Willys Jeep 1943 WIP

Artwork Works in Progress
41

Cycles does do a good job with lighting, and I can work directly in Cycles if the objects/scene is fairly simple. But as the modeling becomes more complex, Cycles becomes too slow for my workflow and the time I have to spend modeling. If it easier to work in Blender Render for modeling and basic texturing and then convert it to Cycles to do the detailed textures. It only takes about 30 minutes to convert the basic textures for this jeep to Cycles.

As you know, you can bake AO maps in Cycles as well or just turn on AO in the World settings. I prefer AO maps because I can adjust the contrast and make manual modifications in Gimp or Photoshop.

I’m not sure if this is what you wanted, but here is a reduced size image (the original is too large) of the AO map for the body of the jeep. There are a total of 4 AO Maps (body, frame, floor, and dashboard). The all dark pieces are the inside panels of the jeep or deep recesses. The numerous small objects are mostly nuts, bolts, and screws.

Attachments

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42

Thank you for this picture! Yes, I can see that it will be useful in this case. I think that it can be a base image for the overall dirt and ref(lectivity) textures.

BTW: it seems that you had a lot of work unwrapping all these details visible on the upper and right side of this image! Are they all details of your model? Unwrapping of all screws and bolts is not very common - it gives you more freedom during texture painting, but requires a huge amount of work. Modelers often use for the smaller parts simpler materials that do not require UV map (their dirt and other effects are based on procedural textures). Of course, such a simpler solution is not a good approach if you plan do to a lot of a very detailed close-ups…

43

It’s been too long in reporting since I began texturing. But I did say earlier that I’m not an artist and I’m not very good at texturing.

While I like Blender and I find it easy to model in Blender, I don’t like the texture painting and bump/normal map functions. Despite all of the tutorials I’ve watched and tried to follow, Blender’s texture paint doesn’t work for me like the tutorials.

And if I want to texture in another application, there are many steps I have to take to get it to Photoshop and back and view the results.

So, I’ve been looking for something that is more intuitive and doesn’t seem to bring my computer to a grinding halt every time I want to create textures, normal, or displacements.

I stumbled across an application called 3D Coat. Ok, it’s not free and on top of that it’s fairly expensive.

However, 3D Coat allows me to transfer my Blender models to 3D Coat, use 3D Coat’s incredible UV unwrapping tools (or just use the UV seams I created in Blender) and the painting tools in 3D Coat are mind blowing.

Not only that, 3D Coat allows me to nearly seamlessly texture in 3D Coat and Photoshop (or GIMP or Kitra) banc and forth. And not only that, but 3D Coat creates diffused, normal, and specular maps simultaneously like magic. Switch effortlessly from Blender, to 3D Coat, to Photoshop/GIMP/Kitra and back. Make a change in 3D Coat and it updates in Photoshop (or other paint applications). Make changes in Photoshop and it updates in 3D Coat.

Creating UVs is also amazing. Import the UV maps from Blender or create them in 3D Coat. 3D Coat gives you an instant preview of your UV maps as you create them and shows where the stretching is.

The retopology tools in 3D Coat are also much better than Blender’s even with all of Blender’s add on options for retopology. The brushes and functions for creating new topologies makes it a breeze.

Additionally, you can bring your Blender model into 3D Coat and use voxel sculpting to modify it, then use the retoplogy tools, and breing it back into Blender. Bring an .obj trangulated model into 3D Coat, retoplogize it to quads, and then bring it back into Blender.

I’m very impressed with the ability to nearly seamlessly bring models from Blender to 3D Coat and back to Blender with about two or three clicks. And it’s the same with Photoshop, Gimp, and Kitra. Make changes in one and see the results in the other. Amazing.

Of course, the down side is the 3D Coat is expensive. I downloaded the trial version and was so impressed that I bought it. It’s not for everyone and some will not be able to afford to buy it. But it at least deserves to be downloaded and tested for the trail period as much as possible so you can make a decision for yourself.

So my point is that I got distracted with learning 3D Coat because texturing and redoing UV maps in Blender/Photoshop was a pain that required too many steps, clicks, and updating texture brushes in two places. And my view port in Blender slows down so it becomes distracting, even when I break the model up in to smaller groups. Once transferred to 3D Coat, texturing is fast and smooth. However, there is a learning curve, but the tutorials provided are excellent.

44

It’s been a long time between updates because I’ve been very busy at work.

The initial modeling and texturing was done in Blender Internal. This latest post is the conversion over to Cycles.

It’s a minor step forward. I created the base paint texture in Photoshop by blending four different colors in a way that I hope is subtle. My goal was to give the base green texture just a hint of dirt/dust. I’ll add some mud later.

The chipped paint is just an experiment to see how it might look so I only did a few edges. It’s a bit too obvious I think so I’ll have to go back to the drawing board.

Only the external portion of the jeep has the base texture. The inside, seats, and accessories all still have just a procedural node as place holders for future texturing.

Attachments

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45

Looks really good! For this stage I would suggest to put it in a provisional environment (behind a preliminary background photo?), to test the final effect in the traget lightining conditions. (Sometimes an effect that looks good in the “studio” soft lights does not in the “outdoor” conditions)

46

Witold,
Totally agree. I would have liked to have made better progress at this stage, but business and travel severely limit the time I can spend. Half the time I’ve forgotten what I working on when I get back to the model.

