In Volumize, your base solid is the first solid. You will attach more solids to the base to make your model. You can move the entire model at any time by tapping the base and dragging it to the position you want.
When adding your base solid, it will appear in an upright position. The lock/unlock feature is very important for defining the orientation of the base solid and therefore the orientation of your entire model. For example, imagine using a picture of your object photographed from the side and angled (see below).
To make your base cylinder appear in the same orientation as the object in the picture, first add your shape. Then, tap the lock button on the lower left hand part of the building stage. Drag and rotate the shape so it is aligned with the object you are modeling. Tap the lock button again to lock that position.
To change the dimensions of a solid, pull on the shape handles, the small circles at the corners. Each handle controls only one dimension of the solid, and you may have to experiment with the handles a bit to know which one. Sometimes handles are hidden in the back of your model. Be sure to sure to rotate the model to find them.
At any time while you are building, pull out the info panel from the right side of the screen (the tab with the three dots) to find the formulas and data for surface area and volume of your model. Check out data for an individual solid by tapping on it. Tap on the background to view the data for the entire model. The surface area tab also shows you the net of each shape, what the shape would look like unfolded.
You can cover the surface of every solid with photos or available patterns. To make your object look like the real thing, you will have to use photos taken from every angle. When you draw pictures of things you would like to use in your skin, think about where in the shape you would like that detail to appear. Use the skinning window to zoom in or out. You might need to experiment with your drawings to figure out how to make them come out right. Nets in the info pane (how solids look unfolded) can be helpful in thinking about which sides you will like to skin.
If you accidentally move your model into an undesired position, double tap the picture to re-center it to a straight on-view.
To rotate your model in a more controlled way, try swiping smoothly in a straight line, either horizontally or vertically, but not diagonally. Limit yourself to spinning only left-to-right or top-to-bottom. Only rotate in one direction at a time. This will make it easier to orient your model the way you want it.
Zoom in or out by pinching the model to see more detail or to see different facets of your model.
