Chapter 13. Deformers

Wrinkles, waves, and folds are just a few of the things you can create using Maya's deformer tools and a few simple mouse clicks. You can use these versatile tools to manipulate surfaces with the greatest of precision, as well as to simplify the selection and transformation of complex surfaces. Whether you're creating a twisted logo or a water droplet in a glass, you can find a deformer that fits the bill and makes the task a breeze.

Say, for example, you wanted to create a model of an elderly person: You could use the Wire deformer to create the fine folds and wrinkles of the face, and the Sculpt deformer for the areas of the face that you want to be more rounded.

Deformers can also speed modeling tasks by creating a simplified cage (called a lattice) around a complex surface. You use this lattice to select and manipulate the surface with a minimal amount of pointsas opposed to selecting all of the fine detail on the surface of a model. You can use a lattice to create the point of an elbow or add emotion to a cartoon character's eye. The following describes Maya's deformers and how to use them.