mighty gorgon

I just want that Nora image as wallpaper...

If I can "photoshop" my render over the mirage.... Did you notice the vortex trails from the canard tips? If you can, check all Axalp photos at airliners.net... they are AMAZING. I guess the atmospheric conditions there create those amazing effluxes (??). Now, seriously, I'll give it a try AGAIN. I already made and tried to use a map for the refraction index (which is how these effluxes work. But I could not get LW doing what I wanted (YET!). Gorgon the blurred!

I have tried with no success yet... Check an extreme case in this Mirage photo, one of my alltime favourite air photos. Or in this F18 shot: exhaust, blurred background, condensation, it has everything... But this still seems above my skills. In the February renderings the streaks were there (see above)... and somehow they disappeared!!! I mean, really, I messed with the textures so much, that they are gone! But you are right, I'll redo them (they did not look right) and add them to the texture again. Not today... but the VF-4 will be back, soon... Thnx, Gorgon

Just checked and LW exports DFX and 3DS, but as you mention maybe is better to just load the mesh as LWO. Cobywan? What do you say? Regds, Gorgon. (current and hope final mesh... some 80K polygons, cockpit included)

That's my next CG project (along with a VF-11 or 5000)... But with the B2-A style inlets (see the reference posted by gerwalker).

Far from a "proper" Major, but better than the first one.

That's a good idea, but still does not solve the "Zentraedi Wingman Problem". I'll try a couple of alternatives and post them in the VF-4 thread. Regds & Thnx, Gorgon (seriously considering using *option 2*)

Don't forget rabbits. Rabbits!!! You're right!!!, But only for Top Gun Aces, and equipped with the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch! (Battroid mode only). Now, seriously ( ) and this should go to the fan art section... What about some "Monty Python's Flying Circus" color scheme? After all it's a "Flying Circus"!!! Regds, Gorgon p.d.: no parrot kill marks. they come already dead...

I have a VF-4 in LightWave and I think it is simpler in plane-only-mode than the VF-1. However I should check: 1) Can it be exported to Rhino or IGES? 2) I should clean the mesh a little, since there are some overlappings (fuse/wings) It's OK for you to give the CNC a try? Regds, Gorgon.

eagerly waiting for the other 2 images (and a bottom view will not hurt!!!!!!) Love all that rivet detail!!!! Can make a winner 3D model! 10000 Thnx! Gorgon

Good! Option one: 2 Glaugs + 7 Regults Option 2: 7 Giant Marshmallow men and 2 Legendary Black Beast of ARGGHHHhhhhh... (the closest thing to a black hole I know) thnx for the feedback! Gorgon

...were are the small textures? the sharp edges? the subtle details of the "dirt"? GONE! So I tried a radiosity render, with similar results (attached image). Man! 4 hs of photoshop, 500 Mb of temporary files and 2 hs of several LW renderings for this????? So, I am considering a last addition to the model and I will declare it "completed" (or hibernated): kill marks. I already posted this question in the "movies & series" forum. So, after I must move to the next project, the VF-11 or the 5000. Regds, Gorgon, the unhappy!

Now... rendered on the standard 3/4 back view of the -4... (large file)

Well, after 3 hectic weeks finally I got some time to go back to the VF-4. And I spent half of the last sunday trying to get a decent looking dirt (no pun intended). When I look at the results, I must say I feel disappointed. I still cannot obtain a "realistic" dirt. My last attempt is "multi-resolution dirt map" of which I show a detail here. It is a part of a 3 layered, 4000x4000 px Photoshop file. Looks nice? Well in the next posts I has been rendered on the VF...

Hi, I am finishing my CG VF4, and was wondering how some kill marks would fit on it, as the final renders (not yet published in the corresponding thread: CG VF4 thread), show a very battered VF. Any suggestion regarding which "kill" should fit in? Regults maybe? Thnx in advance, Gorgon.

Dirt is spreaded in several Photoshop and LW layers. There is part of it as a a layer in the color map. Then you have additional dirt (I should say unevenness?) in the diffusion map and in the specular map. The one you see so evident in the above render is a sublayer of the color layer . I can fiddle with it in photoshop, but when I send it to LW the color map is already fixed (I use only one color map for each element)... and appropiately enough, LW smooths a lot the dirt. What you see in photoshop is NOT what you get after rendering. Normally the dirt must be a bit overdone in Photoshop to render decently. In addition, you can add several layers in the LW color map. I used that technique for the diffusion map of the former renders (one procedural layer + one jpg -from photoshop- layer), but it is currenlty beyond my ability. You have too many variables and each render takes several minutes. If the above seems confusing... well it is because it reflects my own confusion at this point!!!!!! Regds, McG (Mc Gorgon)

Indeed! I'll try to keep the high freq. "noise", but reduce the dirt "amplitude", a non easy task in Photoshop... (I make the textures in photoshop).

If you scrap that cockpit send the leftovers to me!!! It is really a good cockpit. Regds, Gorgon

I've been working on the surfacing. The model is by no means finished... this morning I rendered this, with 3 levels of "dirt", 1) Engine inner starboard (as the previous models) 2) Engine outer port, upper wings... (new, HEAVY) 3) Fuselage, intermediate I would stick to the fuselage level. Of course this is easiest said than done, as the f***ing "dirt map" seems to blend differently in each surface!!!!! In any event the big change is adding "high frequency" dirt. I mean, not too soft edged, and with small detail. Regds, Gorgon

In addition of the reference given by Southcross, check these sites, maybe you find some help there: Mig 29 @ Hyperscale Painting 1/72 planes -tips- General tips on modelling @IPMS Stockholm Regds, Gorgon.

Mmm.... give me a couple of days, and some beer!!!

"...This message is to confirm that we have received the order below: Macross Zero SV-51 Gamma..." (just one...)

Not 3 views, but definitively useful! Let's see how the VF-11 evolves and I'll give the 5000 a try (plane only? transformable?)

Yes! Not excactly Macross mechas, but I have a nice 1/35 set of Melusines from Maschinen Krieger in german ambush scheme!!!

Very late... but here are my 2c: Berlin Brigade A quote from the article: "...Following acceptance and encouragement by his Brigade Commander, the opportunity arose to show it to the Corps Commander. He came to Berlin to see for himself. Basically, he said "I can't see your f*****g tank, must be a good idea" The paint scheme was adopted by the squadron and subsequently by all British forces in Berlin. Each vehicle was to be painted to the same pattern; the same size blocks of colour and pattern would make it harder to determine the strength of the British Forces because they all looked the same..." Regds, Gorgon