A selection of top modelling tips and key advice. A lot of this is re-cycled from elsewhere in this module. It is gathered here for your convenience.

Box modeling

There are many different ways to model. Check out this excellent video, that lists 20 of them. This video describes box modeling as subd ('sub-dee') modeling, which is short for subdivision modeling. Whatever it is called, it is the most common way to mode objects, and forms the backbone of RMIT 3D modeling.

The box of box modeling is easy to understand, but what does dub-dee mean? Well, it refers to how a hard-edges form like a box can be selectively smoothed using support loops.

The philosophy of box modelling is simple enough: all forms, no matter how complex, can be modelled using simple geometric forms as starting points. In Figure 1 a fish is shown a walk through of a fish being modelled using the box modelling technique. The process is summarized below and in Figure 2.

Start with a primitive, usually a box.
Crudely model the box to roughly resemble the desired form.
Add a subdivision modifier. This will smoothen the form... make it more blobby.
When sharp edges are required, employ bevels.
The denser the geometry, the more the detail... but generally it is advisable to keep the geometry density low.
Bingo!

Figure 1. Fish!

Figure 2. Fish process: box to fishy

Shade smooth/flat

The smoothing of the geometry of an object can be governed using Object/Shade Smoothed and Object/Shade Flat. Students often get this wrong. In order for it to work, support loops need to be effectively managed. This is shown in Figure 5:

geometry without support loops and without smoothing
geometry without support loops and with smoothing (see how rubbish it looks)
geometry with support loops and without smoothing
geometry with support loops and with smoothing (see how much nicer it looks than #2)

Figure 5. Smoothing in action

Apply transforms!

If your edits or modifiers don't work as expected, it is likely that you have not Applied transforms! For Gods sake, learn this!

Selections

Selections act as precursors to editing operations. They are very flexible.

Dissolve vs Delete

Simply selected faces, edges or vertices and deleting them may disrupt the geometry in unexpected ways. Usually it is better to dissolve them (Figure 3). This is particularly true of edges.

Figure 3. Delete vs Dissolve

Joining and separating

Two objects can be joined to create a single 'compound' object. A compound object can also be split into its different component parts. This is detailed in the Objects and components section of Object and Edit Mode page.

Header controls

The header controls has some excellent tools for make modeling easier. Snapping, Proportional Editing, Transform Pivot Point etc.

In summary, these widgets change the default behavior of the transform operations.

For goodness sake, if you change the default values for these widgets, remember to change them back again.

The 3D Cursor

You can live without using the 3D cursor, but your life becomes a little easier if you learn to use it. The 3D cursor has a similar function to the header controls: to change the default behavior of the transform operations.