WIP - Digital Velociraptor sculpt from a new guy

[Aaron Doyle]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting here. My name is Aaron Doyle and I'm a video game artist with more than a passing interest in prehistoric life. I've worked on digital reconstructions for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Duquesne University and rarely pass up the chance to model or illustrate Dinosaurs. I've lurked here on and off for a while but finally decided to post something. I look forward to meeting folks with a similar Dinosaur obsession! ;D

I was inspired by the artists on these boards to work on some digital sculptures. I started with Velociraptor because I had the base mesh from an old project. I figured it wouldn't take too much work to pose it, detail it, and ready it for prototyping. It's still a work in progress, but I hope you guys enjoy it.



UPDATE:

The model is now available for purchase. I have not had the opportunity to inspect them for myself yet so I cannot guarantee the quality of the final "printout" yet. However, if you don't want to wait here they are

20th scale:
www.shapeways.com/model/120822/male_velociraptor__20th_scale_.html

12th scale:
www.shapeways.com/model/120258/male_velociraptor__12th_scale_.html

[[][][]cordylus[][][]]

Fantastic job!

If only velociraptors in videogames looked so good

[stoneage]

It looks extraordinary!!!

[Griffin]

Awesome job!

[brontodocus]

Hi and welcome, battlebrak, that's totally awesome! You're readying it for prototyping? That means we'd be able to get one? Have you already considered what size it should have - I guess judging from the fact that even the feathers are detailed it shouldn't be too small?

[franchesca]

what animation program are you using? btw

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Looking good..reminds me a lot of the Velociraptor sculpt in Sideshow's new upcoming statue.

[Aaron Doyle]

Thanks everyone for commenting and welcoming me aboard! Comments and critiques are always helpful.

May 17, 2010 5:34:10 GMT brontodocus said:

Hi and welcome, battlebrak, that's totally awesome! You're readying it for prototyping? That means we'd be able to get one? Have you already considered what size it should have - I guess judging from the fact that even the feathers are detailed it shouldn't be too small?

The plan is to make a resin kit of sorts out of this. Right now the issue is finding a company that will be able to prototype this for me because the file size is far too large for the few I've checked out. I'll definitely have to do some major mesh optimization. I may have gone overboard with the detail, but I'd like to do these in 20th or 24th scale. I've considered other sizes as well... what do you guys think?

May 17, 2010 7:06:58 GMT @franchesca said:

what animation program are you using? btw

I built the base mesh in 3D Studio Max and I'm refining/detailing it in zBrush.

[mightyjptrex]

Wow amazing work! What did you do for the carnegie because I work in the dino department?

[Aaron Doyle]

UPDATE:

He's almost finished

May 17, 2010 19:13:34 GMT mightyjptrex said:

Wow amazing work! What did you do for the carnegie because I work in the dino department?

I guess the most substantial thing I worked on was the "Oviraptour" show with Mechanimal. I modeled the Oviraptor and remodeled the head and hands on the Deinonychus (the artist that worked on him had given him zombie hands and the head wasn't quite right). I also did clean up on some of the other meshes, and some cool textures that never made it into the final show

I've been involved in other projects there as well, perhaps we've met?

[mightyjptrex]

Oh yeah thats the show in the earth theater cool! I don't recall your name do you know Matt Lamanna?

[Aaron Doyle]

May 17, 2010 23:59:48 GMT mightyjptrex said:

Oh yeah thats the show in the earth theater cool! I don't recall your name do you know Matt Lamanna?

I've met Matt a couple times, but he's generally out of the country. I mostly worked with Brad Livesey and Steve Rogers (who were amazingly helpful in fleshing out soft tissue on therapods).

[Aaron Doyle]

Update:

The model is finished and I have it approved for prototyping at 12th scale. I wanted to also have a smaller 20th or 24th scale model done but there are some wall thickness issues at that size so I'm still working on that.

Here are front and side views of the finished digital model.



and here is what the final physical model should look like on it's base.

[mightyjptrex]

WOW look at that tail. Will it be available for purchase?

[Griffin]

That tail is def a neat little touch. Don't see too many dromaeosaur reconstructions with tails like that.

[hkhollinstone]

FANTASTIC velociraptor!! It's incredible.

[brontodocus]

Hi battlebrak,

Great model for sure, I've already seen that it's available! My question: Have you ordered one yourself to see if the 3d printout works? I am a bit worrying that it's so very delicate and it has extremely fine detail. Given the fact that the resolution on shapeways is approx. 0.2 mm I'm not sure if a good deal of it may get lost in production. And: The widely used material "strong and flexible" seems not as flexible as it sounds. It is quite a rigid nylon and probably it would break easily, no I won't test that on my Brachylophosaurus by Angie R.! . I am not certain if it may not be the appropriate material for such a delicate model. If it all works fine, I'll definitely get one!

[Aaron Doyle]

Thanks guys. The model should be available soon, but I'd prefer to inspect one for myself first to make sure everything prints out fine.

May 19, 2010 9:01:00 GMT brontodocus said:

Hi battlebrak,

Great model for sure, I've already seen that it's available! My question: Have you ordered one yourself to see if the 3d printout works? I am a bit worrying that it's so very delicate and it has extremely fine detail. Given the fact that the resolution on shapeways is approx. 0.2 mm I'm not sure if a good deal of it may get lost in production. And: The widely used material "strong and flexible" seems not as flexible as it sounds. It is quite a rigid nylon and probably it would break easily, no I won't test that on my Brachylophosaurus by Angie R.! . I am not certain if it may not be the appropriate material for such a delicate model. If it all works fine, I'll definitely get one!

Thanks! I was holding off on offering the model until I had inspected one for myself. I'm sure some detail will be lost in translation, but my real concern is tiny features like the teeth and lips. I've recieved samples of their printouts before and they are quite detailed though. I just want to make sure my model isn't too delicate.

[Horridus]

This looks absolutely stunning. Makers of scaley dromaeosaurs take note - they DO look a LOT cooler with feathers!

[Superoceras]

Wow...

just saw your quilled Triceratops in another thread, and this Velociraptor is just as great. Really good work man. I'm seriously impressed.