"...If I never model another cathedral it will be too soon!"

This is just the front section of the complex...there is far more behind this!

I've been putting some intense hours into the model of the durham cathedral complex the last day or two. Now that the front and main towers are done (I'll have to leave off the many statues for now as it'll simply take far too long and probably make it nearly impossible to render.) There are still loads of decorative thingies to put on, but those can wait till the last minute.

Durham cathedral as its not been seen (in newly erected condition ) since 170AD

Once this is done then I have to texture the whole damn complex and then create the cgi enviroment that I am going to replace 80% of the final plate with. Although I have been enjoying the challenge in a strange masochistic sort of way, if I never model another cathedral for at least a year I'll be a happy man lol. There are only so many widdly bits of stone the human mind can put up with before it threatens to break and I run round with an axe lol.

So for now its decorative thiniges and lots of windows and doors I have left to do modeling wise , and roof supports and borring shit like that. There can't be many 3d guys who have modelled an entire cathedral complex and its interior.... I dont think most people are insane enough to try unless they have to on pain of death. Seriously though I have been enjoying it, but yes I will be glad once its done.

Durham Cathedral Exterior WIP PT2

The front two towers raw poly model

OK the two front towers I'm calling about done modelling wise (given the extreme crunch on this one)...starting to add the side windows and deco now.... the biggest pain in the backside will be the main tower as there's more polys needed for that than the rest of the complex combined.

Now in an ideal world (when is it ever that??) I'd sculpt every part and render through renderman...but alas time will not allow this...it also occured to me that apart from a few design tweaks this is the first time durham cathedral has been seen in its orginal state since 1100AD!

Still loads to do!

Durham Cathedral Exterior WIP

Work in Progress (about 1 /20th of the cathedral complex!)

Well it seems like a lifetime since I finsihed off the durham cathedral interior for FXPHD course MOD301 that I gave last year. But now about 4-5 months later its now time to get on with the exterior of the cathedral. This is no men task as the whole cathedral complex is massive and once you get a 300mm lens out you see detail that is not visible with the naked eye.

The bad side? I only have a week and a half to get it all done in before it has to be used in tehfinal few classes of the MOD302 3D digital environments course. Its the 1st time in ages I am geniuely crapping bricks it wont be done on time as usually I've give myself at least another week or two. but if this isn't done right it coud ruin the whole series of shots for the Joan of Arc short that FXPHD & mike seymour are making.

You know people ask me why I like using 3d max for personal stuff. Thats an easy question to answer, its got a lot of power and most of all the nitrous viewport... I hope neil hazard and the nitrous team are ready for it to be pushed to insane levels ;)

With a viewport like this its far easier to judge forms and lighting.