[neone]

Hi all
I got another question about modeling. It’s kinda hard to explain but I’ll try.
So far I tried some tutorials to help me out and that went smoothly.
But now I have been trying some things out myself and I tend to mess it up almost every time. I need a lot more practice and insight that’s for sure. But I am wandering about a few things.

First thing is the work you have to do before you model. I tend to just start up modeler and try to make whatever comes into my mind. But after a while I’m stuck most of the time cause of a messy or wrong wireframe. For instance I tried to make a car and I first made the frame without the windows. That went ok. But after that I decided to make the window out of the existing wireframe I have build up…so I wanted to close the hole I made. But there was a lot of difference in the points (the top of the hole had 14 points while the bottom had only 5). I tried filling it up and afcourse I got a terrible result :/.
This is just one example but things like that happen a lot when I try to do something.
Are there some tips with this working method or is this a no go in every way?
Do you really have to know everything before you build the model or are there some methods to do such changes while u are working on it?

Another question is about subpatching and combining it with non subpatching.
For instance you try to model a seat that is build up out of wood. The wood is bended so the seat and rail are combined. So I make a box with several segments and rotate the segments. After that I subpatch it and the result is good except for the sides of the box ( the thickness of the wood). Those are bended too but I don’t want that to happen. And Subpatching only a part of the box leaves you with holes. I know about the knife tool to make the curves smaller but I want it as sharp like a non subpatched surface. Any tips about that one is also very welcome

Thanks alot and cy later

[Mark]

To be honest, the best way to generally to model is to plan, plan, plan. Get as much reference material as you can - drawings of views of your object from as many different angles as possible, different scales, etc.

Then decide, how best to model it, what your approach will be, etc before you begin to even think about touching Modeller.

Not only will planning beforehand make you a better modeller, but you'll be less likely to make mistakes, and you'll end up with a cleaner mesh at the end.


As for the sharp edges on your chair, then stick with the subpatches. Nothing in the real world has a razor sharp edge (otherwise how else will you get those specular highlights?). So, stick with a subpatch, and add a couple of Bandsaws along the edges of the model. If you add a couple right at the edge, this should give you a nice sharp finish, with just enough curvature to give a convincing specular highlight along it.

[neone]

thanks for the info mark
about the subpatch thing. I guess u are right.

And u are right about the other one too. The more plans you have the better. But it's kinda a bummer anyway. I was hoping for lightwave to be a little more flexibel for a more intuitive approach.
Ooh well. I'll better bite the bullet on that one, accept it and move on .

[Mark]

lol - It's not really Lightwave being unforgiving. A lack of planning will make your models suck no matter what the 3D modeller you use. It's the same as anything really - an author wouldn't sit down to write a book without a plan, a software developer wouldn't write code without a planned design, a pilot wouldn't take off without his flighplan ...

[neone]

well that was my question mark ...i was wandering if lightwave could be included in making that flightplan...that's what an intuitive approach is all about. It's kinda a bummer when u make a model...then decide during that modeling to change something...and at the end you have to delete more then half of the model to do that change because the wire doesn't allow it.
I'm not pickin on lightwave. I guess it's the same with every 3d package right now.

anyway no biggie