Author Topic: Matthews Aviation Art (Read 99143 times)

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 29, 2017, 07:43:54 AM »

Quote from: CiTrus90 on June 28, 2017, 07:08:04 PM

Great artworks

So glad you're enjoying it! I'm working hard on getting things right on the 105 I'm working on. From the basic 3D object to the textures, I want everything about that model to be as correct as I can reasonably make it. It's important, since that plane has touched so many people who either flew them, were aircrew or support, or had friends or family who were involved with that plane. Moving the needle a bit at a time. Sometimes modeling takes a long time, and sometimes it's the textures. On the L-133, it was sort of both, since it was a learn-as-you-go experience.

I forget how long the texture maps took for this. It was a while. I always look at it and think, "coulda' done that a differen't way" about some parts. Lots of rivets and panel lines, grunging things up, markings and insignias, faded/scraped paint, etc. Layer-by-layer, one things at a time, and lots of do-overs. I need to do an overall gloss gray with the old, vintage Lockheed logo near the nose, as if it was in the prototype phase, perhaps.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 29, 2017, 07:45:29 AM »

Quote from: GTX_Admin on June 28, 2017, 02:26:56 AM

Quote from: john_matthews129 on June 27, 2017, 07:32:25 PM
Great having another Air Force guy here.

There are a few of us around...

Great! I'm in good company!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #27 on:** July 02, 2017, 01:47:14 PM »

Just a couple new progress images to post. I've added an auxiliary intake and the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage...

Both are extrusions from the fuselage.

There's still a bit underneath the horizontal stabilizers to model, and I'm likely going to detach them from the plane so they can be rigged and moved, depending on the attitude of the plane. I'll also start modeling things like antennas, ports, vents, etc. The gun port too, of course.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #28 on:** July 04, 2017, 11:25:23 AM »

Here's a new profile illustration of the XB-51:

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #29 on:** July 05, 2017, 02:15:48 AM »

Chickadee · « **Reply #30 on:** July 10, 2017, 01:49:35 PM »

HI there,
I've really enjoyed looking at your artwork. Can I ask, what software did you use for the 3D work? I have only just started to create profiles using illustrator and photoshop at present, but I am interested in experimenting with 3D.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #31 on:** July 16, 2017, 11:02:51 PM »

Quote from: Chickadee on July 10, 2017, 01:49:35 PM

HI there,
I've really enjoyed looking at your artwork. Can I ask, what software did you use for the 3D work? I have only just started to create profiles using illustrator and photoshop at present, but I am interested in experimenting with 3D.

Hi there! Thank you for looking! Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier than today. I think I forgot to turn-on notifications.

I'm using a very old version of 3D Studio to model the aircraft. After the objects are created the texture maps are created in Photoshop and I render everything out afterward. If you want to start experimenting with 3D, go to https://www.blender.org/ download the latest version, and start doing the tutorials. Blender is great and, best of all, free!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 16, 2017, 11:13:45 PM »

Here are a couple 36x12 profile illustrations of the XB-51 and the L-133:

I actually ordered one of the XB-51 profile illustrations as a quality check. I was very happy with the quality of the print on the semi-gloss poster paper I picked-out.

If anyone's interested, they can be ordered here:

https://www.zazzle.com/martin_xb_51_profile_poster-228957087028356023

https://www.zazzle.com/lockheed_l_133_profile_poster-228521975701558049

As always, thank you for looking!

-John

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #33 on:** July 17, 2017, 01:44:05 AM »

Your work is outstanding John. Both are great subjects.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #34 on:** July 17, 2017, 01:46:27 AM »

Here are some images of the Thunderchief, still a work in progress:

This is the second version of the wings. I'm happier with them than the first version of them. These begin as extrusions from the fuselage. Once the extrusion is made the shape of the wing is sculpted (for lack of a better word) until it's correct.

Obviously the intakes haven't been modeled yet, nor have the wingtips. Those will be last after I'm finished making sure the wing is right. If I'm not in love with it, I'll start over with a new wing extrusion. This is going well though, so I shouldn't have to do that.

Last week was a bad one for working on this project. Work was crazy and there wasn't any time to come down to the studio to do anything. This week should be much better. I'm going to try and get as much done as I can before my family and I start vacation next week. My goal is to finish the wings and work on the exhaust airbrake petals. We'll see how far I get. As always, thanks for looking!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #35 on:** July 17, 2017, 01:55:14 AM »

Quote from: The Big Gimper on July 17, 2017, 01:44:05 AM

Your work is outstanding John. Both are great subjects.

Thank you very, very much! I'm happy so many people here have enjoyed looking at it.

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #36 on:** July 17, 2017, 02:10:29 AM »

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #37 on:** July 17, 2017, 10:57:46 AM »

Finally I was able to sit down and get back to work on the Thunderchief:

Still no splitter plates, and the intakes have yet to be extruded, but numerous changes were made to the wing and I finally added the wingtips:

Some of the changes to the wing appear subtle, but they were actually quite substantial

I'm pretty content with it so far. Hopefully I'll be able to begin modeling the inside of the intakes tomorrow and the splitter plates afterward.

