Exoplanet with rings and Juno based textures.

Like many, I have been stunned by the images coming back from the Juno mission to Jupiter. Take a look here if you’d like to see some of the best.

I particularly liked the polar views, not least because these are the first views. And I decided they would make a great basis for exoplanet textures for a gas giant orbiting another star.

And because ring systems always look cool, I added a complex ring system too, and a couple of knobbly little moons. Everything done in Lightwave 3d this time around.

Here are the results of this brief project.

Pseudo-Jupiter exoplanet with rings
Pseudo-Jupiter exoplanet with rings

Continue reading “Exoplanet with rings and Juno based textures.”

The Slabship / Fury – Development and finished renders

An unusual one for me, as I take a crack at an original science-fiction design.

My objective was to  get something seriously large, primarily for use in Vue. My thinking is that I notice many great concept art pages have fairly abstract ships that are so big the more distant parts are afffected by haze, giving a great sense of scale. And as volumetric effects are a strength of Vue, I figure model in LW with Vue in mind. In practice this meant:

  • Keep the number of different surfaces low
  • Avoid clever effects that I don’t know how to do in Vue, including advanced surfaces
  • Avoid elements that would give a clear idea of scale, such as windows, hatches, stairs
  • Make it a long design so it’s easy to get the most distant parts lost in fog

Continue reading “The Slabship / Fury – Development and finished renders”

More explorations in Vue – Using Haze and Fog, 3d planets

I’m continuing to spend most of my graphics time in Vue recently, and I think I am starting to feel comfortable with it. I’m still getting occasional frustrations, but I’m feeling a lot more in control.

One lightbulb moment was when I realised I did NOT have to use the included billboard planet options for planets! But could use full 3d objects which then pick up the light from the Sun, and are properly affected by the haze and fog. A good example is the ringed planet in the banner image for this post, at the top. (Note the tiny astronaut at the top of the cliffs!)

And here’s another:

Alien cityscape with ringed planet
Alien cityscape with ringed planet

Continue reading “More explorations in Vue – Using Haze and Fog, 3d planets”

Visions of Space 2

Wells & Mendip Astronomers, in association with BIS Southwest, present ‘VISIONS OF SPACE 2′ – An Exhibition of Astronomical and Space Art by British IAAA artists

As long term followers of this blog will be aware, about a year and a half ago, my work was selected for exibition at the “Visions of Space” show in Wells, here in the UK. An event organised by Chris Starr of the BIS, and the Wells and Mendips astronomers.

You can see my previous post on it here, and the BIS page can be found here.

Well, I’m delighted to say that “Visions of Space 2” is happening soon, and I am once again exhibiting! Highlights include a lecture by David A Hardy, a linkup with Spacefest 8, and a demonstration by Matt Irvine.

And here are some of the images I have submitted. I don’t know which ones will be selected yet!

I rather liked the unusual view of this rendering of a glider in flight over Mars. (Serious design)

Gliding over Mars
PRANDTL Glider – Gliding over Mars

Continue reading “Visions of Space 2”