Begin Poly Modeling

The modeling starts from the handle of the spoon.
a. Create a Plane object in the Left view according to picture 2.

b. Set the width and length segments of the Plane to 1. Now you have created a single four sided polygon. This way the modeling starts from a single polygon.

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c. Add Edit Poly modifier to the Plane object.
d. Activate the edge sub-object mode in the Edit Poly modifier.
e. Select the left-hand edge and create a new polygon by cloning it to the left according to picture 3. (An edge is cloned by moving it while pressing Shift in keyboard.)

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When a polygon is created by cloning an edge it's always four-sided. A polygon can also have three sides or more than four sides. As a rule of thumb one could say that in poly modeling it's wise to aim to create the model with four-sided polygons. With four-sided polygons one can create a surface that is flawless and deforms nicely when animated. This is especially important when modeling a character.
f. Select four edges and create new polygons by cloning them according to picture 4.

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1. Add the Symmetry modifier to the reference object.

2. Select suitable mirror axis in the Symmetry modifier.

3. Activate the Mirror mode in the Symmetry modifier and move the mirror plane to the edge of the model. The model should now look like in picture 1.

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4. Add the Meshsmooth modifier to the reference object.

5. Set Iterations to 2. The model should now look like in picture 2.

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Let's go on with the polygon modeling. The modeling work is still done with the original coarse model. Next to it we see in real time how the final mirrored and smoothed (subdivided) model builds up.

a. Activate the edge sub-object mode and select an edge from the end of the model and create four new polygons by cloning edges according to picture 3.

b. Place the new polygons according topicture 3.

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6. Select three edges from the lower part of the spoon and create three new polygons by cloning the selected edges.

7. Place the new polygons according topicture 4.

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Activate the vertex sub-object mode and use Target Weld function to weld vertices together according to picture 5. Target Weld works like this: Click one at a time on the two vertices you wish to weld. Finally deactivate Target Weld function by clicking the right mouse button.

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Switch to the Top view and move two vertices to the center of the spoon according to picture 6. Apply sections 8-10 for the upper part of the spoon as well.

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Move four vertices according to picture 7. The 3D model starts to resemble a spoon but it looks flat. It doesn't have enough details. Details can be added by adding new polygons to it and by moving them.

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The edge of the spoon is too round. Let's add some definition to it with the Chamfer function. Chamfer function can be used to chamfer an edge so that it divides into two edges:

• Activate the edge sub-object mode in Edit Poly and select six edges from the upper part of the spoon according topicture 1.

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• Click on Chamfer button. Click and hold the mouse button on top of some of the selected edges and move the mouse. The result should look like in picture 2.

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• Activate the vertex sub-object mode in Edit Poly and select two vertices according to picture 3.
• Click Break button in Edit Poly modifier. Break function divides the common vertex of the polygons. As a result there are as many vertices as there are corners of the polygons.

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Two vertices have become eight vertices. Place vertices according to picture 4.

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Weld vertices which are close to each other by using Target Weld function according to picture 5.

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Activate the edge sub-object mode in Edit Poly and use the Cut function twice to divide a polygon into three parts according to picture 6. In this situation the Cut function works like this:

• Activate Cut function in Edit Poly
• Click on the edge of the polygon
• Click on the opposite edge of the polygon
• Right click to deactivate the Cut function

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Shape the spoon by activating the vertex sub-object mode in Edit Poly and by moving vertices according to picture 7.

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Next the hole in the spoon will be filled. Activate the polygon sub-object mode in Edit Poly and create three new four-sided polygons according to picture 8. A new polygon is created like this:

• Click the Create button in Edit Poly
• Click on the vertex where the first corner of the polygon will be
• Click on the vertex where the second corner of the polygon will be
• Click on the vertex where the third corner of the polygon will be
• Click twice on the vertex where the fourth corner of the polygon will be

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• Orbit the user view so that you can see the bottom of the spoon.
• Activate the vertex sub-object mode in Edit Poly and shape the lower part of the spoon by moving vertices according to picture 9.

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Next we'll add more definition to the handle of the spoon. We'll use the Slice function and slice polygons according to picture 10:

• Activate the polygon sub-object mode in Edit Poly and select four polygons according to picture 10.
• Activate the Slice Plane function. A yellow plane appears. If necessary move and rotate the yellow plane according to picture 10.
• Click the Slice button. The selected polygons are now sliced according to the slice plane. Finally click the Slice Plane button again to deactivate it.

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Activate the vertex sub-object mode in Edit Poly and shape the handle of the spoon by moving vertices according to picture 11.

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• Orbit the user view to match picture 12, activate the edge sub-object mode in Edit Poly and select four edges surrounding the hole in the end of the spoon.
• Activate Scale function in the top panel. Press Shift in keyboard and create new polygons by cloning the selected edges with the scale tool. The result should be similar to picture 12.

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Create two new polygons by cloning edges according to picture 13.

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• Activate the edge sub-object mode and Target Weld function in Edit Poly.
• First click on the lower edge and then click on the upper edge. Edges are welded together according to picture 14. Finally click on Target Weld button again to deactivate it.

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Fill the hole in the end by activating the polygon sub-object mode in Edit Poly and using the Create function to create a four-sided polygon according to picture 15.

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• Switch to the Back view and activate the vertex sub-object mode in Edit Poly.
• Select three vertices in the end of the spoon and place them in to the center of the spoon according to picture 16.

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Let's extend the handle of the spoon.

• Activate the polygon sub-object mode in Edit Poly and select all seven polygons from the end of the spoon according to picture 17.
• Click on the Extrude button. Click and hold the mouse button on top of the polygons and move the mouse.
• Place the new polygons according topicture 18.

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Because of the Extrude function there are four unnecessary polygons in the handle of the spoon. Select the unnecessary polygons according to picture 19 and erase them by pressing delete button in keyboard.

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Now the 3D model of the spoon is complete and it's structure should match the structure of the spoon in picture 20. Finalize the spoon by moving polygons, edges and vertices. View the model from all angles, fix errors and shape the spoon to your liking.

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The structure of the complete 3D model of the spoon.