Hard Surface Thoughts

Things have been changing in my world.

My wife and I decided to move to Austin, TX in order to be closer to both of our families so we began making plans, gathering boxes and getting things ready to go so that after graduation we could pack up and hit the road.

Well, that plan was going pretty well so God decided we needed to have a little more of a challenge involved. She is pregnant.

Yep, now we have a move that is almost ready to go and a child on the way, the only way we could have more things to juggle would be to adopt a puppy while we are at it.

So, for the time being, there is no real modeling going on. Job searching – lots of that, but modeling is kind of down for a while until the move is finished and we are set up in our new place.

I will get this thesis finished, but now it looks like there may be a few more hurdles in the way.

I am continuing to work on my thesis model of Penn Station.  I love the project, but I am finding that there are so many details that I really don’t have reference for so I am having to do what all artists do in this situation – I’m making it up as I go.

I did find a few more books on Amazon that covers the architecture and a children’s book that has a great example of the colors, lighting and environment so those will be ordered soon.

For right now, I have been focusing on adding the last structural elements to the buildings and putting the details on the staircases and the fences.  I made only one of each object and then instanced all the other ones so that I can lay out the UV’s and make changes as needed easily and quickly.  Symmetry is my friend here.

The first shot is from the tracks.  I still have the support beams to refine and the elevators to add some frame structure onto.  Once the frames are built, the metal mesh around the elevator will be done with a texture map.  Second shot is the ceiling, I’ve finished modeling it and now it’s just a matter of making textures.  This is actually my second run through on the ceiling and the birdcage (the metal frame) and even though I added quite a bit of  detail I was able to reduce the overall poly count by almost 2,000 triangles.

Shot Three is a detail shot of the staircases, railing and security fences.  Still a few things to add, but it’s all instanced (meaning if I change one they all change) so it will be quick work to finish it off.

Finally, shot four is of the concourse and the tracks.  Outlined in red is the area where I need to build some walkways that lead back into the offices.  Not to difficult, but an area that I have limited reference for so I’ll have to infer and imagine a lot of it.

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been here.  I even had to reset my password because I couldn’t remember it!

Anyway, school is out now and all I have left is to submit my thesis and get my paper.   Hard Surface Thoughts is going to be my online journal about modeling, texturing and all things related.  I’m going to try to keep this updated weekly with screenshots and information, but my wife and I will be moving to Texas soon and that will probably interrupt the blooging schedule.

Anyway, here we are and away we go!

This is it, my new spot on the web.  We’re still getting the bubble wrap off of everything and the packing boxes are scattered around the floor, but soon enough everything will be humming along and the posts will flow like wine.

Until then, bear with me and the mess, take a look around and feel free to leave a comment.