Major Project: Initial Sketches

Starting off with basic ideas for the armoured train, and in particular what sort of engine it should have  (Warning, large picture)

Since the train is supposed to be relatively old, I think a steam engine is the most appropriate - it also plays up the strengths of doing the vehicles in CG; you can do all the complicated valve gear and other reciprocating gubbins without sending the animators mad.  Plus, steam engines just look cooler than more modern designs.

Taking the top right design as a base,  I thought I'd explore the possibilities of armouring it

Top - Unarmoured
Middle - Armour straight from the factory
Bottom - Armour after someone has spent a couple of months having to lift the access panels every day for maintainance

Major Project: Character Biographies

After talking to Phil, he suggested that I come up with a national stereotype for each "Main Character", in order to help work out what their rooms have to reflect (since their rooms have to reflect their character).

Consequently, I present:

Main Character Biographies by d97rolph

Major Project Proposal

Warning, Cliches ahead...

Major Project Proposal 2 by d97rolph

Major Project: Initial Thumbnails

2 quick thumbnails:

What the military top brass hope the armoured train does:

What the crew actually spend their time doing:

I really need more practice at these sketchless paintings; these pictures looked a lot better in my head...

Major Project: Influence Maps

First, a research-type influence map for armoured trains

Rivets are evidently the order of the day...

And second, an influence map for what type of story I have in mind

Major Project: Outline

After talking to Alan today, I now have a better idea of what I'm going to do for my major project.  Since I plan on doing vehicle design for an animation, the first step is to work out the story of the animation so that I can do a little world building & research to build on.  Therefore, the basic story outline is:

An armoured train, used as a dumping ground for a bunch of misfits the military can't quite get rid of, patrols a vast tundra as part of a long-running war.  Occasionally the train sees action, but most of the stories are about the isolation felt by the crew and what the eccentric characters get up to far away from the eyes of their commanders.

Basically, it's a bit of "the Navy Lark", a bit of "the Dirty Dozen", and a bit of "M.A.S.H.", all set on a train in the middle of canada/siberia

Time to get researching, and also try and decide what sort of time period I want to go with

Major Project: possible "Hooks"

Following Alans advice about coming up with a "hook" to build a universe around (since it produces more interesting and complete designs in the end) and also thinking about his suggestion of coming up with an idea that takes advantage of the fact that it's for Animation.

Brainstorming:

• Alternative history WW2
• Post-nuclear conflict world
• Science vs Magic
• Alien invasion
• Conflict between 2 alien species (no humans involved)
• Steampunk
• World with only tiny amount of land; everyone lives on floating cities - design military vehicles for such a world?
• War on the moon/mars/other planet
• Mecha (anthropomorphic and otherwise)
• Drag out world war 1 even further
• Land battleships
• Junkyard Wars
• Future Dystopia

That's all I've got for now; any ideas intrigue people?

Major Project Initial Proposal

Major Project Initial Proposal by d97rolph

After talking to Alan, he said that starting from an existing drawing is too limiting, so I should come up with a new concept for the vehicle.

On the plus side, the essential idea - military vehicle modelling for animation - is fine, so I can go ahead with it.

Speedpaint Experiment

Trying out the squareish brush every tutorial seems to use for blocking out digital paintings, as well as working on an idea for the Major Project

30 minute speedpaint

Warbreakers: The Art of

The Art of Warbreakers by d97rolph

Technical Paper - Rendering Wireframes using Contour Rendering

Minor Project Technical Paper by d97rolph

Warbreakers: Final Turnarounds

Panzerbombe

Flugbombe

Warbreakers: DVD & DVD case design

Trying to stick with the theme that I've built up through the project; the DVD case is meant to resemble a secret dossier.

The DVD itself is based on the blueprint template used to present concept drawings

Warbreakers: Turnaround WIPs

All the required Maya Rendering is now complete, so I'm at the stage of polishing the turnarounds.

At the moment, they look like this:

To be added:

• Correct technical data for Flugbombe
• Annotations (to fade out just before animation begins)
• More prominent Titles for the blueprints