3D Design: Envelope Distortion

Carveco Tutorial: Envelope Distortion Tool

The Envelope Distortion Tool in Carveco Maker Plus allows you to manipulate floating reliefs (blue reliefs) by stretching, squeezing, or curving them using vector envelopes. This makes it ideal for designing banners, folded shapes, or adding organic flow to your reliefs.

🔹 Getting Started

• Works only on floating reliefs (blue)—not on yellow reliefs attached to the zero plane.
• Use Relief Cookie Cutter to free the relief from the background and make it blue.
• Turn off the Zero Plane for better visibility.

🔹 Basic Distortion

1. Select the floating relief and open the Envelope Distortion tool.
2. Adjust control nodes and curves to warp your shape.
3. Use the Scaling Options to control Z-height:
   • Constant Height – Retains original relief height.
   • Average Scale – Uses average Z height across the shape.
   • Linear Scale – Modulates Z height by envelope width.
   • Stretch and Squeeze – Inverts Z-height based on envelope.

🔹 Additional Settings

• Copies: Duplicate your distortion along the path.
• Maintain Smooth Curves: Helps preserve bezier continuity.
• Scaling Factor: Apply uniform Z-scale adjustments.

🔹 Distort Between Two Curves

1. Draw two vectors as top and bottom envelopes.
2. Select your floating relief and open Envelope Distortion.
3. Use the Between Two Curves mode and assign the curves.
4. Apply changes to distort the relief to fit between those vectors.

🔹 Creating Folds or Waves

1. Create a wedge-shaped relief using the Shape Editor and Fade Relief.
2. Use Relief Cookie Cutter to isolate the wedge shape.
3. Enter Envelope Distortion and insert nodes along the envelope path.
4. Move node handles to simulate folds or ripples.
5. Use I to insert nodes and limit distortion areas.

🔹 Making Banners

1. Create a curved round shape with the Shape Editor.
2. Cut a rectangular piece out of it using vectors and Relief Cookie Cutter.
3. Drop the shape down slightly using the Transform Tool.
4. Select the relief and apply Envelope Distortion.
5. Insert multiple node pairs and manipulate them to form ribbon-like waves.

Envelope Distortion is a powerful way to add dimension, character, and flow to your reliefs—ideal for banners, organic textures, or detailed folded designs.