Architecture: Watchtower at the frontier

[PhilOsirus]

Here is the reference artwork. As I said, I used a photo, on which I applied a cutout filter, then just quickly add and modify the structure. A lot will change in the end, especially as far as textures go I don't think I'll go for a white material. Not sure yet anyway, this is just a ref for the sake of knowing where I'm going more or less.

Original picture by R. Hannes Niedner.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_ref.jpg

Give me crits or comments if you have any! Chamfers will come later, roof will be subdivided later as well.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip02.jpg

[TSB]

looks good. keep it up.

[PhilOsirus]

Sorry for the lack of updates, the realworld is pulling me away from my hobby!:scream:

By the way the shape of the tower is not going outward at the bottom because I don't want to deal with angles for now, I'll do that later.

EDIT: I went ahead and reshaped it to make it wider at the base anyway. Didn't feel right otherwise.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip03.jpg

[PhilOsirus]

Here is the latest update. There won't be panels over the windows anymore (it would make no sense cause they would have to open and close them all every time it rains). So it will just be open with grids in them. Next step will be the bird feeders.

Also, there would be a room for the guard(s) at the bottom but this part will not be modeled. And no, the walls will not be so perfect, i'll damage the thing later on.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip04.jpg

[PhilOsirus]

Here is an update, not much really, just some windows and a door, as well as the bird feeders.

Anyone has crits or comments about the general structure, architectural style, etc? Thanks

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip05.jpg

[RedXR]

Great work, the model looks fantastic.

[DaveMation]

Should the roof not be a bit angular, i'm not sure it fits with the rest. Although..

Don't get me wrong it does look fantastic, just.. hmmm.. the roof

Dave

[Gremlin]

Hey phil,
This is some pretty sexy work; Quality modeling, but also good subject matter--I like the style. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on your updates.

Cheers :thumbsup:
Gremlin

[Vimmy]

great modeling i like the shape of the roof of the tower:)

keep it up!

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks a lot of the comments and crits!

RedXR: Thanks a lot!

Davemation: The roof will be more detailed later, still thinking of what to do exactly (some rims going across it from the symbol to hold it all togheter but not sure what detail to put into it). I think it will make more sense when textured.

Gremlin and Vimmy: Thanks! That's the idea, making something a bit more original than what I am used to. I definitly want to detail it all moreso even if most will come from the textures and lighting.

Sorry for the long time between updates. Here is another small one. I'll put different windows on the floor with the flags. I'm trying to come up with more stuff to add.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip06.jpg

[Stefan-Morrell]

that's a very interesting mix of styles you've made...I like this one a lot

.....& those flags are crying out to be animated:scream:

I'm curious about the roof design,it looks very unique & original..looking forward to seeing it textured to get a better grasp on what kind of material it is

Cheers

[PhilOsirus]

Hey Stefan thanks for the post!

I have been looking at a lot of Indian architecture and was stunned by the amount of detail and the originality their architectural style features! I have seen a lot of asian architecture before, mainly from Japan and China, but this is very different, it's a mix of middle-eastern and asian styles (or maybe it's those two that are offshoots of this style?). Regardless, it forces me to bring more detail in the modeling, so more will come before I start texturing.

I would like to make a small animation at some point for sure, with dust blowing by, but I'll have to check on how to animate a cloth constrained to a rope before, etc. As for the type of material it will be mostly wood, some stone, a bit of metal, and probably some tile material for the roof, whatever roof tiles in asia are made with!:)

[PhilOsirus]

Small update again, added some direction to the waving banners. The bird feeders are screwing up the composition by pointing in all directions and make it feel too symmetrical/artificial. I think I will modify how they are set up to make them point in one direction. I will finish the roof, add some alpha mapped planes for the windows, then start texturing. If you have any suggestions or crits let me know!

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip07.jpg

[Vimmy]

hehe great render, i like that !

[mohamad]

I'm interest to see what going on. good work and nice modeling.

May you say that how you make doors and windows? I see that you make waal first. then create doors and windows. do you use boolean?

[PhilOsirus]

mohamad: Hi, thanks for the comments. I make the doors and windows by first making a cylinder and deleting all the inner faces, the lower half, and the right or left half. I end up with 1/4 of a cylinder. I then duplicate this piece and align it with the tip of the previous tip. I repeat that process if needed, so I end up with:

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( )
( )

Then I weld the vertices, and extrude the lower edges and close the shape. So now the shape is empty, I only have the exterior. I flip the faces. Now you just select all the edges, extrude them, and collapse the vertices. See this image below, it is probably clearer:)

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip08.jpg

This one is a bit sloppy but basically it is easier to model the hole first than model the wall and punch a hole through it:)

[PhilOsirus]

Here is a small glimpse of what I'm thinking of doing texture-wise. Also, forget the older story I had for this tower. It will be quite different now. I'll put a flying boat up next to the balcony instead of bird feeders. I know it's dumb to have a walled frontier if there are flying ships but whatever! Maybe they are the only ones with the technology/magic;) It should be more interesting! Anyway, i'm going to continue with the textures for now. Let me know what you think (and yeah the moon looks a bit too photo-ish)!

