Grand Space Opera 3D Entry: Richard LaBrie

[Aethyrprime]

Being a member of these forums for many months; I have unfortunately spent much of the time recovering in the aftermath of the 4 hurricanes which slammed South Florida scrambling to make ends meet instead of working on art or participating in the happenings, here.

I would like to start by introducing myself to you but first I would like to acknowledge my respect for this community. It has been so inspiring to view and appreciate the amazing, no stunning, submissions of this community. I applaud all of those in this world who can see beyond the physical realm in which we live and dare to bring the dreams of the few back for display in this virtual cosmos of electronica for everyone else. The sense of family and assistance that the members here provide each other reassures me that the creative minds whom push the limits of imagination are 1st class people as well.



I am known as Alaric LaBrie (pronounced A’ Lair’ ick – La’ Bree) I am a published musician, under the name of Aethyr Prime, formerly Project: MATRIX (before the movie came out, changed to AP afterward), heard throughout Florida on the Clear Channel & Cox Stations.

I believe that art is the lifeline by which humanity defines itself. The members of this virtual utopia of invisionary minds (I know properly its spelled envisionary, but I own invisionary.com so :P) are paving the way for the next generation of fine artists.

Many in the traditional art world attempt to discredit the accomplishments of CG art, and I say to you, what I see here should make those wake up and realize that a new generation of gifted talents are arising from the smoldering ashes of tired mediums and I applaud everyone who has made it happen here on CGnetworks.

It is never easy to put your work on display. After all, the biggest question I have heard from my fellow artists is how to know when apiece of art is done. It takes courage to open yourself up, to take your impenetrable shields down, to reveal the true vulnerability that lies in wait deep inside the minds and hearts of all artists.

"Let it be told, there are no losers in this competition, only winners."


Ok on to my submission for the competition…



I am working on the title for the piece as the ideas race through my mind. I plan to reach deeply into my psyche, to capture, not glorify, the essence of interstellar struggles and the emotional devastation a war of this magnitude leaves in its wake.



At this point I am sketching things down, the rough ideas include:





A woman dressed in tattered military clothing collapsed to her knees battle raging in the back ground on a lunar base setting, as you can see her people’s flagship, amongst others, breaking apart in the free space above. The foreground would include oddities that might have existed since a time of peace such as children’s toys or even a doll belonging to the subject, perhaps the bodies of fallen people, aliens or robots.
A space graveyard just out of range of an ensuing conflict, this idea would require lots of debris to be haphazardly floating with two spacecraft locked in mortal combat veering through as they sit ready to add yet one more piece of scrap to the galactic junkyard.


Please let me know which if either of these two ideas you like better and would like to see finished. I will post up the sketches as they become more refined and presentable in a first round draft form.


Good luck to all and lets make this challenge the best ever!

[Aethyrprime]

duplicate post

[superlayer]

First welcome to the boards,

I am sorry about the situation in florida and I hope everything will get better soon.

I like both of your ideas and I think both of them have potential.
Only try not to focus too much on one character or or singular event in a bigger picture.
I read somewhere that focus should be on the epic and grand scale of things and not the individual or the little story.
However if you can use the dolls or toys as symbols to enhance the story or use it as a contrast to the grandeur of the scene then maybe you have a winner.
I like the depth of your ideas and hope you can keep the elements you described without floating away from the soul of the challenge.

Keep working.

[stoat]

A possible way round the problem of the human scale v the space opera grand scale is to use an overlay and drop the transparency. hard to get the comp right but when it's done well it looks great.

[Aethyrprime]

I am scanning my first round drafts; I will post them up here tonight. Thanks for the tips. The composite will be large in scale. I am using a focal length manipulation to bring the heroine close to the camera, and then have an extremely large and complex fight scene as the back drop to the warrior.

The place I found inside to power this picture is the title I chose:

"Sacrificial Exodus: The needs of the many"

The setting:
Contrary to all "facts", reported by the Vespian Colony News-Channel 642, Earth's defense grid has fallen. In Reality, seven generations of warring between the residents of Angostura III and Earth was about to come to a culmanation.

It was about noontime on the planet and many were eating lunch Other inhabitants were tending to their daily responsibilities, the children were playing in the schoolyard The warning that came was too late. Chaos ensued.

The invaders launched a full-scale assault on the system of Sol where Earth is located. The best efforts of the 405th Silva Wing Defense Squadron were to no avail.

Injured and alone, Kira Stamper, a Sgt., in the 12th Armed Battalion, holds off the charging front lines of the enemy.

The last survivors of the human race have been stowed on board an captured military freighter. Minimally armed guards surround a group of children.They and a few others carry on their shoulders the weight of the last hopes and dreams of an entire civilization.

Their escape is all Kira can think of. Surrounding her everywhere is the product of a glorious last stand by her fellow soldiers. Her ammo is almost out, and her last clip has been put in. "I just need to see them leave...my daughter” her mind is blurred,. Vital fluids seep from her body. She takes careful aim missing only 1 out of 3, shots. A blast has taken out her legs leaving her no where to run, or hide,, Her remaing gun has no energy to power the clip. She slumps down to her knees and finally hears the rumble of the escape craft. The defense turrets fire wildly in an attempt to provide cover for the small craft trying to look as though the blasts were meant to hit it. The guise seems to work. Without a challenge the craft slips off to the dark side and into the stars to find a new home. The City of Luna has fallen.

The assailants draw nigh, Kira knows they will kill her slowly in the ceremonial mannor unless her remaining pistols discharge lands right between her eyes...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a song I wrote to compliment this art piece. It is traditionally how I have approached things in recent history. It helps me get further into the piece. Since I will probrably listen to it on repeat during the completion of this art I made it pretty long. Its only 1.5mb but it is pro-encoded at vbr-100-250kbs. I hope you enjoy it since the animated post challenge piece I undertake will have this in the background.

Inspiration for this song- The current state of the world, Bush politics, F9/11, Blackhawk down and all the sci-fi you can shake a stick at!

Breakdown- the song is broken up into 3 main themes, pre-war, war, post war. Each theme as two sub-variations, sequentially as: basic training, being sent to duty, first day of mayhem, survival shock, innosence lost, eternal hauntings.

Connection to art entry- In every war brave often nieve souls are "prepared" for the day when their training will be put to the test. Then that day comes, they are scared but the commanders know this and pump them up, get them excited and fuel them full of rage, needed to kill. The landing or arrival marks the start of all things you never want to see. If your lucky enough to survive the first day, you wonder how you can possibly surive the next. You focus down and realize you are changed forever you know that face, that image, that haunt of your past yet to be.

Download Sacrificial Exodus: The needs of the many.mp3 (http://clients.vluna.com/aethyrprime/music/Sacrificial_Exodus-The_needs_of_the_many.mp3)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098527634_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098527634_large.jpg)

Composition-01a

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098527753_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098527753_large.jpg)

Human Study from concept sketch 1a.

[Aethyrprime]

First round sketches comeplete. Time to take a breather. Let me know what you think of my rough preliminaries. (note that these are very rough sketches.)

[Aethyrprime]

I am about to start working on the sketches of the ships, I estimate between 20 and 40 total capital ships to be orbiting in space overhead at varying degrees of visibility and distance. Also I plan on animating the space fight between 50+ smaller craft to give the full effect in a still as if it were one moment captured in time, not just a bunch of ships posing for a photo.

I have always been inspired by the ship styles found in Frank Herberts visions by description. Also the old Battlestar Galactica, was cool. I have been contemplating the type of creatures to be over-running mankind... I was thinking 3 sets of upper-torso limbs + canine'ish rear legs, integrated breathing apparatus, and 6 fingers per hand, 2 thumbs and 4 fingers. There will need to be body parts and limbs hanging from the rubble, some human some non. The turrets I think should be dual cannon, hmmm, or quad. And I have been deliberating between going with extremely cybernetic replacement parts to the heroine.

Let me know what you think!
Thanks,

[tzktime]

the heroine could have cybernetic parts since maybe the scene is set when there are high enough technological knowledge to implany cybernetics. the idea of the composition is nice but try not to focus on the character for the whole piece. good luck! keep going :applause:

[lilli]

Beautiful sketches, I really like your style!

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks for the kind words, I am grateful that you responded. :) I hope that I may learn from your critiques and compliments how to be the best I am capable of!

Wow. As I sat on my patio enjoying the first hints of winter in this tropical location, a revelation slapped me right across the back of my head and sent a shiver down my spine. Perhaps what I have detailed here so far is only a picture in a larger image. I know this may sound crazy, so before I do anything on it I am going to present it here...

What if the actual final compositions location was 1,000 years later... Set in a Interstellar galactic museum of history. During a memorial tributary to the war of 2659 between two now peaceful civilizations. Standing at the base of a 2/3 ratio holigraphic image of the first picture, with futurist styled architecture, a few people standing around, maybe reckage or "preserved artifacts", and children from both species depicted in mortal combat standing together looking at the display.

What do you think of that idea? Is it to far? Did I loose the point? Or is it the point?

[Aethyrprime]

Don't like this one... I deleted it.

This is an idea I roughed out in pencil and composited in Photoshop with the previous comp as a holographic display.

[Aethyrprime]

The inspiration for this came from the idea that years after wars end, the children and their childrens children eventually get over the crimes of the past. It may take centuries, but time heals all wounds. I thought that by making the setting in a pristine museum after the reconstruction of civilization the memorial of the past would serve as a monument to mankinds resiliance and dreams.

