tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48397564260427334012024-03-29T03:29:40.790+00:00CoolhandA blog dedicated to digital graphics production with a scifi twist covering Design, animation, rendering, 3d printing and games, but mostly 3d modelling.
I detail professional and personal work and occasionally relevant or non-relevant individuals, media or organisations.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-65682557992785251562015-03-23T10:06:00.004+00:002015-03-23T10:06:44.500+00:00Art Bell - Midnight in the Desert - Wallpaper and Facebook Graphics. Art Bell, the famed AM talk radio host "From the HIGH DESERT!" is returning to the air and the interwebs this summer with a new show: "Midnight in the Desert" - All but guaranteed to spook, expand minds and entertain, in no particular order. <br />
<br />
UFO's and Extraterrestrials are a popular theme of the show, and also of mine! No surprise then, that I had this friendly Reticulan and his flying saucer out in the hangar, and got them to pose for the following photograph; they were happy to do this, after all they're Art Bell fans too! <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDJWg_UWXd0/VQ_cf-bFfyI/AAAAAAAACaM/ahtiSpDwouA/s1600/MITD_01b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDJWg_UWXd0/VQ_cf-bFfyI/AAAAAAAACaM/ahtiSpDwouA/s1600/MITD_01b.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just another Tuesday night out by Area51...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I put the image together as a 1080 HD desktop wallpaper, I heard nothing so of course assumed the image had been intercepted by the<i> proper authorities</i>.<br />
<br />
Eventually, Keith - Art's webmaster (remember those?) suggested using it for Art's facebook page, which is exactly what happened!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKH-HnQs4Oc/VQ_jPRg0IAI/AAAAAAAACac/qUg4uOGFDlc/s1600/MITD_FB_Mockup+copy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKH-HnQs4Oc/VQ_jPRg0IAI/AAAAAAAACac/qUg4uOGFDlc/s1600/MITD_FB_Mockup+copy.png" height="260" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course the neighbors totally freaked when the thing lit up their backyard...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Check out the end result here: <a href="http://facebook.com/ArtBellCom">facebook.com/ArtBellCom </a><br />
<br />
BTW, any fans of the XR2 and Orbiter might recognise the Alien - he also appears on the windscreen of the spacecraft every Halloween!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-62568993161894083612014-09-07T12:33:00.001+01:002014-09-07T12:33:35.849+01:00Drop Pod Animation - Mockup Artwork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Hello again dear friends and readers! Sharing a mock-up image of a 3D rendered animation I'm working on for a client... I built the Drop Pod last year for Clear Horizon, and you can read more about it <a href="http://coolhandcustoms.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/clear-horizon-miniatures-drop-pod.html">here.</a>.. Stay tuned to this URL, l mean like constantly, keep refreshing, for the finished animation. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5G-R0WNJjpU/VAxBrj-uuYI/AAAAAAAACTA/TTK_Z7dNk7c/s1600/Drop+Pod+wallpaper_01+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5G-R0WNJjpU/VAxBrj-uuYI/AAAAAAAACTA/TTK_Z7dNk7c/s1600/Drop+Pod+wallpaper_01+copy.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bauble of death, packed to the upper bulkhead with troops, guns, grenades and other things that go boom, plunges into its latest 'peacekeeping' mission</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-9416379818122702702014-08-28T02:51:00.001+01:002014-08-28T02:56:41.530+01:00Cover Art - O.K. Simon!<div style="text-align: center;">
A recent commission for an up and coming musician - OK Simon!</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XI0EF7zQ5Po/U_6G3UZ2RuI/AAAAAAAACNE/X7HFpTTPMOw/s1600/ok+simon+final+blogpost+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XI0EF7zQ5Po/U_6G3UZ2RuI/AAAAAAAACNE/X7HFpTTPMOw/s1600/ok+simon+final+blogpost+copy.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting with the final image, why not? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5X3wACqSc3A/U_6G2mRjY3I/AAAAAAAACM4/JJtq3jVrse4/s1600/ok+simon+wip+blogpost+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5X3wACqSc3A/U_6G2mRjY3I/AAAAAAAACM4/JJtq3jVrse4/s1600/ok+simon+wip+blogpost+copy.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mid-way in development, the orange fluid was meant to be Brandy, but went wrong and orange... Like Brandy does in space, maybe. Note the Picard approach to hairstyling, we covered this up with a baseball cap which had local significance for the client. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHXh82hTFOw/U_6G3JTTwLI/AAAAAAAACM8/bhv55464Ji4/s1600/ok+simon+concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHXh82hTFOw/U_6G3JTTwLI/AAAAAAAACM8/bhv55464Ji4/s1600/ok+simon+concept.jpg" height="284" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ending with the concept pic, based on a discussion with the client, who wanted to see a cyborg representation of himself in space, one specific thing required was an open Brandy bottle, and the contents emptying uselessly into the void, I thought it would be fun if the fluid formed the cover title. On review, my client suggested that he'd like to see tank tracks rather than legs, to up the surrealism. While working on the model I decided it was a combat cyborg accidentally ejected from its orbiting deployment platform...;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Available for further commissions, <a href="http://coolhandgraphics.blogspot.co.uk/p/contact.html" target="_blank">Contact Artist</a> to talk about your artwork, and please Check out OK Simon, and see the artwork in use here: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ok-simon" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/ok-simon</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-53811001828762697042014-03-11T14:01:00.000+00:002014-03-11T18:57:57.699+00:00Gone Squatchin'Here's a test of some landscape / environment rendering techniques.
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_iHJBvBoJTo/Ux9cQDZzv4I/AAAAAAAAB-E/fD9ztMD_oGY/s1600/Gonsquatchin+cinerama_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_iHJBvBoJTo/Ux9cQDZzv4I/AAAAAAAAB-E/fD9ztMD_oGY/s1600/Gonsquatchin+cinerama_01.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cinematic" style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRh_epBBDkY/Ux9ckaXsxYI/AAAAAAAAB-M/v0L40iGxT1o/s1600/Gonesquatchin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRh_epBBDkY/Ux9ckaXsxYI/AAAAAAAAB-M/v0L40iGxT1o/s1600/Gonesquatchin.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Miniatures style. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-42947350814946180742014-02-14T12:32:00.000+00:002014-02-14T18:47:38.894+00:00Space Babes 002 - Princess Kalakahumaka XVII<div style="text-align: left;">
Well its Valentines day again, Coolhand is drowning under piles of cards and underwear from his adoring fans. Anyway, In truth I'm just drowning under torrents of water and half my city is flooded out. But just to make things a little more damp, here's another Pin-up for all the lonely space-gauchos out there. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_JtDG_fK-s/Uv4IyCpw03I/AAAAAAAAB2E/FRCsuLHTgRA/s1600/Princess_Kalakahumaka_XVII_01+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wearing her hooker boots and stockings. " border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_JtDG_fK-s/Uv4IyCpw03I/AAAAAAAAB2E/FRCsuLHTgRA/s1600/Princess_Kalakahumaka_XVII_01+.jpg" title="Princess Kalakahumaka" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Kalakahumaka XVII in her official court painting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When the Nakkaleqisu visited earth long ago they took many things, plants, bees and human DNA which they fused into a new royal line in an effort to combat the effects of centuries of interbreeding. Princess Kalakahumaka XVII is the latest in this more or less successful breeding program, her semi-human looks and fashion sense are the envy of the females of the ordinary Nakkaleqisu populace.....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-26201264438857600922013-10-09T11:48:00.001+01:002013-10-09T11:49:37.070+01:00Big Spaceships 004 - Columbia Class Carrier - Part 2 (of 2)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vip6huXUdg/UlUs81Wob6I/AAAAAAAABoE/zPekHUTyDw8/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Carriers face off against one another" border="0" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vip6huXUdg/UlUs81Wob6I/AAAAAAAABoE/zPekHUTyDw8/s400/Columbia_class_carrier_29.jpg" title="The mother of all battles" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pew Pew Die Lenin class carrier!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OK, lets get this one finished in short order! </b></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yN-6kf4dytA/UlUpKSkiDLI/AAAAAAAABm8/3hsikXP2xwA/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Large multibarrel guns adorn the upper surfaces" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yN-6kf4dytA/UlUpKSkiDLI/AAAAAAAABm8/3hsikXP2xwA/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_19.jpg" title="A forward view of the bridges " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reverse of the last shot in the previous article, superstructures are busy as always.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm sure this ship, like many of my others generated tons of criticism, debate and arguments years ago at Scifi-meshes.com. Those looking at the first pic in this article, showing opposing carrier fleets might be wondering why in sci-fi the big ships get so close its like they need to use cannon balls, like its 1750 and the spacecraft are made of wood. Well, its perhaps not realistic as we might imagine space combat today but that kind of thing makes for far more exciting looking effects - its always just more fun to put opposing spacecraft within spitting distance so sometimes you have to let it go and enjoy the film.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lqcR5qxt-T4/UlUs5PQgnZI/AAAAAAAABnQ/OhF6WvsCZCk/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The dock of the bay" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lqcR5qxt-T4/UlUs5PQgnZI/AAAAAAAABnQ/OhF6WvsCZCk/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_20.jpg" title="Landing on the bay" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the baffles/sheilds and the recovery crane for larger vehicles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Allies employ a much cleaner type of propulsion than the Soviets,
and pilots might be expected to land by passing directly through the
engine plume - or possibly the engines are turned off for spacecraft
recovery, after all this is space and not the sea; hey, lets mix and match our realities as much as possible, its Sci-Fi, baby.... If we assume more realism, to offer some kind of protection from off-but-still-hot nuclear engines an array of baffles and shields are built between engine modules and flightpath/landing bay. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sql72pS_7uM/UlUs5Pf_gDI/AAAAAAAABnM/1DB_6YArwIM/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A large fictional spacecraft" border="0" height="166" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sql72pS_7uM/UlUs5Pf_gDI/AAAAAAAABnM/1DB_6YArwIM/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_21.jpg" title="A space carrier, in space" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting much closer to completion, surfaces looking a little bland. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6KqrqikYTI/UlUs4yrJThI/AAAAAAAABnI/84vZ6XzEHQs/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The bows and pennant of a large fictional spacecraft" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6KqrqikYTI/UlUs4yrJThI/AAAAAAAABnI/84vZ6XzEHQs/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_22.jpg" title="United Nations Exploratory Force, emphasis on the "Force." " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally ripping off Joe Haldeman here, sorry Joe. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdbjfUxT-ag/UlUs6Mx675I/AAAAAAAABng/G-tSwpC31RA/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A 3d rendering of a fictional spacecraft" border="0" height="172" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdbjfUxT-ag/UlUs6Mx675I/AAAAAAAABng/G-tSwpC31RA/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_23.jpg" title="A grey and red coloured spacecraft" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A splash of colour lifts it a bit, bit of a 'Republic' scheme. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JgSsjoHL1vI/UlUs6y_cvUI/AAAAAAAABnk/aMiwQffX4Rs/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Is it the bucket, or the beast?" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JgSsjoHL1vI/UlUs6y_cvUI/AAAAAAAABnk/aMiwQffX4Rs/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_24.jpg" title="The underside of the leviathan" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makes you want to rotate your head or something. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdb2UFc77Rw/UlUs9utlIhI/AAAAAAAABoQ/0bRDMN19yec/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A fictional spacecraft, in space" border="0" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdb2UFc77Rw/UlUs9utlIhI/AAAAAAAABoQ/0bRDMN19yec/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_25.jpg" title="RAWWWWWRRRR i'm a spaceshark thing! RRRRRRRWWWWWWWRR" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All too obvious themes from nature here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AF5llbvoek/UlUs7SRTQSI/AAAAAAAABnw/ivlKojjxzcI/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="rear of the spacecarrier" border="0" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AF5llbvoek/UlUs7SRTQSI/AAAAAAAABnw/ivlKojjxzcI/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_26.jpg" title="A fighter lands on the deck" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">250! I don't know... seriously i've forgotten, meters? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7ol5I7hMmU/UlUs7zgraBI/AAAAAAAABn0/B8SD19lqq-g/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="OOOoooh, pretty." border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7ol5I7hMmU/UlUs7zgraBI/AAAAAAAABn0/B8SD19lqq-g/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_27.jpg" title="Baby blue laser beams fire from the deck" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Test firing the heating and cutting beams, it heats with some kind of focussed EM beam and cuts with a particle beam, nasty. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hwE7mkFSPk/UlUs8aVfqbI/AAAAAAAABn8/oUU9ZdyVimk/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="big ships!" border="0" height="176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hwE7mkFSPk/UlUs8aVfqbI/AAAAAAAABn8/oUU9ZdyVimk/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_28.jpg" title="An overhead of the ship, showing scale" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you know how big this big ship is, its pretty big. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuQyJKmT6ls/UlUs9mroeZI/AAAAAAAABoU/eZ5ITcfTnHA/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuQyJKmT6ls/UlUs9mroeZI/AAAAAAAABoU/eZ5ITcfTnHA/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_30.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another space battle test render, similar to the one at the top of the article...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I started making some images with these models but they rarely amounted to much - my compulsion was generally to start another project, the renders, animations to come later as all these models did have a purpose to tell a story, as yet untold! nnnnn<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the images, even if its all a bit old. More, better, exciting, thrilling action to come folks, if you liked it, or even if you didn't but are feeling generous please hit the share buttons, and feel free to leave a comment! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-39706683737405133812013-10-02T05:35:00.001+01:002013-10-02T05:41:17.104+01:00Cydonia Base<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Some more old work from probably more than 10 years ago! Featuring the Sikorsky Space Crane. Still digging the dust, I always found Mars a fascinating planet, though this may not be the most accurate portrayal, I probably learned more about lighting and fog effects than modelling or texturing (which is very basic) still fun and very atmospheric!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y96JHFJr8o8/UkugmGB4dNI/AAAAAAAABkQ/kMET3-ddy80/s1600/MarsBase_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y96JHFJr8o8/UkugmGB4dNI/AAAAAAAABkQ/kMET3-ddy80/s320/MarsBase_003.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y96JHFJr8o8/UkugmGB4dNI/AAAAAAAABkQ/kMET3-ddy80/s1600/MarsBase_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OnK4tvXOXg/UkuglzS9yKI/AAAAAAAABj0/KPr9sw_ZFRY/s1600/MarsBase_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OnK4tvXOXg/UkuglzS9yKI/AAAAAAAABj0/KPr9sw_ZFRY/s320/MarsBase_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZD8bLQrwLI/UkugmUcZHbI/AAAAAAAABkA/VTIxc4B8pXw/s1600/MarsBase_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZD8bLQrwLI/UkugmUcZHbI/AAAAAAAABkA/VTIxc4B8pXw/s320/MarsBase_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FP64y5f6CJY/UkugmKKVibI/AAAAAAAABkE/akIcDcvMbaI/s1600/MarsBase_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FP64y5f6CJY/UkugmKKVibI/AAAAAAAABkE/akIcDcvMbaI/s320/MarsBase_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epv7C3G5BAE/UkugmniN8gI/AAAAAAAABkI/9n6y1aMTxos/s1600/MarsBase_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epv7C3G5BAE/UkugmniN8gI/AAAAAAAABkI/9n6y1aMTxos/s320/MarsBase_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-79129852731982957862013-09-18T16:39:00.000+01:002013-09-18T16:39:10.723+01:00Xtreme-Hobby box-art from 2005<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
