Car Tutorial Part 15 – Windows

Ed Ferguson, CascadiaDesignStudio.com

Draw closed curves in side view to define the side windows. Draw a closed curve in top view for the rear window.



To see how the windows will appear, Project the curves onto the car body using Curve > Project. Undo and adjust your curve’s control points as needed for best appearance.



Now we can create the windows one at a time:

Project the rear window curve onto the car body using Curve > Project.

Select all the body faces inside and adjoining the window curve. Trim the body using the curve as a cutting object.

Select all the cut faces inside the curve and assign a unique Style.

In side view Extrude the faces into the car body 0.2” To do so, perform Extrude using the Dir option.

Due to the Trim, the car body is no longer a solid. So after extruding each window, select the body and Join. Verify the body is a solid.



The windshield will be modeled differently because we can’t project a side curve onto the entire windshield. Instead we’ll just Trim it without using the projection step.



With the windshield surfaces selected, change its dimensions proportionally in the Edit box by reducing the Z dimension by 0.1” (with Maintain Proportions checked). This shrinks the entire windshield creating an air gap.



In top view, select the edges on both sides of the gap. Perform Blend with Bulge = 1.0. This blend results in a slight step where the windshield meets the body. The step will create highlights and shadows to add definition and realism to the render. You can also assign the blend area a black or chrome Style rather than body paint color if you wish.

Due to the Trim operation, the car body is no longer a solid. So after performing the Blend, select the body and Join. Verify the body is a solid. If the body will not join back into a solid it is probably due to the blend not quite meeting all the edges, so undo and try a different Bulge factor.





Later I'll show how to add chrome (or black) trim to the windows. But if you prefer the appearance with no window trim, the slight indentation of the windows gives the car nice shadow and highlight definitions in the render program.