Seeking Help and Advice from a Blender PRO! D:

[HaloGoddess]

Where to start.........hmmm.......well for starters I know VERY little about blender. I understand the vertices, edges and faces. I know about loop cutting, extruding, merging vertices and a few other small things.

A while ago, I figured out on my own how to use blender and I began to edit models if they seemed a little off. These files would not get released since I did this just for myself to be happier with my armor pieces.

Anywho, I am in MAJOR need of a more accurate and up-to-date model of the case on Kat's thigh. I have attempted to try and actually model something this time.

Here is where I am so far:

I already got my front, top and side view images set up so that when I have a left and a right side showing in blender, the model lines up correctly. I know about having the different views of the picture.

Anyway, since I was NOT sure how to actually start on a model, I deleted the default cube that appears when you load blender and I have been using: ctrl + left mouse button to make my vertices for now.

I have NO clue if that is right, but it seems to be working. I know I still need to create a few more edges since in order to create a face, I discovered that you can only have up to 4 vertices selected. Once I finish that, I will then switch to my front view of the image and start arranging my vertices and try to make it so that they line up right.

Am I even ANYWHERE close to doing this right or should I just leave this modeling thing to the pros? I'm ONLY trying this case since it does not appear to be such a complex shape.

I am trying to make this so that the "lid" of the case is seperate from the rest so that I can build a functioning case to hold stuff in. In the image, it looks like the 2 notches seen at the top on either side appear to be hinges so that is what I'm aiming for.

If there is anyone out there that really knows blender and can maybe walk me through some steps by also explaining what to click, press, whatever so that I can MAYBE build this model.

Or, someone else can just try and model it. XD haha I have some GREAT reference images that really show the detail of this case and how it's constructed. hehe

Also, you can see that I am only focusing on half. Once I have one half fully completed, if I make it that far, I am going to "mirror" it so that I end up with a full, solid model.

 

[Roadwarrior]

You're on track, also blender has a Mirror modifier that mirrors it while you're working and when you finish you click apply and then it applies it to the model and becomes physical.

this feature is on version 2.4.9 also.

First go to Modifiers:

Then click on mirror:

Make sure that the Merge limit is around 200, or to any number high enough to join the two sides( You'll see them snap together) otherwise when you click apply they will be separate.

Here it is after being applied:

EDIT: The above will only work if you're Origin is in the center of your edge here's how to do that:

So if your Origin is like this:

It's not going to work, instead of being right next with the other side it's going to appear on the origin. to fix this we need to move it.

First go in to edit mode and press "A" to select the whole side. Then press "Shift S" and pres "Cursor to selected" then the 3D cursor will move to the center of the current model.

Now go into front view using Numpad 1, then zoom in on the edge and line up the vertical line on the mouse cursor with the edge and left clickto move the 3D cursor.

It now looks like this:

Do this(It's a slightly different name in 2.4.9):

Now it looks like this and you can then mirror it.:

 

[HaloGoddess]

I already mentioned at the very end of my post that I will be using the mirror modifier.

But glad to know that I am on the right track!

Now I have another question though.....since I seem to only be able to hit numbers 1,3 and 7 for the front, side and top views, how can I get a good bottom view?? Or is that something that I am just going to have to try and model by rotating the model around?

 

[Roadwarrior]

what I was try to get at is you can have the Mirror modifier up while you're modeling and it mirror's it in real-time.

For the bottom and other opposite views you hold Ctrl when pressing 1,3,7 you can also rotate around the model by pressing 4,6,8,2.

I just updated the bottom of my last post also

 

[HaloGoddess]

what I was try to get at is you can have the Mirror modifier up while you're modeling and it mirror's it in real-time.

For the bottom and other opposite views you hold Ctrl when pressing 1,3,7 you can also rotate around the model by pressing 4,6,8,2.

I just updated the bottom of my last post also

Ah! Well that's pretty helpful. I didn't know about holding ctrl while pressing the numbers. I also knew about 4,6,8, and 2 for rotating. I also know how pressing 5 changes the perspective.

Also, here is where I am at now. Very slowly it seems to be taking shape. From the side view it looks really funny still. haha I'll fix that when I get to the side view.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and it looks really funny from the top view still too! XD haha

 

[HaloGoddess]

Well, I did it! I think.......XD

I have finished the lid for Kat's tactical hard case!

What do ya think?

 

[Satchmo III]

I think it looks good. I find the ability to plan something out like this and be able to build it in the real world is stellar.

I'm fairly new to Blender (and 3D modeling) myself and am wondering when you upload a reference image and have modeled over it, like you have, can you move or translate the image so that it is in front of or on top of the model? I see the controls to change transparency and translate the X and Y dimensions but no mention of a third dimension to bring it up or down (if you consider you're viewing the model from above). I tried moving the model below the origin but this doesn't do what I thought bringing the image above the model would do either.

I suppose if you built with just vertices/lines you'd be able to see the image but it seems like there would be a way to see the model with faces and the semi-transparent image at the same time. If you ran into this issue is that how you got around it? Maybe it's a non-issue for most modelers but I thought I'd ask since it seems pertinent.

Thanks and keep up the great work.

 

[HaloGoddess]

Well from what I understand, you need different pictures of the views you want: front, top, side, and bottom. I THINK when in blender you can split your screen down the middle to 2 halves an ONLY 2 halves. So on one side, you will have the top view and the other side will have the front view or whatever side you want to work on. Of course you need to upload the picture into each side.

As for moving the picture itself, your able to move all over the screen so I don't really see why you would want to move ONLY the picture. I've never had a need to move just the picture. If that is what you are asking.

And as far as wanting to see the image behind the model when you add the faces, you can hit "Z" while in edit mode and that will make the faces of the model transparent while still allowing you to see the image behind it. I learned most of what I know about blender on my own from watching video tutorials on youtube. Maybe you should look there too. I watched TONS of videos before I finally started messing around in blender.

 

[Roadwarrior]

You can move the image, you can also make it bigger or smaller:

It should be roughly the same in blender 2.4.9, It's useful when you have different sized images(Front,back,ETC..) and need to line them up.

And to move things up and down don't forget the Z axis.

 

[Satchmo III]

Thanks!

I'm good with using multiple view (putting the cursor at any edge of the view window so the arrow cursor turns into a double-ended arrow and then right clicking and selecting split area will do the trick). Moving the image (in front of the model) was just my approach to being able to see the model through the semi-transparent image but using the Z button to make the model into a wire-frame is exactly the kind of solution I was hoping to learn.

Google search has become my good friend for looking up how to do things. I like looking through the Noob-to-Pro wiki too (link below if interested). I'm trying to be more vocal on the forum and thought this might be a good exchange for your thread. Thanks again!

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro