Creating A Bookshelf

This tutorial will cover creating a simple object from polygonal primitives. Also, basic functions of the extrude tool.

Set-up

modeling

Step one - Create a cube and scale it so it's the same size as the cube in the image below.

Step two - Right click on the model and go to the face component option.

Step three - Select the face on the front.

Step four - With the face selected, go to edit mesh>extrude. This creates an extrusion.

The show manipulator tool will appear on the face. This tool lets you visually set the extrude tool's attributes.


Step five - Click on one of the boxes at the end of the handles. It doesn't matter which one. This will take you to the scale mode of the show manipulator tool.

Note: If you select the arrows on the handle, it will take you to move mode of the show manipulator tool for the extrude. Whenever you select one of the handles of the show manipulator tool, the handle's color will change to yellow.

Step six - Select the center square of the manipulator so you can scale in all directions at once.

Scale it to the image below.

Step seven - Go back to the select tool (hit Q on your keyboard). Go back to face mode and select the newly extruded face.

Step eight - Create another extrusion. This time use the blue move handle (blue arrow) and move the face back into the cube.

Step nine - Go back to the select tool. Create another cube and scale and move it to look like the cube below in the image. This will become a shelf.

Step ten - Select the new shelf and duplicate it to make another one. You can do this by going to edit>duplicate, or ctrl+d. Move it into position.

There you go: a basic bookshelf.
download finished model here