VF-1S Valkyrie WIP

[Olitech Industries]

This will be the Olitech Industries VF-1S Valkyrie thread; aircraft exterior.

Nowhere near the level of progress that I've seen on this site, but we had to start somewhere.

A very crude beginning, but it shall be done.

Started tracing out the Masterfile diagram last year, but then got caught up reading on the proportional differences with some of the model kits vs. illustrations. Of course referring to Dan Bickell's progress over the years. 

This is really Work In Progress, hence the low-res temporary textures and geometry.

 

 

 

[Olitech Industries]

With the same Level of Detail and craftsmanship as my other CG models, this will be modeled super-clean and water tight for multi-resolution applications.

 

[Bolt]

Very nice!

[M97D]

Wow!  Beautiful work.

[peter]

Holy $hit.

[Olitech Industries]

Thanks guys, but I need to get back to this.
 

Still a lot of pinching and puckering in the geo that needs to be perfected.
 

Contours need work.

[Olitech Industries]

First off, a MASSIVE shout out to my friends at Rockwell Bell for kindly donating one of their old Skunkworks facilities for our "1S" hotrod project.

You know who you are. =)

Big change from our old shop. Now there's room to grow and make lots of noise!

Finally enough light to see. Although now, all I can see are the flaws in the bodywork and canopy. =(

 

[Mazinger]

Keep 'em coming.  Such a cool project.

[Knight26]

I am so loving it.  Wish I could model my stuff as well.

[Olitech Industries]

14 hours ago, Knight26 said:

I am so loving it.  Wish I could model my stuff as well.

I can teach you.

if you only knew the power...

[Rodavan]

Well done , cool model

[Bolt]

Beautiful 

[Olitech Industries]

On 3/15/2020 at 3:54 AM, Rodavan said:

Well done , cool model

Thank you!

No where near the volume of your work. =)

[claude grant]

That's a thing of beauty!  Please take it to completion.

 

[Olitech Industries]

Now that I'm looking at this with fresh eyes...um....I'm going to rebuild this. The detailing got carried away to the point that the actual contours are just so-so.

This needs to be PERFECT. 

[Knight26]

Are you scrapping the whole thing or just certain parts?

 

[Olitech Industries]

10 hours ago, Knight26 said:

Are you scrapping the whole thing or just certain parts?

 

The whole thing.

The canopy cross sections are not the shape I want. It's waaaay too wide at the rear. No. This has to be perfect from the beginning, otherwise minor errors at this stage will be glaringly obvious at the end.

Also, if you look at the metallic fuselage above, certain contours are just not clean enough. Puckering geometry around details - amateur hour. =(

I also want to spend more time choosing the 'perfect' Valkyrie proportions before I commit to the model.

I was hoping some of you could point me in the direction of the "Perfect" Valkyrie proportions - has to look like Kawamori San's drawings - in all 3 modes. Which line art or model kit proportions are the closest? Combination?

I want to nail this down in 2D before I begin the 3D.

Any takers??? 

I would be grateful for any help/advice.

best,

O

[Gerli]

2 hours ago, Olitech Industries said:

 

I was hoping some of you could point me in the direction of the "Perfect" Valkyrie proportions

 

I'm not an expert but I think you are wasting your time there... there is no "Perfect" Valkyrie when translating 2D art to 3D. 

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Wow!!!! I'm speechless, love the proportions so far!!!!

[no3Ljm]

On 10/28/2020 at 7:42 AM, Olitech Industries said:

I also want to spend more time choosing the 'perfect' Valkyrie proportions before I commit to the model.

I was hoping some of you could point me in the direction of the "Perfect" Valkyrie proportions - has to look like Kawamori San's drawings - in all 3 modes. Which line art or model kit proportions are the closest? Combination?

Same sentiments as @Gerli.

Based on Kawamori’s drawings, they’re “perfect” as is in their own separate modes. However, retaining those ‘perfect’ individual modes to mash it altogether, say the thicker Battroid legs to replace the thinner Fighter legs in fighter mode or the tiny arms under the Fighter mode with the Battroid bigger arms, is not going to translate very well for VF-1’s.  It’s not the same compared to the Frontier-era Valks and onwards which it was designed and rendered with CAD/CG so it translates very well when it transforms (Not you, DX VF-25 V1’s). Unless you’re planning to render each VF-1 mode individually based on the lineart design.

