Random Blender Art

[Irishman]

Hi guys and gals! I'm excited because after some time away from posting on TrekBBS, and a longer time away from making artwork, I've got some preliminary Blender artwork to share with everyone.

I'm really taking to Blender quite intuitively, after being turned off to 3D modeling during my brief attempt to learn Sketchup. No offense to Sketchup and those who use it and love it, but it just did not click for me.

Blender on the other hand? The app is responsive, the toolset is powerful and easy to pick up for me, a 3D newb!

More importantly, the tutorials on Youtube I've found have been brilliant and have encouraged me to continue in learning more.

Here's my first attempt at Star Trek Blender art, so be gentle!

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOSpanel.png.html

The second WIP for this, adding some detail to the comm speaker:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/panel.png.html

More will come later, but in the meantime, thoughts?

 

[Irishman]

Wow, so many views yet no responses?? Yikes!!

Should I be worried? Did I post crap?

 

[Albertese]

Check out the number of views verses the number of replies on the other threads. A ratio of 1:100 ain't bad.

The proportions on your model aren't bad. But the "grill" on the speaker should be recessed as should the white light. Also the light ought to have a capsule shaped profile, not an ellipse.

But it's a good start. You got further than I ever did with Blender, so props to you! Keep it up!



--Alex

 

[MadMan1701A]

Good start, keep it up

I think you've inspired me to model and print some wall panels like this.

-Ricky

 

[Irishman]

Next, just some non-Trek related Blender art. Used a tutorial from Youtube for this one.

It turned out quite good!

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Benscup.png.html?sort=3&o=1

 

[Irishman]

And this one...also one I've made from a tutorial from Youtube I've learned a lot from.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/demo.png.html?sort=3&o=6

 

[Patrickivan]

Good job... And inspiring. Maybe I'll give Blender a try. Google SketchUp (I never updated to the newer version) seems limiting but I can't explain how because I don't use other programmes.

 

[Irishman]

Here's another Trek-oriented piece of Blender art I'm working on:

My source material is the 2D schematics of the E-nil that David Shaw did back in 2007, using the 1964 Jefferies/Datin measurements. I'm trying to stick closely to that. I'll be using the photo gallery from here http://trekcore.com/blog/2015/05/smithsonian-update-the-experts-have-arrived/ because it provides details on the 11-foot model that I didn't know were even there! Just exceptional work done there by that team and really bringing the ole girl back to life.

Here's my first couple of simple attempts at a digital version:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOStest2.png.html?sort=3&o=1

And adding the second nacelle rough-in:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOStest3.png.html?sort=3&o=0

Try to ignore the colors and materials. This is just to get the morphology and positioning right. From there, I'll add details, colors, textures, materials and final lighting.

 

[Irishman]

The final update for the night:

I finished blocking in the saucer module. All but the top assembly was modeled as one piece, just for speed's sake. The rest of the shapes I'll model separately, starting with the bridge deck and 2 decks below.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOStest4.png.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[JES]

Eh, I wouldn't be too worried about the lack of comments. I guess that not many people have really much to say.

And yeah, I know you! Well, not personally, but I know that you've made a design or two, such as the Portsmouth (or spelled something like that).

I'd like to see more designs like that from you, especially now that you can model them, once you feel comfortable enough with the program of course.

 

[publiusr]

I'm just glad to see you back Irishman.

 

[Irishman]

I'm just glad to see you back Irishman.

Awww, thanks.

Me too.

 

[Irishman]

I've corrected the glowing lit bit from an oval to a rounded rectangle.

Still working on the recessed and rounded speaker grill.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOSpanel2.png.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[B.J.]

Looking good on the E so far! As for the communications panel, you may want to consider softening the edges, they look quite sharp! Don't know if you've gotten far enough to know the best way to do that, though.

 

[MadMan1701A]

I usually just use the bevel modifier for stuff like that... I end up using .025 most of the time.

-Ricky

 

[Irishman]

I usually just use the bevel modifier for stuff like that... I end up using .025 most of the time.

-Ricky

In playing around with it, I'm probably going to just apply a bevel of just .013. The screen references I'm using aren't as pronounced as what .025 would give me.

Of course, I could just do control + B and apply edge loops to the bevelled edge in order to really smooth it, but I'll save that trick for something that will benefit from s smoother bevel.

The problem I'm having is with knife project. I started by trying to modify my knife from the default circle, deleting 75% of the verts, so that only a quarter of a pizza remains. I then extruded from each of the remaining 2 verts on each end of the pizza, to give me an L shape. I shift + D to duplicate and it rotate into place. I zoomed in and merged the verts into one to eliminate the extras, and then Control + J to join all 4 pieces into one cutter. I then was able to use that to knife project into a default cube to test it to see if it would work. It did, but only that one time.

Problem is, I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but when I get to selecting the two verts in oder to do the alt + m to merge, it only lets me select one vert.

That's why no updates in the past couple days.

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[MadMan1701A]

Hmm, no help there. I haven't use that tool... I just use booleans for that type of stuff.

-Ricky

 

[Irishman]

Hmm, no help there. I haven't use that tool... I just use booleans for that type of stuff.

-Ricky

You use booleans for creating a rounded rectangular cutout? A bevelled or subsurfed rectangle pushed inside a rectangle, applying the boolean modifier for difference?

Any tutorials you could share that might shed some light for me?

ETA: It worked! Thanks for that. Jeez, I was making things much harder than they needed to be.

 

[MadMan1701A]

Yep, all the time. Glad you got it going.

I always keep a backup object that I hadn't applied the modifier to yet, just in case the boolean doesn't work, or something.

-Ricky

 

[Irishman]

Okay, using MadMan's suggestions, I finally overcame my block on how to solve the comm panel problem.

Barring any unseen errors, this should be done.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/TOSpanel3.png.html?sort=3&o=0