- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
All models start as a simple box, all modelers start with a simple model.
Okay, to hlep you make it look a bit better :)
1. Textures! I'm not sure about Macs, but you can look for a tutorial on it. however, the texture you'd want to add should be tileable. Here are some good textures. Also, here are some more. At any rate, making your own textures is fun with photoshop, and I usually take a picture of say, sand, and use a few tools to make it tile seamlessly.
2. Smoothing meshes. I think this is a universal 3D CAD program term. Find out how to apply a smoothing mesh to your model. It will eliminate all jagged edges and blend them.
3. Specular + reflect. When you figure out textures, also make them specular [shiny] for this particular metal thing. This will look more realistic under light. Also, make metal textures have a slight reflection map. This adds to the realism.
4. Backgrounds and terrain. You should learn how to take a bitmap and use it to displace a plane for a scene to depict an object. Also, learn how to apply cloud effects to a sphere-chamber. That way you can make a realistc sky.
I don't know the program you're using too well. I use 3DS Max, probably the most complex, but almost all of these apps are very similar.
[Edited on 5/10/2005]