Making Of "Scorpion Patrol" - using 3DTotal Textures

This piece actually started as a secret military project, but then the project was cancelled and I decided to complete the model for myself. I'd wanted to prepare a model in the style of Droid Wars anyway and so I took the opportunity and began working. The modeling lasted about 3-4 days and then I dealt with the texturing in a few days.

Modeling

The earliest version of the model was a new generation ATV vehicle belonging to a private firm. After editing it no longer had anything to do with its former status, which I think was better. You can see the original image below (Fig.01).

Fig. 01 id_Picture_(01).jpg

Fig. 01 id_Picture_(01).jpg

Later, I opened my work at night due to boredom and the fact that it was preying on my mind because it was incomplete. I began modeling and drew the remaining part off the cuff. I did not make any plans or blueprints; I just modeled extemporarily. I liked it and it started becoming better as I continued. The part that's colored red was modeled and added later after everything else (Fig.02).

Fig. 02 id_Picture_(02).jpg

Fig. 02 id_Picture_(02).jpg

Then I decided that this vehicle should go on the road and fly in the air. So to make it look like it could fly, I turned the wheels and extended them a little to show that the vehicle could stay in the air, but could not lift off a lot. This also gave the vehicle more of a science fiction-like appearance (Fig.03).

Fig. 03 id_Picture_(03).jpg

Fig. 03 id_Picture_(03).jpg

After I'd roughly finished the front part, I began working on drafting the back of the model. After I'd established the general appearance of the model, I saw that it had the form of a scorpion and thus I decided to name the vehicle "Scorpion" (Fig.04).

Fig. 04 id_Picture_(04).jpg

Fig. 04 id_Picture_(04).jpg

By this time I had roughly formed the appearance of my vehicle, but there was still plenty of work to be done. I began modeling the control centre and came up with a basic design in about 35 minutes - you can see this in Fig.05.

Fig. 05 id_Picture_(05).jpg

Fig. 05 id_Picture_(05).jpg

While I liked the control centre, I felt there was something missing and so I decided to add in some guarding bars. It made sense to have guards over the control centre, as the most sensitive part of the vehicle should be protected. I copied the same titanium guards on the buffer of the vehicle to the control centre above (Fig.06).

Fig. 06 id_Picture_(06).jpg

Fig. 06 id_Picture_(06).jpg

Next I began modeling the seat, which was the most pleasant part of the modeling process for me. I was inspired by science fiction designs of the 1980s on the seats and indicators. I wanted to design an advanced level technology, but one that wasn't too futuristic so that you could imagine it maybe being applied in 30 years or so (Fig.07).

Fig. 07 id_Picture_(07).jpg

Fig. 07 id_Picture_(07).jpg

Now it was time for the indicators. I must confess that this part frustrated me. I had to model, erase and model again a few times in order to get what I wanted (Fig.08).

Fig. 08 id_Picture_(08).jpg

Fig. 08 id_Picture_(08).jpg

After this I completed my model gradually. I'm not going to write about all the stages as that would take too long, but I hope what I have covered will help you understand my modeling process a little. You can see the finished model in Fig.09 - 10.

Fig. 09 id_Picture_(09).jpg

Fig. 09 id_Picture_(09).jpg

Fig. 10 d_Picture_(10).jpg

Fig. 10 d_Picture_(10).jpg

Texturing

The second stage of this project was the texturing, which required special attention. After a few trials and tests, I began texturing properly. 3DTotal's texture DVDs helped me a lot to obtain very good and effective results.

Firstly, I planned to use damaged and worn textures rather than clean ones. Then, I began to choose textures from the 3DTotal DVDs. I was careful about my choices because the textures were large and detailed, and I copied and pasted them into my project file according to the DVD categories in about three hours. I proceeded gradually, opening the textures I'd chosen for the main texturing in Photoshop, and starting to edit them. Here are the first textures I used (Fig.11 - 12).

Fig. 11 d_Picture_(11).jpg

Fig. 11 d_Picture_(11).jpg

Fig. 12 d_Picture_(12).jpg

Fig. 12 d_Picture_(12).jpg

As the camouflage texture was going to be the basic background, I wanted it to be dirty and sludgy. So I integrated the "Dirt_08" file from the 3DTotal Textures V08:R2 - Vehicles DVD with the "camouflage_01" texture from the same set using the alpha channel in Photoshop (Fig.13).

Fig. 13 d_Picture_(13).jpg

Fig. 13 d_Picture_(13).jpg

As you can see from the image, the original dirt texture was white, so I changed its color to make it stand out and look liked dried sludge (Fig.14).

Fig. 14 d_Picture_(14).jpg

Fig. 14 d_Picture_(14).jpg

After preparing the textures, I generally prefer to begin texturing from the front part of the model. Therefore the first object I textured in this case was the bonnet of the vehicle. I wanted to add bullet marks on the bonnet, as well as dirt so that it appeared as if it had just came from an armed fight. So I obtained a bullet hole texture from 3DTotal Textures V19 - Destroyed & Damaged DVD ("shell_15") and then I took the alpha channel of this texture, extracted the picture and placed it on the texture I was going to use on the bonnet (Fig.15 - 16).

Fig. 15 d_Picture_(15).jpg

Fig. 15 d_Picture_(15).jpg

Fig. 16 d_Picture_(16).jpg

Fig. 16 d_Picture_(16).jpg

And at the end of this process, I added the texture to my bonnet. You can see the render below (Fig.17).