I’m also not a 3D expert, but I think the best way to look into this is to inspect the recent transforming VF-1 figures out there, compare it to the original Kawamori lineart, and see how you can make it better/closer or “perfect” as you intended to the lineart without messing it too much.

And to be honest, your initial renders are already gorgeous to look at. Looking forward to your Version 2.  

 

[pengbuzz]

On 11/19/2020 at 3:22 PM, no3Ljm said:

Same sentiments as @Gerli.

Based on Kawamori’s drawings, they’re “perfect” as is in their own separate modes. However, retaining those ‘perfect’ individual modes to mash it altogether, say the thicker Battroid legs to replace the thinner Fighter legs in fighter mode or the tiny arms under the Fighter mode with the Battroid bigger arms, is not going to translate very well for VF-1’s.  It’s not the same compared to the Frontier-era Valks and onwards which it was designed and rendered with CAD/CG so it translates very well when it transforms (Not you, DX VF-25 V1’s). Unless you’re planning to render each VF-1 mode individually based on the lineart design.

I’m also not a 3D expert, but I think the best way to look into this is to inspect the recent transforming VF-1 figures out there, compare it to the original Kawamori lineart, and see how you can make it better/closer or “perfect” as you intended to the lineart without messing it too much.

And to be honest, your initial renders are already gorgeous to look at. Looking forward to your Version 2.  

 

It makes me wonder if those parts themselves would have to "transform" on the VF-1 (i.e. the thinner legs reconfiguring into a thicker mode, small arms somehow gaining mass, etc).  That's where Yamato/Arcadia gets a lot of credit for their stuff looking decent in all modes.

Regarding Oiltech's renderings so far: I'll post my opinion on it just as soon as I pick my jaw up off the ground!!!

[Olitech Industries]

On 11/20/2020 at 3:59 PM, pengbuzz said:

It makes me wonder if those parts themselves would have to "transform" on the VF-1 (i.e. the thinner legs reconfiguring into a thicker mode, small arms somehow gaining mass, etc).  That's where Yamato/Arcadia gets a lot of credit for their stuff looking decent in all modes.

Regarding Oiltech's renderings so far: I'll post my opinion on it just as soon as I pick my jaw up off the ground!!!

LOL! Hope you're ok. Gonna need that jaw for what's coming.

This is EXACTLY the discussion I was hoping for. I know this has been discussed many times in these past 3 decades.

Since the "thicker" components are better for the Battroid and Gerwalk, I think the final proportions of the fighter need to follow this.

2 out of 3 modes win imho.

In the olden days, we would sculpt a car out of clay to get the shape we want. And THEN came the CAD. But typically those designs were somewhat limited by the CAD operator's ability (or inability) to achieve complex shapes. 

Thankfully these days, I can sculpt right in 3D and value engineer it later. =)

[Olitech Industries]

On 11/19/2020 at 3:22 PM, no3Ljm said:

Same sentiments as @Gerli.

Based on Kawamori’s drawings, they’re “perfect” as is in their own separate modes. However, retaining those ‘perfect’ individual modes to mash it altogether, say the thicker Battroid legs to replace the thinner Fighter legs in fighter mode or the tiny arms under the Fighter mode with the Battroid bigger arms, is not going to translate very well for VF-1’s.  It’s not the same compared to the Frontier-era Valks and onwards which it was designed and rendered with CAD/CG so it translates very well when it transforms (Not you, DX VF-25 V1’s). Unless you’re planning to render each VF-1 mode individually based on the lineart design.

I’m also not a 3D expert, but I think the best way to look into this is to inspect the recent transforming VF-1 figures out there, compare it to the original Kawamori lineart, and see how you can make it better/closer or “perfect” as you intended to the lineart without messing it too much.

And to be honest, your initial renders are already gorgeous to look at. Looking forward to your Version 2.  

 

 

So....a lot of people seem to make a big deal about the VF-1 Master File.

 

I'm just going to say it. It is obviously very, VERY flawed. The proportions are NOT Kawamori at all. It is definitely a CAD 'interpretation'. The width is short visually, making the length proportion appear too long.

