Boolean Operations
The Three Operations
Union (Add)
Combines two shapes into one.- Like gluing shapes together
- Removes internal surfaces
- Use for: Joining parts, building up forms
Subtract (Difference)
Removes one shape from another.- Like carving or drilling
- First selected = kept, second = removed
- Use for: Holes, cutouts, carving
Intersect
Keeps only the overlapping volume.- Where both shapes exist
- Everything else is removed
- Use for: Finding common areas, precise cuts
How to Use
- Add two shapes that overlap
- Select BOTH shapes (Shift+click)
- Choose the boolean operation from toolbar
- A new object is created (originals hidden)
Selection Order Matters (for Subtract)
- First selected = Base shape (kept)
- Second selected = Tool shape (cuts away)
Example: Cube - Sphere
- Select cube first
- Shift+click sphere
- Click Subtract
- Result: Cube with spherical hole
Tips
- Shapes MUST overlap for meaningful results
- Keep originals for experiments (they're hidden, not deleted)
- Union is great for combining parts
- Subtract is great for creating holes
- Intersect is useful for precise fitting