Is there a way to scale from frame instead of scale from volume/bounds?

Ok, I think the best way to ask this question is to give an example of what I want to do.

… scenario. I have an ellipse shape where the longer side is on the Y axis. I press E>S to extrude and scale the edges. it scales longer on the Y axis because the bounding box is longer in that direction… I want it to extrude an equidistant amount based on its distance from the individual edge/vert its being scaled from. So to scale, instead of bing extruded 3" on top and .75 inches on the left and right… rather it would be 3" on top and 3" on left and right…

I watched a tutorial YEARS ago, dont even know what it was for… it was for 2.49b. The guy threw a quick tip in explaining how to do it… I dont remember what the key stroke was and have NO clue how I would do it in 2.7.

Anyone know?

Do you want to scale your object only along the x and z axis? by hitting s, g, or r then shift+ x y or z you will do the transformation on both axis that don’t correspond to what you pressed while holding shift.
If thats not what you’re looking for maybe its the pivot point option which is found to the right of the viewport shading menu.

no, none of those. I have used blender for 8 years. I know what you mean. Here is a picture of what I mean.

(realize these elipses are just examples. I am sure you are saying "well whats so hard about just scaling it on the X then Y and eyeballing it… I am talking about much more complex 3d shapes. not just a 2d elipse. just an example)

Select loop>E>S… note that it is longer on the Y axis than the X. It scaled it as if I where making the object bigger, not by increasing the distance between each individual edge being extruded and its child…


Here is what I WANT it to look like when I scale it (keep in mind this is just an example, again, much more complex shapes…)
Note that each outer edge is the same distance from its child as the next. It is the same distance on the top as it is on the left and right.


Push/Pull.

In 3Dview menu Mesh > Transform > Push/Pull. Also in Toolshelf > Tools. No default shortcut for this.

Edit: Or maybe not. Looked like it first try. Now I’m not so sure. It’s late I’m burnt. :0

Edit2: OK I see what happened. First try I scaled a circle to oblong in edit mode then extruded + Push/Pull. It worked as you wanted. Second try (double checking my advice after posting) I scaled oblong in object mode without thinking. Then edit mode extrude + Push/pull didn’t work the same as my first test because I hadn’t applied the scaling I did in object mode. That old chestnut.

Blender makes my brain hurt sometimes. -LOL- Ack.

-LP

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Havent tried it yet, but provided it works the way I think it does, then you sir, you deserve a cookie.

edit: It worked… you, you sir, do you want the cookie in the mail or can I just tell you who I know sells some good ones XD

In my Blender 2.70a, Push Pull only seems to work for small displacements:


– did I use it improperly? Here’s my steps:

  1. create circle, go to edit mode & select all points.
  2. scale on one axis to make elipse
  3. Hit E, Enter - duplicate verts remain selected.
  4. Choose Push Pull from menu, drag & left-click

If you turn on the Length display for Edge Info (Mesh Display in properties (N) menu) you can see that the lengths are all the same. The problem is that the edges aren’t being pushed out from the original edge at a right angle, but from rather from wherever your pivot point is set.


Instead, you should check out the Offset Edges addon that eppo linked.

I did notice that problem myself. Thanks so much to everyone for your suggestions.

The Offset Edges addon is the special powers version of the built in inset tool (shortcut I) which should be quite adequate for a simple ellipse.

If it has a face, then Inset (I).