I agree with Skynoz. You should do what I do. During my off time from my major projects, I would make any random object in Gmax and make is all fancy by using the various modeling tools such as bending, twisting, making spirals, compound modeling, etc. During this process I would occasionally run into a spark of intuition [an idea would crop up from no where] on how to better improve my major project. Then I implement that idea onto my project. This is, in my opinion, what makes a great developer: making better models through sparks of ideas.

If I was you, I would also try every known technique in the community to see which method of modeling suits you best and how you would apply it to your projects. You should also adapt to different modeling techniques according to the project your working on. For example: I work on car models, therefore I utilize the "poly-modeling" method [where you create a model one poly at a time]. The process may be slow, but I get maximum control over how the surface is created. For aircraft, modeling with primitive objects is sometimes preferred. I even study human modeling as that gets me to become familiar with box modeling.

Great advice! Thanks.

Black ZR-1 wrote on Mar 30^th, 2007 at 12:55pm:



As has been mentioned, use the best scale drawings available.

Since you probably have a decent collection of scale plans for your r/c planes, those make excellent reference images, *for the basic airplane*.  OF course, actual scale drawings help.

Your approach to gmax should be to learn the program, and while that can be while creating your first airplane model, be prepared to save a lot, and when experimenting, ALWAYS experiment on a copy.  This way you can royally screw up often and quickly return to the point "just before" .