wayouteast
Sr Member
I love this ship, and the film it's from. One of the key films from my childhood that has had a lasting effect on me and jump-started my love of SF and fantasy. Your model really does its subject justice. Great work!
Quatermass and the Pit - Martian Ship CG model
- Thread starter skiffy
- Start date
skiffy
Sr Member
Thanks a lot Wayouteast. The design is elusive but I hope I can do it justice based on what’s currently available.
My dad had the Penguin paperback which I read as a kid and of course I saw the Hammer movie as a teenager. It remains one of my favourite subjects.
There’s progress on the high-resolution model. I’ve thrown a basic gloss shader on what I have so far which shows the advantage of using a sub-div workflow. I hate 3d printed models that have visible polygons - most downloadable video-game models suffer horribly from that.
skiffy
Sr Member
I've had a kinda breakthrough from a contact on Facebook. There was an auction in the UK that featured some items from the actor Julian Glover (Colonel Breen). Amongst them was a production made model gifted to individuals on the movie.
bid.eastbristol.co.uk
The model features the underside and while the proportions and some details are different to the full-size prop, it does give some clues about how the fins on the underside go.
So, I'll adapt mine to suit. I'm going to keep 'some' of the elements I've already done for the bottom, to let the model sit properly on a flat surface. It's lucky that I hadn't started on the lower elements yet.
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1967) - MODEL REPLICA SPACECRAFT
The model features the underside and while the proportions and some details are different to the full-size prop, it does give some clues about how the fins on the underside go.
So, I'll adapt mine to suit. I'm going to keep 'some' of the elements I've already done for the bottom, to let the model sit properly on a flat surface. It's lucky that I hadn't started on the lower elements yet.
skiffy
Sr Member
OK I'm remodelling the underside. I've added the two smaller inboard fins. I'm balancing the model against the prop so it's going to be a compromise no matter what. It's looking decent though. There is evidence on the full size prop of fin-like indents on the underside of the tail too - so they're added to mine.
skiffy
Sr Member
I was a little optimistic with my 99% finished.
Anyway -This evening I'm refining the geometry and integrating all the separate sculpts into one. These 'side dimples' have undergone some refinement and are now part of the main shell. A few more movie screengrabs to check and I'll move on to the hatch and the interior.
Anyway -This evening I'm refining the geometry and integrating all the separate sculpts into one. These 'side dimples' have undergone some refinement and are now part of the main shell. A few more movie screengrabs to check and I'll move on to the hatch and the interior.
I'm loving this project. Any plans to release the files when you're done?
This film holds a very special place in my heart because it scared the living carp out of me the first time I saw it I was 10. It was Boxing Day 1973. And it is forever embedded in my psyche....
This film holds a very special place in my heart because it scared the living carp out of me the first time I saw it
I was 10. It was Boxing Day 1973. And it is forever embedded in my psyche....
skiffy
Sr Member
We're the same age, then! I read the paperback as a kid and that was bad enough.I'm loving this project. Any plans to release the files when you're done?
This film holds a very special place in my heart because it scared the living carp out of me the first time I saw it
I plan to release the first draft I did, for free - probably on thingiverse. It's quite rough but helped me a lot with the shape and will help those who want something to hand-shape over a rough form.
Then I'll do a release of the refined hull, with an interior and maybe even martians, later on. There'll be a small cost for that one - I'll pre-split it for ease of printing / assembly. 'If you're good at something, never do it for free' as the saying goes.
skiffy
Sr Member
You're exactly 'on the nose' Jeff, I'll see if I can adjust the mesh. I've also made some tweaks to the 'face' itself and I plan to adjust the 'skids' to better match the source. I didn't want to do this, I preferred to have a model that would sit on a surface - but I think keeping it accurate if possible takes precedent.
skiffy
Sr Member
With a little detective work I’ve discovered that the photograph reference near the top of this page isn’t contemporary with the movie’s production and is a fan-made model built in 2015 and auctioned in 2020. Totally my mistake. That doesn’t really make a difference to my build but I did change my initial interpretation of the ‘skids’ under the model to better match what I thought was a design department piece.
Anyhoo - onward with the interior. It’s been roughed out and there’ll be progress pics soon.
Anyhoo - onward with the interior. It’s been roughed out and there’ll be progress pics soon.
skiffy
Sr Member
A little later than I'd like, but progress non-the-less. I've had trouble reconciling the interior with the exterior (Aliens APC, anyone?).
Anyway, a compromise has been reached and I'm now marrying up the two shells and mating the hatch to both. I stuck a camera inside to see how she's looking.
Anyway, a compromise has been reached and I'm now marrying up the two shells and mating the hatch to both. I stuck a camera inside to see how she's looking.
skiffy
Sr Member
I've picked this up again and I'm gathering reference for the 'honeycomb' interior structure. It's very complex as well as being semi-opaque and multi-layered. I think I'll offer both styles of Martian bug too. The one used for the TV series is a lot better designed that the Hammer movie version.
One thing you might consider doing:
I get the feeling this might have been the equivalent of an F-111 escape cockpit…you could extrapolate the rest of the ship in a Rococo design all your own.
This craft has a look all its own…not just a 1950’s bullet, or greebled up plastic—but a true sculpture.
One take
I get the feeling this might have been the equivalent of an F-111 escape cockpit…you could extrapolate the rest of the ship in a Rococo design all your own.
This craft has a look all its own…not just a 1950’s bullet, or greebled up plastic—but a true sculpture.
One take
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skiffy
Sr Member
Thanks Publiusr and sorry for the late reply. Definitely food for thought there.
I started in on the basic structure of the crystal cells. A little of the geometry is guesswork but it's close enough to proceed with. Once I'm happy with the layout I'll add wall thicknesses and work out how it's all supported in the main cylinder.
I started in on the basic structure of the crystal cells. A little of the geometry is guesswork but it's close enough to proceed with. Once I'm happy with the layout I'll add wall thicknesses and work out how it's all supported in the main cylinder.
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