I don’t seem to be able to add a gradient to the sky in Yafray, and I don’t want to use the internal renderer, which is way much slower. For now, I’m sticking whit the plain blue background.
I know, the clouds were an angmap I added for the metal to reflect something.
That’s just what I did! :D. The camera angle and the excessively mirroring surface makes it more difficult to notice, check http://www.geocities.com/albipach/pics/MiG_wip_05.jpg. I hope it will be more visible when a finish painting some dirt and tweaking the different maps.
Thank you all for the advice, I hope I’ll update soon.
Mess up the textures more! Use some grunge brushes to add layers of crud and dirt. Its easy to back off the effect if its too much.
The red paint at the front would be chipped around the intake leading edge, and round the numbers. Red paint tends to fade in sunlight, so it would be at least a bit faded on the top surface. Just dont make too uniform. Red paint also looses its specularity quickly…
Scuffs and scratches round the cockpit entrance.
A bit of blackening round the exhaust.
The access ladder should look worn and abused…
Polished metal aeroplanes are not really that reflective unless they’ve been polished two minutes ago, so back that off a bit.
Slightly opaque glass in the canopy, especially round the edges, to give the impression of lots of polishing.
Paint on canopy frames always cracks and flakes really easily, because of the flexible sealant.
Landing gear is always really dirty.
Be careful with the panel and rivet bump maps. The usual mistake is to turn up the bump until you can obviously see it in the renders, which is way too much.
The geometry of the airplane looks great, but as has been mentioned- it’s way too shiny. No real airplane shines and reflects like a mirror- even ones painted silver.
Also the specularity of the red paint on the nose makes it look like a plastic model. I think it needs reduced spec and increased hardness- the same effect is notable on the new eaves on the hangar.
Speaking of the hangar, I think the problem is that you are using a flat textured polygon to simulate a corrugated surface- you really need to get the 3d effect of the texture to be more apparent with a bump map or something (pardon my noobish vagueness in explanation of how).
As was mentioned the tarmac texture looks great! However, I think that though the paint is right on, the texture of the pavement is mapped a bit too large and that is adding to the diorama feel of the scene.
Please also let me add that the rest of this scene is so great, please do something about the sad looking ladder. I don’t have reference pictures, but unless somebody authoritatively proves me wrong, my bet is that the ladder goes all the way up and hooks over the side of the cockpit.
This scene is great- far better than I could currently do.
Thanks for the tips… I’m actually having a very hard time making the plane look worn, it’s difficult to make the dirt look “real” and not “painted”, and besides, the camera angle makes it harder to see the details, as already seen with the bump map.
Even if I’m already using a bump map, I’m not very happy with it. Guess I shoud tweak it some more.
Here’s a picture of an actual ladder. Mine should be it thinner, taller, and as SimonHK pointed out, dirtier.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and compliments :).
Amazing work!
A while ago I watched a documentary about the Mig-15 and I think you’ve hit it dead on. The only thing I’d change is the dirt-map on the hangar, it looks very green, maybe some brownish rust would be nice.
I don’t think you need a lot of dirt on the plane, those things are immaculately kept and maintained; you won’t see a lot of dirt on an airplane in active service, I guess.
I tried to make the plane dirtier (very consuming, but even after all that work it doesn’t fully convince me), reduced the specularity and mirroring, changed the ladder and darkened the tarmac. I still have to add a sky and/or background.
I guess it’s almost finished, but please let me know what you think.
After I finish it, I’d like to make a couple more scenes with different markings from other countries, too.
Thanks everyone
D’oh, that’s just what I was doing, and I didn’t forget the bump map… It just seems too difficult for me to hit the right balance.
Anyway, here’s another test, trying to address those problems. I changed the bump map and threw in some sky just to see how it looked:
Perhaps it’s still too mirroring, but I think it should nevertheless reflect something. The bump map would look too fake if it was more pronounced, too.
And here are two earlier test, just to show how specularity and bump seem to be affected by the camera angle.
first stay away from procedual bump maps when you apply them to the hole model. thats gone blow up. rather use hand painted bump maps.
also keep in mind that the fuselage of the mig is made out of many plates which are skrewed onto the internal structure. you have to create a bump map that shows these tiling and at the seams of the tiling apply a medium dark dirt map.
of course you can also apply a general bump map to show general iregularities on the metal plates as well.
Love planes and this one look awsome, the only thing that nagging me is the front tire… maybe late to say that but IMO the tire is to big and the rim to small, but then again thats my opinion there is some other things that nagging me, but they are already commented, so KUTGW
I agree. The tires do look a little out of proportion. Especially the back two tires. Look at the real pictures on the first page, last half. Note the size of the rim compared to the tire.
Another thing that would help. Give the plane a sense of weight. Flatten the bottom of the tires just a bit so it looks like it is being compressed. Just a thought.
Here’s another update, I’m sorry it took me so long. Changed the material (using the WardIso shader now, much better for metallic objects) and made some minor adjustments. http://www.geocities.com/albipach/pics/MiG_wip_18.jpg
Please tell me what you think, I think I’m getting closer to finishing this. Thanks everyone.
there is some other things that nagging me, but they are already commented, so KUTGW
