Lab 2 - Exercise 3 (Cardboard Box)

1st attempt

2nd Attempt

Final Attempt

First attempt at Torn Card Board

Final attempt at Torn Card Board

Process: 

Firstly, I created a polygonal cube with width = 35, height = 30, depth = 45, and changing their height, width, depth to 3. 

After that, I chose Face mode and selected the top face in the center of the box. I used the extrude command and scaled down on the Z axis. After that, I followed the instruction by putting Local Translate Z to -29.5. This will move the face down to the bottom of the box to create an interior. 

Next, I select all the faces in the center of each top section by using the shift + left click. I repeated the extrude command but this time moving the manipulator up a short distance on the Z axis. I entered 0.2 into the Local Translate Z. This will therefore create a small rotation join for the flaps of the box. 

I repeated the extrude command and moved the manipulator up a short distance on the Z axis. This time, I entered a different Local Translate Z which is 17. By doing so, I will be completing the flaps extrusions.

Next, I would like to scale the end flaps a short distance away from the side flaps. I simply select the top face on top of the end flaps, and used the Scale Tool and scale a short distance away from the other side flaps.

I then proceeded to bending of the flaps using the rotate tool. I did this by selecting the vertices on top of one side flap then pressed the down arrow key. This technique is called pick-walking. The selection will go down directly underneath the top vertices that I've selected. I then added the top vertices on the side flap to the selection. 

I will need to rotate the vertices now, but the pivot is not in an open position. Therefore, I would need to press the Insert Key. By doing so, it will change the manipulator to pivot point mode. I then used the manipulator to move the pivot point near the lowered selected vertices on the outside of the box. Pressing the Insert Key again will return the manipulator to normal mode. Afterward, I rotated the flap to match the image given in the instruction. I did the exact same thing to the other 3 remaining flaps. 

Next, I select the edges around the flaps. Then select the corner and bottom edges on the exterior and interior of the box. I do not add the small edges at the bottom of the flaps to the selection. The short edges coming out from the corner edge tops, to the flaps, need to be selected also. 

After I made sure all the required edges are selected by checking with the reference image provided in the instruction PDF, I Bevel them with width 1 and segments to 1. I then adjusted the vertices of the end flaps to make it look bent like an old card board box. 

Finally, I apply the smooth effect to the box with division level : 2 and continuity to 0.2. I also added a wave deformer to make the box look old. 

Reflection: 

I feel that this cardboard exercise is the one  that gave me the most trouble. I did a lot of changes to the model and finally arrived at the most natural looking cardboard.

I think the main reason why I keep messing up my model is because of the extra vertices I've created using the Insert Edge Loop Tool under Edit Mesh. After countless of remakes of card board, I've finally arrived at the last version of it. The pictures above are proof to the attempts I've made thus far. 

After so many attempts on the cardboard, I now have a better understanding of the Edge Loop Tool and using the deformer function. 

For the torn card board, I selected the vertices connecting the edge and the end of the flaps together, and used the extract tool under mesh. Then I adjust it to give it look as natural as possible.