Traveller PC/NPC Paper Miniatures

[rhoneycutt]

for nice 3d spaceships,

http://paperstarships.tengun.net/

is nice. I think there are links to other paper model sites. I know that a paper model of the "Ikarus", the shuttle from planet of the apes, exists as does the pan-am shuttle from 2001.

Ideas might be used to make ship's for playing AHL or Snapshot.

 

[Madarin Dude]

Pretty cool link there. The homeworld and some of the Babylon 5 stuff would go well in traveller.

 

[stofsk]

Originally posted by Scarecrow:
Ahhh... the chainmail vacc-suit bikini. I think my wife would divorce me.

Yeah, but we'd love you.

I'd also like to know how you do these things. Perhaps a tutorial for would-be artists looking to do the same but in a different setting? *hint hint*

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Aramis:
Scarecrow:
How are you drawing them:
Pen and Ink, then scan?
Bitmaps?
Drawing program?

The answer is in a previous post:

I'm drawing them in photoshop using a Wacom tablet. I start double size (600dpi) and use a size 10 brush set to 70% hardness for outlines and a size 5 for details.
I usually turn the pressure size and opacity on and scribble the basic outline first on a seperate layer and then on a new layer, turn the pressure outline and opacity off and draw the proper graphic.
I usually make one neutral body and then vary the arms, hence no dynamic action poses - sorry.

I don't really have a release plan. It's been mainly Aslan so far because that's what I have drawn up allready. It's relatively easy and quick to knock out a half dozen or so of one type so I'm planning on maybe a set a week, give or take, depends on wether I'm distracted by shiny things that week =)

I'll be adding them all to this thread so it's worth checking in occaisionally.
I may have to see about hosting at some point because they're quite large files and it's eating up my webspace.
I may approach Hunter to see if he'd host them here in the eLibrary but I seem to recall reading that QLI are planning a set of paper minis themselves (I may have imagined it) and so I would assume they wouldn't want free ones for download sat alongside, really.

Crow

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Shere Khan:
for nice 3d spaceships,

http://paperstarships.tengun.net/

is nice. I think there are links to other paper model sites. I know that a paper model of the "Ikarus", the shuttle from planet of the apes, exists as does the pan-am shuttle from 2001.

Ideas might be used to make ship's for playing AHL or Snapshot.

Shiny

Thanks for the link, I really like the Homeworld ships.

 

[Scarecrow]

I've seen those paper ships before. They really are nice. I've considered doing something similar for Traveller but it's way down the list. I actually considered a 28mm scale Suleiman but that's waaaaaaaaay down the list.

How do I make the miniatures? Well, as Sigg pointed out, I explained briefly in an earlier post but in more detail:

I originally drew (on paper with a pencil) a humanoid to the Games Workshop proportions I wanted and scanned it in. I resized it to 28mm at 600 dpi (twice the intended size of the finished figures), and drew lines across from the various points (eyes, waist, elbows etc etc) so I could use it as a guide.
I originally printed these out several times and used them as a guide to draw the figures on paper.
However, I now just usually use the original digital image and draw directly in Photoshop on a new layer. Then, as I mentioned earlier I create a second, new layer and draw the graphic on top of the scribble using a size 10 brush (70% hardness) for outlines and a size 5 brush for details.
I create an armless body and then using more seperate layers, draw in the arms.
For the back view, I mirror the front view and delete everything within the silhouette. I then draw in the back view making sure I don't go outside the silhouette. This ensures the back view is a perfect mirror of the front view, allowing you to accurately cut around the figure when it's folded together.
Each version is then selected in turn, 'flattened' and then saved out as a level 12 JPG. From there, they are resized to 50% and collated into a 300dpi image. I rotate the back view and then carefully align them above each other so that they mirror properly. I then draw their tabs with a pencil set to 1 px and copy paste etc.

I keep the images simple and graphic (as opposed to realistic and photographic) because it's quicker and easier to do and much, much easier to reverse for the back view.

I could put together a small tutorial but that's pretty much it. I might post the origianl graphic for other people to use as a base, though.

Crow

 

[PVernon]

If someone does convert these to vector graphics I would like to have a copy. With the vector file I can convert them to CC2-Charactor Artist and make a figure maker similar to Crow's Star Trek figure maker.

 

[Scarecrow]

Cool!

Let me know if I can help.

So you can make your own elements for CC2 character creator, eh?

I've been looking at using Flash to author a more user friendly way of doing higher res images for the Trek mini-maker instead of dragging and dropping. This might be easier.

