Steampunk Myths and Legends Entry: Søren Berg Pedersen

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1226965856_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1226965856_large.jpg)

The first impulsive ideas for the Furnace Phoenix, both skecthes and composition notes.

[Daxtor]

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First inspirational images for the Furnace Phoenix.

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1226966140_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1226966140_large.jpg)

The workshop which the Furnace Phoenix will be placed in.

[theblacktiger]

Good references. This should give good thing. :thumbsup:

[Daxtor]

Alright, this will be the start-shot for the competition from me! With such a fascinating theme, I just could not resist! So this will be my first CG-Society challenge. I have had several ideas, and just to remember for safes sake, I better list them in here:

Jack the Ripper
Vikings (Midgårdsormen)
The Boatman
Clockwork Death

But I think I have decided what to create: A Londonish factory, in the midst of creating the Furnace Phoenix. A great ironwork of pipes, cauldrons and decorations is combined into a mighty, fiery beast, born from the cauldrons' liquid red hot cast iron.

The pencil sketch contains the first impulsive ideas for form and composition, so they might change.

Next step I will start to roughly define the Furnace Phoenix.

Good luck to everyone participating, rock on! :)

[Daxtor]

Thank you Adam, I hope I will be able to recreate the ideas I have :) Good luck on your participation, I will keep an eye on your progress!

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227124829_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227124829_large.jpg)

The first modelling, just some random ideas and stuff to feel like I have started. The part to the left is an idea for the tail, where fire will spew out of each tube and hopefully make a nice looking tail.
Next an exhaustpipe for steam, I have thought of two of these in the Phoenix's back.
Next is an idea for the tip of its beak, a cow guard looking bumper similar to the ones on a locomotive.

[Daxtor]

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A rough and simple modelling of an idea for the composition. The hole above the Phoenixes are meant to be openings for the machines to fly out of.

Gonna find a lot more reference images for the workshop/factory. I am thinking of a foundry, smelting pots and large machines, spiced up with a steampunked design.

[Daxtor]

If anyone was in the need of inspiration for ideas and mood, as well as some good entertainment, I have a small list I would like to recommend everyone interested:


Short Movie:
Gentlemen Duel - by Blur

Movies:
Steamboy
Time Machine
Sky Captain and the Day of Tomorrow
Brothers Grimm
Sleepy Hollow
In general, I can recommend all of Tim Burtons movies, but more specific ones are Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride and The Nightmare before Christmas.

If anyone got recommendations to throw the other way back, they would be appreciated :)

Cheers

[OKMER]

NIce refs,great start & great idea!Can be so fun.Could be cool maybe if we see some landscape through the openings/windows in the background.Good luck & have fun

[oneandonlyDiscoStu]

hey there good luck for the challenge!

the exhaust pipe and the cowgrill already look steampunkish

thanks for shearing your findings.

wallace and grommit also has some nice designs that could be seen as steampunkish!

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227212715_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227212715_large.jpg)

An update for the composition. I think I am happy with this angle and position, I might zoom out a little, to get more environment included. My first worry was that the Phoenix might not fill enough of the scene, hence its importance, but now it does not seem like a problem to me.

[Daxtor]

OKMER >> Thanks a bunch Okmer :) Yes I might have to consider some background, I might intend to have some glass-walls/ceilings, but the hole in the ceiling might be full of fire and black smoke from the Phoenix. I will have to think about that.

oneandonlyDiscoStu >> Hey there, thanks :) Ah I have not seen Wallace and Grommits, the movie that is. I should do that some time, I guess. Thanks for the tip!

Best of luck guys.

[Daxtor]

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Alright, more modelling. A top hat and walking stick for an upper class man, to be present in the scene. A small cart, which will probably be seen in the midst of unloading a load full of coal into a chute, leading down to the Phoenix's chest, its fuel chamber.
Finally, I decided to make a cockpit inside the head of the Phoenix. So besides making a pilot in fire-proof/heat resistant clothes, I am to make an Victorian inspired chair and controls.

[Daxtor]

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Alright, I have been working a lot on the beak here. The rough shapes are in now, but there is a lot more fiddling to do. Furthermore, I would like to push the details up a notch, in an attempt to see how far I can stretch my skills.

I am thinking of adding some decorations upon the top of the beak, on the flame-like part.

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227752047_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1227752047_large.jpg)

The head is nearly done for now. I might be taking it into ZBrush or Mudbox and ad some platings and bolts as a normal map. The top of the head has been separated. I am thinking, that this plate will be lifted into the air, hanging in chains, while a pilot is standing up inside the head/cockpit.

I started making gears for the Phoenix. I will have to wring my brain to make the Phoenix contain a lot of gearing, while at the same time looking both neat and functional.

So next stop, gears and gears, and some sort of neck-bending-mechanism, yikes!

[greenpizza]

I think that looks great, I like the style of the Phoenix, I hope that don't lose details inside the cockpit when you have to work on the global environment scene that you post before.
Good luck! :cool:

[doffer]

Hi Søren.
It looks good so far.
I'd suggest a low angle on the camera (looking up on the bird), to make it look larger.

[Daxtor]

Hej Christoffer. Thank you :) Yeah perhaps you are right about that, would make it as "epic" as a phoenix deserves it ;) I will try and experiment some more with it, though I also like the angle now, supporting the assembly line feeling. We will see.

Thanks a lot Dapi! I will be trying my best to keep the details high overall, that would be a nice accomplishment to me.


Latest news - I actually think I have found a solution to the mechanics to make the neck both rotate sideways and up and down in a logical way - hooray for spontanious ideas ;)

[Daxtor]

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[Daxtor]

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Close up of the last gearwork. I still need to do some more adjusting, making some holes in the platform for the chain and add a lot more details and extra gears in there, to make the neck look more "solid".

[Daxtor]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1228002386_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16578/16578_1228002386_large.jpg)

Alright, I updated the scene. And oh dear.. All the details I have made on the neck, as well as the chair for inside the Phoenix head seems to become so microscopic. Well, perhaps it will come out nicely in the end, but I will have to give this some thoughts.

Still need some more "filling" on the neck, but next stop will be on the chest area.

[Deje3D]

Nice modelling and progress :)

Keep it up.

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