Hey, good start! I can see some issues with the proportions/scale. The backplate is almost completely covered by the extinguisher in the concept.. while yours is almost double the size. There's some other minor issues that I'll not point out but I'd like to see the "beveled edges" of the backplate about the same width on all the sides, they are clearly not matching right now. Make sure you get the proportions about right before moving on to details.
Late night post. Here is a second pass at my high.
@Cay I tired to address the proportion issues with the back plate. As for the "Beveled edges" what did you mean? The corner bevels are different in the concept and so I tired to match that.
I disagree that the corner bevels are different, according to the concept they are the same, and even if they were it wouldn't look good aesthetically. I strongly recommend changing the bevels to be uniform. I feel that there are other inconsistencies as well - you have the amount of backplate above the horizontal blue line correct, but the width really needs work. Looking at the shadow (assuming the light is being cast from directly in front of the extinguisher) the plate really doesn't come that far out to the sides of it, from front perspective you should only be able to see the amount of plate as shown by the H-shaped line to the left Other than that the dark grey element with the small blue screen has edges that might be too tight, along with the chrome-ish handle on the end of the hose. Not sure why you chose to replace the protruding form that holds the gauge with a simpler cylinder, but I'd suggest adding back in that more interesting detail. It pays to be accurate when you're working off a defined concept. Other than that, good work so far, just be more mindful with your proportions and sticking closer to the concept. You could probably set up a reference plane in the scene itself to model/read from easier if you haven't already
Been lagging it on the posts, but here is what I have so far. I have some topology issues in some areas that I am working on. Should have my bakes out by tomorrow.
I added some minor details to the high poly to push some of the details.
Here is my prep for my high poly baking. (I have some topology issues that are being addressed)
I also did a first pass unwrapping. I found stretching issues that I am currently addressing.
The metals do not look quite right to me. Look up some ref for current extinguishers much more red and you can really tell its hard thick metal, your one looks more like that of a coke can. Also does your Albedo map have an AO map overlay or what's causing the dark shadows? An Albedo/Colour map should never have lighting info in it one of the major changes between PBR and the old style of texturing. Hope this helps some because it looks like it will be a good piece once its done
The red parts are more likely to be some kind of painted metal, or a sticker - not red metal. As Mats Effect has posted above, the red bits look like the metal of a coke can - not the metal from a fire extinguisher.
I think you've set your smoothing groups up wrongly on the back plate (the one with Fire Extinguisher written on it.) You've got them all in one smoothing group by the looks of it, which is pushing your normal map a lot more than it needs to be. Make the bevels and the panel all hard edges, then split (and pad) the UVs.
Your Albedo map should not have any shadowing in it whatsoever, so remove it - all the shadowing information should be contained within the AO texture. Occasionally you can break this rule, such as for stylised pieces, however you look to be going for realism here.
I really like the original concepts and you've done a great job so far. You need to do a good amount of tweaking with those material values as everything just looks a bit too metallic in my opinion!
Here is more progress on my prop. Thanks to the awesome critiques I have went in and adjusted the materials so it does not look like a big coke can. As for the normals on the back plate I found that the green channel had to be flipped.
Here are my updated maps for the fire extinguisher and a wall panel I added so it does not just float in space. Also renders from Marmoset and UE4. Let me know if you guys see anything I need to adjust.
Quick note on the texture. Any chance you could mask the "Fire" arrow back in? I understand you're going for an eroded look but I think it's done to the point where I can barely read it. Have some kind of paint chipping brush mask out a small part of the sign and leave the rest of it at 100% opacity.
The two smaller canisters look like coca-cola cans
I think the issue is that too much artistic license has been taken - not enough dedication to the original concept art. Should consider putting those black/yellow striped sticker onto them, as well as copying the cutlines of the red sticker. The yellow/black sticker will detract away from the idea of a coke can, because personally I wouldn't be drinking anything with that striped pattern on it!
I don't like the material definition on the metal, personally. It feels quite noisy - I'm assuming you've done Filter > Add Noise in Photoshop to do it? Tone it down and add some very subtle wear and tear such as fingerprint-marks, variation in the microsurface, any subtle stains, etc.
OP is getting there. Looks good, but still needs more love in my opinion!
Replies
I can see some issues with the proportions/scale. The backplate is almost completely covered by the extinguisher in the concept.. while yours is almost double the size. There's some other minor issues that I'll not point out but I'd like to see the "beveled edges" of the backplate about the same width on all the sides, they are clearly not matching right now.
Make sure you get the proportions about right before moving on to details.
@Cay I tired to address the proportion issues with the back plate. As for the "Beveled edges" what did you mean? The corner bevels are different in the concept and so I tired to match that.
Other than that the dark grey element with the small blue screen has edges that might be too tight, along with the chrome-ish handle on the end of the hose. Not sure why you chose to replace the protruding form that holds the gauge with a simpler cylinder, but I'd suggest adding back in that more interesting detail. It pays to be accurate when you're working off a defined concept.
Other than that, good work so far, just be more mindful with your proportions and sticking closer to the concept. You could probably set up a reference plane in the scene itself to model/read from easier if you haven't already
I added some minor details to the high poly to push some of the details.
Here is my prep for my high poly baking. (I have some topology issues that are being addressed)
I also did a first pass unwrapping. I found stretching issues that I am currently addressing.
Here are my maps so far and some quick renders in Marmoset.
Albedo
Gloss
Metalness
Marmoset renders
I think you've set your smoothing groups up wrongly on the back plate (the one with Fire Extinguisher written on it.) You've got them all in one smoothing group by the looks of it, which is pushing your normal map a lot more than it needs to be. Make the bevels and the panel all hard edges, then split (and pad) the UVs.
Your Albedo map should not have any shadowing in it whatsoever, so remove it - all the shadowing information should be contained within the AO texture. Occasionally you can break this rule, such as for stylised pieces, however you look to be going for realism here.
I really like the original concepts and you've done a great job so far. You need to do a good amount of tweaking with those material values as everything just looks a bit too metallic in my opinion!
Here are my updated maps for the fire extinguisher and a wall panel I added so it does not just float in space. Also renders from Marmoset and UE4.
Let me know if you guys see anything I need to adjust.
Fire Extinguisher Maps
Albedo
Metalness
Roughness
Gloss
Wall Panel Maps
Albedo
Metalness
Roughness
Gloss
Marmoset Renders
UE4 Renders
Keep it up!
I don't like the material definition on the metal, personally. It feels quite noisy - I'm assuming you've done Filter > Add Noise in Photoshop to do it? Tone it down and add some very subtle wear and tear such as fingerprint-marks, variation in the microsurface, any subtle stains, etc.
OP is getting there. Looks good, but still needs more love in my opinion!