greatwazoo42
Master Member
V2 used to be my favorite but the V3 kicked it out of that spot a while back. I love the work you're doing there.
Defined Green Lantern Comic Rings
- Thread starter Gregatron
- Start date
Thanks!
Yeah, I waffle back and forth. Mike Grell’s V3 design is really sleek and stylized, but the elegant simplicity of the V2 is also really appealing.
If I had a single favorite design, I’d probably just stick with doing that one by itself, but all of the designs I’ve been modeling are really neat.
Still trying to find that balance between a realistic ring and the BIG V2 symbols drawn by guys like Joe Staton.
Whipped up a version with a 23mm symbol-piece (left) to compare to the 24mm (right).
As established months ago, 22mm seems just a bit too small. 23mm may also be too small, but I’m finding the overall proportions and band shape a bit more pleasing than on the 24mm.
Whipped up a version with a 23mm symbol-piece (left) to compare to the 24mm (right).
As established months ago, 22mm seems just a bit too small. 23mm may also be too small, but I’m finding the overall proportions and band shape a bit more pleasing than on the 24mm.
More V3 work. 22, 23, and 24mm varieties.
Now, the premise I’ve been going with is that I’d like to keep the size of the V2 and V3 symbols the same. However, while the 22mm V3 looks and feels quite nice, a 22mm symbol just seems too small for the V2.
And, for a more “realistic” and less chunky ring, I could probably even take it down to 21 or even 20mm.
Also, tweaking the V3’s symbol size results in a domino effect regarding its overall proportions. For example, making the symbol bigger or smaller results in the height of the face (the vertical distance between the finger-hole and the face/symbol) needing to be adjusted to look “right”. The current height of the face on all three models is 3.5mm, but that looks a little short on the 22mm model, in particular.
This is all an obsessive level of precision, but the small details matter. It’s all about finding a balance between proportions, aesthetics, comfort, and comic accuracy. The latter being a wildly moving target, of course.
Now, the premise I’ve been going with is that I’d like to keep the size of the V2 and V3 symbols the same. However, while the 22mm V3 looks and feels quite nice, a 22mm symbol just seems too small for the V2.
And, for a more “realistic” and less chunky ring, I could probably even take it down to 21 or even 20mm.
Also, tweaking the V3’s symbol size results in a domino effect regarding its overall proportions. For example, making the symbol bigger or smaller results in the height of the face (the vertical distance between the finger-hole and the face/symbol) needing to be adjusted to look “right”. The current height of the face on all three models is 3.5mm, but that looks a little short on the 22mm model, in particular.
This is all an obsessive level of precision, but the small details matter. It’s all about finding a balance between proportions, aesthetics, comfort, and comic accuracy. The latter being a wildly moving target, of course.
Playing around with sizes and proportions. Been recalibrating several models to make the distance between the finger-holes and the faces of each ring a consistent 5mm or so. And I’ve again been playing with the thickness of the V2’s symbol-piece.
It’s a fine balance. Some designs can look too squashed, others too high-profile.
I may end up test-printing a few variations of each design for comparison, or maybe I’ll just keeping working at it until I come up with single versions of each design to print.
Either way, I keep getting closer and closer to that unattainable perfection. When I make some more progress, I’ll post some images.
It’s a fine balance. Some designs can look too squashed, others too high-profile.
I may end up test-printing a few variations of each design for comparison, or maybe I’ll just keeping working at it until I come up with single versions of each design to print.
Either way, I keep getting closer and closer to that unattainable perfection. When I make some more progress, I’ll post some images.
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Been busy tweaking. Still a few more decisions to make, but we’re finally nearing the next round of test prints, I think.
All designs currently have a shank width of 7mm, and a shank thickness of 2.5mm, with the distance from finger-holes to faces being an even 5mm.
Here’s the V2, in 24mm and 23mm flavors. The difference is subtle, but it’ll probably affect the look. I may print both. The previous 22mm print from many months ago looks and feels realistic in its porportions, but it’s just too dang SMALL compared to the beefy rings seen in much of the comic art.
V3 in 24mm and 23mm flavors. I was initially leery about making the face a full 5mm tall (the previous test print was 3.5mm), but I think it’ll work.
REBIRTH. The disc remains 2.5mm tall, but has been reduced to a sleeker 19mm in diameter.
