1. A method for displaying selected portions of a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric data set representing a subsurface formation, comprising: generating at least one two-dimensional (2D) canvas, the 2D canvas corresponding to a plane in the 3D data set, the 2D canvas being shown in a first display window; creating one or more primitives on the 2D canvas; identifying a volumetric region of the 3D volumetric data set corresponding to the one or more primitives; and displaying the volumetric region in a 3D scene, the 3D scene being shown in a second display window.