A recent post on <a href="http://johnbearross.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">JBR's</a> blog reminded me of one of my first projects. After some rummaging around in the Coolhand Graphics backup CD storage room / hat museum, I dug out these images and a rather fetching purple fedora. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvpcasuSYK8/UjnEX5UWfZI/AAAAAAAABh0/gQeGvg2z_zg/s1600/fleet_mauridian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvpcasuSYK8/UjnEX5UWfZI/AAAAAAAABh0/gQeGvg2z_zg/s320/fleet_mauridian.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dare you face down the fearsome Mauridians! You will end up with face down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
JBR built the models as no one trusted me to make the protos back then, I created 3D artwork from them, backgrounds are a little rough in places, and well, there's all kinds of problems with them and mistakes I wouldn't make today but I think the textures worked pretty well, as they're the prototypes for quite small minis the textures have to provide extra levels of complexity, hence the use of pannelled looking textures. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E_pWXL1CbDw/UjnGTPR-roI/AAAAAAAABiA/FRJjXuTBzyI/s1600/fleet_terran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E_pWXL1CbDw/UjnGTPR-roI/AAAAAAAABiA/FRJjXuTBzyI/s320/fleet_terran.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't recall a nebula around earth like that, pollution, eh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://ravenstarstudios.com/" target="_blank">Ravenstarstudios</a> now own & produce these models, I know I made some other pics, because there were at least 2 other fleets, perhaps they're over there under that pile of beanies...?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-72064491937598517982013-09-01T02:15:00.000+01:002013-09-01T04:42:06.767+01:00Big Spaceships 004 - Columbia Class Carrier - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thought I'd take a moment to answer a couple of letters recently received at the Coolhand Graphics reception desk. My faithful assistant, the lovely Hannah, typically drowning in my personal fan mail generally tosses it all in the Mr Fusion, which funnels vast amounts of electrical charge to my Delorean sized graphics card, seriously it weighs more than the motherboard, what's up with that? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week however one or two escaped the nuclear annihilation and shockingly, were not death threats that had been extensively sneezed over in a primitive attempt at bio-warfare. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Susan from Fife asks: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>"Steve, I'm a huge fan of yours - along with all of us at the retirement home - and really like spaceships and all the other junk you make, but wait a minute, you're still in the middle of 003 - that Covenant thingy, this is 004...? Also, why "00X", do you have like more than a hundred of these things?"</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dear Susan, How unbelievably prescient of you to write to me about something I haven't even published yet, people might think this is all merely some kind of self-serving literary device. Anyway, I thought I'd mix things up a little, please bear with us for the final part of that other article, as for the numbering, I thought it looked cooler that way and perhaps makes sense in the long run, but who knows, I thought about starting them at 0001, but that seemed overly ambitious. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Donald from Albuquerque pedantically inquires about the article labelling: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>"Why specifically *big* spaceships, why emphasise this aspect? I guess we've had the mile long vessel entering Disney's Black hole, and monstrosities like the super star destroyers from Star Wars. Was the Death Star merely a gigantic symbolic ova and the SSD crashing into it somehow symbolic of reproduction? Why is bigger often seen as better? Is there something inherently sexual about these gigantic leviathans? - Pls answer I need help with my 3rd year dissertation."</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dear Donald, Like towering Apollo rockets, or train tunnels drilled through mountain ranges, No, absolutely not and you're massively insane for even bringing it up. But its important to recognise and accept that there are nearly always several valid interpretations of a form and to not shy away from a functional design because it could be interpreted in such a way. Otherwise, we'd have never gone to the moon and the 10:15 from Euston would be hopelessly late. This design in particular is excessive in many ways, not all good... Maybe none of it is good, but it's always a challenge to build something bigger and better than before and that's all part of the fun - the only way is up, is a perfectly valid point of view, as much as its totally obsessively wrong. I'll be Frank, Donald, often the more sexy a design is, the more popular it is, and the bigger it is, the more popular it is. Never fear or shy away from these things! However I have always viewed these craft holistically - more as large living organisms, animals in their own right rather than any specific organ or cell, but others may have different interpretations. I call them big spaceships to differentiate from, well, the smaller ones. All the best and good luck with your dissertation, always here if you need help! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
******</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zr8jrMAUDIU/UiKAyUs76KI/AAAAAAAABak/4e84ACP_lMI/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="greebles abound on its form" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zr8jrMAUDIU/UiKAyUs76KI/AAAAAAAABak/4e84ACP_lMI/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_02.jpg" title="a spaceship rendered with global illumination" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shots like this would really wow people back in the day! coo, look at the out of scale chipped paint effect, looks fairly realistic even, but out of scale making the whole thing look too small, reminds me of the Nostromo miniature after it was left out in a carpark in LA for 20 years. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Anyway, for those still reading, enough with the guff. I'm pretty sure this particular beast is circa 2003, built for my Sol project - the "Allies" side of the system wide cold war lacked a serious carrier-deterrent, in comparison to the mighty Lenin class of the People's Republic. In an effort to close this carrier gap the Columbia Class (named after the recently at that point, tragically lost real-world Space Shuttle Orbiter) Is commissioned, greatly extending the reach of the Allied Super-Powers. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has some nice features but overall its far from my favourite design, as we delve more deeply into the construction, perhaps we'll find out why. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWgmIK9nyQQ/UiKBEJse1MI/AAAAAAAABas/GS5xQdPzZXg/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_01+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="3 point lighting on the low detailed form" border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWgmIK9nyQQ/UiKBEJse1MI/AAAAAAAABas/GS5xQdPzZXg/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_01+copy.jpg" title="a lowly detailed spacecraft early in construction" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Humble beginnings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It starts as all others with a shape, as smooth as it needs to be to carry the later detail.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K455NQNjkLY/UiKCcBljs8I/AAAAAAAABa4/VYV80kxUvq8/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_03+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a large spaceship on a black background" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K455NQNjkLY/UiKCcBljs8I/AAAAAAAABa4/VYV80kxUvq8/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_03+copy.jpg" title="a ship under construction" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginnings here of that chipped paint effect, this is purely procedural as I did little work with bitmaps back then. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The detail begins, I decided to try a double-bridge structure, I'm not sure what that was all about but it somehow seemed appropriate at the time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYfpT0cOAFo/UiKDT6nqPhI/AAAAAAAABbA/1XEbqrY7Eco/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_04+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="before you die you see goatsy" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYfpT0cOAFo/UiKDT6nqPhI/AAAAAAAABbA/1XEbqrY7Eco/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_04+copy.jpg" title="this was way before something to do with goats was popularised, if you don't know what i'm talking about, then good for you and move on with your life." width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every carrier needs somewhere for its fighters to land, this is it, coming back to what I was talking about in the pre-amble if the whole thing is an animal then this is the... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I decided it needed a single fly-through, internal flight deck, some questioned whether this was 'safe' given the proximity to the propulsion systems, but if you don't want to soak up some radiation,then don't join the Allied navy. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YzhsogO7XHU/UiKEgy-bI4I/AAAAAAAABbM/TKV_oZyNiaM/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_05+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a ship up close, under construction" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YzhsogO7XHU/UiKEgy-bI4I/AAAAAAAABbM/TKV_oZyNiaM/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_05+copy.jpg" title="detailing the bridges and surrounding areas" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiftly moving on with the detailing here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I always feel that the bridge of a ship like this becomes something of a centre of interest, though it shouldn't really received any more detail than any other area (because who knows which areas will be shot on) but I often began with this area of a ship. I recall my style of greebling at this point being criticised by some, it was simple for sure, but I think how I arranged the elements still made it work, once complete. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Note the turrets in the next shot are in some ways similar to ones seen on Battlestar Galactica 2003, however they are from the earlier Sheffield class (as yet undocumented) I believe both these ships pre-date the appearance of the nu-galactica, certainly the Sheffield did anyway. Cooincidence? Possibly, I like to entertain the notion that some of my work was printed out and put up on a wall in some meeting somewhere, and made a tiny contribution to that epic design. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xe37PEN8S0o/UiKF9-VF3pI/AAAAAAAABbY/mioU6A__GUg/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_06+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="did i rip off galactica, or the other way around;)" border="0" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xe37PEN8S0o/UiKF9-VF3pI/AAAAAAAABbY/mioU6A__GUg/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_06+copy.jpg" title="further in construction, the ship is now armed" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lets get some better lighting on there... Or at least try.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lighting makes all the difference, I would spend endless hours tinkering with the setup and the materials, not really knowing what I was doing, I would for example load up one model, and import another one to find that one ship would be totally blown out (over-exposed) and one was too dark, because I'd put too much light into one scene, and too little in another. It's best to set things up realistically, photographically and make your lighting a realistic simulation complete with exposure control, but back then it was all beyond me. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pnMeL062UiM/UiKIBmr5AmI/AAAAAAAABbk/5oz-a0gmtsM/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_07+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="this is a poor line of questioning" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pnMeL062UiM/UiKIBmr5AmI/AAAAAAAABbk/5oz-a0gmtsM/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_07+copy.jpg" title="a totally non-phallic shape fills this image with its impressive size" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spaceships are not phallic, OK Donald from Albuquerque?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The lighting here is nearly quite nice, its always a good idea to rake the lighting at a shallow angle, so to throw long evening shadows along the hull, the closer your key light gets to the camera, the worse things are going to look, I didn't really understand this at the time. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpMe1evUKrY/UiKJZ65N3yI/AAAAAAAABbw/ghqw7VpVBWc/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_08+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpMe1evUKrY/UiKJZ65N3yI/AAAAAAAABbw/ghqw7VpVBWc/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_08+copy.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to evoke something like a marine animal, like a shark or something. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h-Xz3xh5qY/UiKJ2f3zaLI/AAAAAAAABb4/CM41JN-in9E/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_09+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="the opening which releases smaller vehicles. " border="0" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h-Xz3xh5qY/UiKJ2f3zaLI/AAAAAAAABb4/CM41JN-in9E/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_09+copy.jpg" title="the maw of the beast" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A toothed mouth? a forked tongue perhaps? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoBlDqqv0UE/UiKKY3V6LUI/AAAAAAAABcA/TuY3UPw_LOo/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_10+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a bomber departs the deck" border="0" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoBlDqqv0UE/UiKKY3V6LUI/AAAAAAAABcA/TuY3UPw_LOo/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_10+copy.jpg" title="a space carrier launching a space fighter" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to look the part now, but I think this shot shows the whole weighting of this design is perhaps off, its much too tall, lending it an old-fashioned look, I'm reminded of the old artwork illustrating the trans-atlantic liners of the early 20th century... Heavy is the word, perhaps its appropriate. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cCSFTPVVAfQ/UiKN9w6GitI/AAAAAAAABcM/AfWqq4t0uSQ/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_11+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A white space-fighter." border="0" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cCSFTPVVAfQ/UiKN9w6GitI/AAAAAAAABcM/AfWqq4t0uSQ/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_11+copy.jpg" title="The Maverick Fighter/Bomber" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fighter/bomber seen in the earlier shot, I fear this was too ugly to live, and it was never seen again outside this project. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_dNiyrvWGE/UiKOhtmLlTI/AAAAAAAABcU/a0Fd9KvDW2k/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_12+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a ship hangs in space" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_dNiyrvWGE/UiKOhtmLlTI/AAAAAAAABcU/a0Fd9KvDW2k/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_12+copy.jpg" title="a ship hangs in front a starry background" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lets put her in space (Allied ships were female, Soviet ships male, I didn't invent this, its just how it is)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The above pic demonstrates a common error of the scifi-artist, the stars... These are horribly sharp, way too even in value, real stars, a photograph of stars, will be blurred, fainter, less even in value/albedo and with a more random distribution - denser in some areas. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AO3IEErAzY/UiKPVmHMNlI/AAAAAAAABcg/pi9Ifeoh2WE/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_13+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a large ship hangs in space recovering a fighter." border="0" height="172" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AO3IEErAzY/UiKPVmHMNlI/AAAAAAAABcg/pi9Ifeoh2WE/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_13+copy.jpg" title="a spacefighter lands on the deck" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wave off, wave off, you're too ugly to land... although unfinished, this shot lends a nice sense of scale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bspnr1R6kgc/UiKP6IqiXSI/AAAAAAAABco/EO0G46wIcdQ/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_14+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="death to the non-believers" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bspnr1R6kgc/UiKP6IqiXSI/AAAAAAAABco/EO0G46wIcdQ/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_14+copy.jpg" title="looking up at the drop bays" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of large drop-bays, uses the ships artificial gravitational field to propel troop ships downward or allows the berthing of larger vessels. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bpv8ju-WLsQ/UiKQjajplyI/AAAAAAAABcw/hYluL0clOsI/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_15+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="look up and say goodbye" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bpv8ju-WLsQ/UiKQjajplyI/AAAAAAAABcw/hYluL0clOsI/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_15+copy.jpg" title="another shot of the drop bays" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're the enemy looking up at this, well, for you the war is over. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aucgmvw2G3E/UiKRlN8IgmI/AAAAAAAABc4/fyStXP3Xe6Y/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_16+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="navigation lights and drop bays on show on the spacecraft" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aucgmvw2G3E/UiKRlN8IgmI/AAAAAAAABc4/fyStXP3Xe6Y/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_16+copy.jpg" title="Looking up at the underside details" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more detail going on the underside. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This brings me to an issue I've had with every spacecraft model, I hate working on the underside, I never have as many ideas, it never turns out as well as the top and I'm never motivated to work on it, I have no idea why really... Perhaps its because the interesting parts like the bridge always go on the top? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IgD8FVYArM/UiKScAco6jI/AAAAAAAABdA/9uzElecWN1Q/s1600/Columbia_class_carrier_17+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="the ship flies in space, half complete." border="0" height="126" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IgD8FVYArM/UiKScAco6jI/AAAAAAAABdA/9uzElecWN1Q/s320/Columbia_class_carrier_17+copy.jpg" title="a side view of the carrier" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another lighting change and trying out some different shapes on the bridges. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And once again the Blogger blog editor thing is goofing around so I'll get back to work and pick this up real soon in part 2, I promise, and also the final part of the Covenant project, Susan. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thanks for reading, if you liked it please share this on social websites and feel free to leave a comment, it really helps keep me motivated to blog more.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-69184050977462301562013-08-12T08:39:00.000+01:002013-08-12T08:39:06.178+01:00Scifi ShipwreckDowned in the last sky war this leviathan fell from orbit into the desert sands below, its hulk became colonised by the locals over the decades that past since the core was buried and radiation levels dropped inside...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sY2ZdOSfRc/UgiP6F0UbjI/AAAAAAAABYI/CFvb7jjdHJ4/s1600/shipwreck_01+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sY2ZdOSfRc/UgiP6F0UbjI/AAAAAAAABYI/CFvb7jjdHJ4/s640/shipwreck_01+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Built in 2004, this probably took about a week and really tested the machine I was using at the time. This image won the shipwreck contest at SFM.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-26649711055537443292013-06-13T04:26:00.000+01:002013-06-13T04:28:37.983+01:00A Shift of PerspectiveTrawled from the depths of Coolhand Graphics impenetrable, armoured concept-bunker of solitude... This is probably from 2009.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StMXfiUyPRM/Ubk47BeOfqI/AAAAAAAABS4/CPfx3n5YtsE/s1600/jiao-667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Colonel Harvey Chang on full manual. " border="0" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StMXfiUyPRM/Ubk47BeOfqI/AAAAAAAABS4/CPfx3n5YtsE/s400/jiao-667.jpg" title="The BF-Jiao next generation space fighter" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure if its landing in a cavern or that's just a break in the clouds.... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Derived from this even earlier unfinished painting:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-AU8dcILrg/Ubk6P_5qESI/AAAAAAAABTI/dBF2EOibhEQ/s1600/fighterconceptflip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Space is brown, on white." border="0" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-AU8dcILrg/Ubk6P_5qESI/AAAAAAAABTI/dBF2EOibhEQ/s320/fighterconceptflip.jpg" title="Another concept Spacecraft!" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See what I did there?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Apparently (shockingly) i'm not the first person to do this, as I understand it the original star trek spaceship design (you know the one!) started up saucer down...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-46365176897907077512013-05-27T12:01:00.000+01:002013-05-27T12:01:28.298+01:00Big Spaceships 003 - Covenant CCS Battle Cruiser - Part 3Sorry, these trips to Zeta Reticuli seem to be taking longer and longer, anyway, after extracting myself from the floor where I partly materialised this time (I'll have to patch that over with some MDF or something) and recovering from the odd partial de-materialisation, I guessed I should update my blog for the first time in months.<br />
<br />
At least Kirk seems to bogged off back to the neutral zone (I caught sight of the Enterprise passing Jupiter 2 on the way back), and MacFarlane back where he belongs herding manatees to produce more award winning comedy. The starlets of Hollywood once again safer than Cyril Sneer when Bert Racoon is sleeping off his last Meth-Amphetamine binge. Anyway, less talk-y more post-y. Picking up where we left off, guess what, more detailing...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGIi94VCqUU/UaMqTGCEPkI/AAAAAAAABP4/blg5nrK_kwY/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_57+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A lovely view of Pruit Igoe prior to demolition. " border="0" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGIi94VCqUU/UaMqTGCEPkI/AAAAAAAABP4/blg5nrK_kwY/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_57+copy.jpg" title="Final phase of detailing the side" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The project moves into its final phase of development, time is running short... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I still had little idea of the shots in mind, so great importance is placed adding lots of detail, everywhere.... Sometimes you might want to save time and add a greater level of detail in a given area, like precision targeting a jungle ammo dump at night with an A-6, but this is more like carpet bombing South East Asia with a fleet of B-52's... A slow and steady process of even, merciless coverage.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVXHEaf4j9g/UaMrVJGwdCI/AAAAAAAABQM/CyxVobckno8/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_61+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Plating the beast" border="0" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVXHEaf4j9g/UaMrVJGwdCI/AAAAAAAABQM/CyxVobckno8/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_61+copy.jpg" title="WIP documenting detailing of the front of this leviathan. " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another change of lighting, to better illustrate the detail which tends to occlude itself with shadows - which is kinda what you want. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UB1ApS_GW5U/UaMuMpnd2YI/AAAAAAAABQc/1j_mE0i4fiM/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Some kind of command towers oversea the greeble sea" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UB1ApS_GW5U/UaMuMpnd2YI/AAAAAAAABQc/1j_mE0i4fiM/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_62.jpg" title="A view of the side" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think I really hoped they'd do a nice close run along the side, and one of the few shots discussed with the production team involved a great look at the side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4pEkRfDb_0/UaMvMACH3jI/AAAAAAAABQo/xXDfOq-CVpM/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_63+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Many sinister creatures scuttle the hallways behind these windows. " border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4pEkRfDb_0/UaMvMACH3jI/AAAAAAAABQo/xXDfOq-CVpM/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_63+copy.jpg" title="A close up of the port side." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Hanoi, get ready to drop those snake-eyes on the SAM's in the Peoples Resistance Park and win the war! Shame my trusty B/N Morg won't be around to see it.... Sadly this time it wasn't shown close enough in any of the shots - I expect the model will be used again at some point, but who knows. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ewQb3dbZk4/UaMxJX3Zo7I/AAAAAAAABQ4/DEV7ingXmoI/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_67+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jigsaw like plating covers this hulk. " border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ewQb3dbZk4/UaMxJX3Zo7I/AAAAAAAABQ4/DEV7ingXmoI/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_67+copy.jpg" title="A view of the nearly complete upper forward main hull. " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missing Piece Alert! Missing Piece Alert! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTWNAWf4ps8/UaMz5IjK7nI/AAAAAAAABRI/1icW-SSUSU8/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_70+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="slightly organic detail intersperses mechanical detail. " border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTWNAWf4ps8/UaMz5IjK7nI/AAAAAAAABRI/1icW-SSUSU8/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_70+copy.jpg" title="A closer view of the upper forward hull surfaces." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hull integrity restored. Phew. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f07VBYYM0F0/UaM0xUV1cqI/AAAAAAAABRU/RSvDPbkBHDk/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_75+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="More plating and city-sprawl covers the keel." border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f07VBYYM0F0/UaM0xUV1cqI/AAAAAAAABRU/RSvDPbkBHDk/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_75+copy.jpg" title="The forward underside under construction" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detailing the underside, I'm informed that the Covenant employ an open sewer philosophy to waste management so standing underneath one is in-advisable to anyone wearing less than a class 2 enviro-suit. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feADEmdPOl8/UaM2EosMWOI/AAAAAAAABRk/FqVpj8g_Cto/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_81+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mucho detail abounds." border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feADEmdPOl8/UaM2EosMWOI/AAAAAAAABRk/FqVpj8g_Cto/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_81+copy.jpg" title="A view down the length of the ship" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of detail visible from this angle. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--FcTsbwLics/UaM2oMM5CwI/AAAAAAAABRs/VC7aSVLOIF0/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_83+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="(Kevin Bacon) I found the a$$ end. " border="0" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--FcTsbwLics/UaM2oMM5CwI/AAAAAAAABRs/VC7aSVLOIF0/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_83+copy.jpg" title="A view of the stern under construction. " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And also here. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I guess its starting to bug out again, we'll pick this up in the final part with the final renderings in 8 bit binary with Part 00000100.<br />
<br />
Stay Tuned.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-33683202308479444612013-02-26T12:34:00.000+00:002013-02-26T12:34:34.473+00:00Big Spaceships 003 - Covenant CCS Battle Cruiser - part 2 We left part 1 with things looking fairly spiffy, but I warn you, things get far more impressive from here on in. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. It's been a real busy work week, so if you've been waiting for part two (don't forget to hit the subscribe button!) I am pleased you are bearing with me. Also continuing with my usual goofy style, which is probably no more appropriate than <i>Seth MacFarlane</i> hosting <i>The Oscars</i>, but then we do seem to live in a world where <i>Seth MacFarlane</i> <u>can</u> host an <i>Oscar </i>ceremony, so deal with it;) <br />
<br />
Long time friend and fan of this galactically infamous blogzone, <i>William Shatner</i>, may also be popping in to help prop up and attempt to lend some credibility to my uncouth act so keep an eye out for that!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, this is about where we left our spacecraft, somewhere in <i>Golden Gate Park</i> (don't worry, it's cloaked and I'm sure for the duration of the article no one will accidentally walk into it or anything)... I think it looks pretty good so far, but then I would...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmHtbAPjsvE/USxlpP6QK3I/AAAAAAAABJs/W6wN6m8okS4/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_27a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmHtbAPjsvE/USxlpP6QK3I/AAAAAAAABJs/W6wN6m8okS4/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_27a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keen eyes will occasionally spot the odd floating greeble in these WIP pics, truth is my projects are often surrounded by a cloud of spare parts, usually all hidden in renders... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
