Standing's Starship/Tank Thread - Update April 11th

[Standing]

Hi Folks,
So, in a general attempt to better myself and my work and build a portfolio, I've followed a suggestion by Jason Manley in the portfolio review thread to 'build a world' in your portfolio, to give it focus and structure.
So, I set a stage for my designs in which the British Empire has reached far into space. Yes, it's been done before, but it gives me an outlet for my patriotism!
I'm beginning with industrial design, as it's where I am weakest. I'm kicking off with ships - naming each after a common British bird and trying to through in some WW2 influences.
I'll update more as I go, but I've got to get started somewhere.
Let me know what you think!
Update-03/15/06
The thuimbnails for the Recon ship. The first page are really bad, but are where I got the idea to make each ship distinct by patterning my ideas (if not actual designs) after common British birds.

Red Robin - Recon Ship.

[Snarfevs]

Mmm this is hot

I really dig the design and colours. My only suggestion would be the following:

It's a reconnaissance craft so I imagine it would take several-day long trips to scan large volumes and/or areas. You might want to consider setting aside a small area of the forward pod as some kind of living space even if it's only room enough for a small bed, a toilet etc., and designate this with some small portholes. I'm imagining a crawlway between the floor of the cockpit and the pod. I do imagine that the pod would be filled with heavy duty sensor suites so I'm talking pretty damn DSV style crampedness for the occupant.

Anyhow just a thought.

More!

[Standing]

Snarfevs - thanks for the feedback - the round 'hull' at the front is loaded with sensory equipment, but the craft itself is no good for combat, so I was thinking that at the first sign of serious trouble, the Robin could ditch the hull and make it's getaway that much speedier - still mulling ideas.

Here's another update - the idea for a light fighter grew out of one of the designs I made for the Robin.
Here are the thumbs. The design on the bottom right is the one I'm going wiht in the end.

[Dile_]

wow, fresh style..
nothing to criq really its just so nice

[GriNGo]

nice designs & coloringman! maybe you should add a blue stripe somewhere to give it more resemblance to the british flag?

[Standing]

Dile - thanks for the compliment!

GringoLoco - Yeah - I was trying to make it the flag of St.George, so perhaps I should be calling it the English Empire and not British! Oops!
Thanks for the feedback.

[Bad Brownie]

Hey, I like!


(aren't I helpful?)

[Standing]

I haven't updated in ages - yikes!
Yes, the perspective on this one is far from perfect, but it was good to knock something together in colour for a change.
This is the Starling Class Fighter - a short-range, light-armoured but high speed gunship, designed to escort bombers, troop carriers etc.
Hope you guys like.

[Standing]

Hi all,
Trying something a bit different from spacecraft - here's a tank, for supporting the advance of shock troops. Not really sure what to call the sucker yet.

[Snarfevs]

Mmm no crits on the Starling - beautiful piece of machinery.

The tank... makes me want to draw a tank. From a functionality fascist (tm) point of view:

I can see major shot traps between the barricade and the tread pods. The fact is that it looks like the vehicle would rely on the integrity of the barricade to move whereas pulling the pods behind the barricade might be safer.

I'm thinking reactive or ablative armour would be more compelling on the barricade but reactive looks ugly.

Some kind of hold-on bar with a gangway on the side of the main vehicle bulk would probably be appreciated by foot troops.

Those are the best suggestions I can muster