[jddog]

Really an interesting concept, and great sketches
jdd

[greentek]

wow.. simply the coolest story.. i think you should write a book.. :) or make a movie..
and great idea with museum and children..
best of luck to you.. extremly interesting how you will figure it out..
cheers..

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks, I have written one, but it has nothing to do with this :P

I am hoping to hit an epic feel by using softning filters and detailed blurring. I was wondering wether you think the museum with holographic display is the choice to go with?

[HieSpike]

Hi,


I like your sketches and the overall theme you've got going. I'd only suggest that you don't loose the cool details by making them to small...i.e. the girl in the center. Anyway, keep those sketches coming and if you want my oppinion, I'd go with the original version w/out the galary. Setting the image in past tense actaully takes away from the impact unless there is an anomely that is occuring in the present as well...for instance, if they were looking at the exhibit and suddently were attacked by the people they thought they had defeated...hope that makes sense...either way, just my opinion...good luck

[greentek]

honestly i dont know.. i still cant clearly form even my own idea :cry: all i can say is that if you'll decide to develop museum theme, in my opinion you have to remove from the foreground all this folk and keep only one child in front of holographic display.. this will give violent dramatic sence and wont distract attention from the main action.. and i think signboard is a great idea too and works just fine directly introducing viewer in the core of idea..
yeah.. i think its great and very original idea with museum/hologram/child being involved..

[Aethyrprime]

that is an interesting point.. I will ponder on it awhile and do a few more sketches to see what develops.

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks for the input guys.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098613494_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098613494_large.jpg)

This is a much faster sketch than the others (that makes 3 today alone) based on the suggestions you made HieSpike & greentek. I zoomed out a bit more over the shoulder with a laser on the kids head viewing the holograph. Like any better?

[teyekanik]

you might want to do some research on composition... especcially rule of third and directing the viewers eye... the reason I say this is that your drawings seem a bit jumbled. I like your first concept of the battle scene.. but throwing it into a museum setting seems a little anti-climactic (boring).

[Aethyrprime]

The reason I posted the idea up is to see the course of thought through. I may do a dozen or more sketches of a piece until I find the right aspects I feel should be conveyed. The concept of setting it in a museum was to show a particular timeless aspect of war. How the thrills of today are the history of tommorow. In the last and most recent comp, I added an assassin offing the decendant of the character being depicted as a form of retribution for some ancient crime such as, his family has been shunned since discovery was made that the craft which escaped was from his ancestor... Now on the day most sacred he kills the only living decendant an innocent child, but his honor to be restored. :P I just dig ripples and webs.

[Aethyrprime]

Thats all for today folks, day 2 of my submissions are uploaded. Tommorow I start on ship designs, and hopefully modeling within 24-48.

I will leave the composition alone for now since I have enough information to move on to detailing parts. I will leave the decision for the final comp in your (the community whom responds) capable hands. As you can tell I am very open to suggestion and appreciate all input. (*"need more input" -Johny 5)

[Tekano]

Hi ||) |V| |^|,

seems like quite a bit of deep thought has gone into the plot of this. my only crit at this stage is that the last composition does not have the 'epic' feel. the museum idea is good, to show a battle and then peace afterwards, and then intrigue with the assasin again... but I feel your latest composition is too tightly focused. ie pull back the 'camera' to capture some of what or where this museum is situated, perhaps having centuries old battle scars on the civilisation and surrounding area and areas of regrowth, also how the current society is / has coped with this prior battle. the opera theme to this challange dictates that it needs to be vast and of epic nature. So if you could show more how large or developed (or damaged) this society in the future is in with your image it would help.

[Versiden]

fantasic sketches!

hope to see some modelling soon, your entry has caught my interest ;p

ciao

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks for the suggestions, however none of these comps are final! :P I am sure that as the modeling and scene building process ensues I will refine the composition per your suggestions till it is finite! For now expect some new designs relative to the things that must be modeled. I have the escape craft sketched out and after I take a dip in the pool I will draw one of the defense cannons. Not sure whether I should just go on a design spree or start modeling. Which would you rather me do?

More sketching or go straight to 3D? You decide.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098648559_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098648559_large.jpg)

This is a prototype design for the Escaping vessel in the comp carrying the last survivors of the human race...

It holds 20 people in the cargo bay plus 5 crew inthe cockpit. Dual Hydrogen Engines and quad sustained burst cannons on the sides...

[Virtuoso]

Hello Richard........................Very nice concepts.I prefer the original the most at this point.Your storyline is a good one,interesting take you have.I can see a trye struggle and emotional battle here.I also like the last vessel design.Nice start,and I wish you all the best.Until next time,keep at it hard................:wip: :arteest:

[greentek]

i think scene in museum with signboard is the best composition sketch.. just leave it as it was and keep there only one child with toy in the hand.. without closing up and any laser beam.. in my opinion new version is not as good as first one.. cheers..

[Aethyrprime]

Ok I will try to refine the conceptual image as the process continues. It would be easier to skip the museum, however it is just so out of the box so to speak to make it a piece of history, I am just not happy with how it is being conveyed yet. Perhaps a few days of contemplation will shed light on the correct path, that and the popular vote will decide which composition to go with.

For now I have noticed that many of the best here are already to 3D modeling phazes, and although I don't want to short change my comp, I think it is important to just start getting things modeled.

The last two sketches I did at about 3am with about 4 1/2 hours of sleep prior. Its not my best by far, but a rough sketch is a rough sketch. I will do probrably 5-10 more comp sketches before I find that pivotal moment that captures the essence of the conflict. However I am noticing a split decision so far on the final comp...

To historicalize or not to historicalize, that is the question...

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098752095_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098752095_large.jpg)

Here is a more defined sketch of the drop ship. I am ready to begin modeling later tonight with first 3D Sketches to be posted tommorow.

[Aethyrprime]

I am about to post up a sketch of the mobile gun turrets.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098762982_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098762982_large.jpg)

Ok thats the last of the preliminary sketches to be done besides the capital ships in the background. On to modeling these bad boys.

[Aethyrprime]

Got basic model of escape craft nearing completion. Will post tommorow.

[Virtuoso]

The plan is rounding out wonderfully Richard...................I like where you are headed,a solid foundation is vital in the end.Thats a very nice on the wicked side of things Gun turret.......Looking forward to your continued work and 3D models............:arteest:

[Aethyrprime]

oh yeah did I mention that all of these sketches since even the first one have been produced in a 4x7.5 inch sketch diary... I am sketching the alien frigate now... It is intense and bad ass, going to be fun to model... hehe

[greentek]

really cool stuff Richard.. keep it up.. can't say more on the current stage.. can't wait to see development..
cheers..

[HieSpike]

looking good...really like the drop ship sketch...good luck with the modeling:)

[jddog]

yep look so good !

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098860790_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1098860790_large.jpg)

This should be the last comp sketch I need to produce. I moved the setting out of the street and into a school play yard. Burning See-saws, mangled toys, cities in devastation seem to hit home. I turned the characters head towards the escaping vessel and aimed the vessel toward the camera away from the fight instead of toward it.

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks for all the input guys, I have taken it all to heart. I don't want to be anti-climatic, or boring, so I decided that the museum setting might be better as a 2D entry. Not sure if I will go through with it yet, depends on how many hours of modeling this turns out to be. I know that the escaping craft needed to be closer to have more impact as a subject of interest and having her look in that direction draws your eye to it, implying what cannot be said in the final submission. I decided to take off the helmet and replace it with a rebreather for several reasons. I hope you all find this last comp satisfactory as the modeling has begun and I don't like working without a clear concept of the final piece. In a comp like this many elements will need to be modeled, rendered and composited so any amount of savings due to perspective of view is a great help. If this were an animation challenge I would not be granted such luxuries, but since it is still art, there is no sense in modeling thrusters to perfection if they will not be seen. Instead I will have more time to model the character, cities and elements which are foremost to the imagery. Please post up your impressions and critiques as I strive to produce the best I am capable of, and sometimes someone else can see the flaws that you cannot.

[greentek]

WOW.. what the hell battle is going on out there.. great concept man.. definitely the best one.. you really did a great job while looking for the proper solution.. and you got it.. my hat off.. excellent composition.. but in my opinion you have to do one small but very important correction..
i urgently suggest you to replace the main character and gun turret.. move the girl to the center where now gun turret is and the gun turret to the right.. cos now she is a bit out of place.. but you can do this when you finish modeling.. it will be easier to find proper places for objects and final compositional layout in 3D environment i think..
anyway great work.. congrats Richard..
cheers..

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks greentek, I think you may be on to something with that idea as well. My only concern might be misplaced. I know this should not be too character centric but the description of the challenge states that heroes and legends should be included. Something about the human element adds that I think. You know the brave soul who stayed behind... sacrificing themselves to save others knowing that their death is assured.

Do you think that by moving her more into the background would effect the directional cueing of her looking toward the spacecraft? It might actually help come to think of it, making it easier to say she is looking at it, not over her shoulder in the general direction of it.

Thanks for the suggestion hombre. I agree with you on the 3D placement being easier than sketching 20 more pictures to get it right :wise:. Your doing some fantastic things as well. I appreciate your input. More to come, I think solid 3D Modeling is in order, oh shoot I just remembered that I have yet to upload the frigate or capital ship sketches... brb...