But as this turns out, after some discussion with my client, it was really more detail than needed for the smaller vessel. Does this mean I had wasted time? No - as the extra detail would be up-scaled to supplement the ludicrously detailed C<i>CS Class Battle-Cruiser</i>. The following pic is the stripped-down model which became the small Covenant Cruiser (new readers will be really confused by this point, so go back and read<a href="http://coolhandgraphics.blogspot.com/2013/02/big-spaceships-003-covenant-ccs-battle.html" target="_blank"> part one</a>!)</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PtjkeWhwFo/USyCWoomHxI/AAAAAAAABKQ/-zIY6okiwCs/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_35a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PtjkeWhwFo/USyCWoomHxI/AAAAAAAABKQ/-zIY6okiwCs/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_35a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final version of the small cruiser, as then textured and featured in Halo 4's DLC series: Spartan Ops, the removed detail will be used on the larger <i>CCS Class Battlecruiser,</i> which is also to be used in the cinematics for the same series, clear? Good. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yVdbzI40YRo/USxlPQKBjsI/AAAAAAAABJU/00uGn2uHMYA/s1600/shat_in_the_hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yVdbzI40YRo/USxlPQKBjsI/AAAAAAAABJU/00uGn2uHMYA/s200/shat_in_the_hat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Uhuruhu,</i> read <a href="http://coolhandgraphics.blogspot.com/2013/02/big-spaceships-003-covenant-ccs-battle.html" target="_blank">part one</a> to me, <i>Sulu,</i> images on main viewer - and stop b*tching about me on <i>Howard Stern.</i> I, <i>William T Kirkner</i>, am intensely interested in this article. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So now we get to the<i> CCS Class Battlecruiser</i>, proper. After scaling the removed detail from the smaller one, I sought to enhance it in an effort to give the ship a tremendous sense of scale that would apply at different distances from the camera. I'm always impressed with the industrial detail of the enormous oil tankers which ply this planet's Sperm Whale infested oceans, with much pipeline and infrastructure visible on the decks, they look massive even from miles away. It's difficult to add such detail to these curvy forms but I thought I'd try and it seemed to be working well in darker recesses to add scale.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uB7TBqWhN9A/USyIdMi9cwI/AAAAAAAABK0/DC_jTlZviDM/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_36a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uB7TBqWhN9A/USyIdMi9cwI/AAAAAAAABK0/DC_jTlZviDM/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_36a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The worlds largest Oil Tanker, Knock Nevis, was built in the year of your correspondents birth, though he's managed to outlive it by at least 3 years at this point, the Sinister Men in Black may be closing in as we speak... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
A great way to add scale is to add features that are instantly recognisable as having a certain size, by our everyday experiences. Because we're used to seeing a large building from far away our brains instantly associate a row of windows with a room or a corridor - a space large enough to hold a person. The idea is to trick our brains based on our own experience of the world around us, this instantly ups the perceived scale. I clumsily call these details 'human scale features' - Such things might include windows, airlocks, hand holds, ladders, exterior lights, vending machines, etc. Anything that relates to the viewers direct real life experience helps <i>sell </i>that sense of scale.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5otDGdRq1Hw/USyMLh01a_I/AAAAAAAABLY/GBB8QtcD1IA/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_42a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5otDGdRq1Hw/USyMLh01a_I/AAAAAAAABLY/GBB8QtcD1IA/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_42a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Decks 38-42 are presently uninhabitable after a sewer main backed up on Deck 43. The solution: This fall, everyone's favourite Marine Plumber, Mario Chief will be despatched to unclog it in Super Halo Brothers 5, apparently it plays a bit like Call of Duty Black Ops 6, but with more Sparticans and less mushrooms. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKmhFa11YJ8/USxlTJqvRdI/AAAAAAAABJc/Qs7fBy0PaZ8/s1600/ThaShat_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKmhFa11YJ8/USxlTJqvRdI/AAAAAAAABJc/Qs7fBy0PaZ8/s200/ThaShat_01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the... Incoming communication you say? I was just getting into this Blog, now you ruin it with an interruption? Oh, hey I'm helping host the Oscars, Honestly I was just hanging around on my Bridge in my uniform, like I do every Sunday. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
So, a large spacecraft is really more of an environment than a vehicle, thinking city or industrial complex rather than spacecraft helps to get a handle on the scale, this is a little beyond <i>"Greebling"</i> itself, A <i>greeble</i> as some will be familiar with, according to the makers of <i>Star Wars </i>being:<i>"Something that looks cool but doesn't actually do anything."</i> And lets face it, they probably knew what they were talking about.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The purpose of <i>human scale features</i> by contrast is that they have an obvious and familiar purpose and definate size, thereby giving the viewer something to relate to - because a window can only be so large, whereas a <i>greeble</i> is somewhat fractal in nature. Capiche? </div>
<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d7YLZdXTGng/USySgOFdZFI/AAAAAAAABL8/m2pMstT_vBM/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_43a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d7YLZdXTGng/USySgOFdZFI/AAAAAAAABL8/m2pMstT_vBM/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_43a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little patchy and experimental, but this first tentative area gives me an idea of where I need to go with the rest of it, the model will never look finished, or unified without a similar level of detail over e v e r y t h i n g. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5AlfRPTyD9I/USyUFNGe-MI/AAAAAAAABMI/bZESSXOX-2E/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_46a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5AlfRPTyD9I/USyUFNGe-MI/AAAAAAAABMI/bZESSXOX-2E/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_46a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's important to consider how the model will look at different ranges, even pulled back like this the sense scale is still evident, largely because of the windows. Yep, I have changed the lighting again, not sure why I do this, but the project extended over several weeks, its easy to get bored - for consistency I also provided the occasional 'clay' render with a simple single light setup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvZ6oESLLR4/USyVpqJsOTI/AAAAAAAABMw/Z5FLIOKbTwQ/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_48a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvZ6oESLLR4/USyVpqJsOTI/AAAAAAAABMw/Z5FLIOKbTwQ/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_48a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's also important to see how it looks close-up, I don't know what shots it will be used in, but I wanted to give the Director the ability to use the model in many ways. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And so all too soon the gods of the Bloggospheroid have rudely told me through their signs and portents of bugs and errors that this article is getting too large. Though it pains me I must once again leave you dear friends, to try and earn a crust in this harsh cold winter; to get the money that buy the logs, that will feed the burner, that will boil the steam and drive the turbine of power;* that will enable the great machine of truth to send the required binary signals to post <i><b>part three</b></i> in the very near future. <br />
<br />
If only all I had to worry about were which actresses in the audience had exposed their anatomies on film for money, and sing a song about it for enormous amounts of money.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8EIO_9E_bpM/USxlTSGDeXI/AAAAAAAABJg/TBQ9lIPtBnc/s1600/Thashat_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8EIO_9E_bpM/USxlTSGDeXI/AAAAAAAABJg/TBQ9lIPtBnc/s200/Thashat_02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a song, about boobies? the ones belonging to women in the audience? Eh, whatever, I'm sat in a state of the art Federal Reserve warship anyway, lets get it over with and cash this cheque! - Mr Sulu, put that mic down and plot a course for the neutral zone, you know, Switzerland, where we all hide our earnings from the IRS!** </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Did you like this article? Hated it but feel unexpectedly generous anyway? Please share and like this post on social things like Google+ and Facebook, thanks! </div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I apologise for the possible mis-use of a semi-colon.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">**I have no idea where he hides his earnings.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-47024390166513218912013-02-18T08:20:00.000+00:002013-02-19T01:05:29.544+00:00Big Spaceships 003 - Covenant CCS Battle Cruiser - part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUs1x1dXdAE/USF4zRFU5dI/AAAAAAAABC8/8S-WQanuhac/s1600/halo_4_spartan_ops_ep10_cincematic_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUs1x1dXdAE/USF4zRFU5dI/AAAAAAAABC8/8S-WQanuhac/s640/halo_4_spartan_ops_ep10_cincematic_06.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Wait, come back, I've left my iPhone on board! Oh, I'll call the captain.... Oh, sh.....eez" </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you, like any sensible person have a fetish for GIGANTIC ALIEN SPACECRAFT you have come to the right place. As previewed earlier in the year, one of last years major projects for Coolhand Graphics revolved around building assets for Halo 4, specifically the Spartan Ops campaign that has ended with the last segment released just today! Which means after an agonising wait I'm finally able to spill the beans, squeal like a stuck little piggy-wiggy and lift the lid on a particular fascinating and challenging construction.<br />
<br />
I invite you, <i>Dear reader</i> (wasn't he in charge of North Korea? -ed) to the following briefing which has until today been <i>TOP SECRET</i>....<br />
<br />
Sit down gentlemen, ladies, and anyone in between... Even if you're on a mobile thing and crossing the road, just sit down, right there in the middle of the street* - that bus will wait, the driver has seen you, I promise! Are you sitting comfortably? OK, please review the datasheet below:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQryjOTzhSg/USF2LKxdbII/AAAAAAAABC0/td0RK_t6XtY/s1600/cc_stats.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQryjOTzhSg/USF2LKxdbII/AAAAAAAABC0/td0RK_t6XtY/s640/cc_stats.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This nearly<i> two-kilometer</i> long monster of a vessel is perhaps mid-range for the Covenant arsenal, that said its still absolutely gigantic. Naturally, given its tremendous size and because it has more curves than <i>Kim Kardashian's </i>wobbly bits, and about as friendly to caress, this is not an easy shape to build up to movie quality standards, as required for these cut-scenes. Fortunately, <i>Axis Animation</i> up in jolly old Scotchland, knowing they had a problem, knowing now one else could help, and having a pretty good idea of where I was (hiding in a small lead-lined cupboard, as I so often do on a Thursday), thought maybe they could hire... The <i>S-Team!</i><br />
<br />
Anyway, enough with the shtick, we don't have time for it... This is against the clock, people, against the clock! And indeed it was, as I had all of 4 weeks to complete the largest, the most complex single model I have ever built, in fact two models, but we'll get into that later. Was I ready for it? Did I massively screw it up? Find out next week on the S-Team!<br />
<br />
----------<br />
<br />
<br />
Naw, just kidding, where shall we start? at the beginning OK... It may come as no surprise to some that the huge CCS BC is in fact very similar in shape to a much smaller Covenant ship, the Covenant Cruiser, (I'm not sure it has a better name?) So I first built this smaller craft and based the larger CCS on it.<br />
<br />
Starting with a model from the game, I dropped in my Akula model, to get an idea of the detail I wanted to put into both ships:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vcGaFkYZKg/USGLpZd7C1I/AAAAAAAABD4/KKmuRBvx8Js/s1600/covenant_cruisers_akulascaleref.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Comparison of ships" border="0" height="292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vcGaFkYZKg/USGLpZd7C1I/AAAAAAAABD4/KKmuRBvx8Js/s640/covenant_cruisers_akulascaleref.jpg" title="Covenant cruisers comparison " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See that tiny ship in the corner, thats one of my most detailed ships, the 5 million triangle Akula Class. Yikes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had to up-scale the low detail mesh and make sure its smooth - nice and high-res looking, here's some of the initial work on the bow... Remember this corresponds to the smaller of the two covenant ships in the above image:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZvSuu86WDs/USGKxA7tk1I/AAAAAAAABDw/I5VPnpz3i0w/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A closeup of the bow" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZvSuu86WDs/USGKxA7tk1I/AAAAAAAABDw/I5VPnpz3i0w/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_01a.jpg" title="Bow Closeup" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added textures pretty early on, it was requested that i put only basic UV mapping data as many effects would be achieved procedurally - as usual most of the final look of the surfaces were established in-house after I handed over the model. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Was I worried, was I, bah..... Yes of course, I was completely terrified, so I decided to concentrate and complete the bow first as a self contained part, this way I could see how long it took and how much to panic about doing the rest. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWN_X2bi6qE/USGPB7fe92I/AAAAAAAABEk/YRE08yTjsxg/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_05a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="'Clay' Render of the bow" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWN_X2bi6qE/USGPB7fe92I/AAAAAAAABEk/YRE08yTjsxg/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_05a.jpg" title="'Clay' Render of the bow" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was allowed a lot of freedom with the detailing and trusted to handle it in my own way, after analysing the Halo 4 covenant style guide I added shapes such as the hair like detail on the borders where the armour steps down. I also drew some inspiration from my one of my favourite designers - H R Giger, appropriate as Halo is often said to draw inspiration from the Aliens franchise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5y1e-b9BXw/USGRX3DnfEI/AAAAAAAABEw/Wv7XytzsFts/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_08a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Underside of the bow WIP" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5y1e-b9BXw/USGRX3DnfEI/AAAAAAAABEw/Wv7XytzsFts/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_08a.jpg" title="Underside of the bow WIP" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Textured underside of the bow - something a bit squid-like about this, again channelling a little Giger. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After finishing the bow to an acceptable standard, I realised this was a huge task but I was pretty sure, well fairly sure, it wouldn't end in a huge embarrassing disaster, but still the fear of that was a powerful motivator, a bit like a Death Star commander awaiting a visit from Palpatine.