Modelling the typewriter

To model the typewriter I had to start with making the accurate shape of it. I made a box and coverted it into an editable poly. I then was able to move the edges and polygons to get the appropriate shape.

I used the chamfer tool to round the edges and the boolean tool to indent the top of the typewriter where the mechanism is visible. To boolean, I shaped a box into the correct shape and placed it centrally in the top. I inserted it half way into the typewriter. Then used compound shapes > boolean and picking the shape as operand B, it made the hole.

I then made the base of the typewriter by using another box and moulding to the correct size and shape. I used the connect and extrude tool to create a space bar.

I next made the roller and the back board.

I made the roller by creating a editable cylinder and insetting the top and bottom. I then extruded and scaled them to make the handles.

The back board was simply a chamfered box with slight extrusion at the bottom to mark the ruler.

I then wanted to make a metal hook which it evident on the photograph of the Royal typewriter I am basing the model on. To make it I made a thin box, extruded it in several places and moved parts up accordingly. I then added a turbo smooth modifier.

Placing all these elements together I had the made the main body of the typewriter.
(As the animation will not show the typewriter from behind I did not worry about joining the roller to the base).

I then made the shown mechanism by simply flattenig a cone and placing it inside. I then made a small clip to hold it in by extruding from a box to make a elongated H shape.

I then placed them into the model where appropriate.

The next step were the letter keys. To make them I made a short cylinder, inset it and extruded inwards to create a button shape. I then added a long thin box as the key stick.

I could then add text to the button using the text tool, the same way I modelling the telephone.

I then shifted and dragged to create the entire keyboard. I had to change every letter on each key to correspond with the letters on the photograph of the typewriter.

I enlarged the shift keys as they are bigger and added 'SHIFT' to them instead of letters.

By slipping the keys into place I had successfully made the typewriter.

To make it more realistic I wanted to material. I gave the main body, roller and back board a dark grey colour.

I also wanted to give the hook, keys and highlights of the typewriter chrome elements. I thought this would make it look more impressive and realistic.

By using an online tutorial I made this by adding a raytrace element in the reflection material map. I then applied the material to the appropriate parts of the model.

The finished typewriter:

I am pleased with the result and am glad I have now learnt to use a chrome material.