[greentek]

hi Richard.. you got me wrong.. im talking about that:

http://www.owntv.com/medium.jpg

[greentek]

sorry about posting pics in your thread.. i'll remove it at any time just tell me..
as you can see i even didnt find a place in composition for the gun turrets..
but this is just my point of you.. sure you must follow what you have i mind..
cheers..

correction: "point of you"^ = point of view..

[Aethyrprime]

No problem, I am a bit confused on what your intent was besides moving the girl over slightly. I was imagining the girl moved back to where the gun turret is and having the gun turret aiming the other direction and moved to where she is.

[Ddavis]

concepts are looking awesome, cant wait for the models

[greentek]

nooooo... how may i suggest to move the girl back?! :) she is main character.. she has nothing to do on the background.. :) i just think you have to make her more distinguished.. she was lost on the dark background and a bit out of action on the very right..
damn.. my english kills me.. i hope you understand what im trying to tell..
cheers..

[WazaR]

Intersting.

I get MATRIX, ALIEN 1&2, DARK CITY, CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, and META BARRON. (with a side oder of HEAVY METAL.)

Speaking about the composition there are a few things that worry me.

1. The ground seems a bit empty. There is so much activity in the air, yet on the ground it all seems so desolate.

2. What is the driving emotion of this image?? I find it hard to tell.

3. What is the purpose of the lady. What really is she doing. In a visual sense why should I care what she is doing. The whole image looks like a trip by your local comic book store. In its "gothic" style it is somewhat generic, and in so being makes it hard for the viewer to realate to whats going on.

4. Emtional connection. Burned teddy bears, cities destroied,... these are things that should worry me, and make me feel sorry for the people in this image. Yet I dont. Somehow you are not communicating the destruction directlly engouh.

5. Rawness. Be bold. If your going to include a ravaged playground might as well include the childern hurt by the firestorm. It hits hard, but I think its better then just "symboliclly" placing them there.

Good luck amigo.

[Tekano]

i too am worried about the area immedietly behind the girl and the girl herself. maybe because she has a mask hiding her face, but such a figure should emit an emotion be that sorrow, regret, defiance whatever, but atm it is difficult for me to assertain what she is meant to be feeling. there is a slight passivity to her so perhaps you are trying to say that she has given up. but i would concentrate and trying to get her expression radiating what it is you want her to say. so that us simple folk can get her 'intuitively' good luck, this is not easy!

[Aethyrprime]

Intersting.

I get MATRIX, ALIEN 1&2, DARK CITY, CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, and META BARRON. (with a side oder of HEAVY METAL.)

Speaking about the composition there are a few things that worry me.

1. The ground seems a bit empty. There is so much activity in the air, yet on the ground it all seems so desolate.
Thanks I think? Actually after sketching so many comps I just put in the key items in the last sketch to remind me of certain elements. I left out most of the junk which will be scattered. I assure you the ground will be littered with rubble, broken pieces of buildings, guns, armor, but I had to just say, ok, the sketch is close enough to what I want to get the idea. I must get the modeling done. The composition as greentek stated will present itself more as the 3D objects need to be placed in the scene.


2. What is the driving emotion of this image?? I find it hard to tell.
The title is: "Sacrificial Exodus: The needs of the many"

There are a few things to be pointed out here: self-sacrifice is "noble", "selfless", "hopefu"l, "sorrowl", "pride".


3. What is the purpose of the lady. What really is she doing. In a visual sense why should I care what she is doing.
She is protecting the ship flying overhead. She has sacrificed herself to protect the last of the survivors of the human race that she knows of attempting an escape in a stolen alien spacecraft leaving the the last of the cities on the moon, Luna.

I plan to have a tear drop trickling down her cheek very noticibly with anime style sparkle effects. Her body will be bloodied and her legs will both look badly wounded. I am not sure exactly what position I will put her in for the final yet to maximize the slumped over from exaustion effect. I know color would help this greatly, but for now...


The whole image looks like a trip by your local comic book store. In its "gothic" style it is somewhat generic, and in so being makes it hard for the viewer to realate to whats going on.

Lol, considering all of these sketches were done on small 3.5 x 7 paper and I attempted to use no style at all, the detail is non-existant. If I allow myself to get to into the detail by drawing on larger paper I would waste too much time on something which will go to no other use than a "detailed sketch". I am staying away from colors at the moment to just focus on composition. I would do a very very detailed drawing, not a sketch of this if this were 2D challenge not 3D. In 3D all I need is schematics and compositional ideas.



4. Emtional connection. Burned teddy bears, cities destroied,... these are things that should worry me, and make me feel sorry for the people in this image. Yet I dont. Somehow you are not communicating the destruction directlly engouh.
I think that seeing the ground and building which I did not draw into the last rendition due to time constraints would help you get this effect.


5. Rawness. Be bold. If your going to include a ravaged playground might as well include the childern hurt by the firestorm. It hits hard, but I think its better then just "symboliclly" placing them there.

Good luck amigo.
I have been concerned to taking it too far. I had contemplated putting charred remains of children but I did not want to make anyone sick to their stomach and think I was going for a cheap gross factor. I will leave it up to you all, I had thought about it...

Ok everyone who pops in and out of here. What do you think, go for broke and put in the bodies of youngins or skip it and play it safe...

I too am worried about the area immedietly behind the girl and the girl herself. maybe because she has a mask hiding her face, but such a figure should emit an emotion be that sorrow, regret, defiance whatever, but atm it is difficult for me to assertain what she is meant to be feeling. there is a slight passivity to her so perhaps you are trying to say that she has given up. but i would concentrate and trying to get her expression radiating what it is you want her to say. so that us simple folk can get her 'intuitively' good luck, this is not easy! You have the right idea of where I am going with this. I had originally drew this without the rebreather in this rendition. I added it as an afterthought. I will do a few detailed drawings of her face. She is the last major "model" sketch to be drawn.

nooooo... how may i suggest to move the girl back?! :) she is main character.. she has nothing to do on the background.. :) i just think you have to make her more distinguished.. she was lost on the dark background and a bit out of action on the very right..
damn.. my english kills me.. i hope you understand what im trying to tell..
cheers.. I understand you loud and clearly now. Ok I will take that into consideration. Keep her close and make the face uncovered. Some worry lines on her forhead, tears, blood, bruises, yeah should work just fine. :)

Thanks for the kind words dDavis, and thanks to everyone for your input. More to come...

[Aethyrprime]

oh yeah and another thing, what about the broken monkey bars in the background, the burning teeter-tauter? I know its hard in a fast b&w sketch to tell something is on fire or broken but I assure you there will alot of damage.

[greentek]

I love WazaR's healthy crits.. :D very motivational and makes me put some serious stuff in my thread asap.. but i cant disagree more about children hurt.. who likes watching children hurt can visit cnn website.. if you want to make people feel an aversion for your work freely put there some dead or demaged children..
this is my personal opinion..
cheers..

[Aethyrprime]

I have to say I agree. I figured that putting the setting in a playground turned battleground with the remnants of burning things that denote children were playing here when the $hza hit the fan without blatantly putting one in there. People don't react as well to "shock" factor as they did in the past. I am sorry but watching people jump out the top of the twin towers is about all it took to really get me over shock factor and the news overseas with injured children on daily I don't want to go there. Thanks, greentek for reassuring me; imagery like that is not-needed to make my point.

[Aethyrprime]

I have alot coming but I had to stop to finish some stuff for my company. I will post them up here:

Brochure-Earth-Layout-09-sm.jpg (http://clients.vluna.com/art/images/highres/Brochure-Earth-Layout-09.jpg)
Brochure-Air-Layout-12.jpg (http://clients.vluna.com/art/images/highres/Brochure-Air-Layout-12.jpg)

Water & Fire are all I have left to finish before I can continue with the contest when I am done. Sorry for the delay, but I figured since its Mixed-Media 2D/3D I would post it here for the hell of it, *ps if I am not allowed to post it admins let me know I will take it down sorry if its not allowed.*

[greentek]

welcome back Richard!

thats a nice stuff you are doing for your company.. its great when you can allow yourself dedicate all the time to the original ideas you have.. :arteest: but its not always possible.. im father and husband myself and i have to bring home some livings.. :wip: so i now about that very well..

im waiting for your updates..
cheers and good luck in your job!

[Aethyrprime]

Yeah but at least its something I enjoy. :) Practice for the challenge right? :wise:

[Aethyrprime]

Countdown till I can continue t-minus 1 image and counting...

Brochure-Water-Layout-03.jpg (http://clients.vluna.com/art/images/highres/Brochure-Water-Layout-03.jpg)

Ok the rendering of a phoenix is all that is left then I promise I will post up some 3D on this. Sorry for the delay but duty called... Oh yeah I have some more sketches, face, ships I need to post.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099213555_medium.jpg
Step 1 Scan, 300 dpi, RGB, Convert to layer and then remove the background.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099213320_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099213320_large.jpg)

Next balance out the levels of black and white.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099215343_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099215343_large.jpg)

Next I need to convert my rough pencils over to clean smooth black lines. This makes nice starting points to get vectorized lines for scalable finished art also giving it a nice feeling of being inked. I developed this method because I suck with ink and generally lack the time to do it.

