Spaceship time again!

[Bryan K]

Got to think about this a few more days. Not feeling it.

[Bryan K]

I've sliced the tail. I see a difference from the original right away, but I may just go with it. I'm noticing more and more impossible geometry of the original.

But that's OK. I may be doing more skin re-curving later.

I also changed the angle of the slice and then scaled (shortened) the vertical of the lower fuselage.

It appears I'll have to make initial slices, then build out the engine pods things, and THEN re-curve the skin to the added geometry.

[Bryan K]

So a little bit of squashing and scaling and then slicing and I'd say I'm in the ballpark.

Fiddled with the cockpit some more and I think I've got it. Now on to the engines.

[tuna1957]

Nice progress

[Mike Amos]

^ Agreed mate. Nice progress, Bryan.

[Bryan K]

Thanks mike!

Thanks tuna!

Not really much to look at right now.

I've been busy with other things and no real time to work in this.

[L i am]

Nice work mate, I have a new job thanks to sketchup and am pretty busy so I am not very active here much. But I occasionally have a quick look into what's going on in sketchucation forums, but I always need to check out the progress of your work on this project.

[Bryan K]

Thanks L i am. I'm anxious to move ahead with this, but I'm just too busy.

[Bryan K]

Nice work mate, I have a new job thanks to sketchup and am pretty busy so I am not very active here much. But I occasionally have a quick look into what's going on in sketchucation forums, but I always need to check out the progress of your work on this project.

And congratulations on your new job!

[Bryan K]

This is the framework I'll use. Just rough blocking right now. I intend to use the vectors of the hull to "smooth" it all together.

Checking scale and rough postition right now. I'll probably do what I did with the Nadesico and rough it in, then start adding more lines as needed, moving vector points until it smooths out. Or Curviloft or Artisan, depending on situation. Or some combination of all.

Had to shorten the back end some more. Horizontal scale front to back.

Wanted to work on it a lot more tonight, but a bad storm is in the region. Can't chance a power flicker.

[Mike Amos]

Moving on very nicely mate.

[Bryan K]

Moving on very nicely mate.

Thanks!

I'm having to think this one through because once I commit to the rear shapes, there is no going back. I will of course save this stage of the model and use a copy, but there will be so many steps to getting the shapes to flow together that it will not be salvageable and I'll have to revert back to this shape and start again.

And right now, I don't have time.

Usually I do have time and just bull on through until I get it. But right now I can't.

Which may be a fancy way of saying I'm procrastinating, but for reasons!

[Bryan K]

I'm getting closer. But still have a long way to go. The lines are still off. I have no problem seeing it in my head, but getting SU to cooperate is a different story.

[ntxdave]

Educate me. Where do you get the info to do models like this?

[Bryan K]

Educate me. Where do you get the info to do models like this?

I just google search images for random spaceships.

As for modeling, it's straight up trial and error and more years than I care to admit for not being any better than I am.

But mostly, just slinging lines and faces around until it works. Or doesn't.

I do use Curviloft and Soap bubble and Artisan and Tools on Surface, but more often it's just connecting lines and arcs and moving vector points by hand. Move tool, grab vector intersection, move.

If I was better with Artisan, I could cut my modeling time in half. I see what it can do, but I can't seem to grasp the number of triangles needed to produce the desired results. Yet I can do those triangles manually. Drives me crazy.

[Bryan K]

No way, no how was that going to work for the rear engines. I've deleted the block, re-skinned the hull and will hand draw the engines in place.

[Bryan K]

Taking a break. Between the weather (huge temp swings) and seasonal allergies, I'm not able to focus like I need to.

[Mike Amos]

It's not going anywhere mate, time to be kind to one's self for a while. See you on the flip side.

[Bryan K]

Alrighty! I'm getting a handle on this. This is not it either, but I now know what direction to go in. I am quite close. I'll have to rip all this out again, but the next one should be it. Or very damn close to it.

[Bryan K]

Just a bit more refinement and I'll have the upper shell of the rear engine pods.

You can see the block sections I had to create to make this work. Lot and lots of arcs and then Curviloft to skin. I also had to shorten the rear section by a lot. Just selected all four rear sections and scaled along the red axis. Then built the engine pods sections.

A little more refinement to the front hull as well by changing the white section.

[Bryan K]

Now we're gettin' somewhere!

I do believe I can start the bottom hull now. I'll come back and detail the engine pods later. I need to get the whole thing roughed in first.

Thank you Tools on Surface and Curviloft!

[ntxdave]

Always interesting to watch these progress.

[Bryan K]

Always interesting to watch these progress.

Thanks!

[Bryan K]

So a bit more squashing here and there. I can already see this will not be one-for-one, but there is only one view to go by, so it will only be close.

[L i am]

Hi Bryan, when I first saw you reference Spacship the first thing I saw was the thrust engines and how it looks like that craft relies fundamentaly on thrust vectoring. Am aware you have plans for that but I think that function rests heavily on those thrusters. Just for consideration I think that doing a really cool thrust vector mechanism along with some titanium materials could make that model when you get to detailing that part

Vectoring.png

[Bryan K]

I think you're right , L I am. Those may very well be swivel engines. It's certainly the only way I can reconcile the odd perspective.

And it also looks like swivel engines under a top cover. I've already stated moving in that direction by making the engines themselves separate.

[Bryan K]

Moving along now.

[Mike Amos]

Getting closer mate, like it a lot.

[Bryan K]

Getting closer mate, like it a lot.

Thanks.

This one is weird, I can feel it, I can see it, but it still eludes me.

But I'll sure as hell will nail it.

And then find a simpler one to do for the next project. HA! Who am I kidding? (Damn you Aronnax!)

[Bryan K]

Cockpit rough-in. Just trying to get a sense of scale and plan the cockpit. This is very rough. Just for scaling.