Another thing that confused me to no end was having to jump onto a plane, do a sketch, and then jump off that plane back into what I call 3D space.
In AutoCad, I was use to jumping between model space and paper space, but in AutoCad you are basically always on this flat X-Y plane.
In 3D modeling, you can get onto any one of the three basic planes, X, Y, Z, or you can create a new plane in any position anywhere, and start a sketch on your new plane.
One I figured out how to accurately insert planes in 3D modeling, I was finally able to do some serious modeling.
Until then, I was just floundering around, trying stuff and praying something would work like it was suppose to.
You sort of have to "get religion" when you are learning 3D modeling, and it takes a while.
Lots of new synapses connections in the brain have to be made, and you have to begin to "think 3D", and get away from the flat earth society.
I was overwhelmed by the options at first.
My brother made the comment (when looking at my 3D models) that it all looked terribly complicated, and I told him it was totally confusing in the beginning, but untimately you end up using about 10 commands most of the time, over and over again.
It is basically pick a plane, make a sketch, extrude a shape, pick another plane or surface, make another sketch, extrude or cut a shape, pick or create another plane, maybe mirror some stuff, etc.
As someone mentioned, it is very much like machining a part from a solid block of material.
You add or subtract, carving or building up, until you have a part (a 3D model).
Its the same few commands over and over.
I look back on learning 3D modeling, and I say "It is really quite a simple process with very few commands, but it did not seem that way at first".
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