For my first project in 3D modelling I decided
to model a ghost light to go in the centre of the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's stage. A ghost light is a lamp that is left, turned on, in the centre of a stage in a theatre after everyone leaves to keep away ghosts and evil spirits. I love theatre, especially in London, and I'm fascinated by the ghost stories that come with it, therefore this felt fitting for the geolocation project.
While I have some experience with 3D modelling, I had never used 3ds Max before this project, and learning to use this different software definitely presented some challenges.
Learning to use 3ds Max was slow and frustrating at first, however once I had learned the basics I managed to learn new techniques quickly, such as extrusion, which became the technique I used most when modelling my ghost lamp. I found both Lynda and Youtube tutorials very useful when learning these new techniques.
I'm quite happy with how my ghost lamp looks in 3ds Max. There are parts I intend to develop, such as the base, as I wanted it to be more curved to fit with the look of the rest of the lamp. I am also going to try and add more detail, and maybe even light, to the bulb, as well as add textures such as wood and brass to the rest of the lamp.
Unfortunately, when I exported my model as a 3DS file to import into SketchUp, some of the components moved out of place and were floating around the lamp. I therefore had to remove the cage from around the bulb before importing the model into SketchUp again ready for geolocation.
The colours I added to the lamp in 3ds Max didn't show when I imported it into SketchUp and later Google Earth. This is something I intend to look into more at a later stage, especially as when I add textures to my lamp I want to see what this would like on the stage of the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
Apart from these difficulties I am happy with how this project has turned out. I found learning how to import 3d models into Google Earth really interesting, as well as learning how to use a new 3d modelling software. The techniques I have learned in 3ds Max will definitely be useful in future projects, both for 3d modelling and animation.