Videos

Viewports and UI

The Rhino3D interface is split into four sections by default. Each section represents a different orthographic view of your object and scene. Each viewport can be set to show the Top view, Right view, Front view, and your object in perspective view.

 If you double-click the viewport tab in the viewport's upper-left corner, it will make that viewport full screen. To revert back to the four-viewport mode, double-click the tab again or type the command, 4view.

Interface and Command Line

Rhino is a command-line application. That means that instead of selecting the icons of tools in menus, we are actually supposed to type the commands in to call up a command/tool quickly. 

For example, to activate the Box command, you do not even need to click in the command line. Simply start typing the word Box and it will automatically search it in the command line. Hit ENTER or SPACE to activate the command. The command line will then give you directions on what next steps to follow and what options you have for each step of using the command. 

Menu - OSnaps - Gumball

Rhino has a left-side menu bar with commonly used tools. On the top is a panel menu with different tabs with specialized tools for specific circumstances. On the right is a menu with different tabs including materials, rendering, layers, etc. 

Navigation and Mouse Control

Follow along to try the BOX command. Once you create an object, try navigating in the 3D environment:

Tumble: Right Click + Move mouse

Pan: Shift + Right Click

Zoom: Control + Right Click (Or scroll wheel)

Viewport Modes

Each viewport can be set to render the image in different ways. From Wireframes to Raytraced Renders, there are many options to choose from to best suit your workflow and preferences. 

ExtrudeCrv

One way to create 3-Dimensional objects or polysurfaces in Rhino is to first create a curve on a construction plane (via a specific viewport), and use the ExtrudeCrv command. This will allow you to select your 2-dimensional curve and push it into 3 dimensions.

Note: CRV is the shorthand for curve in Rhino

WireCut

You can use subtractive fabrication techniques to carve and cut into 3D objects in Rhino. WireCut is a command that uses a closed curve to cut through an object similar to how a wire cuts through cheese or a cookie cutter cuts through dough.  

The wire can be any shape as long as all of its points lie on the same plane (i.e. it is flat in one dimension). 

Boolean Commands

Boolean commands offer either an additive or subtractive fabrication option in Rhino. 

BooleanDifference will use one object to cut into another object

BooleanUnion will take two objects and combine them together into one object