I’ve learned a bit about “UV unwrapping,” which is the art of making shapes one can decorate with graphics, and “paste” around your 3D model.
Next today is to learn about “bump mapping,” which will let me put space-shippy details on the models. Maybe also “particle fields,” which will let me create stars, perhaps a nebula or two.
I think this is very cute, though. Reminds me exactly of building such things out of plastic model kits as a kid, and then carefully painting them. No nasty chemical smells here in the digital world, however.