Final Thoughts and Evaluation.

I am very pleased with the overall outcome of the project. I am particularly pleased with the Chop Shop exterior and the way it has turned out. I have thoroughly enjoyed this project and I feel that I have learnt a great deal especially when modeling. I know have a basic knowledge in the way that geometry works within Maya which I can now apply to any model that I decide to build. It has been very interesting following a pipeline from the design stages of an object to its realisation in a 3D form. Knowing that the models bear resemblance to ones drawings is quite exciting and rewarding. But I suppose the most rewarding point about the project itself is that it has shown me what you can achieve through sheer dedication and hard work from start to finish. I have always wanted to follow my father's footsteps into the design world whether it be in the film or the gaming industry. This project has armed me with vast amounts of knowledge which I know will be beneficial when it comes to finding a job in the design world.

Renders.

Here a various renders from within the Chop shop as well as the exterior. When rendering the interior I considered composition and lighting to get the most out of the scene whilst at the same time conveying the enormity of this structure and its purpose.

The Machinery.

To create the machinery I referred to the concepts I created in photoshop. These drawings appear earlier on in the blog. These drawings made the construction of these structures a hell of a lot easier. I created the cranes by creating a cube and elongating it. I then inserted edge loops so could create the diagonal faces on top of the model. I used the extrude tool heavily here to create the supports which held the machinery to the walls. I deleted faces then merged the points to create indentations within the machinery. It is important to note that I only constructed one crane which I later duplicated several times. I used the extrude tool to construct the control room which would control the height of the crane if needed. Once I had completed the finishing touches I began to reposition various faces so I could insert spot lights which would improve the overall model. Once I had completed the model I then concentrated on lighting and rendering the scenes which I created in Maya.

Manipulating the Basic Shape.

Once I was happy with the basic shape of the interior I started to create extra subdivisions increasing the number of points within the model. I could then manipulate these points by moving them in the desired direction forming the ground plane as well as pillars on the sides of the walls. Using the edge loop tool I inserted some more geometry which I could extrude to create folds and recesses creating raised platforms and foundations for the machinery. I deleted the roof faces as this would enable me to see within side space as well as provide a good source of lighting when the time came. When creating the pillars on the right side of the interior I had problems when extruding. Holes began to appear on the outside of the fuselage which would cause problems when trying to light the scene. I think this happened when I extruded multiple faces in one direction. The problem was easily solved but took longer than expected. To rectify the problem I merged the points individually. This meant that I could light the scene effectively as well as extrude the faces if I needed to. The interior was beginning to take shape but looked bare and void of anything that would define it as a Chop Shop. Time to add some machinery.

Modeling the Interior.

Through building the Chop Shop exterior I gained an incite into the way geometry worked and how it affected other polygons around it. Obtaining this knowledge was hugely beneficial when it came to modeling the Interior. I wanted the interior to replicate the architecture of the exterior. I wanted the interior to be dark and industrial. The space would be much larger than a conventional Chop Shop. Because the structure was used on an industrial level it had to be huge containing cranes and docking bays for all the machinery and vehicles which would be broken down. Lighting would play a key role in the success of the space. I knew that my concepts would be hugely important when it came to lighting the scene. Whilst building the interior I thought about recesses in which lights could be set up highlighting the equipment within the core of this structure. I also thought about how this space would fit inside the exterior I had created. I started out by again, making a simple shape using an elongated cube. I used the split polygon tool and edge loop tools to create extra geometry so I could create the asymmetrical shape which would contain the vital machinery.

Exterior Finishing Touches.

Once I had completed the cockpit of the model I began to manipulate the model further learning from the techniques used to create the windows. I followed my concepts closely at this stage of modeling to help me create the indentations within the model to give it that futuristic look. I also began to create the crane itself by extruding faces at the front of the model just below the cockpit. Again I used the split polygon and insert edge loop tools to create the geometry needed for this to work. As I progressed I began to realise how the geometry worked and how it affected other polygons around it. There was a lot of trail and error when modeling the crane and lift just below the cockpit. For some reason faces had disappeared and some points had not been merged which left holes in the geometry. However, using the knowledge I had gained through modeling the structure I fixed these problems because I was beginning to understand how the geometry was effected. By understanding Maya's interface as well as the tools I began to think ahead. That is to say that I thought of the best tools to use when making particular components in the model. I was careful not to overwork the model as this would leave the structure overcrowded and confusing. I was very pleased with the overall outcome, considering I had no tutoring within Maya's modeling system. The similarities between the concepts and the 3D model only enforce how far I have come from the start of the project to the final modeling stages.

Adding the finer details.

