Setting up blueprints

Brick Top

Hello guys,

I want to start modeling a tank and therefore, I need blueprints. This is the tank I chose. And this... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxTtcOp2m5Q"]this[/ame] is the way I prepare my blueprints in Photoshop. When I'm ready, I set them up in Max by using a little blueprint-script (the one Xoliul made).

But whatever I do, they don't line up 100%. Even in Photoshop, I can already notice the problem. For example when I try to match up the top and the side. I get the front pixels in line, the back is off... I get the back pixels in line, the front pixels are off etc. Ofcourse I tried to fix it whith the Free Transform tool but then something else is OFF!

A little bit annoying! And that causes problems in Max ofcourse. Whatever I try, it's simply impossible to line up the front/back/top/bottom plane exactly.

Any suggestions? Am I doing something wrong? Or is this a 'known' problem when using blueprints? Because right now, I have the feeling the blueprints are simply 'off'.

Links to Articles/Tutorials on this subject are always welcome! Google finds a lot of them, but most of them are too basic to get good result.

Thx in advance!!

B.T.

Ace-Angel

You cannot have them line up perfectly since the person who drew it more likely took a few pixels more then needed, but at the same time, this a common issue with many blueprints.

Honestly, if it's a problem of a few pixels in height or length, it doesn't matter even in real life tanks vary stuff. If not, then almost always use either the front or top view of the blueprint, those always worked for me right.

LMP

I'll just add this, blueprints are nice, but they're not the end all of modeling, don't forget to use photo references of the tank, and what really matters is that the proportions look correct.

Ace-Angel

Going on LMP's idea, you could use TexRipper to make your own blueprints from images you know ;p

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54694

Brick Top

Ok, thanks guys! Your help is much appreciated!

leechdemon

I tend to refer to the top view if there's a "view-dispute". If you don't have a top view, I usually go with the side view for the majority of the faces.

The reason I use side instead of front/back views, is that there's a chance that the blueprint was based on a photo. If so, you may be contending with lens distortion. The distortion will be more extreme when the camera is closer to the subject. Since most vehicles are longer than they are wide, you have to stand farther away from the vehicle to take a side shot, and therefor the distortion is less typically pronounced. I basically use the side reference for the corners, and then refer to the front/back when they come around to those sides. You'll want to split the difference on the corners so that it all matches.