Model Information
- Modelled By: Jeremy Zaretski, Copyright 2008
- Model Of: Ric's Grill, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Modelling Software: Rhinoceros
- Rendering Software: Rhinoceros
- Estimated Model Completion Time: 36 hours, non-stop
- Render Time: 10 minutes - 30 minutes (I was not paying attention)
What I learned the hard way (if only applicable to this model):
- When modelling, it is better to start off with basic shapes, then replace those basic shapes with more complex groups of shapes when you have a basic outline of the structure of the model. This allows detailing to be optional, as the refinement of the model can be directed at specific sections, and stopped any time.
Building the model of Ric's Grill:
- Find an image of the water tower
- Take pixel measurements to obtain an approximation of the relative proportions of shapes
- Model the pieces
Notes to the Reader:
- I built everything from scratch using basic shapes and curves
- Anything that does not have straight edges was built using NURBS objects (Possibly scaled and contorted)
- Anything that looks like a basic object probably is a basic shape. I used cyliners, cones, spheres, and boxes for the most part.
- Anything that is radially self similar, but not connected was probably copied from a single piece to the other positions via polar arraying
Rough Construction Outline
Components List By Layer (Some may belong to more than one category)
- Antenna
- Built Using
- Notes
- At the intersection of every pair of cylinders, a sphere of the larger cylinder's diameter was placed (this makes the junctions smoother looking)
- Crown
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Revolved Surface(s)
- Notes
- The pieces connecting the 'spokes' of the crown was made from a revolved surface
- The 'spokes' were polar arrayed
- The bottoms of the 'spokes' connect to the top of the dome
- Dome
- Built Using
- Cylinder(s)
- Sphere(s)
- Revolved Surface(s)
- Notes
- Upper dome was built via a revolved surface
- Bottom of dome was built from a sphere which was distorted by hand (the concave folds sit on the vertical horizontal strut segments)
- Windows
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Sphere(s)
- Revolved Surface(s)
- Notes
- Window frames are boxes which have been hollowed out using boolean difference with temporary smaller boxes
- Window glass was made from revolved surfaces (they are curved around the world Y-axis), and then boolean difference was used to trim them to fit the inside of the window frames
- Railing
- Built Using
- Cylinder(s)
- Sphere(s)
- Revolved Surface(s)
- Notes
- The top section of the railing is made from a revolved square to make a radial piece of square tubing
- The junctions of the ends of a horizontal and vertical bar have a sphere attached, to round off the corners
- Horizontal Struts
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Cone(s)
- Extruded Surface(s)
- Notes
- Triangular struts connect to the railing
- Thin struts connect to the external dome lighting sockets
- Curved vertical struts connect to the curve on the dome's bottom
- Cones connect to the top of the outer support columns
- Support Columns
- Built Using
- Notes
- Outer columns were polar arrayed
- Central column is taller than outer columns because the outer columns connect to horizontal strut cones, which are lower than the base of the dome (to which the central support column connects)
- Billboards
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Cone(s)
- Cylinder(s)
- Extruded Surface(s)
- Notes
- Boards were polar arrayed
- Boards connect to outer support columns via ten cylinders
- Entrance
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Extruded Surface(s)
- Inscribed Polygon(s)
- Notes
- Instead of textures, I actually did use about 50 semi-transparent boxes per side for the white windows
- The area behind the upper windows is hollow to allow light to show outside when it is lit on the inside
- Lighting Mounts
- Built Using
- Box(es)
- Cylinder(s)
- Extruded Surface(s);
- Parabolic Curve(s)
- Revolved Surface(s)
- Notes
- Semi-cylindrical light housing was extruded from a semicircle curve has a transparent cover with a white parabolic backing behind the bulb (the focus is at the center of the light bulb)
- Standard light bulbs were built using two revolved surfaces
- Light Sources
- Built Using
- Linear Lights
- Point Lights
- Notes
- Though every bulb has an embedded light source, I turned the lighting sources off because it looked like a nuclear weapon had gone off in the sky, bleaching the picture. I decided ambient light would be sufficient