l need to draw a subtool or mesh onto the surface of another mesh but am frustrated with the odd scaling and rotation behavior of the Mesh Insert tool.
Is there anyway to place an object onto the surface of another (as if you were drawing onto an object dropped to the canvas)? Is this an occasion for the multi-marker tool?
Thank You!!!
i dont even know if multi markers exists anymore. In 3.1 you use subtools and transpose. if you feel the need to have it all one mesh i would still do it this way then use the subtool master plugin from pixologic to combine the 2 into 1.
hope this helps. 
as far as i know mesh insert is the only other way, probably the most acurate way for doing what you’re asking
for clarification the workflow is:
1 load mesh one
2 load mesh two
3 append tool to other tool in subtool subpalette
4 use transpose to position the tool
5 optionaly combine the meshs together using subtool master
I’m really not concerned with merging meshes into one mesh (otherwise I’d use the mesh insert tool). I just want to be able to draw one mesh onto the surface of another and keep them discreet (like the Advanced Painter script in Max). I know how to use Append meshes as Subtools but I was hoping there was a way to draw meshes onto each other (as if they were dropped to the canvas) while keeping them editable in T Mode.
thank you btw!
The MeshInsert brush is really the only way to do this. I agree that it can behave in unpredictable ways. If you are inserting into a low res mesh this can make the mesh snap around - use a denser mesh if you can.
To keep the mesh a uniform size, start drawing and then immediately press Ctrl. The mesh will snap to a size relative to Draw Size. Keep holding down Ctrl and you can rotate the mesh. Release the mouse before Ctrl or you can get some funky behaviour.
There are three things that affect how the mesh is inserted:
Brush palette: MeshInsert Dot or MeshInsert Fit - Dot inserts the mesh tangent to the model surface; Fit inserts it drawn in the screen plane.
The BrushMod slider and the inserted mesh’s pivot point. By adjusting either of these you can change how much the mesh is embedded. The pivot point is normally in the center of the mesh. You can change it by dragging the little red cross in the Tool:Preview window, then pressing Store to save the change. Alternatively, adjust the BrushMod slider in the Brush palette.
The inserted mesh’s orientation. You can change this by dragging in the Tool:Preview window, then pressing Store to save the change.
You can easily edit the inserted mesh separate from the main mesh. Simply Shift+Ctrl+click on it, Mask All to mask it, Shift+Ctrl+click the background to show the whole mesh then Invert the mask.
HTH,
awesome! Thank you Marcus!