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9jCs7tijfo/USGSSNLwgVI/AAAAAAAABFQ/8b_nbDW_pBQ/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_10a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Overview of the WIP" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9jCs7tijfo/USGSSNLwgVI/AAAAAAAABFQ/8b_nbDW_pBQ/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_10a.jpg" title="Cruiser WIP overview" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I'm asked, <i>hey you</i> <i>why you put that colour on so early, you stoopid or somethin'? </i>Well, it helps a modeller to make selections, for example all the underlying layers are a darker material than the overlaying armour, so its easy to select these areas by material, or by colour, also, grey is boring, also, It helps to show where I've put UV's, also, shut up.;) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, I'm tackling the model methodically, working from one end to the other, often I'll work haphazardly on many different areas at once, depending on my mood. Here I tried to be as disciplined as possible, if only so my client could see clear progress with each update, as you follow the pictures you can see the "HD" areas growing and overtaking the low detail without jumping ahead.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymCCZOxsBpY/USGT58EEaSI/AAAAAAAABFc/MQ8pKO3dkfc/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymCCZOxsBpY/USGT58EEaSI/AAAAAAAABFc/MQ8pKO3dkfc/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A far more subdued colour scheme though, the final version as created by Axis was somewhat brighter like the first renders, but I had no idea what tones they would choose at the time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As always, progress is slow and demands immense patience... But then if I wanted excitement I would never have given up on that career delivering pizza on the Gaza Strip.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LHPIyf2KUtA/USGUwDb4ExI/AAAAAAAABF8/9EYwRHaL7co/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Converting the covenant" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LHPIyf2KUtA/USGUwDb4ExI/AAAAAAAABF8/9EYwRHaL7co/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_14a.jpg" title="Further Covenant Conversion" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, Jumping ahead just a little! Most of the panels you can see cut into this hull are carefully made to be faithful to the in-game textures. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Edqg52z4aus/USGVh0NnHHI/AAAAAAAABGI/IuTcX4i1cqo/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_15a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="What, you can't see this image? " border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Edqg52z4aus/USGVh0NnHHI/AAAAAAAABGI/IuTcX4i1cqo/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_15a.jpg" title="A side view of this Covenant WIP" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this ship looks best from the side! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMu1CLP5HNA/USGWbusg5yI/AAAAAAAABGU/Y5Cm6z_FAoA/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_17a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMu1CLP5HNA/USGWbusg5yI/AAAAAAAABGU/Y5Cm6z_FAoA/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_17a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the "engraved" detail on the cargo bays. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZKKm41sMh8/USGW6EWmoTI/AAAAAAAABG0/VZ79zRl615c/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_19a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZKKm41sMh8/USGW6EWmoTI/AAAAAAAABG0/VZ79zRl615c/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_19a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the detail on the upper-mid section, not sure what these freaky looking shapes in the cut-outs are meant to be, they just seemed like an interesting way to use up that space and create some contrast area. I recall after showing this image to the crew at Axis, they were wondering just where I was going to go for the larger Cruiser. I had some ideas... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the purposes of detail on a spacecraft model, for film use, is to create areas of contrast. The gaps between detail create darker areas, they can cast shadow or soak up light, so even if you can't see all the detail itself, you'll see the darker, contrasting areas on it, this creates visual appeal no matter what the lighting angle, it's important to have smooth areas that will light brightly, and darker areas which add definition, which adds scale, make sense? Good, there will be a test.*<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avNrv9wqfeg/USGX389kmxI/AAAAAAAABHA/taVP-oGEUFY/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_21a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A view of the top of the cruiser" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avNrv9wqfeg/USGX389kmxI/AAAAAAAABHA/taVP-oGEUFY/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_21a.jpg" title="A view of the top of the cruiser" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work in progress of the upper side of the cruiser, thats what WIP means if you haven't been keeping up with the world of nerd. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zikpxa1CZgQ/USGYbEFrR3I/AAAAAAAABHI/RhrzLbrvI-I/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_20a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zikpxa1CZgQ/USGYbEFrR3I/AAAAAAAABHI/RhrzLbrvI-I/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_20a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.... Flip it over and attack the underside for massive poly-counts! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cg97sNCPXvk/USGY8zLPZiI/AAAAAAAABHQ/Azv8FRibcNg/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_22a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cg97sNCPXvk/USGY8zLPZiI/AAAAAAAABHQ/Azv8FRibcNg/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_22a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, now its starting to look the part. I always imagined this area in the centre was the bridge of the ship, but according to various un-nammed geeky sources it's probably just the ship's bar, the covenant space hooch is good, hardly make your insides melt but served warm with side orders of live salty flies. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h6doM3ZfG4/USGZ8gozTTI/AAAAAAAABH0/eA4JqZpBcN8/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_23a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h6doM3ZfG4/USGZ8gozTTI/AAAAAAAABH0/eA4JqZpBcN8/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_23a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting close to what I thought the final version of the <i>small </i>cruiser would be... This is perhaps a week or so into the build, anxious to finish and get started on the real ship, little did I know at this point I'd already started it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpLA9vY4MmY/USGfGnmgBgI/AAAAAAAABIY/g_igbfcEzIk/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_24a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Underside small cruiser" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpLA9vY4MmY/USGfGnmgBgI/AAAAAAAABIY/g_igbfcEzIk/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_24a.jpg" title="Underside small cruiser" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look closely at the (landing leg?) adding the first bit of actual mechanical looking detail - 'Greeble' or 'Nurnie' this shape was ripped straight off my Akula, and has been used on numerous models, you will need to click and see the expanded version - but you were doing that anyway, right? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghJ7w0Ciqds/USGf4rbmghI/AAAAAAAABIg/UThGVxLSbEI/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_25a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Underside, small cruiser" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghJ7w0Ciqds/USGf4rbmghI/AAAAAAAABIg/UThGVxLSbEI/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_25a.jpg" title="Underside, small cruiser" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice view of the energy-rose, err, thing... Yeah I have no idea what that round part is called, just that it has light coming out of it - I really did my homework as you can tell! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okrX7k2QFhc/USGgznRaTXI/AAAAAAAABIs/lAGb58OBqyw/s1600/covenant_cruiser_wip_26a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okrX7k2QFhc/USGgznRaTXI/AAAAAAAABIs/lAGb58OBqyw/s640/covenant_cruiser_wip_26a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice view of the Airlock thing on the side, again with the covenant engraving, which also sees use on the upper rear of the bridge area - I figured this could be another airlock or shuttle bay, like a huge door that slides upward, but nothing like that is hinted at in the plans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
And so friends, we all too soon reach the end of part 1, not to be cruel but Blogger's editor hates having too many large pics in one article and its acting up, making it hard for me to add anything else... I fear if I add any more awesome to this piece I may break the internet forever! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Moving on, lots of ground to cover in part 2, which will not be too far down the road, and hopefully if I haven't been assassinated by the studio's sinister agents for giving away too many insider secrets we can get all the rest into the next exciting update! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Hope you've enjoyed it so far, please click the buttons below to 'like' and 'share' this article on Google, Facebook etc, each one means a lot to me, and don't forget to hit the follow button on the sliding tab thingy on the right.:)</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* Coolhand Graphics takes no responsibility for you becoming fatally injured, slightly bruised or sore in an intimate area after reading this blog.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">** There will not be a test.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-43004704110587945472013-02-14T06:41:00.000+00:002013-02-14T06:41:27.969+00:00Space Babes 001 - Major Erika Cooper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She may be a battle hardened marine, with years of experience maiming Umpa Lumpas on Rigel 7 (hey, its either maim or be maimed), but she has a soft side too, all the same don't get complacent or say the wrong thing or she'll kick your a**...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Here, she is pictured on board the UNSS Ecliptic, on tour near the Heart Nebula (thank you Hubble), sporting at least part of a MkIV Combat Harness, with the optional Tactical Command Helmet which includes integrated brain-stem interface hardware, speeding tactical decisions. The Martini, is very dry - though where she's been keeping the olives is a secret. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQqkwyJBsKU/URx5HSnIllI/AAAAAAAABCQ/WDMwpBu2Pwg/s1600/Rendezvous_At_Heart_Nebulalg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQqkwyJBsKU/URx5HSnIllI/AAAAAAAABCQ/WDMwpBu2Pwg/s1600/Rendezvous_At_Heart_Nebulalg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For all you lonely Space Marines out there, Valentines sucks if you're on patrol somewhere out on the cold, lonely fringes of the cosmos... Unless you have a holosuite of course: Wife? What wife?<i> - You know, the one you forgot to get a card or present for.... </i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you really are lonely tonight (and I'd be surprised if you are because 100% of science fiction fans are of course in long term stable relationships), then perhaps try brewing up a genetically engineered pleasure GELF in your sink, build a sexbot in your garage or just hit the bottle* until you think you see one, then pass out. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Coolhand Graphics expects you to drink responsibly, no more than 3 jugs of Space Hooch per recreation cycle, for example, and takes no liability for overdoses of any kind caused by Valentines depression, Vogon construction fleets, and / or waking up in a pool of vomit, just pray its your own. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-64859653590039421062013-02-08T20:30:00.000+00:002013-02-08T20:30:10.180+00:001/270 Spacefighters Part 1 - Huntsman <div style="text-align: center;">
Now available from <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/shops/coolhand" target="_blank">Shapeways</a> in two distinct flavors. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://shpws.me/nhYs" target="_blank">Heavy Huntsman:</a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--sKHPtTi1lI/URVe_eRRMmI/AAAAAAAABAw/7MF5VqcHzug/s320/heavyhunter_01.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://shpws.me/nhYq" target="_blank">Regular Huntsman</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpGYa-4LEC0/URVfLZvxUmI/AAAAAAAABA4/j53o-FDP1_g/s1600/Z95_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpGYa-4LEC0/URVfLZvxUmI/AAAAAAAABA4/j53o-FDP1_g/s320/Z95_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Paint and use these models in your favourite Star Fighter combat game! Also these are basically 6mm figure scale.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-64394843997611889132013-01-31T12:48:00.001+00:002013-01-31T12:59:43.315+00:00Ninja Magic ships painted up.Just stumbled on this video on <a href="https://plus.google.com/110073670552502370593/posts" target="_blank">Robbin Fitton's</a> G+ page. Takes me back a bit, I built the protos for these for one of my first clients, Ninja Magic.<br />
<br />
Here's his painting guide with lots of great closeups of a couple of the Junila ships, I also worked on the Kikoku fleet and perhaps something else - It was so long ago the brain modules that stored that data have undoubtedly corroded or eaten by <a href="http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Scraplet" target="_blank">scraplets</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ItSylZ9kwtM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And they are quite beautifully fetching in this colour scheme I think, well done sir. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Designs were all by Todd Boyce, I translated his plans into 3d and made up the detailing as I went along. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here are a couple of renderings of the Drone Carrier (these are very old so not the nicest of renderings)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pPbJB-9Rdo/UQpnZwVX6mI/AAAAAAAAA7g/ayusDBRxBzU/s1600/junila_interceptioncarrier_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pPbJB-9Rdo/UQpnZwVX6mI/AAAAAAAAA7g/ayusDBRxBzU/s320/junila_interceptioncarrier_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In fact these might even be WIP shots...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ec1HqIzpJgU/UQpnZiisqlI/AAAAAAAAA7o/aDSbnlV4-YE/s1600/junila_interceptioncarrier_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ec1HqIzpJgU/UQpnZiisqlI/AAAAAAAAA7o/aDSbnlV4-YE/s320/junila_interceptioncarrier_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps I will dig out the 3d files and make some better renders one day... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have set of the final production castings that Todd sent me... Somewhere, maybe i'll find them one day and give them a paint up, not sure if they'd look as nice as the paint up in the video but stay tuned folks! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-17481833483702658822013-01-15T22:37:00.000+00:002013-01-16T23:09:03.768+00:00Section 8 - Heavy Armor Type B - Xbox 360Here's an oldie that I haven't covered previously anywhere online, probably.<br />
<br />
In '07, Timegate Studios in Dallas, in the good ol' Lonestar state, you guessed it, rootin'-tootin', six-shootin' Texas USA... Err, anyway, cold-contacted me, clearly desperate for help with their new shooter: Section 8. As some of you will know, as you've probably like me been subject to one, a "Section 8" is traditionally best known as an exemption from military duty, due to poor mental health... And it very nearly cost me my own sensible mind, or would have, if I hadn't already had half of it blown out already by a misdirected friendly fire air-strike in Korea... OK, I admit I called it in, I have a hard time with maps, fortunately the 4077th scooped up what was left and stitched me back together, but that's a different story.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ROPm3Ics_iw/UPV7liSAF_I/AAAAAAAAArk/vdTCGYDwygI/s1600/B_HeavyArmor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ROPm3Ics_iw/UPV7liSAF_I/AAAAAAAAArk/vdTCGYDwygI/s320/B_HeavyArmor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful concept artwork by, who knows...? If you painted this, let me know. If only I had seen this before agreeing to do the project, eh? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
