Model Creation Wizard

The Model Creation Wizard is a powerful tool that creates new models using existing objects. This makes it easy to create custom models that can be used in any of your landscape designs. For example, you can create new fountains, waterfalls, trellises with ivy and flowers, and more.

To create a new model:

1.   Select all of the objects you want to include in the new model.

2.   Click Tools > Model Creation Wizard.

3.   Click Next.

4.   Select which type of model you want to create and click Next.

5.   Click Set File Name and set a file name for the new model. Then click Next.
Tip: Use a descriptive name because this is the name that will appear in the Choose Artwork dialog.

6.   Click Next. Then click Finish to finish the wizard.

You can then place the newly created model into your landscape using the type of object you selected in step 3. For example, if you selected Accessory, then you would use the Accessory tool to add your new model. A new category, Custom, will appear in the Choose Artwork dialog after a model has been created.

Examples

The following are some examples of how to create new models.

To create a container garden:

1.   Add a planter using the Accessory object.

2.   Add some flowers using the Plant object. Arrange them as desired.

3.   Select the planter and flowers. Your landscape design should look something like this:

4.   Select Tools > Model Creation Wizard and follow the prompts. When asked for the type of object, select Accessory. When asked for the file name, type "Container Garden".

You can then add the model like any other accessory. Your imported models will appear in the Custom category in the Choose Artwork dialog. See Adding an Accessory for details.

Creating a Custom Plant

In this example, we will create a fall version of the Red Maple tree.

To create a new 3D plant:

1.   Using the Plant object, add a Red Maple to your landscape design. (Add a model, not a picture.)

2.   Click the options button next to the tree picture and select Edit Materials.

3.   Click Material 3 (the foliage).

4.   Click the options button next to the foliage picture and select Color and Brightness.

5.   Set the tint to -50, which should make the foliage a dark red. Click OK.

6.   Click OK again. You should see the following:

7.   Click Tools > Model Creation Wizard and follow the prompts. When asked for the type of object, select Plant. When asked for the file name, enter the plant's common name, which in this case should be something like Red Maple – Fall.

8.   When creating a plant model, you will be asked to enter additional information about the plant, including its botanical name, mature age/height, and planting zones. This information is optional. However, we recommend you at least enter the mature age and height so the software can determine how large the plant should appear in your landscape design. In this example you are using an existing plant, so you can use the same information as the original:

9.   Click Next. Then click Finish to finish the wizard. You can then use the new plant in any of your landscape designs.

Creating a Custom Waterfall

In this example you will use an existing waterfall and create a new one that includes extra rocks and plants.

To create a waterfall:

1.   Add a waterfall using the Waterfall object, such as the one shown below:

2.   Add rocks around the waterfall using the Rock object. Edit the size, shape, materials, and orientation as desired. You can also add plants and other objects. In this example, we have added Water Lettuce, which is common in koi ponds in our area.

3.   Select the waterfall, rocks, plants, and other objects. Your landscape design should look something like this:

4.   Select Tools > Model Creation Wizard and follow the prompts. When asked for the type of object, select Waterfall. When asked for the file name, type My Waterfall.

You can then add the model like any other waterfall. Here's the finished result placed next to a pond:

Tips:

•      You can import custom pictures using the Picture Import Wizard.

•      To create a custom plant from an existing one, use the Plant Creation Wizard.

•      See Editing Materials for more information on how to edit an object's materials.

See also:

Picture Import Wizard
Model Import Wizard
Selecting Objects
Grouping and Ungrouping Objects