A6M Zero - First Model

Modelling Continued

This week i've carried on with my A6M model and used the mirror tool to firstly see what my plane will eventually look like before adding materials, and i am pleased with the result.

Adding the cockpit

This was the most trickiest part of the model, and i had to use several modelling techniques to get it just how i wanted it to look,

I firstly highlighted the lines around the edge of the cockpit and dragged them up and fitted the first set of vertices against the reference planes. i repeated the process until the curve meeted the reference plane. Now that the shape of the cockpit is correct i can begin to add detail to the windows. I changed the model so that it was see through. and selected a horizontal edge and using the ring and connect tool to make another edge which i can move to fit inline with the windows.

I then repeated the process across the cockpit making sure all the edges were in line with the reference planes. Once this was complete i selected a face and used inset to make the edge of the window, by then selecting the inner face i extruded the poly inwards to form a window, and repeated the process across the cockpit using the same inset size and extrude for every window. 

I then added smoothing groups to the entire plane to give it more detail and make it look as if the wing are attached to the plane

My plane model is now complete and i can now mirror and target weld the vertices. To achieve this i firstly selected all the polygons using element. I then used the mirror tool and selected 'y' axis and clone. I then dragged the mirrored model to the other side and moved the blueprints back off the work area. I now needed to attach the new model to the existing model so that both vertices appear when selected. I selected one half of the model then selected attach and click on the other half, 3ds max now sees this as one element. To attach the vertices together i selected the two opposite vertices and selected weld and changed the amount to '2' so that the two vertices meet in the middle. I then repeated the process all round the plane, to create the model plane.

Adding Materials

Now that the model is complete i need to add materials to make the plane look more realistic, using the pictures i researched in the first week i can add various colour materials to the plane.

I used a army green colour on the plane and changed the specular level to 30 to make it look more like a metal texture, i tried using the uvw unwrap technique that we learnt in class but the material kept stretching, possibly because of the way i modelled the plane. I then added a white texture to the bottom of the plane, with a specular level of 30. Now that the base colours are on i just need to add the detail materials.

These include the front yellow stripes on each side of the wings, and the black line detailing, the metal panels, and making the nose cone a darker green.

To make the black lines i used the ring and connect tool to make small lines all over the plane, and selected the polys and changed the material to black. This was a long winded process but i think the it was worth it.

The last step i needed to do was to add a glass material to the windows, i looked up the tutorial for glass on my blog for last year and followed the steps. but i added more of a reflection as there will be nothing in the cockpit.