[TMNIVISION]

Dude u got a lot of stuff to model.And still waiting for some modeling updates.:thumbsup:

[Virtuoso]

You are really building a sound foundation concept wise Richard.............In the end this will pay off,the modeling will show up better for it.Keep on,it's coming along well.And modeling is right around the corner.......:arteest:

[greentek]

hey Richard..

nice Photoshop stuff but i think it's time to switch to the modeling process.. do not lost in sketching.. :D

cheers and best of luck!:thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

just a warning about a slimy company who just stole almost $200 from my bank account. The name of the company is Invotion. They are a host, I was with the company that invotion bought out and after having my server crash, and them loose my website, me cancel my account and sign up with a different host, I have to manually overide them by calling networksolutions to have their info from my domain name account, close my bank account and re-open a new account because of them stealing money from me after I already cancelled my service. I know this has nothing to do with the contest, but I just wanted to warn everyone I can about these @$$ holes so as to prevent anyone else from re-living my nightmare!:sad:

[stork]

The concept work you have done here is clearly a big part of your decision making process, and it has a lot of the detail that you will need to play off of when you begin modeling and since you got into so much detail in these stages, i think the concept will serve you well in texturing as well. i admire folks like you who can think through the whole process in concept, i cant draw well enough to do that so you get my kudos for all of the work you have put in on this. PLUS your work looks really good too.

[vrhead]

Amazing concept work.. you have a great solid idea of what you want to make..

[Aethyrprime]

Stork, thank you for the recognition & kind words toward my methods. I believe that you should measure twice, cut once. I prmise tol strive as hard as I might to create as solid of a final piece as the ideas which created it.

Thanks vrhead the vote of confidence is always reassuring.

Many thanks on the critical input submitted by all of those who have posted in this thread as a show of support and whose ideas have swayed the outcome of this artworks' direction. I have taken into consideration each suggestion to the best of my abilities and tried to embody the subject of this challenge. Through artistic cooporation and collaboration the 2D & 3D multimedia has a solid future shown in the pages of this forum and by each of its members daily. I have begun the modeling process, but I am trying to lay each out with narration as the last of my entries has come. One of the points of this challenge is for all to learn, not just for us to show off! I have yet to complete posting up my lastest airbrushing work on the character face and the beggining of the texture planning phazes. I know many are barreling through the 3D work as of now, and I assure you that once I begin, it will be like a flood gate being opened.

Cheers.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099516067_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099516067_large.jpg)

Selection by color range followed by airbrushing with black brush.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099517529_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099517529_large.jpg)

Product after airbrushing, before vectorizing.

[greentek]

hi Richard..

i'm sorry about this story with that theaf company.. but don't worry too much m8.. thats the life.. sometimes we find, sometimes, unfortunately, we loose.. we can do nothing to change it.. :sad:

keep nice stuff up! :thumbsup: and don't get me wrong about switching to the modeling stage..

cheers.. :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099517650_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099517650_large.jpg)

Process of vectorizing.

[Virtuoso]

Too bad you had this problem arise Richard......It's a pity these things happen,but the good news is your back on track now...............I like the continued search for as solid a foundation as you can get,and giving this your top priority,with this soild foundation the rest will be "Cake" for the most part........Best to you,and keep on going strong.......:arteest:

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks greentek and virtuoso. I am eager to get on the modeling, but I want to be absolutely sure that the message I am trying to convey is understandable to a viewer without me being there. The tears on her face should say something. I have been thinking however to replace the gun in her hand with the body of someone, such as fellow comrade or perhaps a child, what do you think?

[Virtuoso]

I think the body idea would go over very well Richard.......More compassion and deeper emotion would be conveyed for sure..... it's a good idea,and goes beyond the gun idea,at least in my opinion..........:)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099518772_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099518772_large.jpg)

Final Vectorized Inks. Notice the stylization that occurs when using this method. For years, when drawing sequential (comic or graphic novel) art, I had an inker who would finish my work in fine black lines. I found that instead using this custom process it is possible to achieve that effect straight from pencils, saving the original art and time.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099519621_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099519621_large.jpg)

After vectorizing the inks, I next create a selection from visible pixels or in this case from the mask created in the earlier steps by ctrl+left clicking the layer mask now hidden in my Background Whites & Greys layer set. As you can see I have created two new layer sets inside of the Top-Face Set. Inside each set is 3 layers each with an appropriate mask. I always use a base color layer in darken mode (overrides the white only) or multiply mode for the layer blending properties. The reason I used multiply for this instance is due to the still remaining grey colors in the sketch. Grey = muck unless multiplied. However do you notice that the hair has default color/tonal qualities in it before I even use the airbrush to elaborate on it. This allows my detailed pencil work to not go to waste.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099520950_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099520950_large.jpg)

With the highlights layer on lighten and the shadows & base color on multiply, with about two dozen brush strokes the hair is done for this colorized sketch. Next, the skin.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099523887_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099523887_large.jpg)

The base color for the skin has been applied, then the shadows. Notice that areas of it are much darker than they should be, this is to setup the next step, highlights. By doing this it will allow me to add nice rich tones and complex shading exactly where I want it.

I always work in this order it is litterally the process to completion of all my 2D Art and also how I do my texture mapping.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099525458_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099525458_large.jpg)

The highlights were airbrushed using a soft brush about 05 percent flow.

(yes I use a wacom tablet 12x12)

When painting or rendering any 2D or 3D image, always remember that in the real world there is generally more than one light source. As such I will generally trace the contours of the face offset from the black line for my shadows and then accent it with the highlights.

If this were to be a final 2D Piece, both the drawing and airbrushing would have been longer in the process, but since its just a simple colorized sketch I plan to use as a reference image for modeling her face I am just putting a period on it.

[Aethyrprime]

Ok thats all for now, bbl with more. I hope you find the process of airbrushing a characters face informative especially if you are one of the individiuals who could, but didn't know how.

Oh whoops I forgot the lips and eyes, I will finish them later and post them up around midnight. Eyes and lips are fun to airbrush so I will capture that process and cover the steps for you all as well. Sorry I don't have time to continue now.

Peace. And god help us Bush is back! :P

[daprolific]

Looking good...DMW.http://www.cgtalk.com/images/icons/icon13.gif Thanks for the info on the airbrushing.

[greentek]

hi Richard..

what a damn great tutorials your posting!!! coolest stuff.. though i don't use a lot potoshop for painting (still cant arrange to get Wacom :D) your tutorials are very useful.. :thumbsup:

i'm sure you know that very well but i anyway have to say that your hero lady looks very sexy :D great job m8.. :thumbsup:

btw i posted my crappy sketches.. more exactly one sketch in several variants.. so you
can take a look at them and tell me what you think.. but dont be very harsh in critique :D

cheers :beer: and i'm waiting for new tutorials :D

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099635067_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099635067_large.jpg)

The beginning steps of modeling the escape craft from the sketches. At this point the front intake has been started the points for the nose cannons has been marked and the overal shape of the body has been defined in primitive form.

[greentek]

WOW.. what a presentation !!! you defintely have a good taste m8.. :thumbsup:

cheers.. :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099636555_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099636555_large.jpg)

Turning the attention to the rear thrusters, for 180 degree rotational abilities.

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks greentek I hope that the processes can be helpful to everyone else. I cannot do this for each and every thing that I make, but I can for enough to at least teach a bit of 3D to those who browse through here. :deal:

[Versiden]

awesome tutorial.. it rocks.. hope to see more

gr8 contribution!

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099645064_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099645064_large.jpg)

Further refining the shape for the canopy, tail and nose shapes.

[Virtuoso]

Excellent tuturial........and it's great to see you now start to build on your firm foundation/plan.........I'll be watching,and let the poly's fly well..............:arteest: :arteest:

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks Versiden & Virtuoso. I feel confident that the concept is strong enough now to get this show on the road thanks to your support and contributions. I hope I can give back some to this community. Since I have taught for several years I figure I would put those skills to use in this "challenge". This increases the challenge for me by forcing my precision to a higher degree due to exposure of each step... oh boy this is going to be fun!

[Aethyrprime]

Sorry guys I don't know how I missed your posts in there, I guess I did not realize anyone had posted in between my posting :shrug:the first time around. I was going back through the posts to see if I missed anything and bam there your posts were, I was like umm wtf? LOL, anyway on to the individual responses.


Looking good...DMW.images/icons/icon13.gif Thanks for the info on the airbrushing.
Thanks, and your welcome, I cannot wait to see your 2D piece finished.


hi Richard..

what a damn great tutorials your posting!!! coolest stuff.. though i don't use a lot potoshop for painting (still cant arrange to get Wacom :D) your tutorials are very useful.. :thumbsup:

i'm sure you know that very well but i anyway have to say that your hero lady looks very sexy :D great job m8.. :thumbsup:

btw i posted my crappy sketches.. more exactly one sketch in several variants.. so you
can take a look at them and tell me what you think.. but dont be very harsh in critique :D
cheers :beer: and i'm waiting for new tutorials :D
Thanks again greentek. I will stop on over, as I do usually every day I come on here, and check it out. I promise to be honest but uplifting in my critiques. I don't believe that insulting or poking fun at anyones earnest efforts is worth the time it takes to do it. Besides, seeing other artists improve is as much a reward as doing something that I like as well.

I hoped you would think she was sexy ;)

I was so happy to hear that some of you can get anything out of my tuts. Shouldn't let knowledge go to waste I say.

Still working on more so expect more tonight.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099655994_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099655994_large.jpg)

In this series of steps the ships width will be increased a bit overall and specifically to the tail of the craft to give it a nice socket to have the thrusters fit into later.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099658284_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099658284_large.jpg)

An update so you can see the progress of the model from all sides (nothing on model has changed since last posting)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099706619_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1099706619_large.jpg)

Rough texture concept.

