SENMM correct angles on Grav tank canopy

[Rev]

Hi guys

have read the articles on SENMM on the main site.

Am wanting to undercoat and paint the clear plastic canopy of Eldar falcon, wave serpent and 2 vypers with SENMM.

working out the angle at which the line should be on the upper \'glass\' pane is easy, but i\'d like some advice for the angle of the side panels.

what do you think - any ideas for realism?

cheers for your time

rev

 

[airhead]

The very nature of SENMM is very dependant on the viewing angle. Take a nice rounded chrome car bumper. look at the SE (horizon) line. Move your head up and down a couple of feet (kneel down) and watch the horizon line move up the bumper as you lower your viewing angle. If you get below the level of the bumper, you see more \'earth\', less \'sky\' and the inverse is true.


So, think of the windows as little mirrors and depending on the angle you wish to view it from (take the picture from) will determine the horizon lines.

 

[Miniaturelife]

If you do it, its gonna look really good, but rather you than me, thats one hell of a task.

 

[Einion]

Don\'t imagine a changing viewpoint - pick a given viewing angle and make all the reflections follow the logical consequences of this.

To put it another way:
if a pane is vertical it will reflect both sky and ground equally (i.e. put the horizon dead centre);
if a pane is angled sharply downwards it will reflect the ground only;
if a pane is angled sharply upwards it will reflect the sky only;
if angled slightly in either direction the horizon line will move up or down as the tilt increases (disappearing off the top or bottom eventually).

Curved surfaces are more complex so you\'ll have to spend more time looking at references and then thinking about it.

Einion

 

[Rev]

Ty for your replies fellas,

1) yes its a hell of a task but i gotta try it. I never tried before, and it looks so good!

2) The top pane is angled upwards, so i\'m guessing it\'d be 90%sky 10% earth (ish) reflection.

its the side panels i\'m not sure on. they are roughly triangular in shape, slightly rounded and angled upwards lol.

any ideas for references, i\'ve taken the chrome bumper advice on board!!

rev

 

[Ritual]

If you\'ve got any (polished) silverware at your house you could take some outside on a sunny day and study reflections.

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by Rev
...any ideas for references...

try any hot rod or motorcycle magazine. Lots of them will actually p-shop out a lot of the reflections (as they can look \'funny\' with something like a distorted red car reflected on a yellow one.) But, pay attention to the chorme and glass. The printing is actually NMM at it\'s finest. No metalic inks to make chrome cars come alive.

Another trick is to inverse the picture (hold the magazine upside down) this will let the other side of your brain look at what is there instead of what you think should be there. Where you \'know\' it should be blue there, but you really look and it is not.

 

[Klute]

 

[Rev]

Klute man now Thats what i\'m talking about!!

dunno about you guys but verbal concepts go no where fast in my head but gimme a visual and i\'m off.

Your a star, but thanks to ALL for yuor advice, i\'ll be using it all as research.

should be done in a few weeks with the falcon, I\'ll post back with some results!



revThats

 

[Klute]

I was bored.

I learned a rule of 5 degrees with reflections.
Take a mirror for example. If it is tilted more than 5 degrees facing up it will reflect only sky.
Vice versa down is only earth.

Between -5 to +5 you get sky and earth.
Then there are things like mountains etc etc etc but for mini painting I think we have to stick with what we think it should look like and not over complicate things.
Like the top canopy should be reflecting some of the gun to the side.

 

[Rev]

OK the photo quality is poor, but then so is my camera, lighting and general photographic ability so bear with it. (excuse my fingers lol)

First pic is the Glass canopy of the cockpit.

Edges need tidying and frame needs painting (army is deep red), but the glass effect is done. the light bone colour reflects the bases of the army (my idea of wraithbone colour/style).

are the angles correct in your opinions?
any comments (constructive pls!)



This pic is the pilots cockpit.
I\'ve cut away the scanner and put a magnet in, as i wanted the screen to \'clip on\' rather than hinge.

I also threw caution to the wind and tried source lighting, has it worked??



two new techniques in one weekend - man!

 

[No Such Agency]

Holy crap! Both excellent.

 

[Starks333]

the cockpit looks great, i think you should blend the white line a bit more, it just looks like a line right now, maybe consider blending it slightly into the blue/browns so it doesnt look like a line(it should still look like where the light is hitting just less like a line)

however this MAY just be the photo and it may look 100% better in person

also the inside of the cock pit looks great i cant tell how many shades of green there are however

oh and, because im a jerk , if it was that bright outside would it not shine in and therefor lighten the cockpit? meaning you would still see the colours on him and the source lighting


Starks

 

[Klute]

There may be too much earth on the centre window. It really depends on what it looks like in the final setup. Technically the centre window would show only sky but a little earth there will hold the illusion more. Colours are good.
Light source looks great.

 

[Rev]

thanks guys -


i was slightly concerned about the positioning of the light source on the far right hand panel, is the white line in the right place do u think?

 

[Flightless]

Damn. Not bad on either technique for someone who claims never to have done either before.
But yeah, i say blend those highlights a bit.
Good luck with it otherwise, nice to see some landscape in there. Gives it a nice feel.
Out of interest (though we\'ll all see before long), what colour is this tank going to be anyway?

Besides Starks, not much of the light may be getting in if the windows are mirrored. (Anyway, you won\'t see both the pilot and the windows in the correct position at once here, so i wouldn\'t worry)

 

[Rev]

thanks for the feedback!

the army is being painted a deep red,

base colour is valejjo scar red with a bit of back (makes a reddy terrecotta colour)

first highlight is pure scar red,

final highlight is scar red and a little GW blood red.

all the turrets and guns are magnetically interchangable, i\'ll post some pics of it when its done!

 

[freakinacage]

i\'m with klute - a little less earth and it would be great. the osl rocks - but how are you meant to see him if hes inside?

 

[Rev]

MAGNETS!!

the dash has been drilled and a magnet glued in place.

there is a small magnet underneath the canopy.

i\'ve green stuffed the very small top pane on the canopy and attached an \'ariel\' made from a guardian thingmybob which will act as a handle.

I\'ll post a pick when its done in a few days.

 

[Rev]

hi guys

i may not be the master painter (or photographer lol) that you lot are - but i\'m proud of my work and i\'ve had fun doing it so far.

here is the latest on the grav tank, just the top turret to complete now.

this model is a BITCH to assemble..