162-B TUGG

   I've recently succom to conceptual design. Sci-fi space ship design to be precise. I've done conceptual design in the past using a more reliable media; digital. Although digital design has it's benefits; being able to undo, layer, save, copy etc., I find it is missing an essential part of design. Interaction.

   I've been a very hands-on person my entire life. It's the fastest way I interact, it's the most fun way to play and it's by far the most efficient way for me to learn. Over the past few weeks I've been looking at everyday objects in a much more conceptual/abstract way. Traditionally, one would go about understanding and comprehending relationships between shapes, colours, patterns through observation. Then through this observation, apply what they've tried to learn through conceptual work i.e. drawing/painting. Personally, I find this lacks essential human interactivity, the organic sense of touch and the necessary clutch on reality. 

   Through my first two weeks of hands-on work with materials in this exploration of conceptual design, I've started to learn much more about my learning process than I ever would have through digital conceptual design. Using this very real, 3D approach to conceptualism, I can create higher quality work, faster than my digital skills, with more enjoyment and then having the ability to interact with it. This blog will be showcasing my work along with aid for those who are also interested.

Post No:1 - 162-B TUGG

This beautiful mess is what I started with!

After some modeling with plasticard, I made a "Form".

Using the "Form" I began to experiment.

Only after about 30 minutes you can start to create a somewhat believable space ship. Given that you understand roughly where engines would go, doors, panels, pipes etc. you can make something "feel" more 

real than it is.

These are how small the bolts where. I believe I spliced these up once more as I found them too tall.

Now we're getting somewhere! What happened to the front right panel?

Good question! A technique I created during this project called "Metaling" - giving a metallic/rusted industrial paint texture to plasticard. By simply applying plastic cement to the card and smearing it in a direction with a non-weldable (plastic that doesn't adhere to plastic cement i.e. nylon/PTFE (made from bottles)) it melts the plastic and gives it an effect of metal with paint that's chipped off it. 

I recommend taking pictures of the project before applying the base coat so you can look back and investigate what materials/objects you used for future inspiration for yourself and others :)

After priming white and taking well lit photographs I can display a very pure visual of the "Form" of the ship. This is also recommended so you can get a better sense of "Flow" (the relationship between shapes that compliment each-other through lighting, contrast, shape disposition and texture). You can also extrapolate pictures for photo-manipulation to help deter a colour scheme without ruining the textures you have.

These colour schemes were rough ideas of that it could look like using real world examples of tug boats/oil tankers and international trading vehicles.

I applied a base coat using an airbrush. This is highly recommended because its effectiveness at keeping detail is similar to that of changing the colour of the material, rather than painting over it.

Masking the ship up, getting it ready for a thick black stripe down the middle. This would simulate weather resistant paint.

So blurry!

Yet so crisp!

(I'll be documenting this process better later) Using "AK Interactive - Rust Streaks" on white paint can create absolutely stunning realistic rusting effects. Using the pits, divots and imperfections melted into the plastic from "Metaling" works beautifully with rust effects.

The contrast between clean white and rusted white can be seen very well here. No other colour was added to either the black or the white. The muddy, creamy, brown/orange tone is from the rust effects leaching into the matt white paint.

Ready for rust ;) Also added a dark teal band on top to create a somewhat realistic look yet original.

This is the scale of the painting.

Doing one panel at a time with detail and intricacy can yield great results.

And we're done! (Nearly ;) ) Some more touching up here and there is all it needs.

   Add plenty of transfers from model kits in places where you'd expect them to be; danger signs near exhaust ports, walking lines where people can stand etc. I will later be making a diorama for this to be situated in. I intend to have the ship floating on chains. I will document this when it's done ;) Thank you for viewing.