces

Figure 13.10


Points in a point set mark the eight corners of a box.

Figure 13.11


Lines in a line set mark the 12 edges of a box.

Figure 13.12


Faces in a face set build the six faces of a cube.

Building Concave Faces

Figure 13.13


A 3-D lightning bolt using concave faces.

Building Nonsolid Shapes

Figure 13.14


A nonsolid vaulted ceiling piece.

Building Smooth Shapes

Figure 13.15


A smoothly shaded vaulted ceiling piece.

Combining Face Shapes

Figure 13.16


A vaulted ceiling piece used repeatedly to build part of a medieval building.

Animating Coordinates

Figure 13.17


A morphing box shape.

Summary