tgj2o_3d-lathing-engines_blender

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Lathing and vertex-editing
Next we're going to lathe some engines to add to our saucer to soup-it-up.

Step 1: Creating the outline of the engine
It is possible in 3D modeling software to add points in space. The easiest way to do this is to create an object, go in to edit it, delete all the points that make it up, then create your own points instead. First we're going to hide the saucer disc and cockpit in the Outliners panel just like before. We want to be on FRONT VIEW so press 1 on the keypad.

Next, by pressing SHIFT A and adding a mesh plane (or ADD>MESH>PLANE) we create an object we can use to form the basis of our engine. Press TAB (or click on EDIT mode dropdown menu below) to get into edit mode. Once in edit mode select A to select the vertices, then delete them all. We are going to add points manually ourselves. To add points we're going to press CTRL+LMB and click the outline of our engine.

We will now fill this face to create a volume. To do so we just select all the vertices (A) then press (F) which fills based on the lines (alternately you could use the menu at the bottom left to do this MESH>FACES>MAKE EDGE/FACE).



Step 2: Spinning the shape
Now that we have our shape we're going to spin it like a piece of clay on a potters wheel. To do so we'll switch to RIGHT SIDE mode (keypad 3). We should only see a slice of the shape.

We'll rotate it around the axis as shown in red. To do so we'll click on the SPIN button on the toolbar on the left. Make sure to make the STEPS are set to 20 and the angle is set to 360.

Step 3 - Tweaking the shape with axis-confied scale and axis-confined translates
Go ahead and see if you like your shape. If you want to adjust anything you can go into vertices or lines edit mode, select individual rings and scale them. For example, I don't like the overall shape of my engine. I'm going to grab the ring at the back. I can do that by going into edge-edit mode, toggling WIREFRAME mode and grabbing the whole line with the border-select tool B (or circle-select tool C). Alternatively, a quick way of doing it is to press ALT+SHIFT and RMB and it takes any line in the plane you're choosing.

Regardless of the way you select the back ring press SCALE. Notice when you press the SCALE button your ring goes wild as you move your cursor. We want a bit more control over how we're scaling. We want to press Z which forces the scale to only work in the Z axis.

Do the same for the front ring. ALT+SHIFT+RMB then SCALE then Z.

I want to elongate my engine a bit. Go into VERTEX edit (CTRL+TAB). Grab the front vertex point. We're going to TRANSLATE (move) that point. To do that either we click on translate in the toolbar up on the left or we press G (same thing). We are going to move only in the X axis.

Finally, we want a bit more control on how many surfaces there are in the rear section of the engine. As such we're going to loop-cut this area. To do so we'll click on the LOOP-CUT button (or CTRL+R). Hover your cursor over the rear section of the engine as seen below. You'll get a pink line that appears. Use your SCROLL WHEEL and increase the number of cuts to 2 before using the LMB. You'll then see you can slide the loops around before LMB again commits the cuts to the mesh.

I want to grab that last loop and make a flared exhaust port to protect the engine from blowback. Here's how I shaped mine, but frankly - however you want to shape yours is up to you.

Step 4 - Paint our engine
We'll choose a duplicate of our spaceship colour, then adjust the black painting the whole thing that colour. Select all of the faces. Go to MATERIALS, use the dropdown menu and find our Saucer.disc colour from before. Apply it. Then, by pressing the + sign next to the material chosen, it duplicates our last material. Rename this **Engine.black**. We'll use this later on as well.

Go ahead and choose the the colour bar in the diffuse setting and make it nearly black (HEX #333333). We'll make it less shiny too so let's change the INTENSITY settings to 0.3, but make it polished by making the MIRROR setting checked on and make it 0.010

Let's light up our engine now. Choose the ring on the inside of our engine. We're going to light this up.

Click on the + next to the box up to to make a new material slot (NOT the same as duplicating our last material, though it may seem that way). It creates a new material slot. Click on NEW to allow for a new material to be made. We'll choose a yellowish colour under DIFFUSE. Keep the intensity high (1.0). Under SHADING we'll set our EMIT value to 4.0 and TRANSLUCENT to 0.38

Rename this colour to Engine.emit. Go ahead and click on ASSIGN. Create yet another new material slot. Choose the Engine.emit and press +. It will create a duplicate called engine.emit.001. Rename it to engine.outer.glow. Choose the surfaces surrounding the center of the back engine. We want to change the colour to be an angrier orange. When happy with the colour press ASSIGN. It should look something like this:

Step 5 - Placing our engine and duplicating it
Tab back out of EDIT mode into OBJECT MODE so we can group this engines with the disc/cockpit. Unhide our saucer and cockpit. Notice the engine's a wee-bit big. We'll first SCALE it so it's not quite so large. Press S for scale and make the engines a bit smaller.

Using a combination of G (TRANSLATE) and X/Y/Z place the engine where you want. Once happy, we want to copy it to the other side (BTW, I added some swank by making a red ring on my engine. Don't worry, you didn't miss any steps.

The fastest way to copy shapes in BLENDER is to press SHIFT D then enter (without moving the mouse). This makes a duplicate ON TOP OF the last object. Then CTRL+M mirrors the object in a plane of your choosing. Choose Y (or whatever plane mirrors your engine to the other side).

You should wind up with this:

Next we'll put a direction - vane on our spaceship to ensure it flies straight.