In this project video, we are going to model this wooden toy train. I know the model seems very simple. The idea of this project is not to create a complex shape, but to practice vertex snapping when doing 3d modeling. Also, we are going to learn how to model from an image reference. So I really recommend you to do this project as there are a lot of things that you can learn from it. First, we only need the cube.

So press Ctrl i x and then delete. Now because our reference image is facing to the right, we need to be in the left viewport when importing it as a background image, just for convenience, so we don't need to rotate it again. Afterward, press Ctrl three to go to the left viewport, then shift a choose image and in background pick the toy train image that I provided for this lesson. Click this button Now we have the image loaded as an image object. When modeling, I actually prefer to use the right viewport than the left viewport. Why, because later when we use the mirror modifier, it is defaulted to mirror the positive x to the negative x.

And also pressing number three to access the right viewport is easier than pressing Control number three. Essentially, I want to model on this side. So to set this up this press number three to go to the right viewport, we can see our image object is invisible from the side. We can easily fix this by going to the image data tab. And we can see that the site is now set to from change this to back. Now we can see it from the right viewport.

Next, we want to make this box here to be aligned with the cube object. We can do this in several ways. While this image object is still selected, press G and move it here then To change the size, we can use the size parameter here. Or you can also use the handles as we discussed in the earlier lesson. You can move it again if you need to, I think we have about the right size. Now, we can see the length here is almost the same.

Now we can start modeling the cabin window. Let's select the cube object, go to the edit mode, select the space and also the other face on the left side. We want to do insert now we're looking at the reference. So press three again. And let's make the object transparent and to do that, we can press ALT z to activate the X ray mode, then press I and then move the mouse until we get roughly the same size with the hole in a reference image. Next, we want to breach the Two Faces.

So right click, choose bridge faces. Press z again to turn off the X ray mode, we can see we just created a tunnel. Now we don't need this upper area as we are going to replace it with a cylinder. So hold out and then click on this age, we just created a face loop selection, then press X and then choose faces here. Next, we want to pull this age and then this age down so they aligned with this age. For this we need vertex or H snapping, we'll be using the Ctrl key so we don't need to activate the snap button.

But we still need to set the snapping option correctly. So make sure it is set to vertex and the snap with option set to closest. Now we can go to the H mode by pressing two and then select this age and also this age and then press G to move then z. Then move the mouse cursor to this vertex location Pokemon All we can see how it snaps the left click to confirm. So now we have something like this. Next we want to create a cylinder for the roof.

So press shift a, remember we are still in the edit mode, so the new cylinder mesh will be part of this object. Okay. Now we need to rotate the cylinder 90 degrees using the y axis. So press R, then y and then type 90, then press enter. Let's move this up a bit. Press G and then z.

Next, we want to cut the cylinder in half. We can do this in many different ways. But I want to use the knife tool for this, press three to go to the right view. I think it is better to see this in Vertex mode. Press key and move the cursor until we get this vertex highlighted. Click and while moving the mouse like this, press C to make the cutting line constrained horizontally.

Then press is V. So we are cutting through everything in front of us, including the big faces, then click here and then press spacebar. Now we have something like this. Next we want to split these areas using this line. We can do this using the H split method. I don't think we have discussed this before, but it is very simple. First, make sure you are in the H mode.

Select the ages you want to play it, we can hold out and click here. So we have an H loop selected around the object, then go to the H menu and then choose h split here. Now the cylinder mesh already split into two parts to prove this if you are in the face mode, and then press L Here we can see the selection can only go half way this part is not selected, we can move the top part without affecting the lower part. Now we actually need the upper part. So select the lower part using the L shortcut again, and then delete it. Okay, let's switch the bottom hole here, press two to go to the H mode all and click on this age, then press F to fill it with a face.

Next, select the whole roof part by pressing Ctrl L. Next, press three, we want to scale the cylinder so it roughly follows the roof shape in the image reference. move this down a bit, let's focus on the width for now. Basically, we want to scale on the y axis. So press S then y until it reaches this point here. Next, let's focus on the high press of z to activate the X ray mode. Then move this down a bit.

I think the height is about right. Maybe just scale it down slightly in the z axis. Okay. Next, we want to move the roof in the z axis and snap it to this vertex here. So just hold CTRL and move our mouse cursor to the vertex Next, we want this bar and this bar merge into one piece, just like the toy train in the reference. To do this, we can press Ctrl R and create four cuts down here, press Alt z, so we can see this better.

What we want to do now is to move this age, so it snaps to this vertex here. Besides using the G shortcut, you can also use the Move tool here, just to show you that this tool can also work with snapping, so move it like this, then hold CTRL and move the mouse cursor to this vertex. Then select this one and just do the same thing. Then we need to do this for the other two ages on the right side. So select this one, move it and hold control so it snaps to this vertex. And the last one is this age here.

Now if we activate the face mode, we can See, we still have faces in these areas, we can select them. If you are confused, these faces actually belong to the cylinder mesh, okay. Let me undo this. So just press X and then choose faces. Now the interior faces are gone, but the vertices are still not connected, we can see this in the vertex mode, they are still separate vertices too much them, we can press A to select all then press ALT M and then choose by distance. Now we have merge vertices.

Next, to reduce the end gun effect in this area here. Let's connect these two vertices and then press j and these two vertices also press j sometimes bevel modifier fail if you have a large angle on the adjacent with sharp corners just to be safe, so the right part is finished. For the left part we can live with For the mirror modifier. Next, let's create the base frame part, press shift a and use cube. move this down, we want to snap this cube to this vertex. The technique is basically the same, so I don't really need to explain everything again.

Next, we want to scale these sideway. So press S and an X and make it about the size. Let's fix the height. Now imagine this line goes all the way to this big area. I think the height is already good. Let's focus on this line instead.

If we draw a line from here to the back part, we should have a loop cut at this point. So press control our left click and then slide this up until right about here, left click to confirm. Next, go to the face mode. Select this face at the front and then press E to extruded. Move this face until right about this position. Next, we want to create the big wheel, shift a and then just cylinder.

For the wheel, I think 32 vertices are too much. So let's revise the value to I think 24 is just enough. Next, we want to rotate the mesh cylinder this way using the y axis. So press our y and then 90. move this to the side, and then we want to move this back and snap to this vertex here. move this down and then select the space and then move it to the left. Next, we want to take care of the size to select all of the faces in this wheel here.

We already have some of them selected, we can just press Ctrl l go to the right view. To see this better. Let's press Shift z to go to the wireframe mode, we can see that the wheel size is a bit bigger than this box up here. We need to scale this wheel what we want to constrain the scaling to only z and y axis or in other words on the x plane, so press S then shift x and just make it about the size we can see that the wheel is slightly backward compared to the box. So let's move this slightly Okay, so far we have something like this just my personal taste. I think it will be better if we make this will ticker.

Yeah, I think it looks better now. Next, we want to create the two small wheels press Ctrl l Then shift D to duplicate, press z and just move this up a bit for now, go to the right view. Let's move this to the side first, so we can compare it with the reference image, press S and then shift x. Okay, now we need to move this to the right again, until these vertices become the closest, move this on the z axis and hold control so we can snap it to this vertex. move this to the left until it matches the reference, then shift D to duplicate. Then press Y and move to new one to the next we'll location so now we have something like this.

Okay, guys, I'm afraid that the video will become too long. So let's wrap up the lesson for now and we will continue the toy train modeling project in the next video.