Another boring Sci-Fi gun
polycounter lvl 9
Hello,
I'm in desperate need of critique from you guys. I've been on this for the past couple of days. It will be a portfolio piece. I still feel like I have loads to do, as well as the fact that I lack creativity when modeling something with limited concept angles.
Andrzej Slowinsk was kind enough to let me use one of his concepts for inspiration. I changed the fore grip because it would make reloading pretty tight. I'm also not liking the stock at all right now or the sights. There is also a thing that looks like an ejection port which surely looks way too small in the concept so now it's just a random depression.
I also feel like it's still very simple right now. I like a challenge, I want to make it more complex with detail. I really could use the advice/critique on making this more interesting, thanks!
EDIT: REUPLOADED HI RES CONCEPT
I'm in desperate need of critique from you guys. I've been on this for the past couple of days. It will be a portfolio piece. I still feel like I have loads to do, as well as the fact that I lack creativity when modeling something with limited concept angles.
Andrzej Slowinsk was kind enough to let me use one of his concepts for inspiration. I changed the fore grip because it would make reloading pretty tight. I'm also not liking the stock at all right now or the sights. There is also a thing that looks like an ejection port which surely looks way too small in the concept so now it's just a random depression.
I also feel like it's still very simple right now. I like a challenge, I want to make it more complex with detail. I really could use the advice/critique on making this more interesting, thanks!
EDIT: REUPLOADED HI RES CONCEPT
Replies
Imo usually caused by:
-Not using enough real world reference
-Not pushing yourself enough to do complicated shapes, here it also helps to search for some kickass guns to give you inspiration/reminder of what to do.
http://imageshack.us/a/img198/8140/0rhq.jpg
Example is (1), check M4/AK mag's how they are build and put together, the baseplate on the M4 mag, or how the metal is folded on the AK.
The part where the question mark is, it's just a box shoved in the magazine, it doesn't tell anything about how it's made.
2) The grip, check how wide real life grips are, also the transition is to sharp.
Check the concept for example the little indent how that goes in at the top, and then bulges out again in the middle.
You are also missing a lot of stuff at (4), again to boxy/simple.
I think you shouldn't have changed the foregrip, it fit in nicely with the rest of the gun (more harsh angles in the center, more softer/flowy bits on the ends), provided some repetition, if you aren't of the same opinion, get some actual real world vertical foregrip reference.
Wich brings me to 5, this whole area just doesn't match the concept at all, should be much more flowing/smooth wich acts as a cover over the barrel and the cylinder beneath it (wich are imo to small/not thick enough.
6) Same thing, but try to figure out what it's actually for, search some mechanical devices/mechanisms, and make that more interesting in FP view then a inset quad.
7) Don't just model shapes from the concept, figure out what they are first and what their function is, then model it.
8 ) See how it's actually curved in the concept.
Same with the sights to simple/boxy, just look at the apertures for example, in real life that's usually 2 widths, with a hinge to switch them out, just make them more functional in general.
Anyway, just repeat the above over the rest of the gun, no need to repeat myself for every single part.
I spoke to the artist who drew the concept and unfortunately a lot of the things in the concept were just made up, and not functional. Now I am not sure whether I should scrap this or finish it.
@joeriv
I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write that up. I have done some of the changes you have highlighted although not all of them yet because I am still stuck with designing the sight. I feel completely flawed when it comes to creativity, but then again it was a worse on my end as I didn't choose a concept with multiple angles. For that little inset box thing I was thinking of putting a sticker over the top of it and having written on it batteries or something. I admit it is ugly though. I am still trying to find a suitable design that would be interesting for the fps view. I could use some guidance.
So the changes I have currently made:
-Remade handgrip/foregrip
I tried to make it close to the concept, I'm still not too happy with it. I am not so good at inorganic shapes. Those leather parts on the grip I'm not sure if they look okay. Seriously everything feels like a messy clusterf*ck. I had a very hard time trying to even make it look okay.
Another problem now is how can I make these parts look more interesting? It's just ugly geometry. I literally suck when it comes to designing things. Even with references.
-Remade that middle section of the stock
Hopefully it's more rounded like the concept, still need to fix the end and that detail in the middle.
-Remade half of the magazine, still stuck on ideas, added baseplate
Okay so I guess I'm am sort of happy with this, I just copied an ak47 magazine I've seen on google. Now the problem here is that the weapon has 50 rounds of ammunition. Meaning that the magazine needs to be extended in a fashion that makes it look realistic. I have not modeled that extension. Upon googling higher capacity magazines it looks like they just are longer and eventually turn into U shapes. Which obviously wouldn't be an option as this weapon I'm doing the foregrip would be in the way and it is a compact weapon in size like an smg.
I was thinking of adding maybe some metal that is spot welded on to extend it. Then again that's probably unrealistic if these are production line weapons.
-Place holder rear and front sights
I made some quick magpul mbus sights and extended that top section so it could fit closer to the concept. I'm not even sure if that looks much better then the previous sights I did. I hope they are more interesting to look at. Does it? I also removed the picatinny rails and replaced them with a keymod rail. Which I thought would be futuristic I suppose. Not sure though since I'm just all over the place as a designer. I had a really hard time of thinking of what to do for the sights.
I admit I feel like I'm a lazy modeler. I don't know how to fix it, I feel like I already model at a snails pace, I feel inexperienced. I'm struggling to enjoy myself in doing this, I have to push myself to do it and I think to myself that I'm going to pull my hair out because I suck at choosing appropriate designs, I lack creativity and I'm just a bad artist.
I really could use some advice and guidance. This feels like a battle lol. If anyone could do any paintover ideas or show some quick references which I could do or just anything in general, a few words of advice then maybe I can conquer this art and feel accomplished.
Too hard to push myself on the HP anymore from the lack of help apart from the guys that have posted.. Thought color might be a nicer way to show it. Seein a lot of artists now days doing it.
Another boring sci-fi gun < Sci-fi Machine Gun
I clicked on this thread specifically because it was titled the way it was. Couldn't say why.
But i agree, Take more pride in your work! It doesn't hurt to be upfront and straightforward, But don't belittle it like 'nothin special'.
it's coming along nicely man, Keep it up.
Okay I changed the title. Edit: Oh I just realized I can't change the thread title!
@s6
Thankyou, I just found it demotivating after I created it that the weapon concept was not functional at all. I spoke to the artist and he had apologized for that as he just made up bits and pieces.
@CrackRockSteady
Well as mentioned in that thread by a few people, I accepted the fact that doing generic stuff usually has to be done. As a hard surface artist there is not much room for uniqueness when everything are guns, mechs, hallways and props. It seems like everyone has done everything and the case now is who can do better. Somebody has to do the boring, mundane, overdone stuff for companies right?
I guess I'll use these shots for the presentation also along with the previous one above. I'm not sure if the angle of the first one looks okay.