Cheers!

tsrjoe · « **Reply #38 on:** July 18, 2017, 02:56:30 AM »

Impressive work,many thanks for sharing your progress shots, very interesting to see it develop. I love your metal toning on the XB.51 profile, subtle yet effective

cheers Joe

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #39 on:** July 18, 2017, 08:27:39 AM »

Quote from: tsrjoe on July 18, 2017, 02:56:30 AM

Impressive work,many thanks for sharing your progress shots, very interesting to see it develop. I love your metal toning on the XB.51 profile, subtle yet effective

cheers Joe

Thanks Joe! Like I said before, I'm happy people enjoy seeing it and I'm happy to post it.

The metal shading on the XB-51 was the outcome of a lot of trial-and-error, reading, and obsessively examining anything with a bare metal finish. I had to learn how to express that material in two different 3D applications to make everything come together as you see it. Kind comments such as yours reassure me that I've accomplished what I wanted to do. Thanks!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #40 on:** July 18, 2017, 08:34:15 AM »

I had time today to work on the intake splitters and extrude the interior of the air intakes on the Thunderchief:

There's an assembly inside the intake which enables it to move forward and back, depending on the speed of the plane. I won't model it to move, but I'll try to model part of it since it can be seen within the intake. Then I'll want to model any antennae and vents that are symmetrical on the fuselage, and the arrestor gear.

Tons of thanks for all the kind comments!

-Cheers!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #41 on:** July 31, 2017, 02:20:00 PM »

Hope everyone's week is getting off to a good start wherever you are!

A few images of progress on the F-105 model. I was on vacation with my family last week and just began working on it again a couple days ago. I was able to cut the air brakes from the fuselage and made them a different color to better distinguish them from the rest of the fuselage:

I also modeled some of the detail on the inboard side of the air brakes. Not every detail, but enough to suggest the "stepped" construction on the inboard side. The rest of the detailing will be done in texture, with each air brake object, when I get to that point.

I also changed my lighting a bit so I can better evaluate what I'm doing.

It won't likely be very visible, but I also started modeling the engine exhaust nozzle:

I'll probably handle any further details on this part with textures since the part will rarely be seen. As you can see in the last image, I chamfered the edges of the horizontal stabilizers where they join with the fuselage. This helped define them a bit more, instead of just looking like they totally blended into the fuselage. I have more work to do in the area where they pivot, which should be interesting. Next big thing to work on should be the arresting gear. I'm waiting on some images from a friend of some actual F-105 arresting gear to use as reference. Hopefully can start working on that tomorrow.

Cheers!

AXOR · « **Reply #42 on:** July 31, 2017, 05:11:35 PM »

Is a job that consumes a lot of time and patience...great job so far

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #43 on:** July 31, 2017, 10:25:25 PM »

Quote from: AXOR on July 31, 2017, 05:11:35 PM

Is a job that consumes a lot of time and patience...great job so far

Thank you very much Alex! Its fun to see something like this take shape. There are a lot of things left to do, but it won't be long until I'll be texturing this plane and then modeling scenery. It's also great when so many people enjoy and appreciate the work. Thanks again.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #44 on:** August 07, 2017, 06:24:03 AM »

I could have sworn I posted some updated images of the F-105, but there may have been a problem between the chair and keyboard (...this is also known as an 1D10T error) which prevented me from doing that. Oh well..

So, since the last time I shared anything here I've added the RHAW and strike camera package, gang vent and a different vent down near the ventral fin, the arresting gear, a few antennas, formation lights, and today I was working on the gun...

Here's a couple pre-gun images:

As I said, I'm working on the gun now, then there are a few vents I want to finish and I plan on cutting-in the canopy glazing sometime this evening so I can begin working on the cockpit.

"Happy Trails!"

-John

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #45 on:** August 12, 2017, 11:12:32 PM »

Hello all! This week I received some commissioned work to create profile illustrations for someone who is writing a novella. I can't say anything about the novella, but I can post images of my progress regarding the aircraft I'm modelling. This is the MiG-21F I'm working on.

No details added, but the fuselage, wings, and stabilizers are all roughed-in. The client wanted several variants of the MiG-21, and other Soviet fighters and bombers. So I'll post updates as I go.

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #46 on:** August 13, 2017, 03:46:14 AM »

Looking good.

AXOR · « **Reply #47 on:** August 13, 2017, 04:16:38 AM »

Beautiful for some,ugly for others,The Tube (as it's nicknamed in RO) is one of my favorites,I'll watch this with pleasure.

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #48 on:** August 13, 2017, 11:44:47 AM »

Quote from: GTX_Admin on August 13, 2017, 03:46:14 AM

Looking good.

Thank you very much!

john_matthews129 · « **Reply #49 on:** August 13, 2017, 11:48:04 AM »

Quote from: AXOR on August 13, 2017, 04:16:38 AM

Beautiful for some,ugly for others,The Tube (as it's nicknamed in RO) is one of my favorites,I'll watch this with pleasure.

Aptly named! That's just about what this beastie is. Then there were obviously things that may have been overlooked in the design (gun, landing gear, pilot, etc.) about which were forgotten, so they added bulges to accommodate them.


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Author Topic: Matthews Aviation Art (Read 99143 times)