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Sculpt Tool properties

The following section describes the properties for items on the Sculpt Tools tray.

NoteSome tools use only a subset of the properties listed below.

General

Size

  Sets the radius of the tool. Size is measured in world space units (for example, a default Size of 100 = a radius of 100 centimeters). Hotkeys: press b and drag, or press the square bracket keys, [ to reduce size and ] to increase size.

Strength

  Determines how much the sculpt tool affects the surface. Depending on the tool, this value represents either a percentage of the maximum power available or a height expressed in world space units. Hotkeys: M + drag, or press ; (to reduce strength) and ' (to increase strength).

Mirror

  Reflects a stroke from one side of a model to the other, along the specified axis:

Off

  Strokes are not reflected.

X

  Reflects strokes across the world space X-axis.

Y

  Reflects strokes across the world space Y-axis.

Z

  Reflects strokes across the world space Z-axis.

Local X

  Reflects strokes across the local space X-axis.

Local Y

  Reflects strokes across the local space Y-axis.

Local Z

  Reflects strokes across the local space Z-axis.

Tangent

  Reflects strokes across the topological center line of a topologically symmetrical model. To use tangent space mirroring on a model, you must first define the model's topological center. See Set a topological axis.

Invert Function

  Inverts the function of the tool. For example, if the primary function of the tool is to pull vertices up, its inverse is to push vertices down. Not all tools have an inverse function. Default hotkey: press Ctrl to invert function while sculpting.

Use Stamp Image

  Turns on the selected stamp for the tool. Stamps modify the strength of the sculpt brush according to the gray scale values in the stamp image. The darker the overall values the lower the strength of the tool. Not all sculpt brushes work with stamps.

Orient To Stroke

  When on, the stamp orientation follows the direction of your brush stroke.

Rotate

  Rotates the stamp image clockwise.

Horizontal Flip

  Flips the stamp image horizontally.

Vertical Flip

  Flips the stamp image vertically.

Randomize

  Turns the Randomize options for the tool stamp on or off.

Random Horizontal Offset

  Randomizes the horizontal position of the brush tip dynamically through the stroke.

Random Vertical Offset

  Randomizes the vertical position of the brush tip dynamically through the stroke.

Randomize Rotate

  Randomizes the rotation of the brush tip dynamically through the stroke.

Randomize Scale

  Randomizes the size of the brush tip dynamically through the stroke.

Randomize Strength

  Randomizes the strength of the brush tip dynamically through the stroke.

Horizontal Flips

  Randomly flips the position of the brush tip along its X axis dynamically through the stroke.

Vertical Flips

  Randomly flips the position of the brush tip along its Y axis dynamically through the stroke.

Stamp Spacing

  Controls the stamp frequency/continuity on a stroke. Depending on the Size and Falloff settings for a tool, the Stamp Spacing can be set to a higher value to refine the tool behavior and improve the appearance of the stroke. The default setting is 6.25 and ranges between 0 and 100. The higher the setting, the more gaps appear on the stroke, depending on the tool settings.

Steady Stroke

  Helps to produce a smoother stroke by filtering mouse/stylus movement. When on, a vector displays on the tool cursor and no stroke appears until you drag a distance equal to the length of the vector. The length of the vector is set by the Steady Stroke Distance property.

Steady Stroke Distance

  Sets the length of the Steady Stroke vector on the tool cursor.

Buildup

  Specifies the rate at which the brush deformation grows to reach the Strength value (assuming a constant pen pressure).

Flood

  Applies the tool uniformly across the entire surface. Does not apply to areas of the surface that are hidden, frozen or concealed by a stencil.

Falloff

Falloff

  Specifies how the tool effect diminishes (or not) from its center point to its outer edge. The falloff is represented as a curve that can be edited.

  Falloff presets are available in the Falloff tray.

Snap

  Constrains points to the grid.

Store To

  Saves the current falloff curve to the tray.

Falloff image

  Right-click the falloff image in the Properties window for the following options:

Insert Point

  Inserts a new point under the cursor.

Select Point

  Selects the point under the cursor.

Delete Point

  Deletes the point under the cursor.

Advanced

Remember Size

  Preserves the size of the tool after use. When off, the brush inherits the size of the previously used brush.

Orient To Surface

  Orients the tool cursor display (in the 3D View) along the normal of the face under the center of the cursor ring. Influences cursor display only, does not influence the effect of the brush on the surface.

Draw From Center

  Specific to the Imprint tool. Sets how the stamp image expands outward from where you click-drag to apply it. When on (default), the center of the stamp is anchored where you click. When off, the edge of the stamp is anchored. Keeping this option on can be useful especially when using an extracted vector displacement map as your stamp.

Affects All Layers

  Specific to the Smooth tool. When on, all sculpt layers are affected by the tool. When off, Smooth affects only the current sculpt layer.

Update Plane

  Specific to the Flatten, Wax, Scrape, Fill, and Contrast tools. Recalculates the underlying tool plane (that affected vertices within the tool cursor move toward) for each stamp in a stroke. When off, the underlying plane is determined by the initial stamp and remains fixed for the duration of the stroke.

Whole Stroke

  Specific to the Flatten, Wax, Scrape, Fill, and Contrast tools only when Update Plane is on. Continuously recalculates the underlying tool plane from all the vertices affected during the stroke.

Smooth Values

  Specific to the Freeze, Mask, and Erase tools. Switches the current brush from applying freezing or masking (depending on which tool is selected) so the stroke blurs the color per vertex information on any existing freezing or masking. This only works if Smooth&Paint Values is off. Hotkey: Shift.

Smooth & Paint Values

  Specific to the Freeze, Mask, and Erase sculpt tools. Applies freezing or masking (depending on which tool is selected) while blurring the color per vertex information.

Pen Pressure

Min Size

  Specifies how small the tool is when the lightest pressure is applied to the pen, expressed as a percentage of the tool’s Size property. For example, a Min Size of 100 indicates there is no size variance, regardless of the pressure applied.

Min Strength

  Specifies how weak the tool strength is when the lightest pressure is applied to the pen, expressed as a percentage of the primary tool Strength value. For example, a Min Strength of 100 indicates there is no strength variance, regardless of the pressure applied.

Direction

  Specifies the direction vertices move when affected by a tool:

Center Normal

  Moves vertices in the direction of the normal of the face directly under the center of the tool.

Averaged Normal

  Moves vertices in the direction of the average of the normals of all affected faces.

Vertex Normal

  Moves each vertex in the direction of its own normal.

Forward

  Moves vertices in the direction of the stroke.

Right

  Moves vertices perpendicular to the direction of the stroke.

X

  Moves vertices along the world space X-axis.

Y

  Moves vertices along the world space Y-axis.

Z

  Moves vertices along the world space Z-axis.

Camera

  Moves vertices toward the camera.

Related topics

Sculpting basics

Sculpt Tools tray