# How does the freeform surface tool work?

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [March 29, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113 "2016-03-29T16:13:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![abakker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cdc98d/32.png) [@abakker](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/abakker)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/1 "2016-03-29T16:13:16Z")

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I keep trying to use the freeform surface tool, but for me it does nothing. If I create a cube, select one surface, it tells me to start sketching curves, but nothing happens. no matter what I do, click, pan, move etc, the tool does nothing. after I click, it tells me that it is “generating surface” but the model never changes, and the tool never does anything. Am I missing something? can someone explain how this tool is supposed to be used?

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/2 "2016-03-29T16:17:55Z")

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Sure, have you seen the tutorial video? Just tap on the name of the tool. If not, check it out, but I would be happy to make a new video if it is not clear.

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**Author:** ![abakker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cdc98d/32.png) [@abakker](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/abakker)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/3 "2016-03-29T16:53:30Z")

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I’ve seen the video - but when I try to add contour lines, no lines show up. It makes the clicking sound, but it doesn’t draw anything.

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/4 "2016-03-29T17:59:26Z")

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1. Select a face
2. You can add a contour point where the dot is green. You can’t add a contour point if the dot is red. You have to start and finish the new contour at an existing contour, or face boundary. Press the pencil to add a new point.
3. Select a control point with the pencil to move it.
4. Sometimes the generation of the final surface can be rather time consuming.

Let me know if this helped.

Here you go:

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/5 "2016-03-30T07:02:06Z")

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Did this help, or it still doesn’t work?

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**Author:** ![OCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19b73/32.png) [@OCD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/OCD)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-does-the-freeform-surface-tool-work/113/6 "2016-04-08T02:47:40Z")

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This was very helpful for me, thank you. I forgot to click the “i” for help. When I saw the video and the way it worked I was like, “Whoa!”. One small suggestion, after every drag and release it generates a new surface, it would be helpful if you could do multiple manipulations and then give the software the “OK” to generate a new surface. Just found this tonight and it is super exciting! 😃