On a Pedestal

[N2056]

Between research and modeling this is what I've been up to for the last few weeks.
For the modeling types - the main body of the pedestal started out as a box :d

View attachment 8563

 

[txnetcop]

WOW excellent modeling-the best I would come up with would be a brick with a toggle
Ted

 

[Ken Stallings]

That's very nice! Looks very realistic. The good news is it is likely a good fit for any Piper twin.

Ken

 

[Piglet]

Just about every part I make starts as a simple box, cylinder, etc.. After all the poly pushing, I often realize that another shape would have been faster and easier!

 

[stiz]

Just about every part I make starts as a simple box, cylinder, etc.. After all the poly pushing, I often realize that another shape would have been faster and easier!

splines are brilliant things! :mixedsmi:

 

[Marlin]

The amazing work continues I see, good job Robert. :salute:

 

[tigisfat]

N2056,

you clearly have a knack for making those curved surfaces look right. There are many modellers that have difficulty doing that. It's all way beyond what I can do.

 

[jdhaenens]

Gorgeous, Robert. I'm still working on my standard primitives.

 

[Bjoern]

For the modeling types - the main body of the pedestal started out as a box :d

What doesn't?

splines are brilliant things! :mixedsmi:

Good idea! Might try splines for the next model.

Gorgeous, Robert. I'm still working on my standard primitives.

Good lord, there's more holes than in swiss cheese! :isadizzy:
(Cut out or a good alpha channel?)



And while everyone's showing off...

(Very slightly outdated though. Excuse the black areas, 3DS Max ain't too savvy with alpha channels.)

 

[PutPut]

Gorgeous, Robert. I'm still working on my standard primitives.

OK, Jim, are you working on an Akron or a Macon?

Paul

 

[N2056]

Paul, based on the image title it's the Akron. I like all of that framework!
I also enjoyed seeing what Bjoern has been up to lately.

 

[jdhaenens]

Thanks guys. I've a ways to go before I get to Robert's level of expertise.

Working is a pretty strong term....I'm entertaining a concept and in the "will this work?" stage.

It's all about the alpha. the outside of the box beams are DXT1 with a single bit alpha, the inside of the beams are the same texture sheet only saved as a DXT5 with a >128 alpha test and write.

The "T" beams are made with the DXT5 sheet. The windows are DXT5.

Technically, most of the stuff works...artistically, it's a disaster. I cannot seem to make the gondola shape smooth with all the required cutouts. It's driving me crazy. I've tried in GMAX and 3DS Max, and nothing I do seems to work. I've started fron a sphere, a cylinder and even a box.

 

[Lionheart]

Nice work Robert. The curves of the edges are very smooth and flowing.


JDHaneans, is that an American super Zep, or Hindenberg? Very nice work so far.


I am like Stiz now and start off with Splines instead of base shapes. Much faster, for me anyways. It is amazing though what you can create from a base shape. I love this field of work.....


Bill

 

[Bjoern]

It's all about the alpha.

Okay, so alpha after all.

I cannot seem to make the gondola shape smooth with all the required cutouts. It's driving me crazy. I've tried in GMAX and 3DS Max, and nothing I do seems to work. I've started fron a sphere, a cylinder and even a box.

Get used to that. I've wanted to throw my mouse away more than once so far just because it never looked quite right.
But once you compare your mesh to a photo and go something like "Yep.", the whole torture is instantly a thing of the past.

Happened to me the last time during remodeling of the prop blades. I could never get them to look right combined with well placed poly lines. At one point after much trial and error though, it made click and the blade looked spot on.

So hang in there, it will at least look somehow right eventually.