I want to try modelling a space marine suit of armor (Warhammer 40k). Would it be best to use sculpting or normal geometry/ poly modeling to do this?
Any tips, recommended tutorials, add-ons that may be helpful in doing this?
Thanks for any help you can give!
Do you have any experience in either method? If not, I would suggest learning poly-modelling first.
Also do you have a drawing tablet? (sculpting is kind of limited without one)
I have done around 12 tutorials all based on poly-modelling. No sculpting experience really. But I’m told it might be a better method for this project, what do you think?
I don’t have a drawing tablet but would happily invest in one if sculpting is thought to be the optimal method.
I’d say don’t worry about the optimal method or about other people’s opinions too much. Get some experience on both and decide for yourself. Also an important factor is how long will it take.
Also you can actually mix the two, to a certain degree. Like sculpting something rough and then building a mesh over it. Or starting with a polygon modelling and then switching to sculpt for details.
Say you chose the wrong method for this project. So what? (have fun)
Thanks for the input, really appreciate it.
My only concern is that some of the geometry/ shapes of the model are very complex, and I’m just not sure I have the skill to do it you know?
I used hard body modeling techniques
for my HALO “Spartan” armors,
A warhammer Space marine should be
modeled with hard surface techniques as well IMHO
Wow, super impressive 
This kind of quality is what I would like to achieve (some day haha), how long have you been practicing Blender?
HI , thanks
I was a MaxonC4D user for over ten tears before switching to blender one year ago.
Virtually everything on a Space Marine is a Cube, Cylinder, Sphere, or Plane.
Break it down to the Basic shapes and BLOCK out the shape…then go in add refine it, and then start adding details… Like, sculpt a basic skull to add to it, as well as the fleur-de-lys that you see on the armors. The purity seals are just a single plane with a disk and the Skull or fleur-de-lys…Like I did with my Battle Sisters series…
Most people would use sculpting for organic parts (face if your Marine is without helmet). Rest, like RSEhlers mentioned can be poly modelled. After you have everything posed and mostly done sculpting can be used for wear and tear and damage. Here’s mine. Made him some time ago.
Great advice guys, thanks so much. I’ve invested in some add-ons (box cutter, HOPS, machin3 tools) to try and make some of the modeling easier too.