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip09.jpg

[Stefan-Morrell]

coming along nicely :)

I liked those bird feeders too..hoping you keep the last one.
& the stone texture looks very nice against the woodwork

Cheers

[mohamad]

mohamad: Hi, thanks for the comments. I make the doors and windows by first making a cylinder and deleting all the inner faces, the lower half, and the right or left half. I end up with 1/4 of a cylinder. I then duplicate this piece and align it with the tip of the previous tip. I repeat that process if needed, so I end up with:

)(
( )
( )

Then I weld the vertices, and extrude the lower edges and close the shape. So now the shape is empty, I only have the exterior. I flip the faces. Now you just select all the edges, extrude them, and collapse the vertices. See this image below, it is probably clearer:)



This one is a bit sloppy but basically it is easier to model the hole first than model the wall and punch a hole through it:)


Many thanks man,
I couldn't understand what you do! I always like find new waies for creating doors and windowses and this way that you said is new for me. may you give me more description? it will be nice if you show your processes in images.

and about new update. I don't think to this material so am interest to see what will happen in your idea. sky is very good. the moon place and type is nice. I think what you want do for this empty part!

good to go.

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks for the comments!

Here is the step-by-step for the windows. The mesh is not very nice because of all the thin tris, but it isn't too much of a problem as long as it's not animated. It's a good idea to avoid very long and thin triangles anyway, but regardless in this case it's fine.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip10.jpg

Stefan: Thanks, I'll probably get rid of the bird feeder idea, but it will now be a fuel lamp or whatever it's called, so as to make sure the post can be reached even at night.

Thanks for the stars too, I'm suprised:)

EDIT: Actually, you don't even need to connect all the edges. I don't even know why I did it lol. Most of the time, you can leave it with no edges except one or so. It should not be a problem I think, but maybe with some forms of rendering it can be an issue.

[Vimmy]

Look clean ! i like your last render of the tower , continue man !

[mohamad]

Thanks for the comments!

Here is the step-by-step for the windows. The mesh is not very nice because of all the thin tris, but it isn't too much of a problem as long as it's not animated. It's a good idea to avoid very long and thin triangles anyway, but regardless in this case it's fine.



many thanks! it was new way that I seen. as you said, it's not good way but is fast and good for this project. again thank you.

[learner88]

the last pic is fantastic!the colour of the sky gives really the idea of the dusty desert!

The intersection on that wall seem not to be defined.

[leishman]

wow.....goood start..please go on to worked.

[PhilOsirus]

Vimmy: Hey thanks for the comment! Looking forward to your third dude.

Mohamad: Glad you got it:)

Learner88: Thank you. The dust effect and colors are made in PS with a quick use of layer masks. And yeah the wall is really not finished, I'm still thinking of changing the shape a bit too to make a better composition. It will blend with the ground later.

Leishman: Thanks! More updates will come as soon as I have time to work on it.

[BilboX]

Wowow. This one rocks.
Nice style & texturing. The roof style kick us on another planet... kind of 'stargatesk":D. I really like it.

Very good job!

[Stefan-Morrell]

I'll probably get rid of the bird feeder idea, but it will now be a fuel lamp or whatever it's called, so as to make sure the post can be reached even at night.


whatever it is ..keep it:)...I think it adds a great deal to the building.
I'd love to see this building on the edge of a canyon..or some other dramatic setting,..looking forward to seeing how you take it to final image.

are the windows reflecting..or are they holes & you just haven't done anything with the inside of the tower yet?

only other crit I have is ..how would it look a couple levels taller?


"Thanks for the stars too, I'm suprised"

welcome,though I gave you 4 & it showed up as 3 :scream: ..must be balanced against other stars folks have given.

keep going!

[Haz-Mat]

Cant wait to see the finished product :) Also I like how the textures are turning out

[PhilOsirus]

Biblox: Thank you! I'm glad you like the roof. I had that roof shape in mind for some time but never got around to make it.

Stefan: Thanks. The windows are empty right now, there will be a grid-like pattern for the windows. Probably also a closed door at the top or some such. There is a lot I want to do with this image, I'm not sure how far I'll take it. I want to keep the idea that it is a lonely outpost, I won't make it much taller, but I might extend the wall in a curved direction instead of a straight one so the landscape might change.


