[Becco_UK]

A day or so ago I started an old. small sized airfield control tower which is to be a simple structure with just enough detail for medium and distant use, similar to the preview image.

Cinema3D 9.6 is to used for the modelling and Maxwell Render for a few images along the way. The ground texture was created with MaPZone http://www.allegorithmic.com/ The scaling figure was imported from Poser http://www.e-frontier.com/

Very rare I make buildings so any improvement suggestions will be welcome.

The only reference I have for this model is a personal photograph shown in the preview image. Access to photograph other parts of the structure was not possible.

[Becco_UK]

To make a start I got the 'billboard' in a new scene with a scaling figure. Although not really necessary I deleted unwanted bits from the figures' mesh - teeth, inner mouth etc - saves a good number of polygons.

Using a front view port I adjusted the scale of billboard until it looked about right in relation to the scaling figure. I think this method should get the proportions of the building fairly accurate.

[Bubbaloo]

Looks like a difficult project. Are you sure you can't find better references for the control tower? Good luck!

[Becco_UK]

Bubbaloo The structure should be fairly simple to make - So far, the scaling fugure is proving useful and I have the basic shape done. The model does not have to be an exact detailed replica - it just needs to look like an old control tower. The single photo is complimented by memories!

[Becco_UK]

The start of modelling proper. The structure began from a resized cube primitive, made editable. The tower was formed with a combination of inner extrudes, knife cut and extrudes.

When I was more or less happy with the overall shape, all polygons were selected and I used a negative extrude to give the model some thickness which will form the inner walls.

Ceilings and floors were added by using Cinema4D's bridge tool. The glass was split from the main mesh and given a Maxwell tinted ags material.

Additional scaling figures were added to save wasting time moving the same one around.

[Becco_UK]

Hand rails added with the help of Jennas' (a Cinema plugin) Grid Array tool. The top of the hand rail assembly is a spline with a Sweep nurbs.

From the photo reference, I couldn't decide if the upper drain pipe was in fact a bunch of wiring - I decided that back in the 1930's there wouldn't be much high tech stuff requiring such a a bundle wiring at roof level. I therefore assume that the original fixture was for drainage from the inset flat roof. I might be wrong!

Also started adding some additional detail to the walls - nothing more complex than reshaped cube primites, made editable and unwanted polygons deleted.

[cali3d]

really nice progress

[Becco_UK]

cali3d: Thank you.

The pre weathered version painting of a more detailed main structure is finished. BodyPaint used for the UV work. The hand rails and posts use a small image, tiled inside the Maxwell material.

Looking at the original resource photo' the central drain pipe was in fact a bunch of cables! So, that got deleted and to give that area some interest I've added a wire caged wall lamp.

The tower ladded is to be adjusted and the right side ladded shown in the resource photo' is not to be included - it looks out of place and probably wasn't a feature of the building until post war times.

[Becco_UK]

This update includes adding a few bits, adjusting the uv maps so that the brick work wraps around all corners correctly and a modest amount of dirt/weathering has been added. Doesn't look as dirty as the photo reference but the building was 60+ years old when I took the picture so back then it wouldn't have been so grimy.

I've opted to keep the right hand ladder - it's a seperate object and can easily be discarded when not required.

All the woodwork has been UV mapped and painted. Just the roof arials to add and it will about finished.

[NicoR44]

Looking better and better!! I love the slight weathering, also love to see it together with the gliders and some nice plants and grass

[d7mcfc]

looking fantastic Becco.

With displacement grass in the future, this will be lovely.

[Becco_UK]

d7mcfc: Thank you. Perhaps when I do a proper render with this model in it then Maxwell will have displacement.

This is the finished version. The interior of the middle section was remodelled and now has a simple ladder for access to the upper tower - don't know how accurate that is but I decided to do a free Poser conversion and thought anyone downloading would use this tower access.

A simple arial mast and wind speed thingy was added to finish the control tower.

[Bubbaloo]

Looking good! I would put some slight noise in the glass geometry to add that touch of realism when you get more in your scene for reflections.

[Becco_UK]

Bubbaloo: Thank you. I agree that the glass needs some improvement - at the moment it uses an ags material which will eventually be replaced for some proper glass.