BA8 Digital Diorama - What to do first

For a start, I needed to create a list of assets that I will include in my scene, no matter what the final composition is. One of the major components I thought of is an autocannon. I thought it would look great as a kind of 'centrepiece'. The model I was basing mine off of was originally sculpted in back in 1995 by Michael and Alan Perry. For an idea of scale, I took a photo of the model itself.

The original metal autocannon model

My mission is to turn this (pictured above) into a fully modelled and textured asset. Ideally, when modelling in Maya, I like to start with clear, high-resolution reference images of whatever I am modelling. I aim to gather at least a side view and a top view, but all possible views if availible. With the autocannon, there are no such blueprints or schematics. I searched for fan-made schematics on various websites such as DeviantArt, but was unsucessful. So I thought that I would just have to make my own. I found images of the individual parts of the autocannon in an old Warhammer 40,000 supplemental booklet. Although the images were grainy and low-resolution, they were better than nothing.

Codex: Imperial Guard from 1995

 I then scanned the book and took the images into photoshop. I then preceded to turn them into clear, vector images with the pen tool, which would make them more suitable for modelling in Maya.

BA8 Digital Diorama - Project Introduction!

So, the final project. When I started here at NUA, I came with the idea of gaining the skills needed to be a concept artist at a game studio. Here at the last stretch of third year, I have changed over from 2D to 3D, with my goal being to create a 'digital diorama' of sorts. It will be finished to a high standard, efficiently modelled, fully textured with diffuse and normal maps applied.

I began with a few different ideas of what to make, but eventually my thoughts settled on my favourite dark, dystopic, science-fiction universe ever; Warhammer 40,000.

A ruined chapel, in the midst of a battle

A grim, gothic scene

Another battlefield ruin, with burst toxic waste pipe and oil barrel

This was the image I decided to settle on

This snowy scene is set on one of the fictional planets of the Warhammer 40,000 universe: Valhalla. I planned to make a snowy outcrop , with remains of a building evident, a gun emplacement and sandbags. I have since decided to draw more itterations of this scene. I made a few different scenes, all based around this fantasy conflict on Valhalla.