The following post is a bit long, but please hear me out.

For many years I've been a silent visitor to the Renderosity Carrara forums (and recently, the Hexagon forums) hoping to slowly build up some knowledge and technique on 3D modelling and rendering and eventually produce some decent results of my own. I've been following Carrara's progress since the days it was called Ray Dream Studio and have bought just about every version of the progam since RDS 5.0. Time and time again I try to devote myself to learning how to use the modeller so that I can start making some progress. Unfortunately, I always end up disappointed with my lack of progress.

My problem is not learning how the tools work. I've bought some training CDs, books, practiced with tutorials, etc. etc. I know how the different modellers (vertex, spline, etc.) work. I know how to lathe and extrude. I know how to weld, decimate, soften and crease edges, place and position items, group objects, and so forth and so on. My problem is that every time I think up of something relatively simple that I want to model, I have absolutely no idea how to approach it.

I have no technique.

I attempt to approach the shape through different means (box modelling, primites, free-hand lines, etc.) and I only get something that somewhat resembles what I had hoped to achieve. I find tutorials that show how to model a similar shape, and I achieve my results by following their instructions but I always wonder "how exactly did they know to approach this project in this fashion?" When I'm left to my own devices, for some reason I find modelling to be extremely exhausting. Its like no matter what I do, I just can't achieve the results I'm looking for.

For example, recently I tried to model a simple key pad (10 buttons plus an enter key) similar to what you would find in a sci-fi corridor doorway. I searched the web for some ideas and, knowing my limitations due to lack of experience, I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I get to modelling and eventually end up with something that somewhat resembles a key pad but looks positively fake, uninspired, symetrical and rigid. I then turn to the incredible work that some of the people here put out using Carrara and can't help but feel amazed and discouraged at the same time.

Ultimately, my question is: how did you get good with modelling? Obviously, practice goes a long way, but I want to know how you learned to start your projects, what modelling techniques do you primarily use, how did you learn these techniques and where? Did you go to some formal training or did you learn everything by yourselft? Do you start your projects with simple shapes and refine them or do you craft each individual shape to perfection before moving on to the next shape?

I don't pretend to be an artist but I figured if I atleast have some reference material, I should be able to output some decent results. Sadly, this isn't the case. I really want to know how I can move to the next step up. Like I said, I know how the tools work but I have no technique. Any advise you can give me, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated.

Mmmm i see what you mean...
I have it too ... sometime i think how did he/she do that.
But there is only ONE way to do it ... try and learn.. and stick to a program.
When you jump from one to a other you NEVER learn anything.
Im doing it for some months now and im getting the hang of it.
But i realy do think you got to have a feel for it... like painting etc etc
You can learn the techical part but not even then you make whats in your mind.

I have set my view on SILO and im sticcking with it for now.
Sure i need to learn a lot a wholeeeeee lot ..but thats the fun of it..
Dont give up... and stick close to people who know the tricks
I read every thread about the modeling and i closly check what some persons are saying.
The only thing thats keeping me down is the morphs for cloths .. i dont get that part at all..
So i have to check and ask 100.000 times i think

Just play and try things out .. 

Chris
" Shade 8, Hex 2 , Silo 1.4 , CAR 5, Vue 6, Bryce 6" 
.... damn i got a lot to learn :lol:

I understand what you mean about sticking to one program and I'm trying to do just that. I can also understand about the need to have a feel for things. Like I said, I don't claim to be an artist but I figured I could get some halfway decent results if I had reference materials. I won't stop practicing but I'm getting a bit frustrated at my lack of progress.

I know what you mean. I can usually figure out how to approach an object, but I get no more than half-way through before I realize that was probably the least efficient way to approach that particular model. (Doesn't help that I'm a tweaker; I will duplicate and position a massive array before realizing that I don't like the original shape....and I end up having to alter every individual duplicate one by one).

Suggest you stick with only Carrara at this point.(Very lttle that can not be done in Carrara--you dont need other apps while learning--they confuse you)

Have you tried opening a cube in the vertex room and said to yourself "I am going to make an elephant (say), then just played around trying to--at least roughly--create one?

Do little exercises day by day, without tutes, gradually you will build up an expertise you didnt think you had. You will have to make three steps forward and two steps backwards, but you will be doing things with your ideas at your pace.

Simply experiment.

Attached Link: T59 Cloth workshop

Using the right modeler for you is the first step. I tried all the demos before I found what worked for me. Modeling apps are a very personal thing. What works for one person may be a nightmare for you. I don't use Carraras modeler, I don't need the stress. I use hex2 and silo depending what computer I'm using. I use Shade 8 for curves and it toon renderer.  Wings 3d for the rest that the others do but is faster for me in Wings because that is where I learned in.

I block model quite a bit. What bwtr said about loading a cube and try anything and everything you can to it untill you start getting what you want, is how I did it.* * I also load reference images to work with.

If you have Hex, try my tutorial at PoserPros. I made it for beginers to show them a few easy things and it starts with a CUBE.

Practise is the real key. The more you put into it the better the results.

I recently completed a course in sketching and drawing at our local community college. I was happy to learn that the skills that I had learned there transferred to my modelleing. Having learned to mentally "break down" objects, or structures into geometric primitives has made it easier to approach a modeling challenge and figure out a "plan of attack".

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I'm going to scale down my ambitions to a very basic level and then try to work my way up little by little. While I wasn't trying to model a person or anything of that complexity, maybe I need to slow down a bit before I start trying to run.

I'll keep hacking at it, I suppose.

and don't forget to post an image of yer model here, that the experts might tell ya how to fix it up.

Danamo said about going to drawing and sketching classes.  3d is a bit like that.
You will find, particularly at Life drawing classes, that the real pros turn up regularly to reinvigorate thier skills.

It's all a lifetime process of learning, experimenting--if it was easy or not a challenge, why would you want to do it?

Like learning piano, modeling demands that you start with simple things. Do the absolute easiest things on your coffee table or in your house. Cups, vases, plates and then speakers, T.V.'s  Chairs, tables and then an entire room. Keep doing simple things and you'll run into problems that you will need to learn to solve and this will help you master the toolset/ Once it becomes second nature to you, then you can start working on a technique. You can create any model starting with a single straight polyline and rough out the forms and work in details as you go. Google up some images of a wrought Iron fence or a plant and just keep solving the "how do I do that"? puzzles and pretty soon you'll be making whatever you like.

I once read an article about how to approach modeling complex items. The author basically broke it down into three steps. The first step is to create the largest most important forms. Don't worry about details at this point; just get the relative shapes in place. Next, look for secondary forms on the object and model those. Then third, look for all the tiny details and do those last.

It's real easy to get overwhelmed by modeling all the little stuff. That three step approach has helped me work through some blocks.

FWIW- I've been working on modeling off and on since Ray Dream v3. Only recently have I had the guts and patience to use the vertex modeler!