Spaceship time again!

[Bryan K]

At least, I think it's a spaceship. Eh, close enough.

I'm going to try this. This is the ONLY picture of this. Much faking will ensue.

Original design by Red Hong.

[HornOxx]

and I was already wondering: when did this guy actually make his last spaceship?!?
ja - what a cool thing this something where I can't even guess where is it´s front and where is it´s back is. - I'm already looking forward to it!

[Rich O Brien]

I like that!

[Mike Amos]

Looking forward to this mate. When it comes to this topic you are a Mr Kipling and he makes exceedingly good cakes.

[L i am]

Scrummy looking little craft and a very good ilustration:thumb: looks very challenging

[Bryan K]

Thanks everyone!

I'm going with a three seat design. It doesn't seem to be a fighter. Too small for a transport. So maybe a research scout/courier/passenger craft with limited cargo capacity.

Chairs from the Warehouse, modified by me.

[Bryan K]

First: try and find the overall shape and scale. This is NOT it. But this is how I will find it.

I'm making the assumption that the second blob in the cockpit up front is a single seat and the first blob right after the nose is the control panel. Because why not?

This may take a few days.

[Bryan K]

Some arc refinement.

[Bryan K]

A little more scaling and positioning. And more of this for a while, so I'll just post the final profile next and then pick up from there.

[Bryan K]

I needed more scaling references. Still shaping the profile and mass,

[tuna1957]

Look forward to your progress. You always choose some very interesting stuff to model.

[Bryan K]

Thanks tuna!

[L i am]

I mean this constructively, I fully understand and agree with starting the skeleton scaled to human ergonomics, just like the start point of designing a car. Howevever I think you should consider what happens when the person/persons sitting in the chair stand up?

[Bryan K]

Thanks L I am, but it's a small cockpit not meant to stand up in.

Hmm, another one that's going to take some time. I can see the whole thing in my head, but where to start...

[Bryan K]

Kinda sorta this shape.

[Bryan K]

Still scaling and refining.

[ntxdave]

This is both interesting and educational.

[Bryan K]

This is both interesting and educational.

Thanks!

It will definitely be educational. I have no idea how I'm going to connect all the different curved surfaces.

My technique is to find that one element in the design to "hang" the rest of the model from. (build outward from that element) I have not found that thing yet.

[Bryan K]

O.K., I've decided to use the side red bubble thing as my starting point.

(you can skip this one, see next post)

[Bryan K]

Ho boy was I wrong about the scale. After framing the scene to sort of match the original, this is what I found.

The orange object is just to test scaling. Although, it kinda has the proportions I'm looking for...

Waaaay off on scale. Hmmmmm.... gotta think more about this one.

[Bryan K]

I'm using the horizon line and distance to ground shadows to approximate scale. I've also noticed the painting is not exactly straight on perspective, so I have to try and judge how "off" it is (i.e. tilted or twisted) and compensate.

I only have to get close, but scale is important.

Man, I sure know how to pick 'em.

[Bryan K]

O.K, I'm going with the orange shape, so the final result may not look exactly like the picture, but that is due to the nature of the scale and weird perspective of the original.

[Bryan K]

Not much look at, but what I've done is create a back-up duplicate. The near right one will be the working model and the far left one, the back-up.

This model is one I made years ago when I first installed Curviloft. It was a good shape so I've saved it for various projects. The "Field Trip" model came from this shape.

[Bryan K]

Here's the original model. I just squash and stretch it using scaling until I get what I want.

It's just one shape, duplicated 4 times and scaled and then mirrored.

[Bryan K]

This one is going to take a while. The original picture is cool, but it's not really enough to go on.

I still think I can do it, though.

[Bryan K]

OK, and away we go.

I increased the vertical scale of the top half (just ever so slightly) and then roughed in canopy/cockpit outline using Tools on Surface lines. (much fiddling with the lines)

This is where I'll start and build off from here.

I'll be carving and cutting and pushing vertexes until I get close enough. Hopefully, only a little as the overall shape looks good. The nose shape will be for starters. Needs for dolphin/orca whale shape along the vertical. Horizontal shape is good for now.

I am using the component mirror method. One side is the reverse duplicate of the other. So make change on one side and it's automatically duplicated.

[Mike Amos]

I think you are closing on the shape, looking good already.

[Bryan K]

I think you are closing on the shape, looking good already.

It's getting there.

So the nose and cockpit/cabin should be more like this, but it needs a little more refinement. I had to delete the middle profile curve on one side and redo the Curviloft skin. I'll have to do it again, but I'm very close so one more time should do it.

[Bryan K]

OK, well five more times. I think this is it for the nose. Just need to refine the cockpit lines.

[Bryan K]

More fiddling with proportions and looking for the cutoffs of the fuselage.

I squished the frame a little in both vertical and horizontal.

Subtle changes to the cockpit.