Bucket

This week's lab, we are modelling a bucket.

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

And since we have made a bucket, I was curious and wonder whether it actually holds water or not...

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

Process
For this exercise, we are actually now using a profile for our modelling. I draw a curve to match the bucket's profile, then when it is done, I used the Revolve function to use the curve as the shape for the surface and rotate it around the pivot to create the polygons for the pail's surface.

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

As you can see the texture/material for the bucket got kind of screwed up, but no worries, I will have that fixed when I apply another lambert material for it (and adding some nice colours).

I extruded the bottom edge of the bucket's lip, and make a hole on the extruded part. This part will be where both ends of the handle are attached to the bucket.

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

Now it is time to make the handle. Using the same technique as I made the bucket's surfaces, I used a curve to draw out the handle's ends, and use the Revolve function. The handle itself is also made using the curve, but this time using the Extrude function to do it.

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

Using the Soft Modification tool, I was also able to make it so that the handle is not entirely straight and linear. Instead, the ends of the handle is narrow while the centre of the handle is much "fatter".

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

The final step was to rotate the handle with the handle's end as the pivot.

For an additional feature I decided to create some water. For the water's surface, I used a cylinder (in fact, only the top face of the cylinder), and I applied a deformer so that it doesn't look too flat.

(click picture to see the enlarged version)

Reflection
In my opinion, the curve is an extremely useful tool for creating any irregular shapes. For example, the bucket that I have created is strictly not a cylinder by itself. It has the bucket lip and the bucket's bottom is not flat, making it slightly more difficult to create using a cylinder, compared to using a curve instead.

The Revolve function and the Extrude function to turn curves into useful polygons was a nice feature. I think the curve + the function will be very useful for me in future projects, especially if I want to create models with extremely complex profile. For instance, a basic rifle could have been modeled by drawing out the outline of the gun on the side view using a curve, and I can use the Extrude function to create a depth for the rifle.