15 miles on the Erie Canal

[bobbystahr]

Wow, finding myself more gobsmacked with every iteration...keep em comin '

[sboerner]

Enjoy this one, horses for helpers! Often assisted by mules around here.
http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16797coll28/id/304/rec/48

This is great, thanks for the link. Love the band!

Wow, finding myself more gobsmacked with every iteration...keep em comin '

Thanks, Bobby. Appreciate the encouragement.

[Kadri]

Sweet progress. Feels kinda like a miniature in this state

[luvsmuzik]

Your replica shown just upstream of the other one ....
http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16797coll28/id/299/rec/1

[sboerner]

Sweet progress. Feels kinda like a miniature in this state

Thanks, Kadri. Your comment is interesting because this is the first rendering I've done in this series with depth of field enabled, 50mm lens at f/8. The effect is subtle but might be contributing to the sense that it's a miniature. Probably should go with f/11 or f/16, which would be more appropriate for daylight photography.

Your replica shown just upstream of the other one ....

Hey, Luvs, if I understand you then this is a different sort of vessel. Packet boats were early to mid-19th century, I think. The lakeboat in my scene is based on larger boats that were common from 1880 to 1915 or so:

http://photo.libraryweb.org/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08946.jpg

Your packet boat photo is pretty cool though – interesting that they tried running a steam engine on it. A packet is definitely on my to-do list for the next scene, which will be set much earlier than this one.

[luvsmuzik]

Thanks for looking at those. I just thought the Indiana packet boat hull looked similar to your model. I think reference date is 1872, so it is an older version. Your newer reference is certainly more modern and a very well done replica.

I thought like smaller fishing craft, maybe they came in sizes, like 10, 12, and 14 footers, haha. When does a boat graduate to a ship anyway? another haha.

[sboerner]

Thanks for looking at those. I just thought the Indiana packet boat hull looked similar to your model. I think reference date is 1872, so it is an older version. Your newer reference is certainly more modern and a very well done replica.

And thank you for the links. There definitely is a resemblance. So far I've learned the differences between packets, lakers, scows and tugs . . . but I'm sure there were others. Canal boat building must have been a big industry back then.

[Kadri]

... Your comment is interesting because this is the first rendering I've done in this series with depth of field enabled, 50mm lens at f/8. The effect is subtle but might be contributing to the sense that it's a miniature.
...

I wasn't aware of the DOF. Could be yes.

[sboerner]

Little more detail on the laker.

[attach=1]

[archonforest]

Coming nicely together. Good job!!

[luvsmuzik]

Impressive! You are doing great! I guess you know if you use the slider on the grayish slider for image textures you can darken or lighten image textures. Sometimes even a pale undercoat of a hue there does magic too.

[sboerner]

Sometimes even a pale undercoat of a hue there does magic too.

I like that idea and will definitely look into it. Thanks.

Lately I've been spending all my time either in research or in Maya working on models for the scene. In the first case, I think I finally have nailed down documentation for all of the details that need to be included. I have to say the hunt for information has been a lot of fun. For the second, work on the electric railway car is well under way. The truck is finished and ready for shading, but shading needs to wait for the rest of the car to be completed. I did a quick test to make sure the standard gauge truck fits on my standard gauge tracks . . . had to fix a small error but now it does.

[attach=1]

[WAS]

Little more detail on the laker.

[attach=1]

Wow this is looking so good. I do have a couple of suggestions here. I'm still just perplexed by stuff like this.

1) It looks like the wake flow should be translated forward of the boat at least a few feet so that first initial push of the water is setting in on the curve of the boat, which is actually pushing the water up.

2) An initial water break from the bow of the boat.

[luvsmuzik]

Research is fun, especially when you can relate to topic. I get stuck looking at images and wander away ...but I have no deadlines ..
Looks like another winner.

[sboerner]

1) It looks like the wake flow should be translated forward of the boat at least a few feet so that first initial push of the water is setting in on the curve of the boat, which is actually pushing the water up.

2) An initial water break from the bow of the boat.

Great suggestions, thanks. Added to my to-do list. The Kelvin wake pattern that I borrowed for this was generated from a single point, so the bow wave and break will have to be added by hand. Shouldn't be too hard, right?