Subtracting Shapes

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As well as grouping shapes in Tinkercad, we can subtract shapes from each other in order to cut away details. This is great for creating holes or adding features such as door ways and windows.

Let’s add a circular window to the front of our house structure. First we are going to make use of another workplane, this time aligning it with the front face of the building.

Select a new workplane from the ‘Helpers’ menu again and click into place on the front side of the building.

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Subtracting Shapes

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As you move the cylinder across the screen, not only does it now align with the vertical workplane on the front of the building but the shape has also rotated.

Resize with the white corner handle points and align the cylinder by clicking and dragging into the desired position. Use the grid of the plane as a guide.

Now select the cylinder shape from the ‘Geometric’ menu.

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Subtracting Shapes

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Using the single white handle on top of the shape, change the height/depth of the cylinder to be 1mm.

We now want to make this shape into a hole rather than a coloured object. In the ‘Inspector’ box at the top right, click on ‘Hole’ that is to the side of ‘Colour’.

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Subtracting Shapes

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You can use this same method to cut away sections of a shape or put holes running through the length of this building. Select a cube shape and place it in front of the building.

Now using the black arrow, push the shape into the front side of the building, in effect, lowering it. Click and drag a selection box around all shapes, then click ‘Group’ to group these shapes together. The cylinder at the front will then appear as a cut away in the building rather than a separate shape.

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Subtracting Shapes

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Turn that cube into a ‘Hole’ in the ‘Inspector’ panel, then using the white square handles, resize and extend the cube through the building.

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Subtracting Shapes

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You can continue combining and subtracting shapes to increase the level of detail on your build.

To remove areas from the inside of your building, it will be easier to work if you can see inside. To do this, select the building, then click on ‘Hole’ from the ‘Inspector box’. This will make the building see through.

To complete the cut out, click and drag your mouse around all the shapes, then click ‘Group’. All shapes will then be one complete object with the hole cut out.

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Subtracting Shapes

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Now add a ‘Cube’ shape to the inside.

Make the cube wider so the cube so that it slightly narrower than the main building.

Rotate to the side and do the same with the depth of the cube.

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Subtracting Shapes

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Finally adjust the height so that it sits level with the start of the roof.

Whilst this inside cube shape is still selected, click on ‘Hole’ in the ‘Inspector box’.

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Subtracting Shapes

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Select all the shapes then click ‘Group’ and the building will now be hollowed out.

Select the outer building again, then click on ‘Colour’ in the ‘Inspector box’.

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