When I was happy with the structures basic shape I then set about manipulating its geometry so I could create folds as well the complex cockpit at the top of the model. I primarily used the split polygon tool as well as the insert edge loop tool to create subdivisions that would help me later when extruding faces to create extra geometry in the form of rails and exterior details. To create the cockpit at the front of the model I literally drew out the windows using the split polygon tool whilst constantly looking at reference of airliners and oil tankers. The windows are very angular in appearance which is reminiscent of airliner cockpits. Once I had drawn out the basic shapes which would make up the cockpit I extruded the faces which would construct the windows back into the model. I was very pleased with the outcome as it gave the structure some character as well as function. I had the idea that the military could not only use this facility as a Chop Shop but as a overwatch point. To give the structure extra support I modeled a support beam to the rear which could also be used as a way of lifting materials into the core of the installation. I realised when modeling the cockpit that it would have been much easier to model one half of the structure then mirror it to keep the geometry clean.  I realised the mistake but decided to carry on as I was pleased with the way the model was turning out. If I was to do anything like this again I would concentrate on building half the object which would provide a cleaner model and cut down modeling time significantly.

Modeling the exterior.

Using the concepts I had created in Photoshop I then began blocking out the exterior of my Chop Shop in Maya. I started out by creating the very basic shape of the structure itself using a cube then extruding it. I created many sub divisions using the edge loop tool which would help me manipulate the structure's geometry later on. Only when I was happy with the simple shape of the exterior did I progress by adding finer details. By blocking out a simple shape I was able to concentrate on the structures proportions and defining characteristics. This process was not dissimilar to the way I created the silhouettes in photoshop. I new that if I didn't create the structures basic parts first, I would get drawn into modeling the finer details. I hadn't much experience in modeling so this process seemed the most logical way of experimenting with Maya's tools.

Once I knew what shape the Chop shop exterior would take I then started work on a few concepts using Photoshop that would give me an idea of lighting, composition and scale within  the interior of the structure. These concepts gave me the framework needed to understand how the models would be constructed and lit.

Finalising Ideas

After I had a good range of silhouettes to choose from I then started to add details to the ideas that could potentially be modeled and textured in Maya. 

Sketches and Ideas

After looking at the works of many artists as well as images of oil rigs and refineries I was able to Start drawing and designing some basic shapes in silhouette using Photoshop. I produced many designs so that I didn't channel my efforts into a single idea early on. I wanted an image that would be futuristic but with functionality as the main priority. Most of the silhouettes are referenced from oil rigs and refineries but I was also influenced by the Star Wars AT AT walker as well as jumbo jets and oil tankers.

Concept art and Games.

I have been heavily influenced over the years by various concept artists and designers such as Craig Mullins, Andree Walleen, Thierry Doizon and Sebastien Larroude. All of which have worked on films and games. By observing the works of these artists I hope to gain an incite into designing, lighting and composing  my Chop shop in Maya. I referred to four concept art books which include The Skillful Huntsman, The art of Halo, Exodessey and D'artiste Concept Art.

Here are various concepts that have inspired me to create the futuristic look of the structure I intend to build.

Early Research Oil Rigs/Refineries

Here are some images of oil refineries and oil rigs that inspired me to create my futuristic design. I wanted my structure to be on the same sort of scale more like a military factory with cranes and electronic equipment and machinery that would break up military vehicles and tanks. I wanted the structure to be suspended off the ground much like an oil rig on huge stilts. I had the idea that these installations had to be high off the ground because harmful gases would be fatal to those working inside these huge fortresses. Cranes and other machinery would lift the vehicles up into the safety of these military factories where the mechanics could literally chop up the military vehicles as part of a disarmament process. 

The Beginning

For this term I decided to work on a brief that would allow me to explore new tools such as Maya and enhance my design skills needed for my chosen profession in the film or gaming industry. I took the opportunity to design a Chop shop that I would then build in a 3D package and texture later on. 

I didn't really know what a Chop shop was until I found a definition. It is place where stolen cars are illegally stored or literally chopped up for spare parts. This sparked hundreds of ideas and as a designer I saw a chance to create something unique that also said something about my personality. Although my brain was swirling with ideas I tried to suppress them knowing that many of them were too unrealistic and irrelevant to the brief. Before I even started drawing rough sketches I thought it best to do some research into the "Chop shop."

I originally had the idea of doing a very realistic and contemporary warehouse building where cars could easily be stored. I began by researching various contemporary garages and factories where the designs were simple yet functional. After speaking with several students as well as tutors about the brief I decided to take a different approach to the brief. After I discovered that several students where also creating contemporary buildings I imagined what a futuristic Chop shop would look like.

Many conceptual art books as well as contemporary buildings and machines inspired me to design a futuristic garage or factory. By finding as much research as possible I was able to sketch some rough shapes that would eventually evolve into interior and exterior of my Chop shop. I wanted my structure to look used and industrial. I wanted the structure to be futuristic but worn down like it had been used for quite some time. I had the idea that the structure appeared to be made of sheet metal on the outside while the interior was dense with piping and electrical equipment. I found many images online of oil refineries and of oil rigs that I could incorporate into the buildings design. Early on in the development stages I tried to concentrate on the form and the shape of the buildings exterior paying attention to the oil rigs and refineries which I had researched.