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I have a 2D mesh plane dividing into numerous faces. I have x amount of faces selected and I want to extrude or translate them along the z-axis to create a 3D model. I am trying to do this:

From the 5:30 mark to the 5:50 mark in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbm9lPB5GPw#t=5m30s

My object will not move along the z-axis. The faces don't move at all, even if I type in the amount to move along the z-axis and press enter, it continues to just remain a 2D plane.

I can't figure out if I have a setting turned on or off that is causing this or if its something else. It seems it should be straightforward, but I have not been able to solve it.

EDIT:

Image

I cannot get the selected faces to extrude/translate outward from the plane along the Z-Axis.

EDIT 2:

Here is my .blend file

http://www.pasteall.org/blend/29706

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  • $\begingroup$ Could you add a screenshot or the .blend? $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Jun 9, 2014 at 20:11
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    $\begingroup$ And you are pressing E Esc G Z -4? $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Jun 9, 2014 at 21:12
  • $\begingroup$ I tried that, but it didn't work. I have tried E > Z > -4, E > Right Click > G > Z > -4, G > Z > -4 with no success. I posted the .blend file. $\endgroup$
    – Red
    Commented Jun 9, 2014 at 23:08

1 Answer 1

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This is because the Z scale of the object is 0.

Apply the scale (CtrlA> Scale) or set the Z scale in 3D view > Properties region (N) > Transforms > Scale:

enter image description here

Then extrude/translate should work fine.

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  • $\begingroup$ Spot on, thank you. It makes perfect sense now for why it wasn't functioning the way I expected. $\endgroup$
    – Red
    Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 0:56
  • $\begingroup$ Could someone please explain why it's impossible to extrude along the Z-axis when scale is zero? If I need to extrude a flat plain then I set its Z-dimension to 0, but it automatically sets Z-scale to 0. But I need the object to be flat! $\endgroup$
    – user2513149
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 7:20
  • $\begingroup$ @user2513149 The scale multiplies the local position of all the vertices in the object; values > 1 move vertices farther from the object origin, values < 1 move them closer. 0 means all vertices will be at the object origin (on the axis in question). You could apply the scale (Ctrl+A) once you've flattened the object to reset the scale to 1, or leave the object scale at 1 and scale to 0 in edit mode do a one-time flattening without the need to apply. $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 21:58

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