ABSTRACT
Like most 3D programs, CINEMA 4D has a set of primitive building blocks that are parametric. Basic parameters of a primitive, or critical dimensions such as, height and radius, are defined mathematically. Because the program only has to remember a few bits of information, parametric primitives are efficient. The parametric values for an object may be manipulated live in the Editor Window using the orange parametric handles, but the object’s surface has no points, polygons or edges that may be pushed and pulled into more complex forms. In the parametric state, the surface and axes of an object are not editable. Notice that every time you choose a primitive, it appears at the same place in the center of the 3D world. This is called the origin and sits at (coordinates 0,0,0), and it has a set of red (X), green (Y), and blue (Z) object axes that show how the object is oriented.