[Aethyrprime]

Wow what a busy weekend. I have more coming sorry for the delay, but, I am multimedia artist. As such I felt the need to write a song to set the theme or mood for this piece which is dark, kinda sad and deep. I will post a link to it up when the mp3 is finished uploading.

[Aethyrprime]

Here is a song I wrote to compliment this art piece. It is traditionally how I have approached things in recent history. It helps me get further into the piece. Since I will probrably listen to it on repeat during the completion of this art I made it pretty long. Its only 1.5mb but it is pro-encoded at vbr-100-250kbs. I hope you enjoy it since the animated post challenge piece I undertake will have this in the background.

Inspiration for this song- The current state of the world, Bush politics, F9/11, Blackhawk down and all the sci-fi you can shake a stick at!

Breakdown- the song is broken up into 3 main themes, pre-war, war, post war. Each theme as two sub-variations, sequentially as: basic training, being sent to duty, first day of mayhem, survival shock, innosence lost, eternal hauntings.

Connection to art entry- In every war brave often nieve souls are "prepared" for the day when their training will be put to the test. Then that day comes, they are scared but the commanders know this and pump them up, get them excited and fuel them full of rage, needed to kill. The landing or arrival marks the start of all things you never want to see. If your lucky enough to survive the first day, you wonder how you can possibly surive the next. You focus down and realize you are changed forever you know that face, that image, that haunt of your past yet to be.

Download Sacrificial Exodus: The needs of the many.mp3 (http://clients.vluna.com/aethyrprime/music/Sacrificial_Exodus-The_needs_of_the_many.mp3)

Enjoy!

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100180407_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100180407_large.jpg)

About 2/3rds completed, cell-shaded modeling showing the theme of the final textures and design of alien craft. Deciding wether to cell-shade anything for the final rendering...

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100193077_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100193077_large.jpg)

One more step till complete till final composition. In this step I have adjusted a few polys, textures, and modeled a bit more of the craft. Please note that the rendering of bottom and side are also perspective (distorted) the sides are equal in size.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100197441_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100197441_large.jpg)

The first concept sketch of a frigate. This one is next on the modeling block.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100200655_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100200655_large.jpg)

A nice rendered 3D Sketch of the ship in space.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100203614_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100203614_large.jpg)

The last thing is the cannons, which I am working on right now.

[greentek]

hey Richard.. cool updates! :thumbsup: i like your drop ship design.. very futuristic.. but i think it's better to reduce bump and speculars on the hull and engines cos now they look a bit like a foil..

hehe.. your H-51 frigate is going to destroy everything around with such armament.. :D
really nice images..

well.. i can't say anything about your song except that i like it.. very nice composition though in my opinion it's not heavy enough.. especially in the war part.. but it's just my personal opinion.. i listen Virgin Radio :D and i know absolutely nothing about music.. my favorite musician is Roger Waters.. i like his songs and lyrics.. from classics - Beethoven.. very simple taste and without any ambitions..:D

ok.. all the best Richard and keep great work up!!!
cheers.. :beer:

[overcontrast]

hey ncie ships u got there... i think the bump maps on them is a little too much...with out that, u got some good models there.. good luck and keep it up

[Nekura]

Wow.. really sweet artwork and modeling! Those tutorials are very well done (they must have taken quite some time to put together). I can't wait to see the final piece.. keep it up!! :thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100216693_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100216693_large.jpg)

Final Rendering of Q-326 Dropship (modeling phaze)

[Aethyrprime]

Actually, the intense specular and bump is intentional. The craft is alien in design, so I thought it would be best to use non-human looking materials. I will keep it in mind as I move through the process further. As always thanks for the C n C. :)

[Vittorius]

Great Job so far!:thumbsup: Love the Dropship:applause:






My CG Challenge XVI - Grand Space Opera - 3D Thread (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=185732)

[Nekura]

Yeah, great job on that dropship.. very nice!

[CYCLER]

I like the shape. Carefull with those reflections, though, they divert your attention from the main shape. Try using small reflective details, that would be a better eye catcher, IMHO. :wise: Anyway, I presume you didn't went too deep in texturing.
Oh, and maybe a bit less perspective ammount...

Good work, keep kicking ass :thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100282618_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100282618_large.jpg)

Modeling of the H-51 Alien attack Frigate is now underway! Let the tutorials begin!

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100282754_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100282754_large.jpg)

Step 2: Convert to editable patch, begin alignment of vertices to the reference image.

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks nekura, yeah alot of "extra" time goes into the tutorial part instead of just modeling straight through using every bizzarre twist in the book, I figured I would try to do things in as straight forward of a manor as possible to not be confusing. There are alot of amazing 3D artists here in the community. Many of which I wish I could get a glimpse at how they go about producing some of the amazing effects they use. Some people have such a good grasp of different elements it is kinda funny to see each entry side by side. I keep thinking to myself, wow if you took that guys concepts, that ones sketches, this ones modeling, that ones texture mapping, this guys lighting and so one you would have some amazing results even more-so than you will see them do alone.

I appreciate the "warnings" about texturing, it never has been my strong suit. I am great at 2D art, and have a decent handle of non-organic modeling. My best suit has always been organics. I love curves, female to be precise :twisted:. Femme fatal artwork is my passion. So doing a "outter-space setting" is a stretch for me. I cannot wait till I have the non-organic part of this done so I can get to my favorite, the character...

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100285785_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100285785_large.jpg)

Subdivide top-sides twice to give four rows of patches to be worked with in the next step.

[Virtuoso]

Frigate's and dropships oh my! nice to see mesh work,the foundation planning was great,and I see the modeling phase has begun well for you Richard...............As for textures,I think going with a mix of earth or humans with alien type texture pallettes could work.....either or,all human (Look at lot's of what Star Wars has).....or all out alien.........Either way,it's coming along really nice.Keep it coming strong............:arteest:

[Aethyrprime]

I plan on making the human textures very neo-militiristic, but for the alien textures I want to make it to look more organic in nature. The drop ship textures are not complete yet. Until I get to the atmosheric scenery and composition I am not sure what I will do to emphasize the alien nature of the craft. I tried to make it almost look slimey without going that extreme kinda wet-ish. The texture on the main body is not properly UVW mapped yet, but that is pretty tedious and I am ADD, so I moved on to the frigate, with intent to get back to the dropship for the final texturing during comps.

Thanks again for the support and suggestions.

Did you check the song out virtuoso?

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100462921_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100462921_large.jpg)

Mid stream of the frigate process I saw something else that could be developed. I stopped and went a few steps back to before I converted to a patch. I instead converted it to a mesh and began extruding and beveling faces across the entire object. I was lost in inspiration so I appologize for not recording my steps better, normally I save multiple increments then go back and render/capture label them, but I forgot to save for most of the process then it was too late to go back and export.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100463105_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100463105_large.jpg)

Closeups of the nose and deployment bays underneath. Raw texture concept on nose closeup.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100491325_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100491325_large.jpg)

Extruding out the turrets on the front bottom. By deleting half of the model and then reference-mirroring the remaining half from element selection I have a perfectly updated other side without having to do everything twice and each side is identical making texturing much easier.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100492582_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100492582_large.jpg)

Process of adding lower turrets

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100493261_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100493261_large.jpg)

Continue beveling and extruding the faces of the mesh to produce the turret and cannon again benifiting from the mirrored effect.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100494043_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100494043_large.jpg)

Complete the turret and cannon by extusions and beveling some more.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100494928_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100494928_large.jpg)

Update from all sides of finished belly turrets.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100496547_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100496547_large.jpg)

I indiviudally swept the arms forward to give the ship a more menacing look. I was mindful not to allow the arms to block the deployment bays.

[Vittorius]

WOW, ship is comming out nicely, and so many updates :thumbsup:








My CG Challenge XVI - Grand Space Opera - 3D Thread (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=185732)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100497416_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100497416_large.jpg)

Rendered 4 Perspective views.

[Aethyrprime]

WOW, ship is comming out nicely, and so many updates :thumbsup:
My CG Challenge XVI - Grand Space Opera - 3D Thread (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=185732)
Thanks Vittorius. I finally have some time to devote to it. :) Thank goodness.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100500372_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100500372_large.jpg)

Thrusters added to the rear of the ship. Almost complete.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100503168_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100503168_large.jpg)

Applying a meshsmooth to the entire object grouped together then set the parameters to iterations 2, 1.0 smoothing. This gives the ship a very organic, creaturesque appearrance.

[Vittorius]

Wow Richard your concept sketches are trully awsome:thumbsup: !!!
And the ship design is comming nice and smooth!
Also thanks with the hekp with my thread. Oh and one more question: Do I need to have all my pics on my own webpage in order to insert them in my thread or can I just upload them on CG's webpage straight from my comp?

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100509700_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100509700_large.jpg)

Closeups on the final meshsmoothed object. Texture maps are on the way next.

[Aethyrprime]

You have to upload them directly to cgnetworks. The image must be a jpg, smaller than 150kb, and be pertinent to the contest. Make sure you select what stage the image is at concept art, sketch, modeling etc.. to get credit. At the bottom of this thread or your view it tells you what you still need to submit to qualify.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100546093_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100546093_large.jpg)

The begginnings of texture working.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100546801_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100546801_large.jpg)

Swapped the bump to displacement and cloned the diffuse to bump.

[Aethyrprime]

I am new here, I am more thankful for the support those of you who have regularly responded in here than you know: superlayer, stoat, tzktime, lilli, jddog, greentek, HieSpike, teyekanik, Tekano, Versiden, Virtuoso, Ddavis, WazaR, TMNI VISION, stork, vrhead, daprolific, overcontrast, Nekura, CYCLER, Vittorius.

