Thanks Michael,
I've started using the construction lines, but in a slightly different way:
Once the oval is rotated, I extrude it to an arbitrary distance. i then use the separate tool to dissect the extrude and erase everything except for the original oval and the end of the extrusion. Then I use a construction line that passes through the center of both objects. This construction line essentially acts as a local Z axis to the plane of my oval. Then I copy and move the copy of the original oval up the construction line to a desired space. I erase what's left over from the extrusion and then I can work on my new copy by scaling and rotating it to how I would like the form to flow. it is still really difficult to manipulate the form in any other way, but I can assure you I am loving the program so far and look forward to how this develops. As I said before, I haven;t really come across any program where shaping conceptual graphics is really quick and easy. SO when I downloaded this program a few nights ago and already have an organic structure that I can place into sketchup is just brilliant. Just to let you know, I am studying landscape architecture and since we are more concerned about landscapes and nature we want our structures to be more organic and not confined to architectural lines....like sketchup, AutoCad, Microstation and the billion other programs that depend on straight lines and exact geometry. Also, we (I mainly) are interested in pushing sculpture qualities in the built environment whereas architecture is much more confined. It has been refreshing trying out your program and I feel much less confined by the program's features than other CAD programs whose intentions are so architectural and not sculptural (explorative), so keep up the good work!

Hi keebo, I'm glad that you are enjoying using it - definitely some of the stuff coming for version 2.0 will help out for the stuff that you are doing as well.

If you're using a lot of construction lines, you may be interested in the scripts that you can get here: http://kyticka.webzdarma.cz/3d/moi/#KeepCLine - those are some scripts that you can attach to a keyboard shortcut which make it possible to pin down the construction lines that you create so that they stay around for longer than just the current command. That may be useful for now.

- Michael

thanks michael this will be helpful
cheers

Hi Michael,

A user Cplane would certainly be good and very helpful.

I know you have your direction, but wondering (really just thinking aloud) due to what I do sometimes. Let me try to explain.

Normally for a user Cplane (in MoI) I will simply create a square curve with inscribed circle, I then rotate that to the Cplane I want, from that I have many options already built in to MoI. Other times, if I have a need to make more(a lot of) construction on such a user Cplane, then I will rotate all the model to one of the default Cplane. This does work for me, I am wondering if any sort of script could be put in place to manage that (I dont think so in V1,.. but possibly in v2?). To be able to rotate all from say a tri selection on a non-planer selection to revolve to base Cplane?

- manz

Hi Steve, I definitely want to add a set of new "Orientation" transform commands. They would be focused on doing movement + rotation of objects to align them with other objects in a few different ways, I think they should cover the type of plane remapping that you are talking about here.

- Michael

Hi Keebo,

You might also consider using other tools besides lofting to gain greater control over an organic shape without the need of movable construction planes. When you see my example you'll see I didn't use a lot of planning or forethought, but I took a couple of your closed curves and added some squiggly side curves, doing a network surface to get a fairly natural looking organic shape. Then having read that you wanted to extend a structure that flows into a blossom, I added another section of curves using a circle with edited control points as a profile. I used blended curves to create a connection to the main body, using a network to make the stem, but having spent only 5 minutes or so messing around with this model, it's not a good transition. Getting a bit impatient, I finished it up by doing a two rail sweep towards the top. Maybe it would of been better to do it as a continuous network surface...but it any event, writing this explanation took longer than to make the model..:-) I just wanted to present some other construction methods. Hope it helps.

-Jesse

edit: The cool thing about MoI is that with "history" on the construction tools, you can move the control points of any curve after the surface is generated to easily change surface shapes.