Maya to Papercraft Experiment

I wanted to try and turn a 3D model into a physical model, so I gave it a go.

First step was to make a simple model (above). Then, each face had to be individually mapped, using planar mapping with "best plane" selected; and projection width & height set to 10

Unfortunately, this just produced 329 separate faces that needed to be joined into a net that could be build, and that was a process of trial and error - the first attempt turned out to be unbuildable.

2nd attempt at a net (this one turned out to be buildable)

3D model to Paper model experiment from Daniel Rolph on Vimeo.

I attempted to make a sturdier version out of plasticard, but 2mm polystyrene sheet proved a bit too thick.

Knight Concept

This developed from a doodle of a helmet - see below

I really wish I'd used references when trying to draw the horse now

Lifedrawing 27/10/2013

Done at the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, Boston.

Atlas/Pegasus revisit

Revisiting an old idea (4 years ago), in this case for a wheeled ICV designed to be carried under a helicopter.

Although I liked the concept, I wasn't too sure about the actual designs - the helicopter rotors are far too small, the wings would rob too much power in hover, etc. so I decided to have a go at redesigning them.

First, the helicopter:

Exploring several different designs of cockpit, landing gear, wings etc whilst trying to keep a resemblance to the original design.  Also, I wasn't too happy with the transport clamps - the articulated arms were just too "fiddly" and didn't look robust enough for hanging a 10 tonne vehicle off.  I explored several options until I hit on the idea of using a version of the twist-lock mechanism that shipping containers are moved with.

And the ICV:

The original design had an '70s design aesthetic; for the revisit I decided to go for a more modern '90s aesthetic, which also fits in with the boom in wheeled MICVs post Cold-War.  The various turret designs (actually more like remote weapon stations) are derived from the need to keep the height as low as possible so that the vehicle fits under the helicopter without the 'copter having to have stilt-like landing gear.

A more developed version of one of the turret design, with a fold-down independent commanders sight to permit hunter-killer operations.  At the bottom are some sketches of a retractable ATGM launcher based on the "Mephisto" HOT missile launcher.

Sketches to see how the different turret designs fit onto the chassis (both physically and aesthetically); I also used them to explore different modular armour and side hatch layouts.  An important consideration is how the transport clamp would attack to the front brackets - for the cannon turrets, the barrel needs to be swung out of the way; on the first design it would have to be traversed to the side (since the rear of the turret has quite a significant overhang), whilst the second option would simply traverse to the rear (which looks neater, at least)

Since one of the chief intended uses of the helicopter/ICV combo is operating behind enemy lines, some sort of air defence seemed like a sensible idea, hence this design based on the ill-fated Mauler SAM system; it also shows the location of the exhaust louvers on the side.

"logical" flying car underdrawing

Ready to start adding colour

"logical" flying car WIP

A set of doodles based on the question "why should a flying car look like a road car?"

Ditched the ducted fans on the assumption that the car uses an antigravity lifting engine and some sort of reactionless drive; this way you get to keep the sleek lines.

For neatness, I think the antigrav and drive will be under the floor; therefore the next pic needs a thicker underfloor.  Also, windscreen wipers seem a bit off for the high tech aesthetic, so I think self-cleaning super-hydrophobic glass is indicated for the windscreen.

Artillery Tripod

A friend suggested that I have a go at drawing a three-legged mecha and I decided to give it a go.  Since the big advantage of a tripedal layout is meant to be stability, I decided that it would suit a heavy-weapon platform, hence the 2 massive sci-fi cannons.  Development sketches will be posted on my tumblr feed (see, it's already coming in handy)

ATGM design project

This was a short self-challenge type project; the goal was to design a cold-war era anti-tank missile system.

Step 1 was to sort out the airframe design - some of these sketches are of actual missiles, mostly to pick out common features (fold-up or pop-out fins, various arrangements of rocket motors, stepped profiles).  In the end I settled on a design based on a WW2 german artillery rocket, albeit heavily rearranged internally to make space for things like a guidance system...

Step 2 was to work out a launch mechanism - this had to incorporate some way of stopping the fins from popping out until the missile is launched, ports for electronic connections, etc.  I settled pretty quickly on a tube based launcher, since they became pretty much standard by the second generation of ATGMs; however the unusual arrangement of the rocket motor meant that the exhaust ports weren't located at the back of the lauch tube

Having worked out the missile and launch tube, I then did some ideas for turret mounting, like those used on tank destroyers; there's also a basic one of turret on the first sketch page.

Concorde II

A "what-if?" concept for a possible successor to Concorde

Art Deco Doodles

Feeling a bit retrofuturistic

Experimenting with a digital watercolour-type aesthetic

Major Project: Concept Sketches 4

Starting with development ideas for the engineering carriage

Along with some concepts for the scout and maintenance vehicles that are kept inside

And finally, I have an idea for the "animation" name - Tundra Rats.  Now I just need to come up with a logo...

Major Project: Concept Sketches 3

Major Project: Interior Concept Sketches 2