Steampunk Chopper (WIP)

Canden Picard · Sep 2009

Im working on a chopper for my dad. Hes been asking for me to make him one for a while. So Im doing a steampunk chopper for him. Starting out on a steampunk chopper means a few things for me; Springer Forks, bobber seat, rigid frame, sportster tank, and all around nuts and bolts and plates, copper etc etc. It will look more and more like steampunk as time goes on. But essentially Im trying to make it low poly although I may bump it up before it finished. Any crits or ideas? Im gonna be putting a sissy bar and chain drive with a steampunk theme as well, if you have any Ideas throw em out there.

jacob07777 · Sep 2009

I'm not getting a very steampunk feel from this bike. The materials used on it and the engine itself just don't feel very steam punky too me. Looks too modern I think is a good word for it. The model itself as a chopper looks good though so nice work on that.

Steam punk usually has a lot of Copper and bolts everywhere. Pipes, bolts, victorian designs, it feels very cartoony most of the time. Here are some good references images if you wanna really push that steampunk feel a bit more.
http://www.uberreview.com/wp-content/uploads/artfromsteelchopper.JPG
http://www.jamievaida.com/images/sculptural/6.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gYNb3GSh4M/SCIpQuMvXMI/AAAAAAAAD_A/BjH45bmTJv4/s400/steampunk_bike2.jpg
http://non.primate.net/chopper/burnindudejohnny2t.jpg

Canden Picard · Sep 2009

Right right, Now that I think about it I could create an actually steam engine for it. But it was supposed to be as if it would be real in todays age, like a steampunk "themed" bike, the engine was really just a place holder. Thanks for the info. But yeah its a WIP.

d00kie · Sep 2009

needs more rivets and gauges for sure.
And I think it'd help the render of the "copper" or "bronze" wasn't so reflective. Needs to be DIRTAY! A nice specular map can fix that up real quick.

Maybe the front wheel spoke can be a huge working of cogs or something.
It'd be badass to see two bigass smokestacks for exhausts blowin out some steam.
Would also be cool if the seat looked like this! all velvety with with buttons!

good start id say! now make it more interesting! you can do alot with the steampunk design.

Canden Picard · Sep 2009

Yeah! I actually thought about that a while back like a clockwork rim, that would be a pain and a half but if i figured it out that would be awesome. Well I did some steamengine research and came up with a little somethin'. The engine is technically accurate, theoreticdally this bike would actually run, but it seems a little dinky, theres too much free space (Any ideas) Also IM planning on making some leather saddle bags (More rivets and guages) The copper/bnrass ive darkened and lowered the reflection on Ill have to darken the spec. Also a shotgun holster and sissy bar etc etc. Any other ideas?

Well, this is the engine itself, Im going to add some more brackets to hold the pieces in place, But it still feels empty

Basically, the two pistons push the crank shaft which in turn moves the chain links, the fire stokers are pushed down when the pistons move back around stoking the stove keeping the coals hot. I plan on actually modeling coals and working that out when all the major geometry is finished.

Canden Picard · Sep 2009

IM also thinking of changing that shovel thing in the front. I dont know the name of that thing, so I cant find reference pictures. I thought it was steam shovel but a steam shovel is something different.

JohnnySix · Sep 2009

I'd suggest looking at other steampunk bikes and looking at what it is that defines them as steampunk. Maybe because your model is still relatively clean and slender looking, and not squat and bulky like a lot of steampunk tends to be.

EDIT

BTW - in looking at the inspiration of Jacob's model in the other thread found a really nice tutorial/reference article describing the components of a steam engine, and how to make it authentic looking.

How to draw steampunk

Two major things would be a big ass flywheel, and at least two pipes for exhaust/steam.

/EDIT

Here's some quick finds looking for Steampunk bikes on google:

From jacob07777 ([thread=63623]Thread on Polycount[/thread])

Some from google

Steampunk Chopper (WIP)

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