And here’s the Alex Ross. I decided to come back and play with this one as a bit of a palette cleanser. The disc has been lowered to 2mm thick, but remains 22mm in diameter. The pair on the left have curvier bands, while the pair on the right have more angular bands. The curvy variant actually looks like a good basis for a bigger-disc variant of the REBIRTH, if I decide to go back to a larger disc for that design.
But, as this thread has shown in excruciating detail, the comic art is wildly inconsistent, so pinning sizes and proportions down remains tricky.
All designs currently have a shank width of 7mm, and a shank thickness of 2.5mm, with the distance from finger-holes to faces being an even 5mm.
Here’s the V2, in 24mm and 23mm flavors. The difference is subtle, but it’ll probably affect the look. I may print both. The previous 22mm print from many months ago looks and feels realistic in its porportions, but it’s just too dang SMALL compared to the beefy rings seen in much of the comic art.
V3 in 24mm and 23mm flavors. I was initially leery about making the face a full 5mm tall (the previous test print was 3.5mm), but I think it’ll work.
REBIRTH. The disc remains 2.5mm tall, but has been reduced to a sleeker 19mm in diameter.
And here’s the Alex Ross. I decided to come back and play with this one as a bit of a palette cleanser. The disc has been lowered to 2mm thick, but remains 22mm in diameter. The pair on the left have curvier bands, while the pair on the right have more angular bands. The curvy variant actually looks like a good basis for a bigger-disc variant of the REBIRTH, if I decide to go back to a larger disc for that design.
But, as this thread has shown in excruciating detail, the comic art is wildly inconsistent, so pinning sizes and proportions down remains tricky.
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Been doing a fair amount of tweaking, lately. Just haven’t been posting about it.
I went back to the EMERALD DAWN. Used the recent V1 work as a basis to set about modifying it. I’m very pleased. It’s really shaping up into something which looks right, to my eye. Still working on the specific proportions (height, disc size, etc.), but this has a nice, curvy look to it. This particular variant has a 23mm disc.
I went back to the EMERALD DAWN. Used the recent V1 work as a basis to set about modifying it. I’m very pleased. It’s really shaping up into something which looks right, to my eye. Still working on the specific proportions (height, disc size, etc.), but this has a nice, curvy look to it. This particular variant has a 23mm disc.
greatwazoo42
Master Member
For metal machining.
greatwazoo42
Master Member
Oooooooh! Nice! If and when my Fun Fund isn't quite so dry I'd love to hop in for one, probably a V2.
Oooooooh! Nice! If and when my Fun Fund isn't quite so dry I'd love to hop in for one, probably a V2.
You might want to backtrack through this thread. As I've noted, I'm leery about infringing upon DC's trademark by creating replicas for sale.
greatwazoo42
Master Member
Oh, I hear you there! With 38 pages of content it was easy to miss or forget. Damned cool project no matter what, though, since watching you refine these rings is wonderful.
I know it seems like I’m stuck in a loop of minuscule tweaks, but I’ve said that I was close to the final versions numerous times before…and now I look back and see just how crude those supposedly “near-final” versions were. I have to keep going until I’m properly sure that the designs are right. There’s always room for improvement.
I’ve spent three years developing a skillset and exhausting every possible angle on how to approach this. The goal is to translate these designs into the real world, in a way that is both accurate to the source material AND is also believable in 3D reality. Not cartoony, not too dinky and plain. Just RIGHT, like a photoreal version of the comic art, a la Alex Ross.
I’ve scoured the Internet for inspiration. Studied numerous fanmade designs as well as dozens of real-world rings. Studied the history of rings and how they’re constructed by professional jewelers. I’ve spents hundreds of dollars on test prints, and have endlessly compared and measured them with calipers to improve the designs. Worn them at home, at work, and to sleep.
And I’ve applied all of that experience to this project.
Realistically speaking, 90% of the work is already done. It just comes down to the nitty-gritty decisions, and finalizing shapes, thicknesses and other details. And determining the best materials and finish for the final product.
greatwazoo42
Master Member
...and we are all here for it. Keep on keepin' on, G-tron!!!
More tweaks. Also modified the Gardner ring using the new EMERALD DAWN ring as a basis. As noted in the past, I think it would be nice if the two shared a base design, but I think the smaller disc just seems to work better on the Gardner, which has a lot of art variances. I may yet make a few variations of both to see if they can work at the same diameter.
