In the next stage of conceptual work I added some lighting and fog, trying to find the right climate. Then I drew some elements that I subsequently modeled in 3D. All these sketches constituted a rather hasty record of my ideas. I did not need any details at this stage of development; it was more of a notepad for my own reference.

When creating a new object or a scene I always perform multiple trials of drawings and renders. I have a certain keynote, a certain idea, and when I discover or create specific effects (very often differing in a form but retaining this primary thought) I feel great excitement as something that was born somewhere deep in my mind takes shape right in front of my eyes. Every time when I create something new I aim to challenge myself. I always carry out an idea, no matter how difficult it is to do and how much more time I have to spend looking for solutions. I try not to go for shortcuts or compromises when it comes to graphics. I continue to look for an answer to the problem until I reach a satisfactory result.

Modeling

After achieving the appropriate base forms of objects, I proceeded to the detailed modeling. I modeled individual pieces, alternately paying attention to the proper distribution of details on all the objects. Where necessary, I added new ones or removed them if there were too many at some sections.

The main body of the ship comprises several layers. My intention was to obtain a giant, heavy object, which at the same time would have many layers and levels within itself.

The ruins at the foot of the main object were created as several elements, which were modeled and textured in ZBrush. Then I simplified them using decimation and set them around the base of the ship in various configurations to create damaged buildings. I also adjusted individual buildings to fit the uneven surface of the area.


Next I added a lot of tiny objects such as railings, scaffolding supporting the ship, connectors and cables. These were all 3D objects drawn using Shadowbox in ZBrush. After that, I simplified them so they contained as few polygons and were as optimal as possible. A lot of them were objects that contain polygons just in the front, but just to be sure I used the bilateral rendering for them. At the top of the main body of the rocket I used the same effect in rendering.

The development phases of the models are shown in Fig.03 – 06.