Waiting for the Night Shift (A Slow Day WIP)

[Kira Vakaan]

Hi all,

I'm not sure I've got quite enough to call a good WIP, but I thought I'd post mine in an effort to get more people to post their own!

For this piece, I was inspired by the Great Leopard moth. It really is a very beautiful creature. And as it is a nocturnal creature, I thought it would make an appropriate subject for the theme of this competition, as I'm sure every day is a slow day for this moth. I've imagined this moth sitting on the trunk of a shady tree while the bustle of the city goes on around it. I don't actually have very much time left, so we'll see what I can do about that.

Here's an unfinished thorax:

Hopefully, I'll have more to show soon. I'm also recording the creation process of this entry in hopes of doing another timelapse like I did for my previous competition entry.
Let's see some more WIPs!

[Kira Vakaan]

Hey all, sorry for the disappearing act! Life just kinda happened, ya know? (in a busy sort of way)
Well, it looks like this competition is still going, so I'm hoping to finish this piece before the end is declared. In the interest of getting it done, unfortunately I've abandoned the screen recording. Even though I tell myself to just work as normal while recording, I'm much more careful. Ah well, maybe for a better prepared next time.

I got some time to work today, and so I fleshed out the moth a bit more. Wings/limbs will be controlled via armature, so the present intersection will not be in the final.
Here's a screenshot:

[Kira Vakaan]

Got some more time today.

Legs!

[B.Y.O.B.]

Nice details
Reminds me on how I modelled my ant...

[Kira Vakaan]

Nice details
Reminds me on how I modelled my ant...

Thanks! Nice job on that ant, btw -- I just got a chance to look at it on blendswap.

Worked on the head and abdomen. I dare say the moth model may be finished. I'll rig it up soon. Does anyone have any critical comments before I move on?

[B.Y.O.B.]

Does anyone have any critical comments before I move on?

I can just say "wow" to such a clean model! I'm looking forward to the textures (and hair particles?)

[Kira Vakaan]

I can just say "wow" to such a clean model!

Thanks!

Model is rigged and the diffuse map is painted!

Unfortunately, this took me much longer than I expected it to. I hope I'll still have time to create the rest of the scene (and perhaps hair particles). Gettin' down to the wire!

[binarycortex]

Daaaaamn!

[SATtva]

Daaaaamn!

Precisely my thought.

[Kira Vakaan]

Haha, thanks, guys.

I'm realizing I'm probably not going to have time enough to create particle hair for this guy. Ah well, given the amount of screen real estate he'll end up occupying that shouldn't be too much of an issue. However, something I was not satisfied with was the lack of iridescence in the black spots of this moth. In nature it's quite visible and really adds something to its beauty. Here's a bit of a materials test with something I hacked together to get some shiny blue stuff in the black spots of the... coat.. (skin? fluff? What's the proper insect terminology? )

I think if I make the spots bigger they'll work better when viewed from a distance. Any suggestions?

At any rate, onward to bigger things! (Literally)