|
|
Post box...
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Post box... // Work in Progress
Post by Nez // Nov 16, 2007, 4:20am
|
Nez
Total Posts: 1102
|
Well, the WIP section seems a little quiet at the moment, so I thought I'd chuck something in for a bit of sinister fun - one of those rare occasions where I get an idea I really want to try out.
Started this project earlier this week, just doing the odd 20-30mins in my lunchbreak, and this is how far I've got....
There's a few main things to do - like the collection times sign on the front and the key hole in the lock block; main thing really though is the environment. Any suggestions for a good setting? Can't promise I'll use them, but interested to see what you come up with! Was vaguely considering a 'smiling' version with a cap of snow in a snowy street as a festive scene, but thought something more sinister would be fun!
Any other tips and suggestions also appreciated...
NB - I can easily show wireframes of bits if you're interested, but it's mostly simple poly/sweep operations, a few booleans, with a couple of parts using SDS on roughed-out poly objects.
Thanks :D |
Post by butterpaw // Nov 16, 2007, 5:51am
|
butterpaw
Total Posts: 831
|
ermmmm.... are those teeth? O_O |
Post by Nez // Nov 16, 2007, 7:35am
|
Nez
Total Posts: 1102
|
Yep! :D
Supposed to be a nasty, sinister post-box, about to bite your (not you personally!) hand off...:cool: |
Post by splinters // Nov 16, 2007, 8:26am
|
splinters
Total Posts: 4148
|
I really like this, does this help? |
Post by butterpaw // Nov 16, 2007, 9:39am
|
butterpaw
Total Posts: 831
|
<__< .......... >__> ..... ooooh ... sinister indeed! :cool: |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 16, 2007, 11:03am
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
I'm sure the problem is universal, but just in case there is a shortage in the U.K., here is some pigeon poop that appears everywhere there is a mail box. :) |
Post by Jack Edwards // Nov 16, 2007, 2:21pm
|
Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
|
Great work Nez! :banana: |
Post by Dragneye // Nov 16, 2007, 9:39pm
|
Dragneye
Total Posts: 602
|
NEZ, I dunno, but my 1st impression (for a pic) was... Grand Central Station (or such) as the background. :confused: :D |
Post by W!ZARD // Nov 17, 2007, 1:41am
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
Cool Nez - a digital mail box! Dunno if that's going to catch on with many people!;)
There was a real one of these letter boxes along the street from where I grew up - a genuine BPO postbox on the opposite side of the world from Britain. |
Post by 3dvisuals dude // Nov 17, 2007, 4:04pm
|
3dvisuals dude
Total Posts: 1703
|
Environment?
Yep.... would look great planted on the moon with a Russian Cosmonaut gazing at it in disbelief!:p
Great work as always Nez.
- 3dvisuals dude |
Post by Nez // Nov 19, 2007, 1:28am
|
Nez
Total Posts: 1102
|
Ha ha ha:D
You guys are great...
3dvd - I was thinking about slightly more normal locations, but it would be fun to try some more incongruous locations. Maybe I should do a series where the PO Box travels about and rears it's head in unsuspecting locations...?! (like New Zealand?! I'm not totally surprised on that one though W!zard - these things do get around, specially in Commonwealth countries)
Dragneye - I would have thought the post boxes in Central Station would be a bit different? Surely in the US your mail boxes are of a different style?
Jamesmc - no, there's definitely no shortage here! I work in London - famed for the Trafalgar Square 'flying rats' as much as anything else... but I'll keep it under consdieration. However, I think this fella might eat any pigeon getting close enough to pose a risk - perhaps he has a frog-style long tongue to help? Perhaps I should add that to the model...:D
Thanks to everyone for the comments/compliments... may have to go on hold for a week now there's another SMC to play with! |
Post by Nez // Nov 27, 2007, 4:46am
|
Nez
Total Posts: 1102
|
Just a quick query - do you think my mean ole' post box would look better with his teeth red to match the outer paint or 'tooth-coloured' as below?
Does that make them too obvious? And should I lose the tongue?!:p
I'm thinking that he's really a (maybe) biomechanical alien being or monster who's chamelon abilities might end up on the blink (like the TARDIS). My original setting was going to be a normal post-box location, but it could be fun to set him in strange locations such as the moon, still in post-box disguise... |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 27, 2007, 6:11am
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
Now you just need 7.6 and you can use morphing targets to make that tongue come to life. :D |
Post by Jack Edwards // Nov 27, 2007, 6:43am
|
Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
|
Hi Nez, I don't think the tongue fits the image. :( |
Post by Nez // Nov 27, 2007, 7:22am
|
Nez
Total Posts: 1102
|
No need for the sad face! I'm not offended/upset...
I'll keep the tongue as a reserve possibility for now - need to develop the rest of the scene somewhat (not to mention doing something about improving the paint finish on the post box) and then reconsider whether it is appropriate in the context of the final composition... I've a few ideas about possible adjustments as well as the setting so assuming I get any time to work on them, I'll be back for more feedback in due course.
Thanks for looking. |
Post by TheWickedWitchOfTheWeb // Nov 27, 2007, 7:22am
|
TheWickedWitchOfTheWeb
Total Posts: 858
|
Post box is looking good. Don't like the tongue (looks more like a ribbon and, TBH, is a bit cliche) and I think the teeth should stay red, makes them more subtle rather than overly obvious. If it had obvious cartoon eyes, nose, etc then it'd be different but I like the subtlety of it (is it part of the design or am I going to lose my hand when I post this letter?).
Great job so far. |
Post by Georg // Nov 27, 2007, 11:51pm
|
Georg
Total Posts: 270
|
Definitely red teeth, but maybe a different glossiness compared to the rest of the post box to have them stand out.
Looking forward to the box in action.....
Georg |
Post by splinters // Nov 28, 2007, 1:00am
|
splinters
Total Posts: 4148
|
No tongue and definitely red teeth for me. White teeth give the impression that this is a child like character: Mr. Pillarbox or such like (albeit a scary one!).
Red teeth imply that an inanimate object has simply been imbued with life. Like something out of a nightmare....:D
Well, that is how I perceive it anyway...:D |
Post by jayr // Nov 28, 2007, 4:19am
|
jayr
Total Posts: 1074
|
Make sure the red teeth don't get lost in the image though, they could end up not standing out enough. |
Post by W!ZARD // Nov 29, 2007, 4:56pm
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
Hmmn! Letterboxes like this are clearly the reason email is so popular!
The tongue idea could work but you need to have it look less ribbon-like and more tongue-like - for example it should be much wider at the base than it is at the tip - also the forked tongue might be better unforked although there is a nice visual gag there; "Letter box speak with forked tongue" :rolleyes:.
Are you using reference images for your modelling? I just Googled 'red letter box' images and came up with 1.300.000 hits so there's plenty available. The biggest thing for me is the proportions of your letterbox - the top 'hat' portion of your letterbox looks too big in relationship to the diameter of the 'body' of the letterbox. With such an iconic item most people (certainly British one's anyway) have a subconscious understanding of the Victorian(?) design conventions and will experience a visual disconnect if the proportions are to far away from those conventions.
Reference images can be very useful in circumstances like this - I'd suggest selecting an image of a red letterbox that strikes you as embodying all the essential 'red-letter-boxy' attributes and use that to refine the proportions of your model. The same process will undoubtedly assist you with making a more convincing tongue. Find a nice 'tongue-y' looking tongue picture as a guide.
Hope this helps |
|