And I realized that there were some serious topology problems, the UV maps weren’t good quality, too many small parts, and I wasn’t satisfied with the initial textures I created.

Soooo, I have been reconstructing most of the model, I’m recreating the UV maps, I’ve been working on techniques for more realistic textures, and I’ve been experimenting with different looks.

Also, I’ve created two basic backgrounds: urban and rural to see which better complements the model. The problem with the background is that I want them to suggest some sort of story, but I having decided what it might be.

I’ll try to make enough progress to post a new WIP with the changes I’ve made.

As always, thanks for you comments and insights.

47

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Well, it took forever to finish, but I’ve been very busy running my business and have had very little time to devote to modeling.

Here are four views of the finished model. You can download it (CC-0) on Blend Swap if you like.

The model is more detailed than it appears in these images. For example:

  1. I included the historically accurate data embossed on the original Firestone tires. The tire design is accurate.
  2. All the nuts, bolts, screws, and snaps are historically accurate.
  3. The chain that keeps the gas cap attached to the gas can is included
  4. The straps for the tools and the gas can are textured with fabric very similar to the original design and weathered
  5. All the gauges and knobs on the dashboard are historically accurate
  6. The pedals on the floor are accurate as is the fire extinguisher in both design and texturing.
  7. The helmet and canteen are very close, though they were not the main effort and so they are missing some small details.
  8. The ammo boxes in the back are modeled on actual examples. The design and markings are accurate.
  9. I included the hinges for the hood.
  10. The snaps on the seat cushions are accurate in size and placement.

I think that’s about it. I made it as accurate as my skill level allows at this point.

Here are some other things to note:

  1. The vertical bar on the front bumper is a wire cutter. Germans would string wire across the roads to decapitate passengers in the jeep. They were virtually all field modifications and so there were many different designs.
  2. The bumper markings front and back are accurate. The “101-AR-506PIR” indicates the 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Regiment. The “C-24” indicates Charlie Company, 2nd Platoon, 4th vehicle in the unit convoy.
  3. While I modeled the major parts on the frame, I didn’t model things like the engine and other parts above the frame.
  4. The yellow round sign on the grill is a “bridge sign.” These indicated the maximum weight of the vehicle fully loaded. Captured bridges were also given a sign with the weight capacity of the bridge. The number on the vehicle had to be equal too or lower than the bridge number.

Only 3 images per post, so I’ll post the fourth one in a separate post.

During World War II, Willys produced 363,000 Jeeps and Ford some 280,000. Another 51,000 were provided to the USSR under the lend lease program.

The term “Jeep” has two possible origins. A common assumption is that “Jeep” is the phonetic version of “GP” which in the US military stands for General Purpose. However, the more authoritative explanation is that it was named after Eugene the Jeep, a character in the Popeye comic strip and cartoons created by E. C. Segar as early as March of 1936. Eugene the Jeep was Popeye’s “jungle pet” and was “small, able to move between dimensions and could solve seemingly impossible problems.” For many in WW II, the jeep was very versatile and overcame many difficult challenges moving people, cargo, and weapons within the theater of operations.

General George C. Marshall described the Jeep as “America’s greatest contribution to modern warfare.”

48

Here is the fourth posting of the dashboard and other parts of the interior.

Everything is historically accurate.

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49

Very, very very nice :slight_smile: I like it very much!!! good job man!!! +1000

50

Medal71, Thanks for your comment. I’m pondering what comes next.

51

Fred, it looks great!
I especially like the “Killroy was here” graffiti on the left side :slight_smile:

I think that it was a good idea to put it on such a plate like a model - the “snow and mud of the Bulge” that we discussed some time ago for this Jeep is a real challenge for the scene and material setup!
[SUB]I would just suggest reducing the specularity of the tire material - at this moment it seems too “plastic-like”[/SUB]

52

I was looking at post 48 at the driver’s wheel
and not certain is it to scale
looking at it I find the center hub and the tri round tubes super small
does not looks natural at all
but may be it is !

nice work
and I guess you needed to spent a lot of time gathering the right data / informations
which is a lot of work

happy cl

53

#51 Witold,
Always good to hear from you. It was a busy year for me so I didn’t get much time to model. I agree that the textures are not up to standard. I think this is my second model using Cycles with long intervals between modeling sessions. I’m still struggling with how the various nodes interact and where they need to be inserted in the noodle chain.

I started out trying to hand paint the UV maps, but I didn’t have time to keep going back and forth between blender and Photoshop to make the tweaks.

I didn’t use spec maps, but there is a small amount of glossy shader on the metal. My guess is that the plastic look is probably more due to the lack of fine noise in the metal material. I couldn’t get it to look right no matter where I put it the chain of nodes.

I think with more practice I’ll get better.

How’s that work on the Dauntless coming along?

54

Wow! This is very, very good! This would be great to put into a video game. :cool:

55

What`s the poly count ? this would look amazing in my game.

56

#55 Wolverine96:

Glad you like it. I’m afraid it’s a fairly high poly because of the detailed objects, especially the tires. Probably not suitable for a game.

However, you might be able to use the decimate modifier to reduce the poly count without losing too much detail. I don’t work with games so I don’t know what is consider high poly models for game purposes.

57

#56 ChaosEmergency:
See my comment at #57 to Wolverine96. You can try using the decimate modifier to reduce the poly count without losing to much detail. However, the model parts are not joined so you would probably have to decimate each part that you considered high poly to something more acceptable for your game.