Each of you has been an inspirational part of the production on this piece. I want to especially thank Viruoso, Versiden & greentek whom have consistently shared their ideas and put effort into the outcome of this art. I know how easy it is to look at something you like or even dislike and just click next. So the time you have taken to post feedback to me feels like an investment in my abilities. I hope I learn and grow with the guidance each of you have provided for me.

I just wanted to let each of you know how much it has pushed me forward knowing that such great artists such as yourselves would come and help "the competition". It is very refreshing and you all are perfect representations of what I think this challenge was designed to do. Bring the community together and see amazing work from so many different styles and perspectives.

I would love to see a community project come out of this. My brother has developed a new 3D engine from scratch. I cannot say much about it yet, I can say rag-doll physics are low-tech compared to what it does... I would love to work with you as a team!

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100558635_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100558635_large.jpg)

Time for some up close single view updates.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100558938_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100558938_large.jpg)

2nd Zoomed Texture View.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100559231_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100559231_large.jpg)

3rd Upclose Texture Exploration.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100559821_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100559821_large.jpg)

4th Closeup Texture Exploration Update

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100561352_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100561352_large.jpg)

5th Extreme Closeup of the A-19 Deployer, These bad boys will be deploying alot of smaller craft in the final image and will be a bit of a distance. But close enough to appreciate. I plan on putting a decal layer of textures on it later when the composition phaze is underway.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100563559_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100563559_large.jpg)

A-19 Deployer View #5

[Doublecrash]

Oh my! This is an awesome bunk of work. You can't imagine how this can be useful ... the screenshot, the explanations, photoshop steb-by-step...


And it's looking really cool, specially the textured Deployer.

Subscribed.


Stefano

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100566173_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100566173_large.jpg)

Swiveled the gun turrets around to be pointing at the different targets in the final comp.

[Aethyrprime]

Oh my! This is an awesome bunk of work. You can't imagine how this can be useful ... the screenshot, the explanations, photoshop steb-by-step...


And it's looking really cool, specially the textured Deployer.

Subscribed.


Stefano
Thanks Stefano, I hope it would be. I will try to post up as many as possible.

[Nekura]

Wow! I really like the Deployer.. especially the texture work and detailed components. Very nice! :thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

Wow! I really like the Deployer.. especially the texture work and detailed components. Very nice! :thumbsup:
Thanks Nekura, More to come. I am about to upload the light mapping round 1.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100570430_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100570430_large.jpg)

First round render on the self-illumination light mapping. More to come.

[Nekura]

I really like the lights.. looks very spooky (and deadly).

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100572038_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100572038_large.jpg)

Much closer to what I was looking for, reduced the displacement, glossiness, specular and diffuse. Upped the bump and self-illumination.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100573081_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100573081_large.jpg)

Lower angle of the A-19 Deployer. I am quite pleased with the final feeling I get from this. The ship will be viewed from below in the final image so this is close to the angle it will be rendered at.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100576929_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100576929_large.jpg)

I added an environment into these last shots to give some depth to this image. The final environment will be similar but not exactly this one.

[greentek]

wow!!! nasty crushing stuff Richard!!!:thumbsup:
this deployer looks great! i probably can express some crit about texturing but i won't cos you have your own style and i just may disorder your plans all the more Deployer looks nice..

cheers and keep your great work up! :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100580227_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100580227_large.jpg)

More perspective view updates of the texturing.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100581068_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100581068_large.jpg)

3/4 rear view of the A-19 Deployer textured.

[HieSpike]

Wow, your work is looking great! Almost a bit overwhelming! Cant wait to see the final composition with all those ships in it. Man, that really is going to be "Grand"

peace!

[Vittorius]

Wow that is just crazy Richard :eek: , Great texturing, keep it up!!!:thumbsup:








My CH Challenge XVI - Grand Space Opera - 3D Thread (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=185732)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100584886_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1100584886_large.jpg)

Underneath front perspective view of the A-19 deployer.

[Aethyrprime]

Wow, your work is looking great! Almost a bit overwhelming! Cant wait to see the final composition with all those ships in it. Man, that really is going to be "Grand"

peace! Thanks dude. How do you mean overwhelming? Bad or good...? :P
Wow that is just crazy Richard :eek: , Great texturing, keep it up!!!:thumbsup:


My CH Challenge XVI - Grand Space Opera - 3D Thread (showthread.php?t=185732)
Thanks Vitt your not looking so bad over there yourself ;)

[Sharga]

I really enjoy watching this evolve. The ship looks like something from a movie and yet at the same time, very original. Especially nice job texturing.

[dubacan]

design of the ship is great! nice work... :)

[Versiden]

excellent job on the texturing, coming along nicely!

[terraarc]

You've got quite a lot work shown in all these pages ||) |V| |^| ! Wishing you the best of more inspiration and dedication to finish this project!:thumbsup:

The SShip does somehow reminds me of the Shadows in the Babylon 5 series (those tentacles and the black layout), but the model doesn't resemble "Shadows". Maybe if you used something more lighten texture-wise to show all those SShip edges and shape, just an suggestion here :) .


Keep it up mate!
:thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

I really enjoy watching this evolve. The ship looks like something from a movie and yet at the same time, very original. Especially nice job texturing. Thanks, that is inspiring to hear that you believe my work is even slightly comparable to a movie! :) W00t! hehe

design of the ship is great! nice work... :) This ship design I wish I could say was premeditated, but it kinda evolved outta one of my designs as I sit outside in the breeze looking at it and thinking of the steps needed to create it. When all of the sudden these large arms reach out the side of it and then cannons and turrets pop out. all of the arms on it come to a point to produce a planet killer laser beam, like a super weapon. I will do a few sketches with the dropships coming out of the ship, perhaps in the last view, hmm....

excellent job on the texturing, coming along nicely! Hey, Versiden, thanks man. Coming from you that means alot, alot! :)

You've got quite a lot work shown in all these pages ||) |V| |^| ! Wishing you the best of more inspiration and dedication to finish this project!:thumbsup:

The SShip does somehow reminds me of the Shadows in the Babylon 5 series (those tentacles and the black layout), but the model doesn't resemble "Shadows". Maybe if you used something more lighten texture-wise to show all those SShip edges and shape, just an suggestion here :) .


Keep it up mate!
:thumbsup:If given a choice between old star wars and new I would pick old because it seems dirty, some how making it feel more real. If given a choice between bladerunner and just about anything, its Bladerunner all the way. I don't like the steril clean perfect appearance in alot of sci-fi. I am much more into the dark and grity over the bright and flashy. Doesn't mean I dislike that type, just not my preference. I love anylizing all CG so :P

I will do a few renderings a bit lighter for ya to see how it looks.

Anyway, much appreciated on the c'n'c. More to come.

[Aethyrprime]

God help us all, HL2 was released... I promise to come up for air long enough to get some serious modeling done. I think this is the inspiration the doctor ordered.

[Nekura]

It's looking really great man.. keep up the superb work! :applause:

[Cseminole125]

Wow!! Geez, Alaric, I don't know what else to say. Just, wow! I've been around and seen a lot of stuff (I've even been schooled in CS by Dead Man Walking before) and now I find you again. I thought I'd read all the posts in your thread, since I work all night and have nothing else to do, but didn't realize that it was 12 pages long and took 4 hours to go over it all. Now that I have...

WOW!!

I'm very impressed with your step by step tutorials; if I were into that kind of thing, I'm sure it would be extremely helpful. Keep up the good work and I'll keep coming back for more.

[Aethyrprime]

thanks, I am about ready to unleash some new stuff... Tutorial time again. But this time I think it needs to be a fighter ship, need lots of those for the final image.

[Virtuoso]

Hi Richard.....................Well you have been a busy bee......;) .....It's coming along very nicely...................I like your dedication....And you could not be more dedicated than creating your own music (very nice by the way:thumbsup: ) for your project,that;s great,I love the passion.........Textures are coming along nicely,they fit the theme and modeling........Keep at it hard,it's all paying off...................:arteest: :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks virtuoso. I appreciate the encouraging words. I was hoping some people would download the song and give it a whirl. Its not 100% finished but.... this is not a "music" contest, so I just got it close enough to be happy and moved back to the modeling. I had a few inspirations last night about the song, how to darken/harden it some more. I will let you know when I get the update posted. (Every game needs background music, and 3D art, hmm I see a team developing here....)

The next round of modeling is going to really fun, because its going to be 2-3 different fighter class ships. Then the frigate (which I left, for the deployer, unfinished). I have been working on a few different Mechanized Standing Tank Designs to be included in the background.

What do you think of pulling the camera back a bit and showing the next line of soldiers advancing on her location. Just tinkering with ideas. So many. I feel like a butterfly catcher... they just keep wizzing by my head, I just need to reach out and grab some....

[tzktime]

hey richard, nice modelling and sweet textures, keep going don stop, the most important thing is the passion! You already started texturing but Im still modelling hehe, kinda slow so you re doing great! Keep it up, don stop. :bounce:

[Doublecrash]

Whoa! That's a bunch of updates!


The Deployer looks really nasty (not in aestethics way, LOL), ready to do some real action. I'm really impressed, I'll keep following the thread very closely.

Cool updates.


