Hi guys, I just joined this forum and started learning blender last week…
I decided to model a lamp for my first project (yes yes…how original? :P) Here is the blend file:
http://gilbertonscouts.org/lamp.blend
My current problem is that the bones didnt work the way I wanted them to. I wanted the top lighty bit to move with the meshy cylindrical thing (you will know what i mean if you open it).
I will now work on the materials…
Anyway, any comments would be great, cheers
ok just looked at your blend
you can make it easier to move if you create a IK chain (search the wiki)
but to get
the shade to move with the top bone select it with the right button then shift select the bone - press “control P” and parent the shade to the BONE (not the armature)
that way it will move with the top bone
Ahh, thanks for the info. I will get back into it tonight and add some nice materials as well as the IK chain.
For any other n00bs:
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual/Inverse_Kinematics
Also, I think I over engineered the stem of the lamp (used a cylinder when I could have used a cube + subsampling)
cool 
Just in case anyone is interested…
Here is a final render of my project. I was trying to get radiosity working but I find it just isn’t very easy 
Any comments are welcome.
good work
I have found it easier to work on one or 2 things per project (one is better)
give yourself a few modelling projects - then lighting - then rigging - animation etc
that way I find I don’t abandon as many projects while I am learning to do something
