Set background images in Modeller - Part One

N.B. all bordered images link to larger versions...

First of all I would like to bring everyone's attention to a plug-in I have used ever since the days of LW v.5.6 called Supersize - you can get it here:
supersize-100.zip
The beauty about Supersize is that it allows you to size sections or whole layers proportionately and provides the ability to center the data anywhere you choose and is also useful for finding out where an object's actual XYZ centre is for things like placing lights etc...

Here is a quick little mini tutorial first for Supersize .

let's say you want to make a perfect sphere - well I never bother with the numeric bit for this I always just make a sphere and then hit the hot key for Supersize - my original quickly doodled sphere looks like this...

then I hit Supersize and a box pops up looking like this..

What the box tells me is this: 

For each of the size fields the plug-in is telling me the absolute dimensions of my object

The position fields are telling me where the centre of my object lies on the three axes.

I now enter the following data:
merely highlight the first field enter the figure and press enter to go to the next field it becomes a very quick process when you use the numeric keypad..

..And then I click on OK and the result is a perfectly centralised sphere with 3 meters in each dimension like this..

Nice eh? And quick too when you get the hang of it. But Supersize has other tricks up its sleeve

Now say I want to resize the ball? Well with Supersize again and this time just enter the new dimension in the X size field like this

then I merely click the X button above the altered field and the other dimensions get re-sized proportionately!

The alignment fields then further also allow you to offset the center point to whatever amount you want from the baseline of 0 on all axes

This plug shows it's usefulness in situations like this...

Proportionately resizing a whole mesh for instance...

Type in fifteen in the Z field hit the Z button and then hit OK

..And then you get a nice accurately down sized proportional mesh!

But, you can also use the plug-in on a selected section of your layer like so - pick a section - hit select connected and then resize just that section as before...
for example...

_

Unfortunately this plug-in only works on one layer at a time - but that isn't a major drawback because if you want to resize an entire mesh that is spread over a few layers then version 7.5 has a similar built-in plug-in up it's sleeve - but it isn't as intuitive in it's use - but here is how to use that for posterity's sake

This mesh for instance is spread over several layers..

Now find this plug-in...

under the Modify tab --> Under STRETCH - More and you'll be presented with this...

change the settings to these from the drop down menus:

then enter a figure for the X box to enlarge or reduce the size of the entire mesh and simply hit OK - although the other two dimensions do not resize interactively; they do in the process itself -

So that's how you can proportionately resize a complete mesh that spans any number of layers

Set background images in Modeller - Part Two

The first thing we must do to these images is prepare them for our backdrops...
we must disregard the wheels for the moment as they will throw out the size of the resultant images -- what we are after is three images like this after we are finished with them in a graphics editor.

I have eliminated unwanted data in the images you may note

• We have the actual dimensions of what it is we want to build
• We don't have the dimensions but we want to ensure everything remains proportional..

One of our images as it stands is facing the wrong way for our modelling purposes - it's the top view - it'll be easier for you to model the plane facing towards you I find so I will flip the top view 180 degrees..

First off use the image button to load all three of your background images one by one

for each of the relevant view ports

TL	top left (top)
TR	perspective view (normally)
BL	Bottom Left (front)
BR	Bottom Right(side)

Simply hit the automatic sizing button - adjust the background image resolution (if you have a good card go for max settings of 1024) and set the brightness and contrast to give an unobstructed view
like this example

If you do have the dimensions of the object then merely when at the Supersize stage for your box enter them all in manually in each field!