Haz-Mat: Thanks!

[PhilOsirus]

I tried a simple grid pattern for the windows but it came out poorly unless I made a very large render. So I'm going back to the panels idea. I'll add supports inside the window frames. Basically I was thinking that since there is a lot of dust they would close the windows sometimes anyway. Maybe I'll still make grids for the top windows since they would recieve less dust. Anyway it's a tiny update only. I'll have more time this weekend. I hate doing 3D when it's so hot!:p

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip11.jpg

[Vimmy]

Look great, comming along very nicely !:thumbsup:

[learner88]

I meant the interseption between the wall and those pillars.

[Gulfrove]

This looks very nice. Like something from another world. Looking forward to seeing more.

[PhilOsirus]

Vimmy: Once again thank you for your support!

learner88: I'll work on the wall soon. But I'll probably add the boat first:)

Gulfrove: Thank you! With the flying boat it should look even more otherworldly. I will definitly modify the moon as well to make it look like it's not on Earth (maybe a moon with vegetation, while the area shown in the image is more like a desert).

Here is the update! Again sorry for the slow updates, I'm not spending as much time as I should on this!

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip12.jpg

[Vimmy]

Textures look great continue!

[mp5]

I think it's too many fog down there. And wall's shader is like a plastic. Add some dirt and dust on the wall.

[BilboX]

I agree with mp5 about the clean aspect of the walls. But the roof texture is quite nice! And vegetation on the moon (or maybe the picture is on the moon of a green planet;)) will add some colors, it's a very good idea. I like this one, very much.

Very good job, even if you don't spend all the time you'd like on it... the slower the better ;)

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks for the comments.

There are no textures on the walls yet, it's a gray material. More updates later.

[learner88]

uhm..i prefered the previous sky colour and the environement with less dust.

[PhilOsirus]

Here is the first pass on the wall's texture. It tiles a lot at the moment but this will be corrected later on when I blend textures/cracks etc. I'll do the same for the tower's texture itself (still needs a different material around the windows) and for the roof.

I'm working on a character head at the moment as well for something else so updates won't be faster;)

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip13.jpg

[learner88]

man,your work is very inspiring.I love it!

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks a lot! I'm glad you find it inspiring!

Another small update. Textured the wind-rolls and their supports, the crown, modified the roof texture a bit by using vertex paint, and textured one banner (each one will be different and much more colorful). I also reduced the tiling effect on the wall texture. I'll add cracks and small shrubs later on. BTW it is not mapped properly, just a box mapping, that is why there are some glitched at the top. That top part of the wall will have a different texture.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip14.jpg

Things to do:

1- Door and windows for the top part.
2- Add shrubs at the botton of the wall (and on it too).
3- Add some cracks on the wall.
4- Texture the top part of the wall.
5- Make all the banners.
6- Make the docking bay for the flying boat.
7- Reposition the lamp properly for the docking bay.
8- Make the boat (it will be right in front of the moon, coming toward the tower or maybe leaving it)!

:eek:

[Havoc89]

wow, looks absolutely brilliant. nicely done phil!

[Vimmy]

very great, the texture of the wall i more great,!

[FlaminGlow]

it is well modeled though what i like mostly is colors that mixes very well with the simple background it looks so natural in hot weather.:thumbsup:

5 *

[PhilOsirus]

Havoc, Vimmy, FlaminGlow: Thank you very much all!

I am posting this small update while I am currently working on it, I didn't realize it was almost 2am! Just when the night is getting cool after a day worthy of hell's temperature! If it was this cool all day long this thing would be done already!:p

Anyway here is a tiny update. I tried to make each banner of a different color but it just looked weird. I'll keep the colorful banners idea for another piece I have in mind. I also made the border of the wall, but I'll have to add dirt where the wall meets the border.

I must hurry and make more serious updates!

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip15.jpg

[Vimmy]

Very fine detail look great, keep you up phil. And good night loll:)

Je tes envoyer un réponce a ton private message tu est suposer l'avoir recus !

[Abaddon]

Looking real nice, i like the concept of the tower, the colour scheme, and the composition. All comes together to make a nice atmospheric image. Looking forward to see where it goes. :thumbsup:

[Haz-Mat]

The wall looks a lot better now as well as te whole scene. I hope that the boat turns out as good as this :)

[Georges]

stunning work. the only thing i think ( may be to late ) is that the weight or the size from the top part of the tower seems to me a little to big. like a head which is slightly to big comparing to the body.

keep it up

Georges

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks for the comments.