Stefano

[Aethyrprime]

:) I hope you all realize how much coming back here and seeing such talented artists replying in this thread means and puts a huge smile on my face for hours. It inspires me to work more...intensely. I promise you I have not stopped since my last post (39 hours awake, lots of caffine), and you shall see soon enough...

I...can say...that I have been re-working the song to be darker...harder...deeper...more, emotional. I promise to have something to look at very soon, but I think the sudden inspiration to work on the song more is very enlightening to the entire process and project.

[Grimbo]

Hmmmm, this place seems to be fairly ummmm, classy... so I'll keep my 'colorful commentary' to a minimum :P

DMW dude... I don't even want to hint at how long it took to read/load all this on dialup! but all I can say is WOW... The first couple pages I was blown away by the sketches... but little did I know it was only the beginning. You've got some amazing talent, and quite honestly I had no idea till this thread.

If I didn't watch you create the stuff step by step, I wouldn't have believed you made it... I'm amazed.

As far as criticism? My only complain is that I can't do this stuff. :shrug:

Sketches: A+
Models: A+
Overall concept: A+

All I can say is that seeing your work makes me damn eager to hear more about PP.

You get my stamp of approval! (I know that's the one thing you've been yearning for!)

- Grim

[Aethyrprime]

Hey grim, glad to see you make it here to my thread! :bounce: Thanks for the input. I had been so busy teaching that I did not have time to work on my own art. But its on now! :) Well I am finishing my next part of my project this morning, I hope to have it up some time today.

[WazaR]

I hate to be a stick in the mud, but....

I am having some issue with your use of *greebles* ... small detail bumps added to surface of ships to give them detail. Its not for anything, but in the final image resolution these will be quite apparent. Currently they look as if they are there for purely decorative purposes,... and this really distracts from the illustrative realism we are trying to get at here. I think you should reconsider your startagey for the details of these ships. If they are as big as I imagine I think it would behove you to model these details instead of using textures and.or plugins.

It looks nice so far, but I am looking at this from the point of view of the final composition.

[Aethyrprime]

Normally I would agree with you. But in the case of something that is going to be so far in the background, I think I put to much detail in it. Really all it needs is the ambeint mapping. The items which are in the foreground are recieving that type of treatment. But I am dealing with the background -> foreground process. It helps focus my direction. If I start with the foreground first, then what I end up with is an off balance picture. By putting enough details in the background before the foreground, I ensure that my work in the background does not get short changed. I know that I want to show off certain background things I have produced so its kinda like a guarantee to myself. When your ADD, you come up with processes or systems to cope with the distractability factor.

[greentek]

keep going mate! nothing wrong with your models all the more your going to use them in the background.. there is even no reason to model entire model but only part which is directed toward viewer.. i personally won't texture invisible (top) part of my ship.. in the end you should get nice and expressive image and not a lot of models and stuff you'll never use..
when we paint we do not consider part of the image out of the frame so why should we do that in 3D i personally have no idea.. if your going to make later an animation including this scene and objects, this way yeas, you have to model them entirely but if not i don't see a reason..
but it looks like many participants look at this challenge as it's contest of modeling, texturing and lighting skills (btw not only participants cos in the rules we can find that using of some applications is restricted, i don't get it cos if this challenge is not just modeling/texturing competition but final image is most impoprtant why we have such restrictions.. i personally do not use any of these applications but i think in the end we'll get that technical complication will count more than real creativeness and pure art).. well.. i have some stuff in my scene which will be heavily motion blured so why i should model a hell amount of unneccessary details for it i don't understand.. if you know that please let me know as well..
keep Richard your great work up and cheers!

[Aethyrprime]

Hey man I feel ya on that. Because of my nature I must model all sides even hidden ones. But to spend the time repeatidly beveling and extruding, blending and morphing just for something that will be barely seen in the final image is assinine. If it were for animation then that would make sense right? Well anyway, thanks for the support greentek. I appreciate your post quite a bit.

back on the job after a short day and a half to recoupe some rest and relaxation.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101156045_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101156045_large.jpg)

Step 1 draw a circle shape and a bezier curve like these to be combined using the compound object type loft. Please notice the the way this works is that a loft is always at least two shapes. The first shape acts as a path for the second shape to follow producing a 3D Mesh from the result.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101156570_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101156570_large.jpg)

Step 2. The product of the loft can be seen here as the objects are combined, line as the path and circle as the shape.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101157623_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101157623_large.jpg)

The next few steps include duplication of the first side bar referenced from the first. Then create a cylinder and place is in the first rung position. After its placed hold shift and drag the object straight up in the Front ISO View which will produce the #copies and type options. Offset the product when you near the top and repeat from the Top ISO View the length of the side bars keeping an eye on the other 3 views to be sure these bars conform to the shape. THe final product must be grouped and meshsmoothed. The meshsmooth should be set from sub-object surface mode and the settings should apply to everything. I went with a 4-iterations 1-smoothness. The texture is just s simple phong 2-Sided with a dark grey diffuse, black ambient, specular 10, Glossiness 0, Soften 0.6, to create a dull flat metal look.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101164962_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101164962_large.jpg)

I converted the entire group to an editable mesh, applied a UVW map set to Cylindrical and began adding bump noise, and some basic rust coloration.

[straightforward]

Very interesting concept and art. I would like to see the monkey bars better - perhaps more illumination would help. Keep going! We want to see more!

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101166077_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101166077_large.jpg)

Starting the H-51 Frigate over again from the start. I am starting from a Chamfer Cylinder which will be used for the front nose piece armor plating.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101167380_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101167380_large.jpg)

Getting the reference and alignment done, along with the shape settings.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101168727_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101168727_large.jpg)

Apply slice from 180 and reduce sides to 16. Next apply an edit mesh modifier and begin deforming to match the side view of the reference image.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101180256_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101180256_large.jpg)

Getting bridge windows and smoothing out the shape using mesh-smooth and extrusion of faces.

[Nekura]

Wow.. that Frigate is going to look really sweet when it's done.. I can't wait! Keep it up man! :thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101183924_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101183924_large.jpg)

Create an oiltank. Size and translate it into the proper position. Then adjust the mesh of the bridge to fit.

[greentek]

coolest stuff Richard!!! :thumbsup:
it's comming along veri nice..
keep it up and see you later! :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101185201_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101185201_large.jpg)

I know this one looks funny but I must get a large shape the length of the ship in place from which all the little du-dads-n-detals will be attached to.

By creating a box that has 16 length segments 7 width segments and 13 height segments, will allow this shape to become very organice by manipulating the edges, vertices and polys. I have two potential methods that I have used befoere on other things that I was going to decide which to go with. One is more orgranic then other is more mechanical. I was thiking of keeping the humans crafts such as their Standing Tanks Mechanized Standing Tank, called a
>Mech<(ST), appearing more in the range of appleseed, ghost in the shell 1/2, robocop, even matrix had a few salvagable ideas. While keeping the Andgorian in more organic ships. More steps to come for a few more hours of intesnse modeling coming in heia.

[Aethyrprime]

I guess that since this is the time we like to party. we should just setup one of our channels as a free forall party style. I could e-cast aethyrprime music while we get our 3D grove on. This challange will deffinantly produce so amazing results from its people. And talented ones ta boot!


PS, Who will be the 200th poster? I think I could do it. But I have to be posting an update or reply to something else being disscussed in here... hmmm who will it be????

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101186654_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101186654_large.jpg)

An updated closer, lighter view and thanks to an unnamed private messager on reminding me to delete the 3 bars between bottom steps and top part so the lil ones can get through....

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101187155_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101187155_large.jpg)

The correct bars missing.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101188689_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101188689_large.jpg)

By hiding the other geometries from the scene we can focus soley on how this main chassis/hull will fit into the picture. Begin deforming and warping the edges in vertice mode to produce at least a similar effect.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101192682_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101192682_large.jpg)

Here we need to start shaping the vertices and faces into position to match the main hull of the ship. I am following the lines of seperation of different panel layers. Since this is to be one large panel I kept it as one object. Next I will be further refining the surface details.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101193297_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101193297_large.jpg)

A quick update to show each of the pieces put together for reference of size and location.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101194593_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101194593_large.jpg)

At this point slight vertex and face refinments usually translation or non-uniform scaling is being used to adjust the curvature of different pieces in how they connect with each other.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101200656_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101200656_large.jpg)

Added the windows to the main hull along with some minor tweaking to overall shape and sizes of each mesh/object.

[terraarc]

Great progress man! :thumbsup:
I find all those modelling phases really helpful

:beer:

[Aethyrprime]

:) great to hear, thanks for the props! :) More to come!

[jddog]

Really cool and great progress. Is really interesting to follow your wip image :thumbsup:

jdd

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101222913_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101222913_large.jpg)

Added heavy core shielding and thruster deformations to tail.

[Virtuoso]

A barrage of WIP's.....you got to love that :arteest: ......nice design,mega vessels.look clean,and the designs are smooth,a nice flow to them,it's all coming along nicely Richard........Keep this up,it's all paying off......A very nice step by step showcasing too I must add........Keep at it,I like the direction and overall plan very much..........:arteest:

[Nekura]

I agree 100% with Virtuoso. Great work indeed :)

Very interesting getting to watch these models evolve.

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks virtuoso. Your encourging words and careful critiques are soo welcome! :) Thanks Nekura! I hope I am able to put on a good show ;)

Had a crazy urge to update the concept sketch for Kira and to do a detailed rendition of the Elite Support Exo-Skeleton Mark II. It uses a..ah, nevermind you will see soon enough... :buttrock:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101390175_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101390175_large.jpg)

A complete pre-modeling treatment of the main characters in the foregrounds outfit with quick bio sheet.

