The Art and Graphics of Nick Stevens. Available for hire.I specialise in unbuilt space projects, and the spacecraft of the Soviet Union.
Key software used to make the image
I recently realised that I hadn’t blogged this design, which I did a few years ago. I realised this after seeing an image I had provided of it for a board game had been bodged onto a new background, and looked awful. So I figured I should get my version online ASAP!
This is a serious NASA design for a nuclear craft capable of reaching Mars.
Right! The launch state version is coming together rather nicely. There are some deails still to be done, and the surfaces need some work, but I’m begining to see how the finished one will look.
It’s not going to be super accurate, but I was really pleased that my Russian friends like it.
The colours are arbitrary to a degree, but I think I have a sound justification for them.
Here’s an exploded view, to show all the elements:
Back to the space hardware, and my latest major project.
This is Chelomei’s UR-700, intended as a universal rocket, (in various configurations), and a competitor to the N-1.
This was a real monster, and basically consisted of a cluster of no less than nine Proton rockets. This was done so they could be comprehensively tested at the factory near Moscow, and shipped on trains to Baikonur for assembly. The Proton started as the UR-500, an element of this design. The engines were built and tested, but there was no appetite to start again, cancelling the N-1.
I made another Kuiper Belt object! I think it is best seen in this animation I made:
Continue reading “Another displacement mapped Kuiper Belt Object”
I’m getting a much stronger sense of control now wiuth Amberlight. And thanks to some prompt support, now know how to zoom the elements in and out, as opposed to the images.
I must admit, I ‘m still struggling to get my head around the animation system though, and have yet to produce one successfully
Amberlight is very good at filaments of energy style effects. Continue reading “More Amberlight 2 experiments”
I just bought myself Amberlight 2, a particle based image generator, which makes fractal like images.
I’ve only had it a few hours, but it is very easy to use, and I am already producing cool images, and feeling in control. UHTV resolution renders in about a minute, nice and fast.
It’s $60, and if you want to find out more, here’s a link to the software home. http://www.escapemotions.com/products/amberlight/
Here are some of my very early efforts!
As usual, click on a small picture for a larger image.
This one, unusually has some blocked out type areas.
This is one of my favourites so far, very spacy!
Some finished renders of the Hyperion, Phil Bono’s SSTO design.
This view has some perspective, and I have added a figure for scale. Continue reading “Bono’s Hyperion, finished renders”
I wanted to make a dwarf planet, using elevation maps from the Moon, (and maybe Mars?) for realistic craters. I thought it may be helpful to save out the steps, so that others can follow along. Tutorial time!
You will need:
I started with a slice of elevation map from the rear of the moon, (less recognisable), in the proportions of 2:1
This will have seams at the left and right edges. To fix this we need to first use an offset filter, with wrap, to move the whole thing 50% to the right. Continue reading “Making a dwarf planet – Tutorial”
Next up, another classic design from the fertile mind of Phil Bono, the Hyperion.
This is a large single stage to orbit (SSTO) design, which can launch via a rocket sled, (should there be a convenient nearby 1 mile high mountain, anyway).
I have been growing more and more frustrated with my current image editor, Photoshop Elements. Not least because of it’s incessant update demands – and I have yet to notice a single benefit, despite the exclamation marks on every announcement.
I built my first web site with Serif WebPlus, and was interested when I heard they were going to try and take on the full fat Photoshop, and no nasty support rental charges.
Well, it was on offer, and I have a Christmas break coming up, (with a chance to spend time learning it), so the timing seemed good. Incidentally, apart from taking them up on the £10 off deal, open to everyone, no money changed hands for this review.
I’m also aware that other members of the International Association of Astronomical Artists are more than a bit resentul of the rental approach too…
Continue reading “Affinity Photo – first impressions review”