 

Battroid looks horrible in profile. Battroid/gerwalk legs look dumb AF. fighter jet rear is so tapered in the top view, that no wonder the arms must be toothpicks. There's no room for that sweet 'inner calf' roundedness that Kawamori drawings all have. In fact, the soul of all the Kawamori sketches/drawings are the roundedness of all the edges, etc.

 

I'm definitely going to cannibalize the masterfile orthos for overall dimensions, buuuuut no way that will be the look of these valkyries. I mean, come on - the master file fuselage is a larger mass than the neclear turbine engines!? That's why the whole thing looks awkward.

 

I believe this flaw is only in the translation of the original proportions - not the flaw of the original valkyrie design.

 

I know that's a lot. Guess I'd better put my money where my mouth is!

 

 

[Olitech Industries]

I mean, look at the proportion of the fuselage to the legs....

Looks like one of those steroid dudes with the massive upper body, and puny little elf legs.

Just saying.

 

 

[pengbuzz]

2 hours ago, Olitech Industries said:

I mean, look at the proportion of the fuselage to the legs....

Looks like one of those steroid dudes with the massive upper body, and puny little elf legs.

Just saying.

 

 

I'd say the legs need to be about 15% bigger to start with, and thick enough to match the width of the wing root just ahead of where the wings pivot. The arms could use some beefing up too; visually, the masterfile looks too skinny IMHO.

[Olitech Industries]

51 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

I'd say the legs need to be about 15% bigger to start with, and thick enough to match the width of the wing root just ahead of where the wings pivot. The arms could use some beefing up too; visually, the masterfile looks too skinny IMHO.

Yep. Look at this.

The arms and shoulders must have atrophied.  They are now both the width of the head.

Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Hmmm...hard to trust this now. =/

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Olitech Industries

[pengbuzz]

8 hours ago, Olitech Industries said:

Yep. Look at this.

The arms and shoulders must have atrophied.  They are now both the width of the head.

Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Hmmm...hard to trust this now. =/

 

I noticed that and did a rework of this pic:

While the arms still look a bit small, I thickened the lower legs while reducing the upper intakes. I did try to increase the width of the arms as well, but it was limited by the "collision" between the arms and the inside of the lower legs. But I think this is more in the direction of how it should look, at least in some part.

[no3Ljm]

You also have to imagine how the TV ‘clown hands’ fits in the ‘toothpick’ arms in Fighter mode too. 

After seeing all these flaw thru anime magic, how ‘perfect’ do you still want it to be?

[pengbuzz]

2 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

You also have to imagine how the TV ‘clown hands’ fits in the ‘toothpick’ arms in Fighter mode too. 

After seeing all these flaw thru anime magic, how ‘perfect’ do you still want it to be?

Maybe we should include a tire pump for the hands?

[Olitech Industries]

21 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Maybe we should include a tire pump for the hands?

The hands look huge because it is an attempt at foreshortening. I always felt that it was the roundedness that made them look cool.

Only thing that disappointed me with all my toys and models was the squareness of everything. I'm sure part of that was due to manufacturing limitations and scale.

 

[Olitech Industries]

So  a stronger start for V2 than I anticipated.

A long way to go, but I think the bones are right!!! I'm now tracing off of Kawamori sketches instead of the technical illustrations.

 

This one seems very photogenic at all angles.

I'm now rendering in metal so I can place the focus on surface fidelity as I go.

I like it already.

It has the contours I was hoping to see. If the rest of it goes this well, this should be fire.

This is the way.

 

 

[Olitech Industries]

On 11/26/2020 at 4:30 AM, pengbuzz said:

I noticed that and did a rework of this pic:

While the arms still look a bit small, I thickened the lower legs while reducing the upper intakes. I did try to increase the width of the arms as well, but it was limited by the "collision" between the arms and the inside of the lower legs. But I think this is more in the direction of how it should look, at least in some part.

Yes! Much better!

Feels right.

[Olitech Industries]

More speed modeling - blocking in the intakes, turbines, etc..

Starting to look really familiar!

I really missed this canopy bubble on the V1 model. Truthfully, I restarted this model just for that detail.

 

[Olitech Industries]

Refining the legs.

[Olitech Industries]

More.