See, I was perhaps<i> slightly </i>mislead getting into this, I signed the NDA, and got little more info, I was to build was "a vehicle", which technically I guess it is, a person sits inside and drives it around... But lets face it, its a bit more challenging than one might have expected for "a vehicle". Cue much desaturation of hair-tone and frustration as Coolhand for a change finds himself a little out of depth, for the project was on a strict time limit and what did he learn from that?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YkZf2rT4ptU/UPWkWADxSGI/AAAAAAAAAw4/0buHNIY6CQQ/s1600/klinger02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YkZf2rT4ptU/UPWkWADxSGI/AAAAAAAAAw4/0buHNIY6CQQ/s200/klinger02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can I go home now, look I'm clearly mad... IAM WAERING TEH NURSEZ HAT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqmqPHLw4Lc/UPWklsc5aPI/AAAAAAAAAxA/XFECR1YphKU/s1600/colonelcommander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqmqPHLw4Lc/UPWklsc5aPI/AAAAAAAAAxA/XFECR1YphKU/s200/colonelcommander.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemme think....<br />
<br />
....No. <br />
<br />
(CUE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION TRACK)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bear with me and enjoy some pictures and words in a sequence, that you can play by moving the page up and down in your browser, while I think about what I learned and hammer the dings out of my head-plates for a little bit...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbrEJr8hh7k/UPV-L5fYovI/AAAAAAAAAsA/nIRrGkHxghM/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbrEJr8hh7k/UPV-L5fYovI/AAAAAAAAAsA/nIRrGkHxghM/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early days, almost certainly day one, morning... Coming up to lunchtime, Roughing in the shapes, all seems to be going well... Later, I had beans on toast. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I began the project knowing it would be a massive challenge, a model more complicated than anything I'd built before, a mixture of organic and hard surfaces, I had a hard time thinking of this walking gorilla-mech thing as simply a vehicle. But, eh, when a freelancer with just a couple of years experience is offered something that's going into an X-Box game it's hard to turn it down. And back in 2007, I certainly enjoyed a bit of X-Boxing every now and then so it was all very exciting.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pG-J59buzRk/UPV_Q5eVUPI/AAAAAAAAAsc/LQM241RDHf4/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pG-J59buzRk/UPV_Q5eVUPI/AAAAAAAAAsc/LQM241RDHf4/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything ends in spikes and stabby looking things, makes sense really. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FlKhOzyeM-U/UPV_tcJhYBI/AAAAAAAAAsk/4XHb1sXmBbw/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FlKhOzyeM-U/UPV_tcJhYBI/AAAAAAAAAsk/4XHb1sXmBbw/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left, my model, on the right Timegate's proxy. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A requirement for this model was that as a mech, it requires a pilot to be able to enter and drive it around, so the whole back opens up to reveal a cockpit. I had TWO WEEKS to do everything. I had been sent a proxy by Timegate showing the animated parts. You might be thinking, why didn't I simply start with the proxy and save some time? That would be a good question and its perhaps because I wanted a cleaner model to start with and felt I could do a better job that way, but due to the time constraints, this was probably a mistake that cost at least half a day.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_qJMovy3dc/UPWCEvhv2rI/AAAAAAAAAtA/k97kKBvCnSk/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_qJMovy3dc/UPWCEvhv2rI/AAAAAAAAAtA/k97kKBvCnSk/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the sculptural elements going in on the legs. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then there was the detailing, which I became very bogged down in, at that point in my career I hadn't learned and developed the workflow and techniques that make this manageable<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1S2yxIBDvkI/UPWC8pNs1KI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/U5neOA-xXqU/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1S2yxIBDvkI/UPWC8pNs1KI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/U5neOA-xXqU/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now its looking more the part, shame it took so long... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Probably about now, probably before, I realised this wasn't going to go smoothly, which causes stress, which stresses out everyone at the other end, which stressed me out even more. I was uncertain about everything, but had to plough on and hope for the best.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MCN36Zb7Rs/UPWlVGtB-fI/AAAAAAAAAxI/kWUybivo-BY/s1600/klinger01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MCN36Zb7Rs/UPWlVGtB-fI/AAAAAAAAAxI/kWUybivo-BY/s1600/klinger01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? - This isn't tropical white, long? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tmen-gnSVmM/UPWERvqU2uI/AAAAAAAAAts/Npo6eguo8qc/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tmen-gnSVmM/UPWERvqU2uI/AAAAAAAAAts/Npo6eguo8qc/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_32.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I recall becoming slightly obsessed with the 'hinges' of the doors to the cockpit compartment... Even though nobody else cared *how* it worked as it all worked by video-game magic. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_dqYuPKg6Q/UPWEwVID2EI/AAAAAAAAAt0/RdDKR1we7b4/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_dqYuPKg6Q/UPWEwVID2EI/AAAAAAAAAt0/RdDKR1we7b4/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_37.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thats some pure modelling pr0n right there, for all you greeble junkies, a lot of those greebly parts came off my Akula Warship model. Click for an expanded view, you know you want to, no ones looking... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvqU2GnBons/UPWFSxyV-GI/AAAAAAAAAt8/QhHyKfcjpr0/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvqU2GnBons/UPWFSxyV-GI/AAAAAAAAAt8/QhHyKfcjpr0/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_38.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, Baby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So now its really coming together, while the studio is pleased with the model itself, I'm still stressing as i'm just over the end of my allotted time.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K62CTwe3csY/UPWF1ufn2lI/AAAAAAAAAuE/Fuu4YVWPLzs/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K62CTwe3csY/UPWF1ufn2lI/AAAAAAAAAuE/Fuu4YVWPLzs/s320/HeavyArmor_B_rough_model_WIP_40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Achtung! Baby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Bu... Bu... you're nearly done, right?" You ask, scared and confused. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yeah, sure with this model, but this is a model for a console that we were all still inaccurately calling "Next Gen" in 2007. Clearly this model will not be good for a game as it has something like 4 million triangles, even the mighty <i>Xbox 360</i> will RROD the instant it attempts to push such an amount around on an HD display. </div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IjwRvPN1Yb8/UPWGv-tuYPI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/Sz2Gg04LiK4/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_high_poly_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IjwRvPN1Yb8/UPWGv-tuYPI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/Sz2Gg04LiK4/s320/HeavyArmor_B_high_poly_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view inside the cockpit, since you would place your legs inside the mechs legs, the design assumed you were a person with a two-foot crotch-gap, not much I could do about that but I did my best to make it seem plausible. I probably should have cared less. Also note the detail of all the artificial muscle around the hips, looks OK but it was made in an incredibly stupid, tedious and time consuming way, D'oh!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For a 'Next Gen' game, it became not only necessary to build a low-poly/real-time model, with as few triangles as possible, but also to build a really insanely detailed model too. It's all to do with Normal Maps, I won't bore you to tears with a technical explanation, but its basic purpose is to give a low detailed surface (like a real time model) the look and detail of a very highly detailed surface, without the overhead of pushing millions of triangles around just to render someone's nose... This Technique was first used by id to make zombies and orcs fully 20 times more boring than they had been in Doom 2, in Doom 3.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bTqM3FpZVe8/UPWHoa4ljpI/AAAAAAAAAus/IVRMzk3PvLo/s1600/Heavy_Armor_finalrender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bTqM3FpZVe8/UPWHoa4ljpI/AAAAAAAAAus/IVRMzk3PvLo/s640/Heavy_Armor_finalrender.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final render of the High-Poly model.... OOOOoooooh. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3cfU2jLyRMk/UPWlyEMQDVI/AAAAAAAAAxU/_HkindFJPu8/s1600/klinger03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3cfU2jLyRMk/UPWlyEMQDVI/AAAAAAAAAxU/_HkindFJPu8/s1600/klinger03.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SRSLY, IS THIS TV SHOW OVER ALREADY? What? JUST ONE MORE SEASON? CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So now, already over my deadline I had to scramble to get a low poly version together too, the one that would actually be used in the game, with normal maps generated from the high poly version we are all now familiar with.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e4GlcF-38Y0/UPWJGgFcZaI/AAAAAAAAAvY/H9_xL5-a4Us/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e4GlcF-38Y0/UPWJGgFcZaI/AAAAAAAAAvY/H9_xL5-a4Us/s320/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exciting Low-Poly WIREFRAMES! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fortunately this doesn't take as long and I quickly built a highly optimised model around the high detail version, of course its crucial how the two models relate to each other so care needs to be taken to make the models match. I was familiar with these concepts anyway, but this was highly stressed to me, I guessed they had problems previously with freelancers providing out-of-sync versions or something.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bff2Qv0d64E/UPWR85Ao5vI/AAAAAAAAAv4/y1wgrRDLSh4/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bff2Qv0d64E/UPWR85Ao5vI/AAAAAAAAAv4/y1wgrRDLSh4/s320/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More wires, and more and more... The tiny spikes around the upper armour were later removed because they were stupid.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sometimes its a challenge to work out what detail to leave in, and where, a problem with normal mapping is that it falls apart and fails at the edges of things, its an illusion created within a surface and does not extend beyond it... As if each triangle, each face of the model were a tiny screen itself, displaying a bit of the high poly version, it can give the illusion of depth but cannot extend outside the screen... Is that making sense, or confusing everyone more?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSyuAfNoFxA/UPWS42bbBeI/AAAAAAAAAwE/uSaXCAd5NEk/s1600/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSyuAfNoFxA/UPWS42bbBeI/AAAAAAAAAwE/uSaXCAd5NEk/s320/HeavyArmor_B_lowpoly_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's the final version! This actually went into the game, a proper game made by almost real people. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally this model was complete and joined its high detail counterpart on the Timegate FTP. I was relieved and the studio were more than happy with the model, but it was overdue, I was a gibbering mess and I had missed the payroll date... Which combined with an accounting mistake meant I had to wait a <i>long </i>time for any compensation, which caused me additional problems. It seems that the bigger the company, the more inflexible the payroll systems are.<br />
<br />
As I was under NDA it was also a very long time before the game was released and I was able to talk about the work, a couple of years in fact, but that's so often the case, when the time came, I had more or less forgotten about it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLXmYQz21_c/UPWmznYvapI/AAAAAAAAAx4/4JJpxEbak2s/s1600/colonelpotterklinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLXmYQz21_c/UPWmznYvapI/AAAAAAAAAx4/4JJpxEbak2s/s1600/colonelpotterklinger.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whatever you do, try and look good doing it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ultimately, though I'm proud of the model as it worked out, at that point I'd have been better off not accepting the task, which given the time constraints was at that stage in my skills, beyond me. I actually felt I had been somewhat manipulated by the studio into taking on too much work, for too little reward in too short a time-frame - of course everyone wants things done cheaply and as quickly as possible, but this puts the people at the end of the chain of command under the most strain. <br />
<br />
I'm not sure if this was either knowing or unknowing by the description given and the way things were handled, perhaps it was my own inexperience of dealing with these things and not knowing the right questions to ask and too much wishful thinking, working freelance in the games industry, as opposed to other industries, is a real minefield to new players.<br />
<br />
I guess the lesson is to not be blinded by an apparently golden opportunity.<br />
<br />
To be fair to the people who worked at Timegate, it was pretty obvious that everyone there was very strained, stressed and under pressure, don't forget that this was nearly two years before the game was actually released!<br />
<br />
(I was also promised a copy of the game itself, two years later but that never appeared, surprise surprise;))<br />
<br />
I really want to make clear that this was 6 years ago, today it would not be an issue. All the same it was still a challenging build of a very complicated design that had organic and in-organic shapes, all kinds of mechanisms and animated parts.<br />
<br />
Finally here are some pics and vids of the final thing in the game and painted etc.<br />
<br />
