Hello,       I am very new to autoCAD. I have created a 3D plinth block. No matter what I do it will not shade. It always stays looking like it does in 2d wire frame. I am so stuck!!! I looked in forums and youtube. Whatever help you can give will be so very much appreciated. I have included in the file the original block in plines before I turned it into a block. Thanks in advance.uploads/481025/plinths.dwg

Hello Blueoctober712, it's normal that you can't shade your bloc because it's made of lines and polylines and not a 3D volume.
Maybe you have done a volume but maybe you have exploded it without knowing it.
Second thing : if you want to print it shaded or an other print style you will have to declare shaded your viewport in the paper space ( ask for it if necessary ).
I will take a look at your file and make the real 3D volume after.
Ask for more.

Draw the footprint of your plinth block.  You can use lines and arcs.  Then use the PressPull command to give it height.  Do this using the 2Dwireframe visual style.  Then switch to a Conceptual or Realistic visual style to see what it would look like shaded.Another option would be to create the footprint of the plinth block as a single continuous polyline then use the Extrude command to give it height.When it comes to printing what you have created it is best done from a paper space layout using at least one viewport.

Footprint on the left; extruded version on the right.

uploads/175428/plinths_PJH.dwg
 
Blueoctober712, please find your file updated so that we can talk about 3D volumes, blocks, etc.
A block made of lines is easy to handle, copy, update, etc. but it's not turning 2D into 3D.
You can make 3D frames or/and 3D volumes.
Ask for more....

My bad.  I failed to notice the curved top portion of the plinth.  No problem.  Extrude a curved polyline or arc creating a surface then use it to cut off what you don't need.  Use the Slice command to do this.

OK John, we are talking real 3D basics, volumes, regions, extrusions or presspull etc...
Blue, to help us helping you, please tell us more about your AutoCAD knowledge, level, interests, appllications in your job, etc...

What good is it knowing how to create a 3D solid if you don't know how to edit one too?

You guys are awesome!!!!! To answer your questions.....I am about a month new to CAD. I have used youtube tutorials to learn My goal is to design kitchens and baths. I looked just now at your updated file for me. Thanks so much. I didnt exactly understand it but now I will take the time t do it step by step to see if I can grasp the process

Dear Philippe,      thank you so much. I followed your steps and created what I was looking for. Just so I understand, and kind of block I would like to create in 3D needs to be created using regions. Otherwise it will not shade. Correct?

Regions are only one way of creating a 3D solid.

Blue and John, OK region is not the only way to create a 3D volume but sometimes you will be able to create a 3D "thing" but it won't be a volume but a 3D surface ( you see it when the created 3D ting is loaded with a lot of curves that you don't see normaly ).
When you have 3D volumes you will be able to have informations on it whith the command MASSPROP.
To be continued...

blue: If you are drawing kitchens and bathrooms you would most likely want those objects to be 3D solids and not surfaces.  But even surfaces will "shade" when viewed in a conceptual or realistic visual style.  I'm not sure you would be interested in "volume" per se unless for some reason you wanted to compare what a base or wall cabinet would weigh in both pine and oak for some reason.

One of these is a surface; one is a solid.  Can you tell at first glance which is which?Visual style = Conceptual.

From left to right we have...Polyline rectangle.Rectangle converted to a region.3D solid created from rectangle via the Extrude command.3D solid created from a rectangle via the PressPull command.3D solid created from two rectangles via the Loft command.3d solid created without a rectangle using the PolySolid command.Visual style = Conceptual.

John Connor2014-06-23 20:21:19