Fig. 17 d_Picture_(17).jpg

Fig. 17 d_Picture_(17).jpg

Later, it was necessary for me to reevaluate the amount of dirt and slush each part of the vehicle got due to location and proximity to the ground, and I've chosen a lower part - the mudguard - as a second example (Fig.18).

Fig. 18 d_Picture_(18).jpg

Fig. 18 d_Picture_(18).jpg

As above, the first texture I used for the mudguard was "camouflage01". This time, I used a different dirt texture - "Dirt 06a" from the 3DTotal Textures V08:R2 - Vehicles DVD (Fig.19).

Fig. 19 d_Picture_(19).jpg

Fig. 19 d_Picture_(19).jpg

As in the texturing of bonnet, I used this texture to obtain the dirt. You can see the texture and the part render in Fig.20 - 21.

Fig. 20 d_Picture_(20).jpg

Fig. 20 d_Picture_(20).jpg

Fig. 21 d_Picture_(21).jpg

Fig. 21 d_Picture_(21).jpg

After finishing the dirt texture, it was necessary to add different bullet holes. The 3DTotal Texture DVDs offered a variety of choices and I chose a different texture from the one I'd used on the bonnet (Fig.22).

Fig. 22 d_Picture_(22).jpg

Fig. 22 d_Picture_(22).jpg

Once again I combined the three textures by using the alpha channel in Photoshop. You can see the results in Fig.23 - 25. I then covered the rest of the model in the textures.

Fig. 23 d_Picture_(23).jpg

Fig. 23 d_Picture_(23).jpg

Fig. 24 d_Picture_(24).jpg

Fig. 24 d_Picture_(24).jpg

Fig. 25 d_Picture_(25).jpg

Fig. 25 d_Picture_(25).jpg

Some of you may wonder about the texturing, so I've made a record of exactly which textures I used and which sets they were from (Fig.26):

Fig. 26 d_Picture_(26).jpg

Fig. 26 d_Picture_(26).jpg

3DTotal Textures V19 - Destroyed & Damaged DVD

  • bullet_02
  • shell_15b
  • bullet_09t

3DTotal Textures V07:R2 - Sci-fi DVD

  • control16
  • symbol_02
  • symbol_01
  • symbol_01
  • symbol_15
  • container16
  • floor20_colour
  • floor_03
  • setss04
  • hatch09
  • dirt02
  • number_18
  • symbol_19
  • logo05

3DTotal Textures V08:R2 - Vehicles DVD

  • vent04_bc
  • vent07
  • camouflage_net01
  • material03
  • decal_race05
  • camouflage_net02
  • doorhatch07
  • vent08
  • panel01
  • camouflage01
  • dirt06a

Texturing was now finished and it was time for the most comfortable and joyful part of the work, which was rendering.

' '

Lighting and Rendering

There are lots of different render engines that you can use and it can be difficult to make a selection. For this image I decided to use V-Ray as my vehicle was going to be placed in a studio. If it had been on land or anywhere near the sun, I would have chosen another render engine.

Let's have a look at the scene from the beginning (Fig.27).

Fig. 27 d_Picture_(27).jpg

Fig. 27 d_Picture_(27).jpg

According to my calculations, three lights were sufficient for this scene:

  • First light: general illumination
  • Second light: right headlight
  • Third light: left headlight

Firstly, I placed one V-Ray light and set the parameters as follows:

  • Multiplier: 3.0

  • Color of light:
  • Red: 168
  • Green : 176
  • Blue : 181

  • Hue: 144
  • Sat: 18
  • Value: 181

If you enter these parameters, you can obtain a dim night light (Fig.28 - 29).

Fig. 28 d_Picture_(28).jpg

Fig. 28 d_Picture_(28).jpg

Fig. 29 d_Picture_(29).jpg

Fig. 29 d_Picture_(29).jpg

I set the position of the light; I will not give the exact right/left parameters as they are affected by the location of your object. However, it may be useful for you if I give the parameters of how far the light is from the grid, which is Z: 216,724 (Fig.30).

Fig. 30 d_Picture_(30).jpg

Fig. 30 d_Picture_(30).jpg

Now it was time for omni lights to simulate that the vehicle's headlights were switched on. Even if I used a V-Raylight material, it was not effective as they are inside, so I placed auxiliary omni lights in front of the headlights (Fig.31).

Fig. 31 d_Picture_(31).jpg

Fig. 31 d_Picture_(31).jpg

You can see the coordinates of the omni lights in Fig.32.

Fig. 32 d_Picture_(32).jpg

Fig. 32 d_Picture_(32).jpg

And with that the light process was complete. I did not do anything extra in the render process and I used the standard parameters, which can be seen in Fig.33 - 34.

Fig. 33 d_Picture_(33).jpg

Fig. 33 d_Picture_(33).jpg

Fig. 34 d_Picture_(34).jpg

Fig. 34 d_Picture_(34).jpg

Here are the final images (Fig.35 - 38).

Fig. 35 d_Picture_(35).jpg

Fig. 35 d_Picture_(35).jpg

Fig. 36 d_Picture_(36).jpg

Fig. 36 d_Picture_(36).jpg

Fig. 37 d_Picture_(37).jpg

Fig. 37 d_Picture_(37).jpg

Fig. 38 d_Picture_(38).jpg

Fig. 38 d_Picture_(38).jpg

Thanks to 3D Total for their support and let the power be with you, Jedi's!

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