Modeling an espresso maker

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone, 

I'm very new to 3Ds max, and I need to make a model of this coffee maker in 3Ds Max. 

What should of methods should i use to model it? techniques? The more specific the help the better! I really appreciate it...

thanks in advance..

Mfarny

[Anonymous]

Hello Mfarny,
Find out more about modeling techniques, like "box modeling", "poly modeling" tech. and such. I recomend poly modeling for this object.
Look for some pdf books on internet about it.
You can also find a lot of excelent tuts on YT.

Good luck,

Marko

[Anonymous]

thanks for that, but i really don't have a lot of time at present, and was hoping for a more specific breakdown to guide me. 

[Steve_Curley]

You're asking the impossible. To make such a model would require considerable expertise in many areas of Max - each of which is an entire subject in its own right. Search and you will find many tutorials on Modeling, UVs, Materials, Lighting, Rendering... To do it justice you would need a thorough grounding in all of those, and that won't happen overnight. Given enough time you could probably make something half respectable, but with limited time in a package you don't know very well you will likely not be satisfied with the results.

If your intent is to learn Max then start simple and work your way up - lots of help available here and on the 'net, on specific topics - if not then good luck because you're going to need it.

[Anonymous]

Ok, fair enough. 

Not trying the easy way out, or being ungrateful, I should elaborate. 

What i was wanting was more of the types of tools and techniques that could be used to point me in the right direction, that's all. 

I've had a look on youtube and so on, but was really wanting more guidance to specifics like "for the top lid, propbabably i would start with a poly blah blah, then extrude. As for the handle, try a box and then manually bend..." 

anyway, thanks for taking the time to answer my question..

cheers..

[Steve_Curley · Accepted solution]

Even the simplest part (the bottom red section) will be difficult to get right if you don't have accurate blueprints - top/front/side images of the object which match in height/width/depth. Trying to do it from a single image such as the one above (which is not "flat on" the side view) will be tricky as you've no proper reference to get the shape right.
You would also need accurate dimensions and would need to set up your scene appropriately before you make anything. I'd suggest mm rather than the default of inches. Make sure you set the Units, not just the Display units (a bear trap most new users fall into).
I would probably make that part by creating a Line (Editable Spline) which is the outline of that part of the model, then apply a Lathe modifier. Keep adjusting the Vertices of the Spline until the overall object looks right. A simple process, but still not easy to get right. You might try making the glass bowl the same way, but you'll need it to have thickness and it will require a lot of modeling work (convert it to Editable Poly once you have the basic shape) to get the spout right - complex organic shapes like that are not easy.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Steve, that's billiant advice! 

I've actually got one of these in my kitchen, and i've taken a load of photos of it, from many different angles. 

It comes apart in 5 pieces, so probably i'll just try doing each one individually. 

thanks again!

p.s - I'm aussie, so mm is fine with me!