I suppose there's also the factor of needing one model to do everything. The physical models weren't just different scales, they were designed to be seen differently, they would read differently. You exaggerate X otherwise it doesn't look right, change the colour so it matches on camera when the lights are different, etc. Realizing there's no "real" one to match is a real eye-opener.
Remember, there's more than one Mona Lisa, and we're not sure which bits DaVinci did on them. You can make a couple tweaks to the Stargazer, it's FINE.
One of the things I like about the Constellation class having mainly photo references is that it leaves things open for interpretation. When you go with something like the original Constitution class, where people have gotten to take actual measurements of the 11-foot model to use for drawing blueprints, it's really easy to do something that's incredibly close to that model. While that's not a bad thing, sometimes it's fun to just look at a model photo and go "OK, this is how I see that" and then make what you see. It adds a fun level of artistic license.
One resource that I'm glad to have now that I didn't have years ago when doing this ship is HD screenshots, thanks to TrekCore. Their Blu-Ray screenshot galleries are fantastic. For example, this shot from Peak Performance gives me a much better look at some of the greebles than I've ever gotten before:
@evil_genius_180 hit me up on the SFM discord, i've got an entire onedrive full of Trek image references for the Constellation studio model i can share with you.
I'd really appreciate having them too. There's a constellation class in my future. So Chris, is that image above the studio model or a CGI? I'm assuming because it is from the Blu Ray that it is CGI but you never know.
@evil_genius_180 hit me up on the SFM discord, i've got an entire onedrive full of Trek image references for the Constellation studio model i can share with you.
I've never been on the SFM Discord and I don't even have a Discord account. I've used it before on other sites, but I closed my account.
I'd really appreciate having them too. There's a constellation class in my future. So Chris, is that image above the studio model or a CGI? I'm assuming because it is from the Blu Ray that it is CGI but you never know.
That's the real deal. With TNG, they shot all of the VFX on VHS. Like 35mm, VHS can be re-scanned in at higher resolutions. It was just a heck of a lot cheaper to film on than 35mm film. That's how they were able to film so many great VFX shots for the series without going over budget. For the Blu-Ray project, they got all of the film and re-composited them to recreate the shots as close to original as possible, but in 1080p. They only used CGI for the ships if they were missing a certain VFX shot, like the one of Hathaway and Enterprise "facing" each other before the war game scenario started. However, every other shot of the Hathaway from that episode is the physical model.
If it was the CGI model, I wouldn't be considering it to be a good reference.
For years, I've been trying to figure out what this greeble is supposed to be:
I have a closeup of some of the details in this area, but it doesn't cover that:
Then, I was looking at my HD screen caps from Peak Performance, and I noticed something. While that bit is sort of visible in the screen cap I posted a few posts back, in the next screen cap I have from that VFX sequence, I noticed something:
In the bottom right of the screen, just behind the edge of the saucer lip, is the same greeble. And, this time, it's a much better view of it. After doing the initial fabrication and assembly of the model's parts, Greg Jein was able to use parts from a Macross VF1-Valkyrie kit. The Valkyrie is one of the kits that Rick Sternbach used on the ready room model, along with a bunch of other Macross and other Anime kits, but the Valkyrie was the only one where Greg was able to get a hold of a larger scale kit for the filming miniature. So, I'm guessing he used some of the same greeble bits in a few different places, such as that one.
Now, of course, I'm still working from a screen capture and there's some interpretation involved, along with maybe simplifying things a bit for polygon count, (though, this thing is going to be a polygon beast no matter what) but this is way closer than I've ever gotten on this bit.
Here's an idea of what that bit will look like even in some medium distance shots that focus on that area.
Bearing in mind that, in most use cases, that's about as close as anyone will ever see that bit in art renders. Even that screen cap from Peak performance is only slightly closer than that. So, any higher level of detailing wouldn't be worth it anyway.
This will do it for the greebleage on the horizontal pylons.
Up next is the vertical pylons. I've basically decided I'm working my way from the aft forward. So, after the vertical pylons, I'll begin work on the saucer.
Posts
Remember, there's more than one Mona Lisa, and we're not sure which bits DaVinci did on them. You can make a couple tweaks to the Stargazer, it's FINE.
One resource that I'm glad to have now that I didn't have years ago when doing this ship is HD screenshots, thanks to TrekCore. Their Blu-Ray screenshot galleries are fantastic. For example, this shot from Peak Performance gives me a much better look at some of the greebles than I've ever gotten before:
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
I've never been on the SFM Discord and I don't even have a Discord account. I've used it before on other sites, but I closed my account.
That's the real deal. With TNG, they shot all of the VFX on VHS. Like 35mm, VHS can be re-scanned in at higher resolutions. It was just a heck of a lot cheaper to film on than 35mm film. That's how they were able to film so many great VFX shots for the series without going over budget. For the Blu-Ray project, they got all of the film and re-composited them to recreate the shots as close to original as possible, but in 1080p. They only used CGI for the ships if they were missing a certain VFX shot, like the one of Hathaway and Enterprise "facing" each other before the war game scenario started. However, every other shot of the Hathaway from that episode is the physical model.
If it was the CGI model, I wouldn't be considering it to be a good reference.
I have a closeup of some of the details in this area, but it doesn't cover that:
Then, I was looking at my HD screen caps from Peak Performance, and I noticed something. While that bit is sort of visible in the screen cap I posted a few posts back, in the next screen cap I have from that VFX sequence, I noticed something:
In the bottom right of the screen, just behind the edge of the saucer lip, is the same greeble. And, this time, it's a much better view of it. After doing the initial fabrication and assembly of the model's parts, Greg Jein was able to use parts from a Macross VF1-Valkyrie kit. The Valkyrie is one of the kits that Rick Sternbach used on the ready room model, along with a bunch of other Macross and other Anime kits, but the Valkyrie was the only one where Greg was able to get a hold of a larger scale kit for the filming miniature. So, I'm guessing he used some of the same greeble bits in a few different places, such as that one.
Now, of course, I'm still working from a screen capture and there's some interpretation involved, along with maybe simplifying things a bit for polygon count, (though, this thing is going to be a polygon beast no matter what) but this is way closer than I've ever gotten on this bit.
Bearing in mind that, in most use cases, that's about as close as anyone will ever see that bit in art renders. Even that screen cap from Peak performance is only slightly closer than that. So, any higher level of detailing wouldn't be worth it anyway.
Up next is the vertical pylons. I've basically decided I'm working my way from the aft forward. So, after the vertical pylons, I'll begin work on the saucer.