2D Design: Block and Rotate Copy

Carveco Tutorial: Block and Rotate Copy

This tutorial walks you through how to create multiple copies of a vector in an array (block) pattern or around a circle using the Block Copy and Rotate Copy tools.

Creating a Block Copy

1. Select the vector you want to copy (e.g., a heart).
2. Open the Block Copy tool (Vector > Block Copy).
3. Choose your method:
   • Distances (Offsets): Copies are based on center-to-center distance.
   • Gaps: Copies are spaced based on the gap between them.
4. Specify number of columns (X) and rows (Y).
5. Click Apply to create your block of copies.

Creating a Rotate Copy

1. Select the vector you want to copy.
2. Open the Rotate Copy tool.
3. Set the Rotation Center:
   • Manually enter (e.g., 0,0 for center of model).
   • Or click Select and pick a point on-screen.
4. Set rotation:
   • Total rotation (e.g., 360°).
   • Number of copies (including the original).
5. Click Apply to generate rotated copies.

Hints, Tips, and Tricks

• Quick Fill: Use Block Copy repeatedly to quickly fill an entire workspace.
• Rotation Accuracy: Use the coordinate display (bottom right) to ensure perfect positioning.
• Spacing: Using Gaps gives more visual control than Offsets.
• Keyboard Shortcut: Press T to activate Transform mode quickly for rotation and scaling.