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Creating A 3D Sopwith Pup, Part Two: The Fuselage - PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

CREATING A 3D MODEL OF A WWI SOPWITH PUP - PART TWO, THE FUSELAGECREATING THE ROUNDED BULKHEADS

Above the three plan display planes we had added a plane with all the bulkheads in cross-section. Change your views until you can see this area (SCREENSHOT).

The first few bulkheads have rounded cross-sections, as the fuselage shape changes from the round cowling to the square tail. We will model these against the cross-section plan, and then move them all into place on the main fuselage.

I found it useful to turn the grid on at this time, so that the ends of the Arc spline I use will be at the same level. (SCREENSHOT).

Using the Arc spline, draw a curve that matches the outer edge of the first bulkhead (SCREENSHOT). (This first one is circular, so you could also use a Circle spline and edit it).

Keeping the Arc spline selected, turn off the Start New Shape option under spline creation, and draw a Rectangle spline inside the arc that matches the internal bulkhead (SCREENSHOT). Convert this combined spline object into an Editable spline.

CREATING A 3D MODEL OF A WWI SOPWITH PUP - PART TWO, THE FUSELAGEEnter Segment editing mode, and delete the bottom segment (SCREENSHOT). We will be extruding this spline, so it is important that there be no gaps in the spline. Enter Vertex editing mode, select all the vertices and using the Weld command, weld the vertices together where the rectangle and arc met. I found a setting of 0.1" sufficient for this (SCREENSHOT).

Exit all editing modes, and add an Extrude modifier to this spline object. I chose to extrude it 1", but you may want slightly thicker bulkhead (SCREENSHOT). If your extruded object does not appear to be solid, you may have missed welding a vertice, or the capping option may not be on.

Using this first bulkhead, make some copies. By a combination of vertex editing and some judicious scaling, it is fairly easy to make the other bulkheads from these copies (SCREENSHOT).

The bulkheads that are behind the cockpit do not have curved sides, only curved tops, so just use a Cylinder primitive, matching its radius to the plans. Convert to Editable poly, and move the center vertex up to the level of the bulkhead base, and then delete all the faces and vertices below, to give a nice semi-circular cap (SCREENSHOT). Duplicate and scale for the rest of the small bulkheads (SCREENSHOT).

Place all the pre-made bulkheads in their correct positions along the fuselage. They should all line up along the vertical centerline (SCREENSHOT).

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Creating A 3D Sopwith Pup, Part Two: The Fuselage - PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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