help creating reference images?

[wantafanta 13]

hey ive run into a bit of a problem trying to find half decent reference images, and so i ask where do you guys usually search for references, specs, etc.. as well as how exactly should i go about creating them from scratch if i cant find images that are good enough for what i need em for.

[teacup 2]

You can check out websites similar to The Blueprints, they might have what you're after. However, few of these plans/blueprints you find online are original factory drawings, their accuracy is questionable. Sometimes you're better off looking for official documentation like flight/repair/maintenance manuals. They often have drawings in them that are accurate.

Alternatively, you can find high resolution photos and trace them using vector graphics software. Ideally, you should find the object you want to model, and photograph it yourself to remove as much perspective/lens deformation as you can from your reference image. What i did in the past was found the aircraft i wanted to model in an open air museum, "drew" a line parallel to it, and as far from it as possible, then walked along that line and after every meter, took a perpendicular photo of it. Then i got the images in Photoshop, used PTLens to remove lens distortion, and stitched them together to create a picture as close as possible to an ortographic image. Then traced it in Flash.

[x3kj 1247]

to reduce lens distortion you can use maximum (optical) zoom on your camera

[p1nga 23]

hey ive run into a bit of a problem trying to find half decent reference images, and so i ask where do you guys usually search for references, specs, etc.. as well as how exactly should i go about creating them from scratch if i cant find images that are good enough for what i need em for.

The #1 Industry way to recreate a hard surface model from scratch is to find a scale model, purchase it and assemble it with as little glue as possible (so you can disassemble as needed), take it in your hands and begin sculpting, a blueprint may also be rather handy but for more modern equipment is sometimes rather difficult to get a hold of. Hobby stores usually have an enormous selection, and you can find anything online.

Cant go past holding the actual thing in your hands.

Another good source can be sites like http://www.armorama.com/ you can probably find what you are after on there as surely someone has made a model of it and posted lots of pictures from a multitude of angles.