This is my first completed detailed modelling project. Not quite sure if it’s considered advanced. I based it off of a Field and Stream Bowie Knife that I own, but it doesn’t strictly adhere to the details of the real thing.
Done with on and off work over a period of 4 days. Rendered in Cycles with 2000 samples. Lighting is done with a single lamp and three separate emission planes.
Tear it apart, please!
i know you are not trying to reproduce the real thing, which is good since david bowies actual knife looks a bit like a kitchen knife, but one thing that was cool about it, is that it was made of bluish meteor iron, which could be a nice touch. also, it needs an environment map, or something to reflect. a simple gradient can be good sometimes.
Thanks for the critique!
I’m not entirely sure about the iron part. The knife I own uses stainless steel. Looks interesting, though.
I definitely agree with adding something to reflect, but what should I add? What would look good in this scene?
In case you need a tutorial on how to do an environment image.
I think you’ve got the shape and feel right down pat! The sharpness of the blade (the whole point of a knife :)) isn’t conveyed strongly enough though. I think I can kind of see an edge in the full-size screenshot, but it looks a little blunt. If you aren’t using a single edge (as in, a Blender edge) then perhaps that’s something you could try. If the knife edge is a face, it may look too blunt even if it’s a really narrow one.
With the wood, you could also try upping the contrast and bringing in a little red so it doesn’t look as flat. I’m guessing the real knife looks just the way you’ve modelled it, but I can only imagine that adding 2 or 3 rounded, inset rivets in the handle would give it some extra depth!
Thanks for the critique!
I’m guessing that the reason it looks dull is because of the, well, brightness (heheheh) in the image. Once I decide to add in stuff like proper reflectivity (namely, STUFF TO REFLECT), the edge will stand out more. If it doesn’t, then I’ll see about implementing what you said!
Actually, I took some compromises on the actual knife. My knife actually has a small hole going right through the side of the handle. It also has the rivets you mentioned. At the time, however, the hole was messing up the subsurf modifier so I… cut it out (oh no not again!!). I’ll see how easy it is to put in the rivets. Again, thanks for the critique!
