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How Do I Add More Curves in Blender?

Published in Blender Curves Add-on 3 mins read

You can add more types of curves in Blender beyond the standard Bezier, NURBS, and Path options primarily by enabling built-in add-ons like the Extra Curve Objects add-on.

Blender includes several pre-installed add-ons that extend its functionality, including ones that add different types of mesh and curve primitives. The "Extra Curve Objects" add-on, highlighted in the referenced tutorial, is a key way to expand your curve options.

Steps to Add More Curve Types via Add-ons

To access and add these additional curve objects, follow these steps:

  1. Open Blender Preferences: Go to the Edit menu at the top left of the Blender window and select Preferences.
  2. Navigate to Add-ons: In the Preferences window, click on the Add-ons tab in the list on the left.
  3. Search for Curve Add-ons: Use the search bar at the top right of the Add-ons window. Type "curve" or "extra objects".
  4. Enable the Add-on: Locate the add-on named Add Curve: Extra Objects. Click the checkbox next to its name to enable it. The add-on is now active.
  5. Close Preferences: You can close the Preferences window.

Using Extra Curve Objects

Once the Add Curve: Extra Objects add-on is enabled, you will find the new curve types available in the Add menu.

  1. Open the Add Menu: In the 3D Viewport, press Shift + A.
  2. Select Curve: Hover over the Curve option in the Add menu.
  3. Explore New Options: You will see the standard curve types (Bezier, Circle, NURBS Curve, etc.) and below them, new options provided by the add-on, such as various spiral types, Archimedean, Logarithmic, and more.
  4. Add a Curve: Click on any of the new curve types to add it to your scene at the 3D cursor location.

Editing the Added Curves

Like any curve in Blender, these extra curve objects are editable. You can switch to Edit Mode (Tab key) to manipulate their control points. As shown in the referenced tutorial snippets, you can select control points and drag them along specific axes (like the X-axis) or use techniques like Shift-select to choose multiple points simultaneously for editing.

Comparison: Default vs. Extra Curves

Feature Default Curves Extra Curves (via Add-on)
Types Included Bezier, NURBS (Curve, Circle, Surf) Various Spirals, Primitives, etc.
Availability By default Requires enabling "Extra Objects"
Editing Standard Edit Mode (Points/Handles) Standard Edit Mode (Points)
Primary Use General curves, paths, modeling Specific geometric shapes, spirals

By enabling add-ons like "Extra Curve Objects," you significantly expand the creative possibilities and readily available curve shapes within Blender.

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