War of the Worlds Tripod (part 2)

Here is some in-progress for the design-faze before I cutaway the tripod / fighting-machine for War of the Worlds.  

This is what I'm affectionately calling the Martian "T-rex Arm."  What is the arm for?  Not sure, but it will have something to do with the extermination of humankind... There are three on the main body of the tripod just above the three main legs (see previous post for the tripod sketch).  

I am sketching in Google SketchUp as it will be easier to cutaway rotating the 3D image to different angles (like from the front and the back, etc.).  I have barely touched 3D- in fact today was probably my most exposure to using a 3D program.  It's not going to look perfect, but as long as it is near the general shape I want then I'm happy as ultimately I will be drawing over the 3D image in Adobe Ai and Photoshop.  

Anyway, as usual I will post the progress as it comes along when I'm not busy with work at my job.

War of the Worlds Redux (part 1)

Here is a quick, rough sketch of a long project I have ahead of me.  I am currently planning a complete cutaway, cross-section book based on H.G. Well's War of the Worlds.  There are a about 3-5 versions of tripods (or fighting machines), 2 worker machines, 2 versions of the cylinder, an "assembler", a miniature alien pod, and several other machines for the martians that I plan to design and cutaway.  Each will need to be fully designed- having all the proper orthographics before being cutaway.  The tripods will be loosely based on my previous tripod designs I had cutaway long ago, but hopefully better designed and in proper perspective.  

The project will take a very long time to complete mostly due to the fact that I have a full-time illustration job with a long commute.  I will try and post what I have as I develop rough sketches and flesh out the ideas that make the martians and their machines work as they do.

This proposed book will be very thorough covering the smallest of tech to largest and potential reasons why the martians have developed the tech as they have.  As for the finish of this project, expect it to be done 3-6 years from now at least.  As to why I'm doing all this crazy work on the side from my job... because it's sci-fi, it's cutaway art, and most of all... it's fun!

Job in the Space Industry!

Awesome news for all of you who didn't get to see my facebook post.  I recently was hired as a full-time technical illustrator for Space Systems Loral down in Palo Alto, California.  I will be mostly illustrating satellites.  They are a great company and have been around for the past 50 years so they have great experience and deep connections with the space industry world wide.  I'm still currently living in SF, but hope to move closer to work as soon as I'm able.  On the side I will continue to create cutaways and cross-sections and have a book (based on a very popular science fiction novel) in the works that will probably be published in the next two or three years depending on the time I'll be able to devote to it.  Either way, in the future you will be able to see updates and in-progress of the book.  As far as seeing what I produce for SS/L you will just have to wait, if and when, those images are posted by the company on the site.