3DAkira Class Starship

Freak

I have been modelling for nearly 6 years, in that time I have only attmepted to model one trek ship and that was a fan desgin when I first started. So I did not get very far and dropped it.
Anyway. 6 years with out actually making a Trek ship seems a litttle wrong as most people starting out in 3d will build one. normal the TOS Ent or the Enterprise-D.

So as it was time to start building my own, I decided to go with a ship I loved ever since we first got to see her in Star Trek Frist Contact.

The Akira Class


So to start off I thought I would start with the weapons pod, as it looked like the easiest area to start from.
This is what I have so far.

oldmangreg

Good start.

Aresius

Hehe, nice work, I can certain understand why you like the Akira-class. Looking forward on that one.

Freak

Thanks

Polaris 004

Akira? Okay, you've got my interest. Good luck...

Freak

Thanks.
started to add the details to the weapon pod. There quite a bit there. but it coming along.
I'll post some pic soon.

aylaa12

indeed a wonderful start

larundel

ow i love the Akira class...one of my all time fav star trek ships, REally good start freak, i will be following this one with keen intrest.

IRML

I really like this ship, I don't remember ever seeing one done before so this is pretty cool

I think what you've got so far needs more work, it just looks like a primitive with a few cuts and vertices moved around, not really looking like a piece of starship right now

Freak

Thanks Guys.

Dave, I agree. This is first time I am working from blue prints so I am still learing to work with more than one window. So what I did was to knock out the basic shape. It really need more work.

More work done on the weapons pod. Manily the details to the top.
The actual pod still needs work, but I am thinking about starting that over as the rear torpedo launchers are not sitting right with me, neather do the lower set a the front. But that not to hard to fix.

I am using Alex Jaeger sketch of the weapons pod and the Blue prints I am working from to do the details here.



Anyway here what I have done.

lennier1

Nice work.
The detail on that pod is sticking out too much compared to the concept. But I'm sure that's one of the details you're planning to adjust.

With reference shots like that it's sometimes easier to use this little trick: http://www.myphotoshoptutorial.com/2008/06/perspective-crop/

@IRML: Compared to the fifty new TOS Connies per week the Akira is pretty rare around these parts. There are maybe 1-2 projects per year.

Freak

Thanks Lennier,
yeah They are sticking out to much for my liking as well. but going by the blue prints I am modellling from they are that hight.
I just going to lower them anyway.

IRML

my advice would be don't model anything from blueprints, rarely will you find a trek blueprint that actually matches the ship, I only know of one myself

best reference would be screenshots and renderings of the original model, then you use other reference like concept art to fill in details you can't see, I know there are ortho renderings of the first contact model out there, those would be much better than blueprints

also you're mis-interpreting that panel on top, it's raised but flat all over, and it's much lower on the cg model

Freak

Okay I'll use it as a basic guide.
I got the renderings of the original model, so they will come in handy.

As for that top area no mis-interpretion there. I know it all one panel. But I though it would be fun to add my own touch. I don't think I will be doing a 100% accurate on this build as it my first attempt at a trek ship. but that can always change as I go along.

[Deleted User]

I did an akira a long time ago... Similar res to the old ILM model. But Im glad to see your going to model most of the detail rather than rely on bump maps.

somacruz145

Looking forward to seeing more of this ship - it's really cool and will be interesting to see when treated with level of details similar to the NX :thumb:

Freak

Thanks guys.

@ Nutsy, I don't like to use bump maps. only use them when I have no choice. I perfer to model all the details, if I can.

@ somacruz, I don't know about the same level of detail as the NX, but I game to give it a try.

Freak

I remodelled most of the weapons pod. also reseted some of the panels.
I had to complately redo the rear trop laruncher. I am still not 100% happy with them but they now look better.
The main problem with them is that I can't see how you can have a loader for each of the six larunchers. unless there is one for each side?









I have now moved onto the pod's pylons after that I think I will start on the Catamaran

larundel

freak the weapon pod is looking good mate...cant wait to see the rest of the ship.

The Akira is one of my fav ships of all time.

Freak

Thanks

I have just finsihed the details on those pylons. I posted pics of that when I got a bigger update. Not sure If I should do the Catamaran or do the plyons for the nascells first.

Aresius

Great job on the pod. Looks awesome.

larundel

i would say to do the Catamaran first, cos going by the design everything flows from that, thats what i think anyway.

Freak

Thank Guys.

Well I started on the nascells and their pylons. The pylons will have to be placeholder untill I do the Catamaran.
But work is underway on the nascells. As I am working off the blue prints. (as a guide now more than anything.) It mean I am doing them at an angle. (I perfer to do modelling on the hozontal and Vertical angles then roate.) With modelling this way, it going to be intresting how I do the ramscops and get it all to line up. But that is all part of the fun.

I'll post updates soon.

Freak

Here is the work on the weapons pod pylon, it not much, but out of all the refances pictuers that I have found, there not much. So that what I have done.





As you can see from those two pic's I have done temporary pylons for the nascells. This is just a place holder untill I start work on the Catamaran.
As you can guess I decided not to go with the Catamaran, I went with the Nascells.

I have to rebuild them twice. here is the first attempt.



There was lots of error with it and it was not really going the way I wanted it. I was also having a lot of issues with that front cut out so I started again.

Here is the second attempt as it currently stands.



I am still having some issues with the front cut out. But it should be easy to sort out.
Anyway here is a close up on the cut out and in the top left cornor of the pic, is the detail on the inner section of the Nascell.

larundel

looks like a really good start mate....cant wait to see more.

Aresius

Cool work.

Freak

Thanks guys, will have another update for you in a few hours.

Freak

As Promissed

More work on the nascells.

I have to say this model is making me pull my hair more than any other I have done. Reason being, on my own desgins if something not working on the build side, I can just change it and do something else.

But with building an established Trek ship, you can't do that. Which mean if you are trying to model an object and it not working, you have to stop and try a different way. Which can be a real pain in the arse, but also a great way to learn how to do things a different way.

So with all the building and rebuilding I am slowly getting there.

Nascell Angle


Front


Outter side


Inner side


And attached to what been modelled of the ship so far.

Aresius

The area around the Bussard scoop looks a bit block yet, but else it's great.

Freak

Thanks,

I looked at my ref, and they all show this nascell to be blocky with rouned off edges. Which I have done.
I have pritty much finished off the modelling of them now, just need to add the last few detasil, and then move on, to the Cats.

Freak

I have two options for the ramscoops. The one on the left is form the Concept art by Alex.
The one on the right is the same as the film model.



I am liking the concept version more myslef. What do you guys thing?

Here are some more pic's of the Nascell, with the wapons pod.





Now to start work on the Cat's!