Awesome detail on the boots AND the toolbox! Pose is really great, all around an excellent model.
OK, here’s the last of the detail shots…for now. Some of you have had some great input that I’ll want to incorporate a little later.
Anyway, thx for all the advice!
Excellent character love the boots,the laces look great.
very nice details 
, i hope you are going to texture this guy.
i look forward to see the next steps and the finished picture.
You did a great job of the line badge and gloves. Very detailed.
Boots they look ready to buy from clothing and sales. 
Understand how those bigwigs are. Worked around way too many. Always want it now and they are always over your neck and back waiting for you to complete.
Got a throught for you. If you add the brick are you going to be able to add the mic that goes around the back and hooks up near the neck?
That should not ruffle there feathers too much.
The folks over here are impressed with the sculpt so far.
What programs have you used to get to this level of detail?
zayacoon: Thx. Yes, there is certainly texturing on the way!
Burchigb: The brick is a good idea. And I see why you’re wondering about that mic. The detail really breaks up in the upper 3/4 of the model and a lot of visual interest is lost. My only problem with the mic is that I’m not sure how often that attachment is used on the flightline (though I haven’t worked fighters, only heavies).
What I’ve seen a lot of though, is the ear protection draped around the neck and a brick in the hand. Someone also mentioned the D-rings and the pens and such too. All these things could help a lot and they have the added benefit of being hard-surface so they sort of move forward for me fairly fast. But I think I’ll have to do them at home.
Software used for this has been ZBrush, 3ds Max, Headus UVLayout, and Photoshop (for alphas).
All the Best,
Outstanding modeling!
I might have a few pics of a current maintainer (B-1B crewchief at Ellsworth) that may be of interest to you. Check out pic #'s 74-89 at http://www.coxwebs.com/2009Jul03/FiniFlight/. PM me if you want Hi-Res crops. I took them so they are mine and I had them officially approved for public release by our local PA.
As for the condition of the subject’s clothing and the “Friday patch” accents, today’s USAF is VERY different than years gone by. I too used to be maintenance and now I work with them as a civilian. A sloppy appearance is much less tolerated. The tools and toolboxes are not tatooed like they used to be when they came out of the tool crib - obviously the exception being during deployments but even then its not publically advertised.
Chris…I think all your details are dead on. If I had one minor suggestion it would be to put a headset on the subject, either on their head or around their neck - as you prolly already know, mandatory hearing protection is at hand any time a MX’er goes near the flightline.
Those very MINOR suggestions aside…it’s awesome seeing someone taking the time and effort to recognize a few of our own. Keep up the great work!
Roll Da BONEs!
oR_Creeper: Wow! The thing is, when I said I worked heavies as recently as 4 years ago… I meant that I was B1-B Weapons, working regularly with the “AFETS” guys to help test and refine Block D and E upgrades. I was at Dyess and we got really busy when the Weapons School arrived on scene!
I never thought I reconnect with B1 people at ZBC. What a small world indeed!
I’d love those photos; they could make a world of difference. I’ll pm you.
About the headset, I’m in for that…and a brick. I have vivid memories of wearing the green headset in the ****pit…er “crew compartment” but needing a brick to get hold of ‘21’ as needed cause the particular bone didn’t link up to the radios reliably. I’ve borrowed a headset from a friend (old C-130 E&E guy who works with me).
Now, here’s the thing. The boss wants his pretty picture, and he want’s it as is, but with texture. I, of course, am not satisfied and feel the detail tapers off too quickly above the boots. So there’s going to be two versions of this piece. One will be as we see it, rendered with texture. The other, which I’ll continue to work on in my spare time, will include details such as the little rips and tears, the headset, the brick, the this and that to bring it to life.
Cheers!
BTW…didn’t mention earlier…your modeling and detail in the boots and the flight gloves is impeccable. Right down to the slightly rougher texture of the inside of the gloves and the stitching. :eek:
Second that
just speachless… amazing sculpts and insane details.
yeah, the boots are so damn real.
keep rocking!
Really fine work ,the details are superb.Hope to see more of this.
cal
Any chance we can get a few screen caps of the base mesh? Lovely work.
Hi Everyone,
It’s been a loooooooooong while since I posted anything about this project, and I even see I totally blew off a question about a lowres WIP capture, which is not cool. Although this is still a bit unfinished texture-wise, the model and sculpt have been completely done for a while. Much of the texturing is done so I’ve added a sample.
I took a lot of the advice that was offered. Big thanks to all the Ex-Air Force that chimed in. The added details went over well.
The reason this is unfinished is that I’ve since left the Air Force and become a full time art student in San Francisco. So I expect to round out this project, with the last textures and the mental ray renders after the Spring Semester ends.
So here they are: The final sculpt, a progression shot with a texture sample (the poly-painting), and then the lowres version.
Cheers!
Attachments
Chris,
The additional detail to this model is outstanding.
like the ear plugs and the pens on the side of the pants.
Would of hoped to seen this in the Airman Mag.
Good luck on your new career and hope to see some of your work in the future.
IG Burch
Thanks IG,
I don’t know about Airman Mag, but they sure used the hell out of this for some displays at conferences, and big-wig office wall hangings. They’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of it, and sadly, they’ve even smeared the carefully composed image with varieties of text, such as the Airman’s Creed and the Maintainer’s Creed. Nothing against those, it’s just that they were not part of the comp and consequently ruined it.
Now, if I hear correctly, they are trying to take this existing sculpt and make it female, and in the likeness of a specific colonel. I’m not sure what to say to that, but I guess we’ll see how that goes.
Anyway, they seem to like it. If you’re still in, you might suggest that Airman’s mag use? I don’t know. Up to you.
Glad you like. Cheers.
I am full time retired.
Shame when the wigs get ahold of something and make a mess of it.
I do not think they would even come close to your work on something of that scale.
Once again good luck on your new career.
IG Burch
Good news! The print of this thing is finally happening, very soon. I should have some pics of the process fairly soon. They were having some machine troubles but I’ll post pics when I get them.
Any update to this Chris? Would love to see the final product. Hope all is well.
Well, I last touched this in December or so. I have some textures underway though. I need to muscle it up and just get back to it.
I’ve just been imprisoned by school for the last year. Another problem that happens when you drag a project out like this is that you learn new tricks and want to redo old work to make it better.
I have a class this fall called ‘hyper-realism in Modo’. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to finish this project out.
Thanks for the prod. I needed that!
-Chris