I got my first paid assignment and I am not sure how to approach the strands connecting the upper part and the lower part.
My attempt:
I would really appreciate any help!
Well I hope you are charging them a lot, because that's bloody difficult in my opinion.
Your first attempt doesn't look too bad, but I think main thing missing is that the vertical "straps" don't seem to wrap over the top (and bottom?) as they do in the photo.
If I was trying to do this, I think I would probably model it as a straight line using the array modifier, and then use the curve modifier to bend it into a circle.
I'd model a small section entirely on a straight line, with a top bar, a bottom bar and a couple of criss-cross vertical straps. I'd probably create the straps by simply manually extruding a rectangle shape and wrapping it around at the top and bottom. I would array that, and use a curve modifier to bend it into a half circle, still on a horizontal plane. I would stop just before you get to the bit where your arms would rest (and the vertical criss-cross things stop) for now, and come back to that later.
I'd apply the modifiers, and then in edit mode tilt the top section to tilt forward. If you include the verticies at the top of the vertical straps in your selection, then should tilt with it OK. You might want to put the 3D cursor at the point where we stopped before the arm rest, and pivot around the 3D cursor.
Finally I would model the bits where your arms would rest manually (probably just extruding down, as there are no vertical straps to worry about there).
Fiddly as hell though. Maybe someone else can suggest an alternative approach.