Tiger 1 (wip)

[Gman]

Hello all, this is my first post on the forum. I learned of military-meshes from a buddy at school. I decided that I would like to put a tiger in one of my environments I am doing for my final project class. This is my first attempt to model a tank, as well as my first vehicle model.

Here is a basic block out of the tiger just so I can get the shape, size, and proportions correct before I even start adding detail. I am using some orthographic diagrams of the tiger for reference, as well as dozens of photos, but I have been having trouble in getting them to align properly. Please give me as much honest feedback and crits as you can so I can get started in the right direction. Thanks guys!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_profile1.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_profile2.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_ltSide.jpg


http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_profile3.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_rear.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/tiger_topFront.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/GMatthews85/turretShot.jpg


PS. If you guys have any good references or anything that could help me out please feel free to share. Thank you.

[Eraserhead]

The turret seems too flat, also its shape seems to be off near the front sides. The shape of the muzzle break is incorrect. The hull of the tank seems too wide in general and the mud guards are way too thick.

However, for a first vehicle attempt (Tiger is always a great choice) it looks like a good beginning.

Can you post the orthographic diagrams you are using? Also, how do you align your reference images? I am not too familiar with Maya but in Max the best way is to put them on planes.

[Gman]

Hey man, thanks for the reply. I started to get worried that no one was gonna reply hehe. Very solid feedback man, thanks a lot. Just what I was looking for.

Here are the ortho shots I am using. Don't know why but I can't get them to line up right in Maya. I even line them up in photoshop but it's incorrect in Maya. I think they might be off scale in the actual images or whatever.

When I get those fixes updated, I will definitely post an update.

Thanks Again.

[cobra6]

nah you just cut them wrong, look at the top left and right, the white space above the cupola is different (smaller) in the left then the right one :)

Try cutting all your images to the point where it actually hits the drawing, and make sure they all have the same height (left and front) and width (front and top)

Cobra 6

[Eraserhead]

Here are the ortho shots I am using. Don't know why but I can't get them to line up right in Maya. I even line them up in photoshop but it's incorrect in Maya. I think they might be off scale in the actual images or whatever.


There are several different ways to line diagrams. I like to line the drawings up in Photoshop using guides (the blue lines you can drag from the ruler). Make a guide on the bottom of the tracks for the side/front views and line them up along it. Pick a common section of the tank for the side/top and use a guide to line them with with that.

So as not to worry about stretching, make the images perfect squares in pixels and put them on square planes. (If your image and plane are not the same proportion the image will be stretched/squashed unless you unwrap it, but that would be a waste of time). If you used guides properly in photoshop they should line up no problem.

That's what I do in Max, I assume Maya is not much different.

Schematics are not perfect (esspecially if you got them off the internet) and some parts will not line up; you can always tweak them in the 3D program.

[Hitori Kyo]

Im aslo modelling an early tiger tank you may find this reference helpful

http://tiger1.info/topicIndexEN.html

http://www.tanxheaven.com/referencepictures.htm

http://www.alanhamby.com/tiger.html

if you need any ref just ask.

- Hitori kyo