Wings3D Challenge - December - Dunkleosteus

#1

Well, I thought I should really get going on this finally. Sorry, I’ve been kinda busy and haven’t gotten to put much time into this project. Firstly, I’m going to model a Dunkleosteus, which is a shark-like prehistoric creature. I wanted to do something with more complex, like with legs or something more detailed than fins, but I guess this will have to do. Attached are some reference images, and a few sketches. I’m not sure if I’m going to make it realistic or a more cartoony/stylized character yet. I did however start modelling the skull in one of my fits of enthusiasm. It may change, but I thought I’d get the thread started!

 Reference images:
 
 [http://images.google.com/images?q=dunkleosteus&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=pzg&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title](http://images.google.com/images?q=dunkleosteus&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=pzg&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title)
 [](http://www.digitallunatik.com/files/sketchbook/2006Dec_12_03)
#2

problems with image links. Here goes again!





#3

Beleive it or not I modeled one and was going to enter ti at the last minute. Mine turned otu pretty good except for the materials. I am really curious to see how you approach this one. Ther eare a few different takes on wha tthe tailfins look like I took a different direction but ther eare pics of it with the tail I used. What a nasty bite the most powerful bite ever.

#4

I did a little bit of reading on it, according to one website it had a sharklike tail. There are photos of a sculpture that you can find easily, which I think is slightly incorrect. There have also been preserved pieces found frozen in Antarctica or something which show that the top of the creature was red, and the belly was white/silver. Many preserved aquatic creature remains have shown deep scratches and cracked bones, believed to have been caused by the Dunkleosteus’s ferocious teeth, which continued to grow like a beaver’s because they wear away from use.

I would not want to see this thing in the water! It could have fed on early sharks, being around 6-10 meters in length!

Since it is relatively uncertain what its body looked like, I chose to design it to look more predatory, like a shark. However, my reading suggests that it was a slower and more powerful animal, so I may adjust the design a bit.

#5

Ok, I decided to go with a hybrid of historically realistic and Star Wars. :slight_smile:

Just did this one today. Sketched in blue pencil, this is the inked and cleaned up version. I’m going to model this starting now and do a painting before texturing it. My friend at work is going to rig it, he’s really excited (nerd!). I am not taking full credit for the concept, since it’s basically just a variation on a sea creature in “The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide” book. I took the Dunkleosteus head design and made a minor change to the body (added a tail). I call it KILLER SHRIMP! Oh, and it’s a very large animal, it’s one of the sea creatures in Star Wars Episode I that tries to eat their sub.

I gotta get modeling this, time’s ticking! Not sure if I’ll finish in time, but I’ll at least get started on this. I really want to make it top-notch and detailed.

Hope you enjoy!

#6

Love the concept. :bounce:I do draw a bit before hand too to get the feel for what I am about to make. I definatly draw different. I tend to pause and think of the outline shape and draw the shape. Instead of cirles and guidlines still erase a lot and make a mess though. Be fun to see how it turns out has a bit of lobster and angler fish in him. I would show mine but I don’t want to hijack the thread. Really need to learn how to rig. I can think of a whole kind of life for this critter it lays in wait on the floor of the ocean looking up and when an unsuspectionf fish turtle or whaever floats by swims up and Chomp:eek:

#7

Did some modeling today, just in the nick of time. I have relatives visiting from now till the 26th, so I doubt I’ll be able to get much more done until then. Just thought I’d post an update!



#8

Nice work. Relatives. Argh… Maybe you can foster an interest in soem of them and demonstrate what you are doing and get some done. Than again maybe not. Fish eyes are more of a flattened sphere than a sphere. (we eat a lot fo fish with the heads on soemtimes we keep live ones for a few days in the bathroom where they stare at me. )

#9

Thanks for the heads-up on the fish eyes…I didn’t research properly I suppose. I fixed that (eventually will model fully detailed eye) and started on the body… Antennae are straight for rigging, probably will be a dynamic hair curve rig with IK switch.


#10

Lookng quite cool. What are you doing your rigging in. I am sidetracked so I will probably just enter basil and enjoy what comes next. I just got messiah so I will have more rendering and rigging and animation tools. But I think I will have a brain hemorage trying to take it all in. Will be fun, we will have a few entries at least.

#11

Rigging will be done in Maya. Eventually I’ll use Zbrush to paint a detailed normal map as well.

Thanks for the reply!

update, slow going

#12

Ok, been doing more work on this one. Most of the shape is there now, with the exception of the interior of the mouth. Starting on details now…





#13

Wee! This is my final submission, although I do plan on doing more to the model. Did some rigging/weighting in maya to pose the legs and lure antenna. Hope y’all like it! I’m rendering an image or two in Mental Ray and will post those when they’re done.








#14

Here’s one I like, side view (non-ortho):

#15

Amazing model!!
It would be nice to have a Wings plugin to calculate the Ambient Occlusion

#16

Thanks! The Ambient Occlusion render was done in Mental Ray in Maya.

#17

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