How To Draw A 3d Guitar

Follow this tutorial step-by-step to create a 3D Guitar model that you can use in video games, graphic design and illustration projects whilst learningCinema 4D quickly.

Some of the skills you'll learn in this tutorial include creating basic 3D modelling, importing reference images, adding lighting to the scene and basic rendering techniques.

In this, the first part of the two-part tutorial, I'll show you:

How to Import Reference Images
How to Prepare for Modelling
How to Model the 3D Guitar

1. How to Import Reference Images

Step 1

Use themiddle mouse button to click anywhere on the viewport. This displays all four views. From there, use themiddle mouse button to select theFrontview.

Step 2

In theAttributestab selectMode > View Settings.

Step 3

InViewport [Front]selecttheBackbutton and click on the button next toImage.

Step 4

Select the reference image from thefinder and open it.

Step 5

Once the image is displayed in the background of the viewport, change the transparency of the image. This can sometimes make it easier to model from the reference image.

Change the position and size of the reference image from here usingOffset X, Offset Y, Size XandSize Y.

2. How to use Splines to Create the Guitar Body

Step 1

To start modelling the body of the guitar, select thePen Tool from the top menu bar. This allows you to create a spline to outline the shape of the guitar body.

Step 2

Use thePen Toolto draw out the outline of one side of the guitar body. Use the mouse to click and drag to create curves

Use Pen Tool to draw outline of guitar body

Step 3

Close the spline by clicking on the first point.

Step 4

Adjust the shape of the spline by selecting thePoint Selection Tooland then using theMove Toolto move the points and handles.

Step 5

Duplicate the spline once you're happy with the shape. This is done by clicking and dragging the spline in the list view, whilst holding theCTRLkey on the keyboard.

Step 6

Select theObject Tooland then select theRotate Tool.Select one of the splines that you want to rotate to create the other side of the guitar body.

Step 7

Rotate one of the splines by 180 degrees. This creates the other half of the guitar body.

Ensure that the splines overlap in the middle

Step 8

Go tothe top menu bar and selectArray > Spline Mask

Step 9

Select both of the splines that you have created and move them inside theSpline Mask. This will create one whole spline for the guitar body.

Step 10

Make the spline mask editable by clicking on theMake Editablebutton. You won't be able to make any changes to the previous splines after this, so ensure you're happy with the shape of the guitar body before committing to this step.

Step 11

From the top menu selectSubdivision Surface > Extrude. Then place the spline inside extrude.

Select the extrude button from the top menu

Step 12

This creates a 3D object out of the shape of the spline.

Step 13

Use theextrude object options to adjust the look of the guitar body.

Change the thickness of the object so that it accurately matches the body of a guitar.

3. How to Create the Sound Hole

Step 1

Click on the small back arrow on the Cube button and selectCylinderfrom the list of options. This spawns a Cylinder in the scene.

Step 2

Adjust the properties of the Cylinder so that it is facing the correct way, has the correct size.

Step 3

Return to the front view to use the reference image as a guide to help with the placement and size of the cylinder object.

Move cylinder object to match reference image

Step 4

Click on the small black arrow in the bottom right corner of theArray Toolin the top menu bar.

SelectBoole from the list. This creates aBoole tool in the list of objects on the right of the screen.

Step 5

Select the extrude group and cylinder object from the list and place them inside theBoole Tool.

Ensure that the cylinder object is positioned below the extrude group.

Place extrude and cylinder inside the boole

Step 6

This creates a cut out in the shape of the cylinder object.

Adjust the position of the cylinder object using theMove Tooluntil you're happy with the appearance of the sound hole.

Step 7

Click on the small back arrow on the Cube button and selectTubefrom the list of options. This spawns a Tube object in the scene.

Select the tube object from the top menu bar

Step 8

Adjust so that inner radius is the same as the radius of the cylinder object (that was used to create the sound hole).

You'll also want to adjust the outer radius to a suitable size.

Step 9

Return to the front view to use the reference image as a guide to help with the placement and size of the tube object.

Carefully align the tube so that it fits directly on top of the sound hole.

Move tube object to match reference image

Step 10

In the perspective view, use the Move Toolto push the tube further into the body until it's only just above the object surface.

Ensure that you use the other views (front, left, right, perspective and so on) to check that the shape looks correct from every angle.

4. Create the Guitar Neck

Step 1

To start modelling the neck of the Guitar, select theCubeobject from the top menu bar. This spawns a cube in the viewport.

Step 2

Use the front view to adjust the shape and size of the cube object so that it matches the reference image.

Ensure you make the neck slightly longer than needed. This is so that you can make additional adjustments to the top and bottom of the object.

Step 3

Check that the neck thickness is appropriate in the perspective view and adjust accordingly using the object properties window or theScale Tool.

Step 4

In the object properties window, increase the number of Y segments for the fretboard. In this example the guitar neck has 14 Y segments.

Step 5

Duplicate the cylinder object that was used to create the sound hole (do this by holdingCTRLon the keyboard to click and drag a duplicate object).

Then place both the new cylinder object and the neck object inside a boole.

Duplicate cylinder and move into boole with neck

Step 6

This cuts out the curve for the sound hole for the neck.

5. How to Create the Headstock

Step 1

Create a cube object with two Y segments. Then adjust the size of the cube object so that it becomes a suitable size for the headstock.

Spawn a new cube and adjust to the size of the headstock

Step 2

Make the cube object editable and then use theEdge Selection Toolto move the middle edge closer to the bottom.

Step 3

Use theEdge Selection Toolto select the two bottom corners of the object.

Then use theScale Toolto move the edges closer together or close to the neck.

Move corners with the edge selection tool

Step 4

Click on the small back arrow on the Cube button and selectCapsulefrom the list of options. This will spawn a capsule in the scene.

Step 5

Move the capsule so that half of it sits within the cube object. Then adjust the size of the capsule to something suitable.

Step 6

Duplicate the capsule and place them both side by side inside the cube object. Group both capsules by selecting them both and pressingAlt-Gon the keyboard.

Step 7

SelectBooleby clicking on the small arrow on the bottom right of theArraybutton at the top of the screen.

Step 8

Place the capsules and the cube object inside the boole, making sure that the capsules are at the bottom. This will create a cutout of the capsules on the headstock.

6. How to Create the Tuning Machines

Step 1

Create a new cylinder object and resize it down so that it matches the appropriate size for a tuner.

Once you are happy with the size, use theMove Toolto move it into position in the headstock.

Step 2

Duplicate the cylinder object by holdingCTRLbutton on the keyboard and then click and drag the cylinder using theMove Tool. Do this twice more so that you're left with three cylinders.

Step 3

Select all three cylinder objects and duplicate them to the other side of the headstock.

Duplicate the tuner objects on the other side of the headstock

7. How to Create the Bridge and Endpin

Step 1

Create a new cube object and scale it down so that it resembles the size of a guitar bridge.

Once you are happy with the size, use theMove Toolto move the new cube object inside the body of the guitar so that only the top part of the bridge object is above the surface of the body.