Extract Faces

The Extract Faces operator lets you extract faces from an active mesh and add it to the scene as another mesh object.

This operator is another "modal" operater in Blender like the Auto Mirror. Basically, this enters a mode where you have to input designated sets of hotkeys to activate certain functions. While in this mode, Blender's own hotkeys are disabled and only the modal operation hotkeys are accepted.

This operator is a copy of the Extract Faces operator in Creative Flow. In Random Flow however, there is only one modal stage to the operation.

Figure 1

The UI that appears under the mouse cursor displays all the functionality you can execute inside the modal operation and their corresponding hotkeys.

LMB and RMB hotkeys are regarded as Left Mouse Button and Right Mouse Button respectively.

Select Faces

Your basic control for selecting faces for extraction. Click the LMB and drag anywhere on the surface of the active or source mesh and any faces underneath the mouse cursor will be highlighted for extraction.

Figure 2

You can use RMB to deselect these faces and remove them from extraction.

Inset Faces

This allows you to create a margin on your selected faces for extraction. You can do this by pressing Ctrl and dragging the mouse towards or away from the extract faces.

Figure 3

You can combine Shift to the hotkeys to slow down the scaling value to make finer adjustments.

Select Plus

This lets you quickly expand the face selection by pressing Shift and clicking the LMB (Left Mouse Button) anywhere on the surface of the active mesh.

Figure 4

Alternatively, you can use Shift + RMB to deselect faces from extraction.

The selection expansion is limited by nonmanifold edges and sharp edges with an angle threshold of 30°.

Select Loop

This allows you to select faceloops. This is done by using the Shift+Alt+LMB for selection and Shift+Alt+RMB for deselection of faces for extraction.

Figuer 5

You need to click near the middle of the edge where the face loop you want selected is heading towards as demonstrated in Figure 5. This is also done the same way when deselecting these faces.

Select Plus Influence

This determines the radius of the selection when using Select Plus.

Figure 6

In Figure 6, 0.4 influence values is tested first then 1.0. You can use the A hotkey to decrease and D to increase the influence value.

Holding Shift along with the main hotkeys will slow down the value change for you to make finer adjustments.

X-Ray

This allows you to see the extract faces behind any obstruction such as object surfaces making it easier for you when rotating the active mesh.

Figure 7

Toggle Help

This shows another set of hotkeys that perform basic tasks like resetting the selected extract faces.

Figure 8

Think of this as page two of the help UI. You can press H again to toggle back between pages.

Remove Selection

This is the reverse of LMB with RMB deselecting faces from extraction under the mouse cursor and can be used in combination with other hotkeys to perform deselection like Shift+RMB for expanded selection removal.

Figure 9

Undo Selection

Undo function which removes you selection action based on history. This is done using the Z hotkey.

Figure 10

There is no redo function so just be aware of that.

Reset Inset

This resets the Inset Faces value to zero. You can use the T hotkey for this.

Figure 11

Reset Selection

This clears you selected extract faces using the R hotkey allowing you to quickly start over again.

Figure 12

Cancel

Press Escape anytime to cancel the entire modal operation.

Confirm

Press Enter or Space to confirm the operation.

Figure 13

Your selected extract faces will be turned into a mesh object and added to the scene. It will also be the new selected active object so you can quickly edit it if you want.

The Extract Faces operator can be used to create proxy meshes for randomized detail that require asymmetry when the active object is using the mirror modifier.

Figure 14

You can extract from different areas of the mirrored mesh for more variance.

This feature of course has uses other than the one mentioned above since it basically creates another mesh from the faces of another object and adds them in the same position.

The Creative Flow version has two stages and uses the solidify modifier to give thickness to the extracted faces but you can also do this for Random Flow by just manually adding the modifier.

You can also use this to create basemeshes to for auxilliary details on the main design or work mesh.