when designing a truck cab like this where would you start
great design by the way

how long does it take for you to build this model.?

@dermo95 – I didn’t make this model as noted in the 3D Model information, but I can still comment on how I would have made it. Since this model is based on a real truck, I would try to find a real example and take a bunch of pictures and a few overall measurements. I would also do an internet search, particulary at Renault’s site, to see everything that’s available. Hopefully, there would be a technical drawing somewhere that included the front, top and side views without any perspective. If you’re lucky, you may get some measurements too. Then you can either refer to your own measurements and do some proportional scaling of other parts of the cab. Even if you just have pictures and a few dimensions, with some math you can figure pretty close. Then when you model it you can check how your model looks compared to your pictures.Since it is a manufactured item, symmetry is going to be important. It costs less to make multiples of the same part and most manufactured items are largely bilaterally symmetrical – meaning if you draw a line in the middle of the top and front views, measurements will be the same on either side. Use the wheelbase and front and rear track widths as your other major guidepoints. Wheel and tire sizes are good base points too. Even if you can’t find the exact truck, most wheels and tires will be very close in size.
Keep adding bits and pieces that you can figure out from the pictures and resize them as needed so that they look right. Work on the big volumes of the cab after you have your chassis pretty well laid out. Depending on how much detail you want to add, you can spend a lot of time on each model, or do several examples to get good at the basics and then move on. It also helps to build a library of common components that you can use on just about any truck. Again, wheels and tires, suspension parts, driveline components and stuff like that. Start small and build things up as you go. Hope this helps at least a little!

@Kevo1411 – Please see my comments to dermo95 as a starting point. The time it takes depends on the tools you use, how much reference material you have, how good your eye is with 3D shapes, your math skills and of course how much experience you have. Start small and accomplish something that you feel good about and then move on to the next steps. The very, very old saying that ‘it’s the journey, not the destination’ applies totally in 3D modeling. Learn as much as you can and enjoy as much as you can. Share your results and ask for comments and help. 3DVIA has lots of great modelers who have been very willing to help each other out. Go to the Google Warehouse and try to send a message to JCA San Juan and see if he/she will help you. Most modelers that I’ve ever worked with enjoy sharing their knowledge – because we always learn something too! :)

@dermo95 & Kevo1411 – I forgot to mention one of the really important things that you can/should do. Since this model was constructed in Google SketchUp, you can download the free version of that software, download the model and then deconstruct it. Thta’s what I do whenever I can and using as many different tools as I can in order to learn different ways of doing the same thing. Someone else will always have a different look at the same thing. Have fun!

That is just the way i am building my models..
and i usaly make half of the truck as a component and copy that to the other side so they are exacly the same..
And the notis about saving the seperate parts like wheels and so on as components and saving them in a library also does that the next model takes a lot lesser time since you can reuse the parts from the first model..
most importantly is to look close at the pictures and then try to make it so it looks like the picture..
i admit that some time you have to use some creative skills and imagination if the picture details is hard to see..

and i would recommand downloading the free version of googles sketchup since it is a great program to use and comes with a lot of tutorials..
The video tutorials made is so so so great to learn the features of sketchup..
it is also the most easy to learn modelling tool you can get in my eyes..

Thanks smike for adding your comments. As a master of the skill, you are a good teacher. I also realized another important resource that I’m using right now at home. Plastic models of trucks (and anything else) can be a huge help! They aren’t always very accurate (depending on the company), but they give fantastic reference material to see the bits and pieces that are hard to see in pictures. The bigger the scale (1:24 at least) the more accurate your measurements can be. I have a bunch of fabulous Herpa trucks, but at 1:87 scale (HO), they aren’t too good to use until you have some basics to work with. I’m looking forward to seeing what dermo95 and Kevo1411 create!