[overcontrast]

hey great char design an nice modeling mathod... i''ll b waitng for more updates.. keep up the good works mate

[terraarc]

Man pretty good job on analyzing the exo-skeleton! :thumbsup:
I really like this workflow, it provides great material to start modelling!
The only thing I kind of find potential threat to the soldier are the exo-skeleton scales, which I see that have been replaced with smoother parts on the inside of hands and torso!

Great work! Waiting for updates :wavey:

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks overcontrast and terraarc I tried to keep the areas which the soldier would be capable of touching themselves with smooth for that very reason ;) Also they become more flat as they go up the leg and down the arm. Next up is a closeup drawing I am working on depicting the updated positions to the characters pose in final comp, focusing on interaction with fallen comrade. I will post the sketch alone up then the final airbrushed comp.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101402909_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101402909_large.jpg)

Happy Thanksgiving to all whom celebrate it. This is a sketch I will be working on airbrushing after the festivities. This is at least an improved closeup of the characters pose which will be in the final comp replacing the current in same view with the updated tweaks as mentioned on like page 2 or 3 in max list. Note I did this sketch before I did the detailed character modeling reference in the previous post.

[Lelantos]

Great work Awesome concept keep up i want to see more of this

[patina]

Hi Richard LaBrie

Thats a real nice sketch, it will be interesting to see it against the other drawings,

Your work will look very dramatic I think. Romeo and Juliet, they should die together!

good luck...

Patina!


http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=188090

[Aethyrprime]

Great work Awesome concept keep up i want to see more of this Thanks, I intend on releasing as much as possible as much as I can ;) :P I try to put as many of my steps into tutorials as I can. Sometimes I feel that the number of steps are too many and increments too small to make much differential help so I skip it. But thanks for the kind words. I hope to see more of you here as well.

Hi Richard LaBrie

Thats a real nice sketch, it will be interesting to see it against the other drawings,

Your work will look very dramatic I think. Romeo and Juliet, they should die together!

good luck...

Patina!


http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=188090 (http://showthread.php?threadid=188090) It is her lover, in her arms and yes they both die. After you said that I began thinking about turning him into an alien, not my original sketch. Something new and different.


-----------------STORY LINE POTENTIAL UPDATE!-----------------
Perhaps this war being fought in the background is more "tragic", than the almost extinction of a species.

Perhaps it should be at the loss of Prince Kameha of this alien species and the Admiral Kira leader of the Coalition of Nations of Earth's defense forces along with almost both of their species for the illicit love of each other.

Her father, the Administrator of Nations, refused to allow the Prince courting rights. His refusal sparked an admonished hatred from the young Princes father, the noble Lord of Hiandys IV.

One dark day in the middle of the night, Two lame Lords stood up to fight. They went round and round with levy's and taxes. Trade tariffs were declared the media a war did incite.

After the first abduction & murder, the two worlds fell hopelessly apart which sealed their fate forever together.

As the primary defense & trade post on Luna Base (the Moon) was decimated and the surface of the earth scorched catastrophically enough for centuries to pass before habitation may resume. Unbeknowst, by the attacking force a small elite strike team had been sent on a one way mission to end all life on the alien world. Their task seemed impossible, but none had much to live for and all had thirst for revenge. Communications sounded grim. Each said a prayer to their own god of the earth, as they raced through the heavens to their own funeral pyre. They landed where the world was barren and hijacked a trade ship destined for a town. This town was very large and had in it a large energy device. With an overload and a prayer our leaders would end the fight. After countless innocent and cobatant alike, fell to the ground they put marks on their helmets. They were good and they struck fast, so fast they could succeed. And that they did, both planets without vegetation... Save the few ships which slipped away from each planets gravitation. The pull of fate was so strong both groups of last survivors were destined to land on the same class M.

If there is anyone out there that likes this enough to go farther with it, have at it, just post up a copy.

[greentek]

hi Richard and happy Thanksgiving!
i love story and i love sketch!
lady from the sketch looks simply wonderful.. i like her (i can't love her cos i'm married :D)..
great stuff my friend! :thumbsup: really great!
well.. keep it up mate and i'm looking forward for updates!
best of luck and cheers..

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101440028_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101440028_large.jpg)

This will be Kira's lover in her arms amidst the kaos of the scene. I know I got a bit carried away with the sketch, but I had an inspiration for a language for them, which works.

[Aethyrprime]

I went for a half-elf'ish sorta look. Longer features, pointy ears, but I added a third eye and wings.. Hmm, they came from the sky flying on their wings and breathed fire down apon the earth and....

[terraarc]

Man great sketches! :thumbsup: Especially the last one! He does look kind of steam-punkish..just read about the wings, so that explains a lot....:)

Great work overall ||) |V| |^| ! Waiting for more!
:beer:

PS:What is written all over him? Just tribals or is it from the language you created?

[Virtuoso]

Very compassionate,detailed,and beautiful sketche's Richard.:arteest:

They will be great to see enter the 3D World......Keep it up,work hard,it's paying off nicely.....:arteest:

[Aethyrprime]

Thanks terraarc and Virtuoso. I was going to airbrush all the sketches, but due to time constraints I think its best if I just skip it for now, and move on back to modeling. But I promise to keep more stuff coming as frequently as possible. Great work on your own stuff too by the way. God you guys are talented.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101495028_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101495028_large.jpg)

Added the lower gun turret bridge.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101497162_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101497162_large.jpg)

Added tail fins to the ships model.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101502321_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101502321_large.jpg)

Adding window seperations. Each window is assigned a unique texture id channel # so that they can be sub-object surface mapped by those id's to allow unique content to be inside each window.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101513150_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101513150_large.jpg)

Getting rear wings and fins correct.

[DimitrisLiatsos]

Geez man..u are producing these ships like a factory...but they surely look awesome.. :) :thumbsup:

I imagine texturing of this will also add a huge amount of details..eh?

[Nekura]

Wow.. great updates! :) I love the sketches.. nice work! :thumbsup:
I really like how the model is coming along too.. keep it up!

[flinder]

love the ship designs. particularly the A-19. nice work.

[Aethyrprime]

Geez man..u are producing these ships like a factory...but they surely look awesome.. :) :thumbsup:

I imagine texturing of this will also add a huge amount of details..eh?
Yep sure will. I have to admit though. From looking at some of the other contestants submissions. I am beginning to think my computer and software are sorely lacking. Some of the minute complexities even when Xref'd seem to cause me grave headaches. Hopefully if I win, this will be a thing of the past... ;)

Wow.. great updates! :) I love the sketches.. nice work! :thumbsup:
I really like how the model is coming along too.. keep it up!
Thanks, I aim to please :P

love the ship designs. particularly the A-19. nice work.
I just cannot wait to fly it! shhhhh...

More to come...

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101584601_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101584601_large.jpg)

The fine detail is now being added. Being that this is a human ship I decided to lighten the surface. The humans use more mechanical technology so now I have the oppertunity to do that realllllly detailed modeling stuff!

[greentek]

great modeling Richard!
really great my friend! :thumbsup:
keep it up mate and cheers.. :beer:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101588297_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101588297_large.jpg)

More refinement of the gears & housing. Piston brackets added with a bit of pizzaz.

[Climax]

I can't believe so many good artist on this Challenge! great Stuff Richard! and LONG LIFE CGTALK! :thumbsup:

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101592574_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101592574_large.jpg)

Worked out the mount for gun turrets to be attached on to.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101597072_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101597072_large.jpg)

The cannon for the turret mount. This started as a square, and after a few dozen rounds of extruding and beveling and tranlating you get something like this! :P

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101597703_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101597703_large.jpg)

Four new views to put things in perspective!

[Virtuoso]

"a few dozen rounds of extruding and beveling and tranlating" ....................I know just where you are coming from Richard ;) .......Keep it going on the modeling fast lane........Keep cranking it out,looking very nice,lots of work and all done in fine fashion.........:arteest:

[Nekura]

Hah! I love that gun.. freakin' awesome! :applause:

[Aethyrprime]

thanks, got more coming later too! Then on to textures, then the Mech ST's hit the modeling block! That means ground elements will be full production alone with some lower resolution proxies for the background fight scene. Well maybe not too low res.. hehe. ;)

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101645317_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101645317_large.jpg)

More minor asthetic updates.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101692919_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101692919_large.jpg)

A new update on the dual side turrets. Coloration comes from multi-sub-texture created during process of extrusion by assigning a unique id channel for groups of faces and then dragging a unique texture to each id channel while selected. After which I choose a different texture in explorer and used the eye-dropper on entire mesh. This produces the multi-sub-object map you need.

[Virtuoso]

Nice turrets Richard.......The eye dropper,such a nice tool......:) ...........Your work flow is steady and solid,looking real nice,technical and in art form.........continue like this,you are creating a great Space opera.....:arteest: :beer:

[HieSpike]

Looking very good. Can we see some of these without hte lines? peace

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101710986_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101710986_large.jpg)

A basic rendering of the un-textured surface.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101714231_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101714231_large.jpg)

Basic Bump Map applied only

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101717754_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101717754_large.jpg)

Refining the bump placement and depth.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101720597_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101720597_large.jpg)

More refinements on the shader. Diffuse texture added to last steps bumping.

[Aethyrprime]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101722522_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4538/4538_1101722522_large.jpg)

From the top!