how do you model...?

[lackadaisical]

I have yet to find the method that suits me best, and would like to know which method you guys use

[AzNightmare]

what i do usually is do a bit of both.
modelling individual panels gives you more control.

but for those "curvy" sports car designs, its hard to build with panels and
line them up nicely, so i use just one piece.

what i usually do is just use panels at first, create the general shape,
then merge the panels together and start to model and then seperate
afterwards.

[lackadaisical]

interesting technique

the techniqe that i am currently trying out is to create a spline cage + surface modifier, and separate later

thank you for the input

[pauljs75]

Tried both, and they work well enough. I found that working from one block more or less and chopping it up is easier more often than not. Especially if a lot of smooth contoured shapes are involved. The trick there is to have the edge topography line up with where the seams are. Then it's just a matter of cutting on appropriate edge loops (well, at least that's how it works in Wings.)