A Wiki Article about this, err, vehicle... is <a href="http://section8.wikia.com/wiki/M05_Silverback" target="_blank">here</a> I obviously never did play the game as I had no idea the mech is called, wait for it: M05 Silverback<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b6uYZeowfUI/UPXYfnGdELI/AAAAAAAAAyY/XG0Z8L7ocQQ/s1600/504x_section8_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b6uYZeowfUI/UPXYfnGdELI/AAAAAAAAAyY/XG0Z8L7ocQQ/s320/504x_section8_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> I was expecting a bit more from the texturing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PFTC8pvHuQ/UPXYnjWJRmI/AAAAAAAAAyg/ZsEhN_bg4T4/s1600/section-8-20090602080440727_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PFTC8pvHuQ/UPXYnjWJRmI/AAAAAAAAAyg/ZsEhN_bg4T4/s320/section-8-20090602080440727_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still, looks pretty funky, and suitably scary enough to give a person a bit of shock to turn another boringly textured brown coloured corner to find it lurking menacingly near some bins or whatever else litters the map of this game I never played or was even sent a copy of, as promised. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7XYI0tm9Ps/UPXYtT3GxwI/AAAAAAAAAyo/4mKDKwPS8H8/s1600/Section8.9-620x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7XYI0tm9Ps/UPXYtT3GxwI/AAAAAAAAAyo/4mKDKwPS8H8/s320/Section8.9-620x.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, **** it, 6 years ago, who cares. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can see it in action in this video here from about 8 minutes in:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kUwrJDbBqNE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I think they also shoved it into the sequel too, the model gets the living crap kicked out of it by another angry looking mech, what is it with my models always getting blown up by these studios? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gEr2Dvo51wA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Must be the new version of my old version, meh, I think the old one was a better design;) </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Anyway, thanks for reading, if you did, maybe you just looked through the pictures, kinda bored on your lunch break... You're probably already on facebook or twitter looking at other stuff and if you are don't forget to like this article on whatever, its a great help, and if you didn't like it, whatever, you can't have those precious minutes of your life back now. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pfft, don't kid me, and don't complain, you knew what you were getting into.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E0yGmM917JE/UPWmW1dWMSI/AAAAAAAAAxw/eWL3vwih9wE/s1600/MASHfunnyshit_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E0yGmM917JE/UPWmW1dWMSI/AAAAAAAAAxw/eWL3vwih9wE/s1600/MASHfunnyshit_01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> M*A*S*H, if you've never seen it, the references to Klinger and his cross-dressing efforts to get Sectioned out of Korea will be entirely lost on you... BTW I did this whole project while wearing a dress. <span style="font-size: large;">A</span><span style="font-size: small;">H</span>AHaHahaa<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ahaaa (don't move until the credits roll ends)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-43359034009897592292013-01-07T11:08:00.000+00:002013-01-07T12:43:56.907+00:00Halo 4 - Preview of my work for Spartan Ops DLC missions.In the sweltering heat of last summer, 2012, As the country settled in to watch the Olympics I found myself taking on an Olympic sized challenge of my own, one you could say I've been in training for, for some time now.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I won't go too much into specifics, as I don't officially have any permission to post images etc, but you can see the covenant ships I built for them toward the end of this trailer. Here's a grab from part of it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThNVifWJqiY/UOrColDPElI/AAAAAAAAAqY/Ihnv3q5RAgs/s1600/covenant_heavycruiser_feature_01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThNVifWJqiY/UOrColDPElI/AAAAAAAAAqY/Ihnv3q5RAgs/s640/covenant_heavycruiser_feature_01.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aK9f8-LSqcg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The trailer itself has been out since the end of October, but I believe the episodes that heavily feature the models are out this month (if you know differently please drop me a commnent below!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I also built some of the explosion / wreckage meshes, anyway its a quick taste of intense spaceship action to come, hopefully more of the model will be seen in the productions, which form downloadable video content for a DLC with extra missions for the game. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Soon as I get the all clear, which should be this month sometime, I'll post some gigantic images of the model so you can see all the detail thats on it and possibly detail the creation of the small and large covenant cruisers in one of my "Big Spaceships" Work in progress reconstruction threads. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was a very challenging build, both due to the sheer scale of it, the amount of detail and also because that detail had to conform to very organic curving shapes as typical of Halo's Covenant technology - which is about 10 times more difficult to accomplish than slab sided, straight edged models like my old Akula because no two bits of hull are at the same angle, curvature, etc.<br />
<br />
Looking forward to hopefully seeing more of it in the full episode!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-63897208031506984362012-12-13T14:39:00.000+00:002012-12-13T14:44:07.591+00:00Shapeways Figurine - Gangnam StyleThis is the result of a commission from a few weeks ago to produce a dancing PSY caricature. <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/735927/gangnam-style-figurine.html?li=productBox-search" target="_blank">Buy Me! You know you want to...</a> Kinda hard translating a 2d caricature into a 3d shape, and trying to keep it looking consistent but I think we were all pleased with the results.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6SGpwK-14g/UMnpaFrkD_I/AAAAAAAAApo/bsCR6lZ9WvQ/s1600/gangnam-style-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6SGpwK-14g/UMnpaFrkD_I/AAAAAAAAApo/bsCR6lZ9WvQ/s320/gangnam-style-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8XQlJo77fE/UMnpgPqbSII/AAAAAAAAApw/8MFirGiAAM8/s1600/gangnamsandstone+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8XQlJo77fE/UMnpgPqbSII/AAAAAAAAApw/8MFirGiAAM8/s320/gangnamsandstone+2.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_MmYvj2SPM/UMnn46LloLI/AAAAAAAAApg/a2AWd0DH0DI/s1600/gangnam-style-final_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_MmYvj2SPM/UMnn46LloLI/AAAAAAAAApg/a2AWd0DH0DI/s640/gangnam-style-final_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-39531805274353634302012-11-25T17:21:00.000+00:002012-11-25T18:12:08.159+00:00Elite 4 - Coolhand Style! (Part 1) <div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkxtmvowSPE/ULJP_gp3acI/AAAAAAAAAn0/B_mw1t_Hc8o/s1600/athrowbay01a1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkxtmvowSPE/ULJP_gp3acI/AAAAAAAAAn0/B_mw1t_Hc8o/s640/athrowbay01a1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ships robot (a 12 foot tall ill-tempered ABC Warrior (look it up)) takes it out on the dock droids at Heathrow Starport. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thats right friends, I'm sure eveyone reading this blog is oozing with anticipation at the thought that finally, after years and years of shameless teasing, it really does seem as if a proper modern sequel to Elite and Frontier is only perhaps, maybe at best several years from completion. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Luckily for us, the pioneering head of developments and King of Frontier, David Braben has decided to utilise the series massive fan base of massive nerds to attempt to propel this project into solid virtual reality with a well placed <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous" target="_blank">Kickstarter </a>to the tender underparts of Frontier Developments. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
For the last couple of years i've been sourcing parts and restoring a classic Amiga 1200, the very<br />
machine I received 19 years ago this Christmas. I used it a lot for more than 5 years and learned some of the basics of digital art that I persue today as something that almost approximates a professional career. It was also a great games machine and one of the finest titles is easily Frontier, the sequel to the revolutionary 1984 BBC Micro title - Elite.<br />
<br />
1993's Frontier was more evolutionary but presented a reasonably realistic (physics working as Sir Isaac Newton would have prefered) and an unbelievably well realised massive galaxy to explore. For a game that will run from floppy disk (remember them?) in 1mb of memory on a computer that operates at 6mhz Frontier was especially impressive, simulating a level of scale from a working clock on a church tower to an entire WORKING solar system to an entire galaxy was something simply unheard of, and in many ways has not been beaten so far.<br />
<br />
Needless to say it captivated me in way that no other game ever had, but it was a game that required some imagination to get the best out of it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j8AuvtLXYug/ULJGhW0s6WI/AAAAAAAAAms/8SGRGdjUF_0/s1600/frontiertroubles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j8AuvtLXYug/ULJGhW0s6WI/AAAAAAAAAms/8SGRGdjUF_0/s640/frontiertroubles.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lasers are red, spacetime is blue.... I have no idea why. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So the above, a typical screen, at least in my head, resembled the most fantastic looking space-opera I could imagine, the low res chunky graphics, laughable interface style and bug ridden rendering of low poly spacecraft and environments became a mere framework for a vividly detailed universe. Ask anyone who played it (and enjoyed it) or its wire-frame 8-bit predecessor and you'll probably get a similar response, it really didn't look like the above at all when you were fully immersed in it.<br />
<br />
Years later after the Amiga became obsolete and stopped functioning properly I would still play Frontier (and its sequel FFE) on an x86 PC, occasionally via emulation or modification and reverse engineered code projects with perhaps dubious legal status, enjoying much faster framerates, higher resolutions, better controls and so on, but none actually looked anything like the old Amiga Frontier did in my head, nothing looked as good as in the imagination.<br />
<br />
Several times I've attemped to realise some of these as 3d models<br />
<br />
First, is the Asp Explorer... You already saw it at the top of the page, This older project (construction will probably be detailed in a later blog entry - keep em peeled) represented to a degree what the game, or at least what one of the vehicles featured kinda looked like to me - in this case a very battered almost Millenium Falcon-esq cargo ship.<br />
<br />
This is how it looked in the original game:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bch86bOeUjI/ULJWRwoh6cI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/B2CgVqcyUb4/s1600/frontier.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bch86bOeUjI/ULJWRwoh6cI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/B2CgVqcyUb4/s640/frontier.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here are a few more old pics of my interpretation of the original 7-odd triangle model:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9zDJQ7aNd_s/ULJLmS3ffkI/AAAAAAAAAnI/qbnfq-tUQsI/s1600/Dietsteakette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9zDJQ7aNd_s/ULJLmS3ffkI/AAAAAAAAAnI/qbnfq-tUQsI/s640/Dietsteakette.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asp CL-577 departs Boring Boston Base, where no one ever shoots at you, unless you shoot them first. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3xgLWwz3CQ/ULJMj8n8b1I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/S-moFK6BtCM/s1600/deckplans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3xgLWwz3CQ/ULJMj8n8b1I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/S-moFK6BtCM/s640/deckplans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Built in 2004 I produced a floor plan part way during modelling (the 3d model visible here is far from finished) this was apparently later used by a group of naval architects who contacted me to use it for their role playing game. No, really. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPXAN_-OHR8/ULJPOaaYKQI/AAAAAAAAAns/2l64J2SM944/s1600/ASP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPXAN_-OHR8/ULJPOaaYKQI/AAAAAAAAAns/2l64J2SM944/s640/ASP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd have made the stars less, umm, intense today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0_8e0bbxJc/ULI25qW5ZuI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hWADLObYdko/s1600/ASPdive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0_8e0bbxJc/ULI25qW5ZuI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hWADLObYdko/s640/ASPdive.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recently leaked Elite: Dangerous screenshot. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have built several other vehicles based on this Universe, end of part 1, more to come!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-62920154419114358902012-10-07T08:31:00.003+01:002012-10-08T13:58:39.182+01:00El Diablo at Shapeways! Fresh out of the fusion reactor, <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/728130/diablo-apc-6mm-scale-with-aero-mods.html" target="_blank">get em while they're blisteringly hot and mildly radioactive. </a> (erm, in actuality of course its perfectly safe plastic, I take no responsibility for any injuries caused by radiation, gaping jaws or excessive drool production clogging keyboards)
Previously listed here in this blog, here is the tiniest version that will be available, it has a hollow interior (with walls 3 times the minimum thickness for strength) and optional aerodynamic bolt on parts.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3gTI9p-olK8/UHLNypdt5RI/AAAAAAAAAks/FzMLwszwCcE/s1600/El_Diablo_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3gTI9p-olK8/UHLNypdt5RI/AAAAAAAAAks/FzMLwszwCcE/s400/El_Diablo_15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BZDnXha85o/UHLN565Zt5I/AAAAAAAAAk0/LfjHn5wIm-Y/s1600/El_Diablo_6mm_conversion_07+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BZDnXha85o/UHLN565Zt5I/AAAAAAAAAk0/LfjHn5wIm-Y/s400/El_Diablo_6mm_conversion_07+copy.jpg" width="355" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/728130/diablo-apc-6mm-scale-with-aero-mods.html">http://www.shapeways.com/model/728130/diablo-apc-6mm-scale-with-aero-mods.html</a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
or 3 pack, which spreads the setup cost over 3 models, meaning its more economical. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/728890/el-diablo-6mm-scale-pack-of-three.html">http://www.shapeways.com/model/728890/el-diablo-6mm-scale-pack-of-three.html</a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
background to this model, setting and stats and some nice renders are here: <a href="http://coolhandgraphics.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/el-diablo-de-la-carretera.html">http://coolhandgraphics.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/el-diablo-de-la-carretera.html</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-46272014092944818392012-09-20T19:59:00.000+01:002012-09-20T20:00:13.506+01:00Steinway Model D <br />
This is a pretty well known model of piano, frequently seen at concerts and often characters from NBC's quality comedy show <i>"Frasier" </i>would gather round while one of them performed the theme from Wings or something.<br />
<br />
I made this for printing, for a museum piece. Actually thought I'd lost it but turned out I had it on a backup disk. I only completed the exterior, as a craftsman was hand building a miniature soundboard for it - the final printed and completed exhibit was 1/4 scale. From the attachment angle it basically looks finished, but the inside is completely empty!<br />
<br />
So i'm going to build and fit my own highly detailed soundboard, and refine some of the rough edges on the brass pieces and so on, perhaps map it so I can add textures for grime and dirt etc.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsQC20x7ZKbTM1i_Np8ZDjMGDds1nvE23_Hpat0XOBqoqxt8UJJwAtJURRhcpsZ0I_A_Z7DFHUUkgkZQv2aUgv59qaZ_M2_Wk-TKGlwT45jH_KfviZ5r_DMSdwXxolv_dSsyer9K4iio/s1600/Steinway_2012_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsQC20x7ZKbTM1i_Np8ZDjMGDds1nvE23_Hpat0XOBqoqxt8UJJwAtJURRhcpsZ0I_A_Z7DFHUUkgkZQv2aUgv59qaZ_M2_Wk-TKGlwT45jH_KfviZ5r_DMSdwXxolv_dSsyer9K4iio/s640/Steinway_2012_01a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-2777365487266112722012-09-18T13:45:00.000+01:002012-09-18T14:09:15.469+01:00Alcubierre one. (Dramatic pause) Engage!To the surprise of almost everyone, our species is now perhaps slightly closer to someone not wearing a Star Trek uniform uttering that statement, in fact he or she may well be wearing a lab coat, probably won't be in space but secretly might like Star Trek.... I'm sure everyone reading this is familiar with this epic plot device as featured in every Star Trek episode ever. As everything else from Trek becomes true over time we may one day build a functional Alcubierre Drive - the 'real' name for <i>"Warp Drive".</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D-OvY53v34/UFhwTcAkLmI/AAAAAAAAAis/QpcGerrPJz0/s1600/bigwes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D-OvY53v34/UFhwTcAkLmI/AAAAAAAAAis/QpcGerrPJz0/s320/bigwes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avoid tricky time dilation, with WARP DRIVE!
