Hi,

I'm fairly new at 3d modeling, only took a few tutorials like how to make a realistic earth (with clouds, atmosphere), making chess pieces (pawn, rook, bishop, knight).

So i'm just a beginner.

I want an advice on how to make a particular part of this keyboard (the smooth margins). Screenshot

If some1 wonders how a Logitech G11 Keyboard looks like, search for it on google images .

Clipboard01aweweqe.jpg 458.07 KB Views: 204 Description: screenshot

Here is a reference for others to see how it looks:


For the smooth margins try edge bevel and mesh smooth where appropriate.
Right now the problem with your approach in modeling this keyboard is that you are trying to make it a single object while in reality it consists of multiple elements that are united together.

Right now if you try mesh smooth you get a mess. But if you extract the margins as a separate object and adjust the topology so that it is all quads, then mesh smooth will provide good results and will not spoil the rest of the object.

_________________
Andyba, 3d artist
skills: 3d modeling, texturing, rendering, 3d character animation, compositing
3d software experience: 3ds max, Maya, Softimage XSI, Deep Paint 3d, Body Paint 3D, Wings 3D, Z Brush
2d software experience: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After effects, Macromedia Flash, Freehand

And how do i revert the changes i did :-s? As the margins are already beveled, and i want to restore it, and make a subobject from i

LE: Ok, i deleted those vertices and created polygons again but now that margin has only 1 segment.

And should i detach it as an element or a new object?

Nevermind, i did it

There are some cool tools in 3ds max you should learn first.
Learn using select edge ring + connect it can be used instead of slice

Here is a cool blog about edge loop modeling


And you can also extrude border edges by pressing the shift key and moving them.
_________________
Andyba, 3d artist
skills: 3d modeling, texturing, rendering, 3d character animation, compositing
3d software experience: 3ds max, Maya, Softimage XSI, Deep Paint 3d, Body Paint 3D, Wings 3D, Z Brush
2d software experience: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After effects, Macromedia Flash, Freehand

Another question: what's the diff between editable poly and editable mesh? When should i use poly, and when should i use mesh? I used Editable poly on my object.

Oh, and i have to take pictures of my own keyboard because i can't find side, front images of it...

Lets suppose that we want to model something that we don't own, and u only have some pics of that object displaying its top or front view... what do u do? U just imagine ?