The entries of Robert Grant :

E-mail:DigitalMag@AOL.com

Description: This is an image of a Bowed Psaltry. It was modeled and rendered entirely in Imagine for Windows. I like to choose a challenging model to experiment with whenever I get a software upgrade. In this case the upgrade was more extensive than in the past and required much more learning on my part. The effort was worth it though. The new textures require more input but the results are much more realistic.

The body of the Psaltry was generated using the extrution tool. A cross-section of four different elements was extruded around corners and along the sides, to create the first half of the shape. That half was then copied and mirrored to created a matching opposite side. The sides where merged and then scaled to create four single objects, one for each wood object. To do the joining I use a technique of merging first, and then selecting opposing points on each side of the join line. These points are then scaled to zero along the axis which is perpendicular to the joint. The new version of Imagine is particularly good with these types of joints. The joint line completely disappears after the scaling has been completed and there is no need to make the edges along the joint 'sharp' as in the past.

The Celtic knot in the center of the sound box was created using another unsual technique. To create helix shapes with Imagine it is necessary to use the extrude command, in combination with rotation around the axis of extrution. It's a bit tricky to visualize, but basically you end up with a spiral which is perpendiular to the axis of extrution.

The bow is a tube which has been twisted and shaped by moving and rotating points. The strings on the bow where created with a small amont of transparency and the application of the scratch texture. The strings are really nothing more than an extruded rectangle that has its ends bent up.

The cloth on the table uses the plaid texture; in the case to simulate a tartan. I wanted to place the instrument in a setting which highlighted it's historical heritage. Although the Psaltry is over 2000 years old, the bowed version did not appear until the middle ages and was particularly popular in Great Britian and Ireland.

Description: This image started as a part of the weekly challenge on AOL. The topic was four wheeled vehicles and I wanted to do something that was a bit out of the ordinary. It evolved into more of a design study than anything else. When I was young I had a coaster wagon which I used to travel around the nieghbourhood. This experience motivated me to look at the wagon as it could be made using modern techniques and materials, as well as the latest popular color combinations. The wagan is designed as a plastic molded piece, light wieght and nearly indistructable. The box of the wagon was created by taking a cross section and extruding it along a path and around corners. The center was filled in after the frame of the box was completed, by scaling the points of the floor and bottom so that they merged to a single point. The wheels where spun and the spokes where copied, pasted and rotated about the center of the wheel. The wheels are each copies of the first.

One of the nice parts about imagine is the way you can create sheet metal parts. You can take a plane, extrude it to some small depth and then grab and bend it just like the real thing. Often I use the transform command instead of the visual rotations, because of their accuracy. This technique was used to make the frames which hold the axils as well as the steering bracket which holds the handle.

The head light was one of those things which comes to mind during the creation process. Lots of kids really like to play with flashlights. The headlight on the Rocket is designed to be removable, with a spring clip. That way it can function as a headlight and a hand held light for exploring. The rear view mirror was another one of those in process ideas; another extra toy to mess around with and it has a pratical application.

About the Artist:

I am by trade a Mechanical Engineer. I have designed a variety of products and I have recieved several patents for my work with fluid handling devices. I discovered Imagine about four years ago and since then I have used it to create personnal works of art, models for product ideas and marketing/advertising images for my employer. In addition I have done some animation work with Imagine, primarily to illustrate design details and the operation of assemblies. In additon to Imagine I work with Fastcad 2D and 3D, Ulead Media Studio and Fauve Matisse. My work can be viewed on America On-Line in the the Graphics Forum Library.

In addition to my regular work, I am available on a freelance basis. My greatest strenghth is my modeling expertise, particularly with mechanical objects. For more inforamtion please E-mail me at DigitalMag@AOL.com

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