• Best of both worlds – Use existing Matrix models to create new designs that are more organic and sculpturally detailed than NURBS-only models.
• Speed – Fast, unconstrained modeling.
• Design flexibility – Create jewelry that captures your artistic intent and distinguishes you as a designer.
• Leverage the digital domain – Create multiple versions, duplicate handcrafted modifications, and create a parts library.

The feeling of working in traditional physical clay is the basic premise of modeling in ClayTrix. Start with primitive or basic shapes, and carve away or add to them using the many different possible carving tools offered by the program.

The Phantom Omni Device acts like a mouse within the ClayTrix software, but unlike a mouse, it moves in 3 dimensions at once, providing more realistic navigation of the 3D workspace within the software. When you control the stylus in 3D space in front of you, it physically moves through the 3D workspace in the software, and offers realistic resistance when it touches the model. You can feel the details as you carve them, change the resistance of the clay for greater control as you work, and even carve “through” a 3D object, popping the tool out on the other side just the way you do when working with physical clay.

Take your Matrix capabilities farther than ever before...

• Import models from Matrix. ClayTrix works seamlessly together with Gemvision’s Matrix 3D Jewelry Design software. It can import both mesh files and curves in common file types from Matrix. Models can even be a single surface or an “open” model with holes in it - ClayTrix software doesn’t care and can even help you fix such models.
  
  
• Export models back to Matrix. Upon importing into the ClayTrix, the program converts it so you can use its fun, realistic, and intuitive modeling operations to create those organic, real-life shapes that would otherwise be difficult to do in Matrix. When done, export the model back to Matrix and continue modeling. You can repeat this process several times throughout the making of a model.
  
  
• Rather than creating a complex series of curves in Matrix to create a model such as a bypass ring, begin the model in ClayTrix and push the clay around to get the design shown here. You can even return the model to Matrix, Rotate and copy it, and return it to ClayTrix to Smooth out the design.

ClayTrix offers a whole set of virtual clay tools allowing you to Construct Clay from basic shapes (circles, cubes, ellipsoids, cones); Sculpt Clay with tools analogous to those used in real-life clay sculpting (Carve with ball, cube, scraper, corndog, knife, razor, loop); perfect your work with Smooth, Attract, and Smudge tools offering adjustable levels of control; Detail or Deform clay with tools called Groove, Tug, Emboss,and Deform; and various Selection and Paint tools that work like a paintbrush to define areas to which bitmaps, overall effects, or other details will be added.

The unique Paint Tool allows you to select portions of the clay to use in a “mask” feature, which makes them impervious to carve functions. You can select the clay with the cursor, like working with a paintbrush, or “stamp” clay with a bitmap and use that image in tools like Emboss Area to lift up or lower down parts of the clay. Continue sculpting stamped images for a flowing, organic design that looks anything but stamped.

Freehand drawing of curves is possible directly into the clay. Or use bitmaps as a guide for tracing of curves. Either way, curves drawn onto clay models can be used in fun sculpting operations. Place profiles along the curve and either add the shape or subtract it from the clay. You can also set the haptic device to “snap” to a curve while carving with each tool, keeping your work precise and controlled.

Import Reference Items into ClayTrix and model around them without altering the item itself. This may be a gem you wish to model around, part of a ring that will not be sculpted on, or anything you wish to keep “sharp” in the final design.

Use the Shape Tool like a form of interactive surface modeling and assign pieces to “join” into a new shape. Instantly change and tweak the shape of the new connective surface while feeling the changes through the haptic device while you work.

And many more features that allow users to hollow out parts for work such as piercing-through, “deform” clay with fun warp tools, and select clay using new methods such as a box, a series of profiles (planar curves), or planes in space.