Which tools for front side?

Very nice, I’d say you’re getting the hang of it.

Hello everyone. I’m from Croatia.
I am new here, and regardless of my bad English, I hope that I will still be understood.
So, see the front side of the locomotives

[img:wnyamzw0]http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/35/1141xl3.jpg[/img:wnyamzw0]

Which tools used for make this? With [img:wnyamzw0]http://www.3DC.com/3DCDocumentation/tutorialcrosssection2.htm[/img:wnyamzw0]
Extrude
or with the [img:wnyamzw0]http://www.3DC.com/3DCDocumentation/componentsurfacetool.htm[/img:wnyamzw0]
Surface
?
Thank you.

First, your english is very understandable. I don’t think we’ll have a problem understanding you.
Second, there are as many ways of making the curved front of this locomotive as there are modellers out here. For me, I might use a series of extrusions and narrow them each time. That would give me 10-12 surfaces to work with. I might then use something for a background (possibly the overhead diagram you show there) to move the vertices to follow the curve. I would then use something like Chamfer to round the upper edge. But there are other methods that could be used. I’ve only outlined the first method that comes to my mind.

The cross-section modelling tutorial on the amabilis website may help.

I’m with Bill – start with the main body from an extruded object then gradually extrude the ends using the 4 view mode.

One tip I use for extrude tool objects (like the body) is to only build half, making sure the centre edge is vertical – then mirror the object. The result is half the effort and more symmetrical.

While I like the idea of building half of an object and then mirroring it, I like to be able to ‘sculpt’ so to speak until I get it looking close to what I think it should be and when I’m happy I’ll pick the side I think looks best and then I’ll literally go point by point and set the coordinates symmetrically using the Set Position function to avoid guesswork.
One thing I think it’s important to say to anyone starting this is, there is a certain amount of ‘artistry’ involved in modelling. Unless you have a point by point scan of the original you’re going to be building your ‘interpretation’ of an object and it’s highly unlikely to be a perfect clone of the original. Whatever method you settle on is valid if it generates the result that you’re happy with.

Thank you. I’ll try <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

What you think?
[img]http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3404/11412cv3.jpg’]