What techniques/methods should I use to detail the lining the surfaces/faces of this mesh to make it look like the image on the right?
You can either cut the object with knife and then use bevels, or build panels on the main surface as separate objects. You could even get away with creating bump maps and using them if not viewed close up.
Here’s a small object showing what I mean. Layer2 is the basic object. Layer3 I’ve applied some cuts. Layer4, the object has both edits directly on the mesh using the cuts & a combination of loop cut, extrude and tweaking. Also it has some geometry which is not part of the main body but just “stuck” onto the mesh.
Attachments
PanelTest.blend (1.46 MB)
How do I make cuts done to one surface appear on the identical surface on the other side of my mesh?
Do I add a mirror link to it?
You can use a mirror modifier, or you can use Symmetrize. When in edit mode, I tend to ue the latter.
You can use the F6 panel to alter the symmetry axis if the default doesn’t work.
How do I use the mirror modifier or the symmetrize tool?
I’m still relatively new to blender and don’t know how all of the features work.
I’ve done a quick demo of using symmetry with the above blend file, uploading now, should be finished in about an hour. Hope you find it of use.
EDIT: Video is up…