Crow

 

[Jame]

http://www.momirfarooq.com/ has some good buildings and vehicles; it's Star Wars and somewhat limited, but useful nonetheless.

 

[PVernon]

Originally posted by Scarecrow:
Cool!

Let me know if I can help.

So you can make your own elements for CC2 character creator, eh?

I've been looking at using Flash to author a more user friendly way of doing higher res images for the Trek mini-maker instead of dragging and dropping. This might be easier.

Crow

Crow,

I have done some of the Star Trek stuff in CA but I have had a problem with the face of the figure. I or Brook (Tunuki) West will post a sample on Thursday night USA Mountain Time. So you can see what I have done and what can be done with CC2-CA.

 

[Scarecrow]

Cool! I look forward to it.

Do you know of any cheap or even free bitmap to vector converters I can get a hold of? I'd like to have a play.

Crow

 

[THHeinrichT1@aol.com]

Holy Juffa in Heaven...

those miniatures are truly awesome!

Good artwork. I think I am taking classes in drawing, the best thing i could accomplish at this time are technical drawings.

You are doing a good job here, thats sure!

Best Wishes

Torsten

 

[Scarecrow]

Cheers!

Armoured K'Kree are on their way! Hopefully tomorrow.

Crow

 

[PVernon]

Crow,
I was able to get a sample of what I have been doing with your crew maker to Brook today and he has posted it at -
http://www.sff.net/people/kitsune/traveller/temp/PVcrowsample.png

The sample shows one figure made from 6 symbols that are created around a single snap point so they line up right with no real work from the end user. Each of the symbols is a tracing from your crew maker. To answer your question, no I have not found a rastor to vector converter that works, which is why I am tracing, very slowly. In the sample I have shown each of the 6 symbols at half size and numbered them in the order placed to make the final figure. I used the The Motion Picture uniform as my starting point since they are the easiest to trace.

I hope you like what I have done. I think you can see what I meen by "I have a problem" with the heads.


Edit - I need to make a coffee mug for his hand

 

[Scarecrow]

I had a demo copy of VectorEye which has now stopped working. I ran one of my recent Aslan through it and the results were so-so. It's not so hot on detail, rounding everything off and making it blobby. It also had slivers of grey in it where the anti-aliasing had confused it.

Looking at your sample, I like what you're doing. That's exactly what I'd want to do with it. Have a layout like that with just one example of each element arranged around the figure in easy draggable distance.

The figure itself is fine but it looks like you've free-hand drawn around the original. Doesn't that create an awful lot of vectors? What about making the figures simpler and more faceted. That gives less vectors and so a smaller memory footprint. The way I draw my originals is to shift-click lines into place rather than draw free-hand. I imagine vectors are created in much the same way.

Also, make your lines chunkier. Remember they're going to be very very small when printed.

About the heads, don't be too hard on yourself. My original is poorly drawn and misproportioned. It's something that's been bugging me for ages. I hope to address it if I ever redo the mini-maker as a flash program.

I did redo large portions of the mini-maker with both arms changeable and various other things. I've not uploaded it to date though =(

Keep me up to date on progress with this project and let me know if I can help atall.

Are there any cheap or free vector drawing programs? Can it be done in Flash? What do you use to draw your vectors?

Crow

 

[Scarecrow]

I've been testing some of the figures so far. Thought I'd share the results. I really must colour some

Crow

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

That's Nice! I will try putting ceramic hex bases on them. Maybe do some styrene ones.

 

[Scarecrow]

Yeah, I considered getting some games Workshop black plastic bases but I think they might be a bit much for paper minis =)

Styrene sounds better.

I got a copy of the CT Aslan supplement last night aswell which has a picture of an Aslan Vacc Suit, so I might adjust the mini to suit.

The K'Kree are coming along but are slightly delayed due to a couple of restarts and some confusion about the forelegs.

Crow

 

[Scarecrow]

Bugger me! It's the K'Kree!



Enjoy.

Hivers or Droyne next. Not sure which.

Crow

 

[far-trader]

Mmmmmm...

K'Kree, it's what's for dinner.

As ever, very nice, and thanks. Gotta get my printer fixed

The energy weapon (did you have a specific one in mind?) toting one got me thinking. K'kree soldiers would be very dangerous. They could easily carry a vehicle level energy weapon and power pack. Same number (or close) of shots to trade with the Imps man-to-umm... but with much greater range and power. I begin to see the reason behind the old "walking tanks" label.