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Alcubierre bends space in order to cheat Einstein and make a mockery of his ludicrous theories, of course cheating Einstein always takes a ton of energy... More precisely the number of tons that make up the entirety of Jupiter, which is umm, a lot of tons.... So many tons that it clearly makes such a propulsion system a bit of a non-starter since no ship in Star Trek appears to be towing a gas giant behind it, sucking its mass into its warp core with some type of big straw.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepensivecitadel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/journeys_wesvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://www.thepensivecitadel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/journeys_wesvest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many tons? How the hell should I know, Wes? - It wasn't written in the script. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But not any more! Probably... By carefully configuring your warp drive in a manner that would make Mr Scott or Geordi La Forge flush with manly pride you can apparently bring this magic amount down to the amount of energy contained in a pifflingly small volume - according to actual real men and women of science its the same mass as the Voyager 1 probe. Don't ask me how much mileage you'd get out of that, I'm not a scientition, dammit.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://julierosesews.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/picard-riker-worf-hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://julierosesews.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/picard-riker-worf-hat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avoid silly hats, with ALCUBIERRE DRIVE! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My only question, how do we get Voyager back and use it to invent Warp travel before its turned into V'ger by that machine race, oh what.... It can be any mass? not specifically Voyager 1, OK I get it, well I have no more questions then.... Oh, who's this, Erich?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTGZOibX6rs/T2wHcXKBKdI/AAAAAAAAAOE/3w3VESDzFSw/s1600/erich_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTGZOibX6rs/T2wHcXKBKdI/AAAAAAAAAOE/3w3VESDzFSw/s320/erich_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">I HAVE QUESTIONS!</span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Oh there's a surprise, go on then....</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nwvhwg8FxJE/T2wNFj_cVGI/AAAAAAAAAOU/PMFc0mJeG4Q/s1600/erich_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nwvhwg8FxJE/T2wNFj_cVGI/AAAAAAAAAOU/PMFc0mJeG4Q/s200/erich_05.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>I ask the question that science refuses to even make breakfast for and kicks out of it's parents home at 6am before its mother wakes up. If we can Warp-Drive with only the mass of Voyager, so may any Extra Te-rrrrestrial seevilisation... </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3RXuuov32O4/T2wFU62R-gI/AAAAAAAAAN0/SPQ3JJUovD4/s1600/erich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3RXuuov32O4/T2wFU62R-gI/AAAAAAAAAN0/SPQ3JJUovD4/s200/erich.jpg" width="200" /></a><i><br /></i><br />
<i>Therefore I ask: </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Is Prometheus real future and ancient mythology? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Is Damon Lindeloff noble future-seer? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvL7sbNpXB0/T2wGYkQitLI/AAAAAAAAAN8/YD-YXthEWYM/s1600/erich_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvL7sbNpXB0/T2wGYkQitLI/AAAAAAAAAN8/YD-YXthEWYM/s200/erich_02.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>Perhaps most shockingly, we discover that Eeendiana Jones 4 is a semi-plausible reality. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i>I would stake my reputation upon this being true. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
If I may interject, Erich. This news will clearly be a boon to those in fringe science... Since it utterly blows the 'can't get here from there' argument out of the water.. Presumably a whole new series of Ancient Aliens is therefore in the works?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20RHKDs09zc/T2wJRT-HbzI/AAAAAAAAAOM/BirBrYTnIp8/s1600/erich_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20RHKDs09zc/T2wJRT-HbzI/AAAAAAAAAOM/BirBrYTnIp8/s200/erich_04.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i></i><br />
<i><i><br /></i></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i>I have already ordered brand new yacht in anticipation! </i></i></div>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
But perhaps the best part of the following article which validates and unfortunately inspired this trek into madness:<i> </i><a href="http://www.space.com/17628-warp-drive-possible-interstellar-spaceflight.html">http://www.space.com/17628-warp-drive-possible-interstellar-spaceflight.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.space.com/17628-warp-drive-possible-interstellar-spaceflight.html"></a><i>"White and his colleagues have begun experimenting with a mini version of the <a href="http://www.space.com/9882-warp-drives-wormholes.html">warp drive</a> in their laboratory." </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Which is why I said they'd probably be wearing a lab coat.... Or perhaps an old pair of jeans and crinkled T-shirt (I am as stylish as I am talented). It all sounds straightforward enough... Anyone got some Dilithium handy?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4839756426042733401.post-61966323046903967502012-09-06T01:31:00.000+01:002012-09-06T04:13:49.956+01:00Big Spaceships 002 - Sol - October Class Frigate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It's been just over 10 years since I began showing my work publicly, and really working at improving it. I have made 3D models since 1993 and grew up drawing pictures of aviation, birds, cars, people... Sometimes even spaceships.<br />
<br />
But there never seemed much point to it, no one bar a few mostly disinterested friends ever saw my work but I suddenly found an outlet with internet forums.<br />
<br />
I had wanted to show my first ever big spaceship, as it would have been just over 10 years old this month, but having gone through all my backup disks I can find no trace of it. So I thought I'd show the first capital ship built for my Sol project. Sol is a cold war type scenario between planetary forces, constrained mostly to our solar system, broken down into two factions, essentially a Soviet type regime on a partly terraformed Mars and everyone else who stayed on Earth after the cataclysm.<br />
<br />
I had already produced the Foxhound fighter/bomber (anti-capital(ist) ship warfare) as shown elsewhere in the blog. But I needed to find a way into a larger ship design so I chose the 'boat in space' style as used in shows like <i>Starship Troopers. </i>Working it entirely in 3D (not a concept sketch in sight) I refined a shape down to the finished model as depicted below, please click for a marginally larger resolution. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcf5-Ttckhk/UEfVVHaO-VI/AAAAAAAAAeM/8IuWjLe6QkA/s1600/Octoberclass_final_01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcf5-Ttckhk/UEfVVHaO-VI/AAAAAAAAAeM/8IuWjLe6QkA/s640/Octoberclass_final_01.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rendering from 2003, hence the hon-HDness of it. I clearly had a thing for pink dust clouds - which were perhaps pollution from mining operations, obviously there are no pink nebula around our solar system so I had to come up with some explanation. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
To get there I used a Pentium 3, something or other with a tiny amount of ram compared to today and probably a very early nvidia card. So it's not like a model I'd build today in that its very simplistic but on a par with the types of models that my peers were building at the time. The simplicity means its probably a nice one to study the method with. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N6XLFFduzSI/UEfYMgeAt3I/AAAAAAAAAek/m1jFPm0MuYM/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N6XLFFduzSI/UEfYMgeAt3I/AAAAAAAAAek/m1jFPm0MuYM/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_01.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roughing out and refining the base hull and superstructure shapes, if you don't get this right then whats the point in detailing? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDwvqIvT7oI/UEfZKn3vXSI/AAAAAAAAAes/I-yN4acYEEM/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDwvqIvT7oI/UEfZKn3vXSI/AAAAAAAAAes/I-yN4acYEEM/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_02.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding and refining secondary shapes to the design, the turrets are designed for around 100 degrees of elevation change, meaning they can shoot straight up and attack the weak point for massive damage. Note the horribly overexposed lighting here, this was always trial and error for me before i began to understand these things. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMowT1h5Ro4/UEfeCoymdOI/AAAAAAAAAfE/sQuXA2taDjQ/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMowT1h5Ro4/UEfeCoymdOI/AAAAAAAAAfE/sQuXA2taDjQ/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_03.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, much better lighting Coolhand, maybe a bit gloomy... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1fzrbNC_fkI/UEfiSSPz_8I/AAAAAAAAAfc/_dQYcOlmXMM/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1fzrbNC_fkI/UEfiSSPz_8I/AAAAAAAAAfc/_dQYcOlmXMM/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_04.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Increased the fill lighting to get more clarity in the shadow side - nearly looks like a spacecraft, or something. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJtIyBHGVd8/UEfjGdNYNtI/AAAAAAAAAfk/W1WagTSTAFY/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJtIyBHGVd8/UEfjGdNYNtI/AAAAAAAAAfk/W1WagTSTAFY/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_05.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panelling and detailing the superstructure, the little indent on the side of the bridge is probably an airlock, in the heat of battle the crew would be located further inside the ship, this tall bridge being used for navigation - akin to the sail of a submarine, while it may have some windows the control centre is usually somewhere in the middle of the ship instead. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bflG7H7RQRY/UEfkXrafHlI/AAAAAAAAAfs/kogavHPfMAQ/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bflG7H7RQRY/UEfkXrafHlI/AAAAAAAAAfs/kogavHPfMAQ/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_06.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since I seem to be missing a few WIP pics (if anyone has copies please let me have some copies back!) We'll skip ahead somewhat, getting very close to the finished model here, topside is nearly done. The dome on the front is probably the main fire-control and radar. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqlcoQy0OvI/UEflbyg4VcI/AAAAAAAAAf0/8b55uf4Tn94/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqlcoQy0OvI/UEflbyg4VcI/AAAAAAAAAf0/8b55uf4Tn94/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_07.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closeup on the upper foredeck, some exposed structural elements imply a layered structure and depth. My main turret designs are sometimes compared to BSG's but this project pre-dates it by about a year, it's counterpart on the opposing faction even has a similar ribbed appearance to the nu-BSG Galactica but was also shown online before the new Galactica model... Jus' sayin'. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cKze3LtuudQ/UEfoITPwSsI/AAAAAAAAAgM/oyQaSLyNgFM/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="405" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cKze3LtuudQ/UEfoITPwSsI/AAAAAAAAAgM/oyQaSLyNgFM/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_08.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enlivening the sides of the ship, still not quite interesting enough, note the same airlock structure as shown on the bridge earlier. Look near the three large windows on the right, human scale features like windows and airlocks are essential for creating a sense that we're looking at a large structure of some sort..
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMbm4Z26yHw/UEfn9JAHgtI/AAAAAAAAAgE/UvJHmHONpIw/s1600/Octoberclass_WIP_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMbm4Z26yHw/UEfn9JAHgtI/AAAAAAAAAgE/UvJHmHONpIw/s640/Octoberclass_WIP_09.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, thats better, what could be more appropriate for a futuristic spaceship than a set of fixed, sideways firing cannons - perfect for delivering an 18th century style broadside.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLu76Qi-b8I/UEfpsNsAO6I/AAAAAAAAAgU/4dr50gWY1Bw/s1600/Octoberclass_final_02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLu76Qi-b8I/UEfpsNsAO6I/AAAAAAAAAgU/4dr50gWY1Bw/s640/Octoberclass_final_02.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finished pic showing the stern detailing. Stern, stern but fair. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MnsoKQ_YyWo/UEfqSA7KvGI/AAAAAAAAAgc/kh2rjcNu_OI/s1600/Octoberclass_final_03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MnsoKQ_YyWo/UEfqSA7KvGI/AAAAAAAAAgc/kh2rjcNu_OI/s640/Octoberclass_final_03.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of it, the rear is particularly well covered by anti-aircraft type guns. The vents behind the turret became a recurring theme, in this case bad luck for the turret operator who's in the rear enclosure when the reactor is purged. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBUfUdhEGZ4/UEgJp7Ob_7I/AAAAAAAAAg0/5bWt0Vv5wFU/s1600/Octoberclass_final_04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBUfUdhEGZ4/UEgJp7Ob_7I/AAAAAAAAAg0/5bWt0Vv5wFU/s640/Octoberclass_final_04.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key lighting is nicely balanced on this one, but the blue fill is horribly inky and awful looking - probably a result of too much saturation in the fill lights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBvcsuNFeFs/UEgJuSYh-aI/AAAAAAAAAg8/xaHD1-jmSHM/s1600/Octoberclass_final_05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBvcsuNFeFs/UEgJuSYh-aI/AAAAAAAAAg8/xaHD1-jmSHM/s640/Octoberclass_final_05.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the Motherland! (umm, Mars) Another nasty inky looking rendering, but at least it has a rough propaganda poster look - or something, not sure if I was going for that look or not. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_OMqUMvCKFU/T1qc340awfI/AAAAAAAAAHo/WIxm47MW9p8/s1600/reddust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_OMqUMvCKFU/T1qc340awfI/AAAAAAAAAHo/WIxm47MW9p8/s640/reddust.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably the best image I made with this model, has a sense of speed and emptiness, which is well, space travel in a nutshell if you're doing it right. The pink clouds actually looking fairly natural combined with the glow from the sun, backlighting a model against a pretty background is aaaaalways a good idea, imho.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvAijnd56t8/UEgQ6Xr90vI/AAAAAAAAAhY/6cQQJdRBpEs/s1600/Octoberclass_final_06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvAijnd56t8/UEgQ6Xr90vI/AAAAAAAAAhY/6cQQJdRBpEs/s640/Octoberclass_final_06.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess i just about got the blue looking akseptibull in the end. I must have switched to an area filter or something as this render looks so blurry compared to the rest.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And thats all folks, final analysis, I still think this design works pretty well, Its modelled and smoothed in a very simple way, detailing could be better and the textures are only procedural but I prefer it to some of my later ships... Which will be detailed in future blog articles, so join, ooh at least 10 other people and hit the subscribe button on the right tabs or add me to your reading list so you don't miss out!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.<br />
<br />
-Steve.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113554240083068893noreply@blogger.com2