model WIP update

These first two pages are ideations and exploration to come up with an idea for a fighting vehicle for the humans in my board game. I wanted to mix a feeling of nature with a lot of gears and not make it feel too steam-punk. I shot for a crab, and was also inspired by Da Vinci's famous tank design. 

Here is the basic feel I ended up at. With the design behind me it  was time for pages and pages of call outs, details and  other drawing that just figure out where things go. Working on this has really taught me that you cannot "hide" behind drawings. Everything needs to be figured out on a level I have not had to think about in the past. Note, designs have changed enough that this is no longer intended to be a "steam tank" despite earlier designs and the title.

Here is one page of designs and details. There are many, many more. 

Here is the tank right now, in Maya. Lior Taylor is the 3D modeler.  This still needs textures and details and some smaller items sculpted. The pose is pretty close to set, but there will be some tweaking before it is done. This kit has a deadline of 3PM tomorrow in order for the printer to get it out by the end of the week! 

Here are some details of legs and the claw, much earlier in the modeling  process.

And BAM! Here is the first actual printed bit I have ever made! Its a leg at the earliest point in production. It is still without detail, texture etc, and is more than twice the model's planned size. This will be for a 35mm scale- to give you an idea, the body of the tank will be approx 5.2 inches diameter, and about 2.2 inches tall. This leg, with a quarter next to it for scale reference, is almost 7 inches long!

A grotesque amount of time has gone into this in the past month, I am glad it is almost done!
Stay tuned for pictures of the final print later next week!