Hi all,
I've shared my RatRod project before, but thought you may be interested in this story-
My friend, supplier and fellow car nut, Mike Littrell, is CEO of C.ideas, a leading Rapid Prototype firm (www.rapid3d.com (http://www.rapid3d.com), specializing in really large FDM (in ABS material) and SLA RP's, for clients like Boeing, NASA and Catepillar. He wanted to create something special for his trade show booth to showcase their build, finishing, painting and plating capabilities. When I mentioned my SolidWorks RatRod model, he jumped at it. Here's the result, and rendering played a big role in its' success.
At quarter-scale (1/4th actual size) it's huge, about the size of a desk! If it had been a commercial project it would have billed out at about $40,000 US. The PolyJet Tango Black material for each tire exceeded the cost of the real tire!
I rendered a number of color combos to choose from, and we settled on the platinum mist shown on the model.
Anyway, our "little" project was picked up by Design World Magazine as the cover story for their annual Digital Manufacturing Review suppliment. We've gotten a lot of mileage from this project and the article, to say the least! The editor told us it was the single biggest hit-count in their history. Something about "guys and gals and their cars" I guess!
You can read the whole story at http://www.makepartsfast.com/articles/2344/31/Car-Buffs-Team-Up-to-Create-Realistic-Model-T.aspx (http://www.makepartsfast.com/articles/2344/31/Car-Buffs-Team-Up-to-Create-Realistic-Model-T.aspx)
Bill G
www.GouldStudios.com (http://www.gouldstudios.com)
My congratulations, Bill. :)
Nice job Bill!
Bill,
Always enjoy your nicecrisp renders! Congrats on the cover story as well.
8)
Nice job, Bill! Thanks for sharing.
Are there any pictures of the final "prototype"? I would really like to see how it turned out.
Hi all, and thanks for the comments!
Actually, these photographs are of the Rapid Prototype model, not renderings! Scary, huh? Here's another shot with Mike's cell phone, and one on his desk, just so you know these are "real".
The renders are used only on the Design World cover.
Every part of the model was created using an RP process by FDM, SLA or PolyJet (tires and ignition wiring) , except for six screws.
Bill G
Bill,
That is scary :o actual protoype really matches your rendering style.
Duh! That's why we use KeyShot! I showed some of my prints to the guys at Calumet Photographic, where I bought my Epson printer. One guy did not know my work, and asked what camera I used. I said "KeyShot". He said he was not familiar with that model, was it a Nikon or Canon? So I explained that "nothing's real", it's all cyber. (no wonder my computer is so heavy, with a dozens of cars, locomotives, steam engines, etc.). His reply: "I hate you!"
Bill G
Great story, Bill - thanks for sharing. And congratulations!!
Hi Bill, did you use 'HDR Light Studio' for those shots on the magazine cover?
Best wishes
Seggy
QuoteHi Bill, did you use 'HDR Light Studio' for those shots on the magazine cover?
Yes, Seggy, I used my own 3-lamp lighting rig, created in HDR LightStudio "Basic", for the cover shots. Took about five minutes to dial it in. I have a large monitor, so I place KS and HDR-LS side by side- jumping back and forth makes life really easy.
Bill G
Forgot to mention that the cover shots used a backplate I created in Photoshop. I't important to have the backplate in place when designing the lighting rig, as they all have to work together.
I've been greatly influenced by the astounding "real" car studio photos by reknowned pro's Steve Coonan and Geoff Miles, for the Rodder's Journal Magazine. Visit: www.roddersjournal.com (http://www.roddersjournal.com)
Bill G