# Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Box Modeling

Easy to undertake and flexible, box modeling is a favorite of beginners
and veterans alike. It is fun to work with and general results are
visible in a short time. It is a powerful work flow that any modelers
should know.

## Before We Start

Before doing any modeling, it is vital to plan first. Gather references
and make a general plan on how to tackle the modeling phase. Being ready
will save you a lot of complications later.

## The Work Flow

With box modeling, start with a primitive that is appropriate for your
subject. Most start with a box and generally a good primitive to start.
Then, from the primitive, using a variety of tools, mold the essential
form of your model. Also called the roughing phase. Don\'t delve on
details here, those are to be tackled later. Finally, on this form, we
go to the nearly recursive process of adding details. Layer by layer,
details are added until the required amount of detail is achieved.

#### Start with a Primitive

Select the proper primitive for your work. Most modelers start with a
cube. The cube is the most flexible primitive available and is suitable
to almost all form of subjects. But, in many cases, selecting other form
of primitives would cut out most of the modeling required. A gun is a
cinch to model using a cylinder. With a little adjustment, a torus forms
a good doughnut. In an instant a ball can be made out of a sphere. So
produce your primitive to work with.

#### Rough It Out

Take the primitive and start modifying it to capture the essential form
of your subject. Tools like extrude, loop cut, scale and grab are very
handy for this. Avoid worrying about details at this stage. Those are to
be done later.

#### Adding Details, Details and more Details

Now, we approach the most difficult and unquestionably the most fun
part. Using a variety of modeling tools, modify the form again to
incorporate details. Add details layer by layer, from general to
specific. Planning, studying and experience would help you go through.
Continue until you achieve the desired level of detail.

Adding details requires subdivision or addition of polygons. The knife
and the loop cut tool is handy for subdividing meshes. Extrusion is
great for adding details like horns and fingers. Face and edge loop must
be herded to other directions at times and warrants a study by itself.
Blender provides you with required tools to achieve all of this.

At this stage, beginners and experienced modelers alike will find their
meshes getting more and more difficult to work with as the mesh gets a
more and more dense at each level of details added. Planning, an eye to
the edge flows and experience alleviate this. So plan and keep
practicing.

