Tutorial 2: Adding, Moving, and Deleting Points

Two points make a cone — but vases have curves, necks, and flared rims. In this tutorial you will learn every way to add, reposition, and remove control points on the profile canvas.

What you'll learn

How to double-click to add a point on the curve
How to use the Add Point button for automatic placement
How to drag points to shape your profile
How to delete points by right-clicking or using the keyboard
The minimum 2-point rule

Prerequisites

Completion of Tutorial 1 is recommended.
Open a G-code Sculptor project with the default cylinder profile.

Step 1: Add a point by double-clicking

Step 1

Double-click the curve

Move your cursor over the profile curve (the line between the two existing points). Double-click at roughly the halfway height. A new control point appears on the curve at that position, and its radius matches the curve at that height.

Double-clicking is the most intuitive way to add points. The new point is inserted exactly where you click, preserving the existing curve shape.

Step 2: Drag the new point to create a neck

Step 2

Drag the middle point inward

Click and hold the point you just created. Drag it to the left to reduce the radius at that height. This creates a neck — the vase narrows in the middle and widens at the top and bottom.

Watch the 3D viewport as you drag. The shape now has a visible waist or bottleneck.

Step 3: Add a point with the Add Point button

Step 3

Click the Add Point button

Look for the Add Point button below the profile canvas (or in the toolbar above it). Click it once. A new control point appears at the midpoint of the largest gap between existing points.

The Add Point button is useful when you want to add detail without choosing an exact position. It always places the new point where there is the most vertical space between neighbors, which is usually where you need finer control.

Step 4: Create a flared rim

Step 4

Shape the top section

You should now have at least 4 points. Drag the second-from-top point slightly inward (smaller radius) and drag the top point outward (larger radius). This creates a classic vase silhouette: narrow neck flowing into a flared rim.

Step 5: Delete a point by right-clicking

Step 5

Right-click to delete

Right-click any interior point (not the top or bottom) that you want to remove. The point is deleted and the curve adjusts to pass through the remaining points.

Step 6: Delete with the keyboard

Step 6

Select and press Delete

Click a point to select it (it highlights). Press Delete or Backspace on your keyboard. The point is removed. This method also respects the 2-point minimum and does not allow deleting the first or last point.

Step 7: Understand point constraints

The bottom and top control points have special behavior:

Bottom point — can only move horizontally (changing the base radius). Its height stays at 0%.
Top point — can only move horizontally (changing the rim radius). Its height stays at 100%.
Interior points — can move both vertically (height) and horizontally (radius).

Step 8: Use keyboard nudging

Step 8

Nudge with arrow keys

Select a point by clicking it. Use the arrow keys to nudge it in small increments:
- ← → nudge the radius (left = smaller, right = larger)
- ↑ ↓ nudge the height (for interior points only)

Hold Shift for finer steps.

Keyboard nudging gives you precise control when mouse dragging feels too coarse.

Step 9: Cycle through points with Tab

Step 9

Tab through points

Press Tab to move the selection to the next point (sorted by height). Press Shift+Tab to go to the previous point. Press Escape to deselect all points.

This makes it easy to walk through your profile and fine-tune each point without reaching for the mouse.

Outcome

You now know every method for managing control points:
- Double-click to add on the curve
- Add Point button for automatic placement
- Right-click or Delete key to remove
- Drag or arrow keys to reposition
- Tab to cycle selection

What's Next

Tutorial 3: Smooth vs Sharp Point Modes — Learn the difference between smooth (Bézier) and sharp (corner) points, and when to use each for different design effects.