More about Add-ons#
Here are some more details on the add-ons used in this tutorial.
Node Wrangler#
Apart from the usages mentioned in the previous chapters, Node Wrangler has more tricks under its sleeve.
If a node has two input links, pressing Alt + S will swap them around. If only one input link exists, pressing Alt + S will cycle the link through the input sockets.
You can press Shift + S to switch the type of selected node.
Select the nodes you want to align, then press Shift + =.
Pressing Ctrl + T automatically adds a commonly used setup to a shader, texture, or background node.
After experimenting with different node setups, you may have extra unconnected nodes lying around. To delete all of them, press Alt + X.
Extra Objects#
The Extra Objects add-on gives us a series of customizable primitive mesh objects, here are some examples.
Mesh > Extra > Teapot+ adds a teapot or a tea spoon.
Tip
The teapot serves the same purpose as Suzanne in some other 3D softwares.
Mesh > Diamonds offers 3 different customizable gem shapes.
Mesh > Math Function > Regular Solid can create basic mathmatical shapes. Choose a Source and tweak it to your liking, or pick one from the Presets.
Mesh > Math Function > Z Math Surface/ XYZ Math Surface makes 3D presentations of mathmatical functions.
Tip
These are mesh objects, not curve.
Loop Tools#
The Loop Tools add-on offers extra tools for mesh editing, you can find them in the Edit tab on the sidebar while in edit mode. Check the following examples and try them out yourself.
The Circle tool moves the selected vertices to form a circle.
The Relax tool makes the surface smoother.
The Space tool tries to space out the vertices more evenly.