I'll probably finish the image in PS to get it done sooner, but I still have to make the boat and I haven't nailed down a concept I like thus far. I'll update it maybe this weekend.

[Vimmy]

Aille Phil jai hate de voir comment avance ton truc, j'espere que tu va nous donner plus d'update ! continue ton bon work :thumbsup:

[PhilOsirus]

Hehe, didn't update this in some time. Been working on another project on and off (it's a vehicle, I'll post it when it is advanced enough).

Not sure if you guys will like this update, but I am finish it in 2D. I didn't want to drag this piece on for too long because I have other scenes I'd like to make (and other things to hone my skills at). So things are changing a bit design-wise, no more flying boat cause I don't have the time, unless I come up with a concept that won't take much time to model. We'll see.

Basically what you see here is the render, I'll do the lighting itself at the end, maybe a day and night scene (with the hanging globe(s) glowing). On the right is the 2D overpaint. It's a bit of a pain to try and keep a sharp and realistic look to match the render, but it's alright to me as long as it doesn't clash too much.

Anyway enjoy (and yes I will do the whole scene, not just the top, I haven't added any details yet)!

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip16.jpg

[Vimmy]

MUch better phil i like that , , jai hate de voir le final ehehe

[Lemog]

Very good idea as project... I really appreciate your interpretation of your photo reference, that give a result very original and pleasant to watch...

...I keep here while waiting the final pic, good continuation so :beer:

[BilboX]

Salut!
I really like your 2D detail integration. You seem to be good doing this. The result is very beautifull and more realistic.

I'll just say that as it seem to be quick for you, you can add some more symbols on the walls right under the roof cause it seems naked compared to the rest of the pic.

Waiting for your next updates. Keep it up!

[PhilOsirus]

Vimmy & Lemong: Thanks!

Bilbox: I'll add more stuff around that area yeah, more hanging stuff:)

Not a big update and the ground looks way too unrealistic:/ I'll try to do some photo editing for that part. I added some cloth hanging from the ceiling inside but it looks 2D-ish so I'll have to fix that. Still need to tackle a few parts, such as the wall. I wasted time on the ground and started over a few times. Hopefully in the next update it will look better.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip17.jpg

[Vimmy]

Vraiment bien le sable est cool aussi, mais petit chose tu devrai ajouter un peu plus d'ombre pres du mur et du sable parce que la sa fait comme pas coler dans la scene mais a part sa c'est vraiment nice !

[bradjames]

This is great. I've been watching the progress on this one for a while now and its has turned out very nice. Keep up the hard work

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks Jimmy and Brad!

I changed the ground, made it in 3D then did some 2D adjustments to make it bloom a bit. I know it is very different from the previous one but at least it matches as far as the rendering style goes (more realistic than 2D).

Next step will be to finish the wall.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip18.jpg

[BilboX]

Hi. It's a very good idea to set it in 3D, you'll have more freedom chosing it's orientation later. But I agree with Vimmy: you should put far more sand over the wall : the sand pushed by the wind blocked by the wall.

Mais bon c'est juste pour faire une petite remarque: c'ets très bien parti et je suis content que ça avance. Vivement la prochaine étape. Bon courage!

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks for the comments! I'll add some sand on the walls soon. Now I need to finish the poles I added (the lighting is not quite right on them), then do the wall, then the little detail. It never ends argh!:p

Anyway almost done. I added some occlusion too.

http://www.star-reef.com/3d_art/wip/tower_wip19.jpg

[Lemog]

That continue to be clean and beautiful... really like the way of your ground/sand... bravo :thumbsup:

[BilboX]

Yeah. Good idea the poles. It adds some realistic stuff in this piece. The sharpening details on the roof makes it look finer and add more depth. If I was to be picky, I'll said that it's maybe a bit too clean: Sand and dirt on the roof and walls for exemple will make it more realistic. But I think it should be one of the last steps.

Take your time, it's gonna be great piece...

[PhilOsirus]

Thanks Lemog!

BilboX: Thanks for the comments! I added more sand on the wall, not much, and a bit on the roof too, but maybe it could be more noticeable. Anyway I worked on this for too long now. I could add more like shrubs and more dirt, but at this point I just want to move on, I got other things in mind I want to make:)

I'll probably put this up in the finished section tomorrow or so.

Thanks for all the comments and the crits especially!

(EDIT: I MIGHT do some final tweaks if I am not too bored with this scene;) )

http://www.star-reef.com/images/3d_tower.jpg

[Vimmy]

Very nice Phil ! i like the result, the quality was very good, they become very nicely ! continue my friend !

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