My first 3D Model

So going into my next class at AM, we get the decision of doing our 3 assignments of different themes, or do all 3 with the same theme. It's all body mechanics stuff, and I was thinking about what I could do that would be cool and fun to animate. After some thought I came up with "Stewie's Jedi Academy" (Stewie is what we call the rig). I thought I could do some cool physical stuff with a lightsaber, the force (flying objects), and other fun things. I tried to look on the net for some lightsaber models that I could use, but nothing was free. Not wanting to pay anything for one, I decided that in our downtime this week I would try my hand at modeling.

I had to read through my Digital Art book, and watch some tutorials on youtube to figure out what to do, but I mustered through it, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. It is a direct model of Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi. For a couple of reasons, it's one of my favorite designs, and it's technically pretty easy to build compared to something like his blade in episodes 4 and 5.

Anyways here is my result, just in a side view with no color.

And here it is colored and with a blade. I have it so the blade is parented to the handle, and can be turned on and off (visibility on/off). Also with some glow attribute added to it.

I think I did a pretty good job for a first try :) Next up, creating a badass pose with Stewie holding the lightsaber. Sweet.