Texture maps make the model. I worked from plans and photos, the problem is that you have to eyeball the thing b/c you can't load an image into the modeller in RDS. The vertex modeller is key for getting detail. I usually start out in the freeform modeller and get the spline shape curves, just to get the shape, then I import the object into the vertex modeller and start lathing or extruding. I really like the free form modeller, you can get some great shapes really quick but try converting it into the vertex modeller, and WHAM, you get some really crappy stuff. Duplicate vertices all over the place - you spend a lot of time just cleaning the thing up, and if it is a complex shape you can spend a whole afternoon just getting the mesh corrected. If Carrara survives, they have to fix this problem! Carrara and RDS are plagued by poor modelling tools period. I think that it really hurts an otherwise laudable program. I'm always looking for a suplimentary modeller to use with Carrara, but $'s a problem. Next time I make something I'll put together a tutorial, I just didn't make any shots of the modelling process with this one.