This wasn’t supposed to be a video on how to do an entire aircraft. I just wanted to describe the shrink wrap method. There were many steps I intentionally did not cover - otherwise the video would have been much longer. I had hoped to keep it under 10 minutes, but couldn’t.
The model does use mirror modifiers wherever there is x-axis symmetry. I’m not sure why you think it doesn’t.
I’ll do a UV unwrap tutorial soon. The process is pretty simple and does not cause any distortion.
“Intrados” and “extrados” refer to inner and outer sides of an arch. I was trying to describe edges that were closer or farther away from the x-axis. I used the terms “inboard” and “outboard” because they are they describe objects that are closer or farther from the centerline (e.g. inboard engine, outboard engine). You could, of course, use any identifiers that make sense to you.
in video i was unable to see this mirror thing
i’ll re check it
did i get the idea for the workflow here or i miss it?
video shows workflow for one panel
but then you have to redo that for all the panels on the hull and
apply all modifiers then join all panels to make one hull object
after you can use the UDIM method ?
i know this is difficult to explain this method and you did a good intro which is great
in any case this tut is for people at intermediary or advance level
not for a total noobie in blender
this is a good intro to plane modeling high res
is there a way to download the video or only available on web ?
this video can be given to people looking for a workflow for any high res plane hull with UDIM
Perfect!
The video shows all the intermediate steps which are necessarily missing from a written tutorial (else it would be pages long).
Which is exactly what we need. There are so many beginner tutorials out there, and beginners should start there. This whole tutorial series is clearly aimed at those who are comfortable in Blender. The content of this video in particular is for a specialized technique that is not widely practiced, at least not to the point where I’ve come across it in the sea of tutorials on YouTube. So I think this is a great addition to the community.
I suspect that most people are going to find the videos from this thread rather than finding them on YouTube first, but just in case, you might want to add a link to this thread in the video description.
Great tutorial! Got me thinking about a lot of modeling “road blocks” I’ve hit in the past on models I abandoned. Vertex groups with the shrink wrap modifier could have solved them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this tutorial. I have been creating panels via bump maps and normal maps for years with “…okay…” results that I was never completely satisfied with. Your earlier comment regarding acquiring the best drawings possible is very true. However, I have found out that in some circumstances, you may need to massage the drawings because sometimes they were drawn inaccurate on purpose (especially when it comes to prototypes and concepts). Creating the model full size… genius.
Excellent work!
You’re right about drawings being frustrating. Even with the high quality drawing I’m using for this Betty, things did not always line up between the orthographic views. Sometimes I just had to pick one view and fudge things in other views to make it look “about right”.
Do you use a similar shrink wrap approach on your WWI fabric covered surfaces? If so, do you model the framework underneath and wrap the mesh overtop? I started thinking about a Tummelisa Ö1 project I stopped a while back.
I don’t use the shrinkwrap method nearly as much method on WWI aircraft. I might use it on special parts where I needed to get a curve to fit snugly against something, but not as a foundation like it is on my WWII airplanes.
I don’t make the framework unless I think it will show, or if I think making the framework will help me get the basic shapes right. For example, my Fokker E1 is translucent, so I had to make some framework, but I made it after I completed the exterior and it is very basic. For my Bristol F2.B, I made the fuselage framework to help me visualize where the fabric detailing should go.
Hey I have an additional question/observation- is it possible to add the panels to aircraft models that have already been detailed? I have already created an aircraft model with window cutouts, positionable doors, loading ramp…
I’m not sure exactly how detailed your model is and I’m not sure what your ultimate goal is, so I can’t give you a solid yes/no answer.
I have several models that I completed years ago that I have upgraded to use this technique. For those models, I used the old finished model as a foundation to create a new base mesh. I re-topologized a new base mesh on top of the old model and then used that new base mesh as the foundation for my new multi-panel model. It basically means redoing the model, but using the old model as a guide to make the base mesh makes that part of the project go quickly. Post-modeling work (like UV unwrapping, texturing and rigging) would have to be re-done.
If you post some pictures of what you are starting with and explain a little more about what you want out of the end project, I might be able to give a better answer.
Just a question with this technique on aircraft with fillets on the wings and stabilizers in relation to the guide mesh.
On the guide mesh do you normally pull the fillets, wings and stabilizer from the fuselage ?
or
Do you have your wings and stabilizers as separate meshes with the fillets built into them ?
I model the fillets as separate base meshes. Shrinkwrap the inboard edge of the fillet to the fuselage and shrinkwrap the outboard edge of the fillet to the wing or elevator.
