Flight deck WIP

[Silly]

This is what I'm working on at the moment; a one-membered crew flight deck. I have to take a break now, so I thought I would post the current version and incorporate any comments when I continue.

As is probably obvious, my next step is going to be the pilot.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/silly_pl4c3/art/cockpit9.jpg

Here's the sketch:

http://www.truefork.org/Art/plogger/thumbs/lrg-34-streggi9.jpg

[dogfood]

I can only see the sketch, but it looks pretty cool to me. On of the big things to think about when designing something like this is ergonomics. It looks like it's very uncomfortable to reach that far forward to grab the stick. Additionally, for side-sticks used on potentially high-g craft (don't know what this is), having a place to rest the forearm while using the stick is critical. You should check out some more modern cockpits; they'll give you some pretty good ideas. This one appears to be based on something designed in the 80's or early 90's.

Another thing that a lot of people don't realize is how high the panel is (oh, you're missing the sun shield, which protrudes out to put the panel in shade).

Pretty cool.

[Shatterdome]

Yeah I think dogfood gave a good crit on this, and I think if anything you should put in the sunshield, especially with the lighting you've chosen. Honestly though I only thought of that stuff after reading dogfoods crit....I guess it's something those of us who are not technically inclined towards planes really thinks of...anyways the light source in the cockpit/on the panels is looking to come from directly right, like the plane was flying into the sun....but the lighting on your clouds is comming from overtop the clouds, like at midday, with the sun above the clouds.....if it's a sunset you should also have the lighting comming harshly from the right on the clouds....just some thoughts...

[Silly]

This one appears to be based on something designed in the 80's or early 90's.
Pretty amazing. Alright, I confess: I took an old sketch to try my new painting technique on. It dates from the early 90's. ^^; I'm no longer up on the current designs.

There is a sort of armrest, you'll notice. I bet now they are more comfortable than in those days. The idea was that the seat would have to move back and up on rails to mount, and here it is partly pulled back, in actual flight it would be more forward... There's a HUD projector, as I recall. And then the backup turn-and-slip indicator and the dodgy compass were of course added for laughs. And the maps, of course.

It was supposed to be some type of space transport :)

Shatterdome: light source was supposed to be high and somewhat on the left, if you'll notice the shadow thrown by the instrument panel on the control stick. Don't pay attention to the colours on the figure yet...

[Liquidspider]

this looks pretty cool.. i fully agree with the crits.. and now that you've addressed a few of em.. maybe make it readable to the viewer? since you were the only one that knew, only you can believe this drawing.. the rest of us are in puzzlement..

could you maybe paint in some tracks? say that chair goes even farther up and back to that next level so she can turn the chair around and say.. walk around? Altho I don't know how big this ship is supposed to be either.. it seems like its a fair size, something you could walk in (maybe slightly ducking ;) )

also.. wtf is she looking at!?!? only thing i can think of is she's looking outside at something, or someone?.. but i think it would read more if you drew a bit of a 'surprised' or 'frightened' or well... hell i dunno. but her expression is so plain.. so boring (sorry).

Maybe if you add more of a background (outside of the ship) perhaps it would help..

I originally thought it was going to have her look at the camera/viewer, but then i saw the sketch..

in any case.. this looks really good, the ship is pretty interesting with all that stuff going on, and i like the tape on the chair (at least at first glance it looks like tape)

is she a neat freak? it might be cool to see some dust on the dials or monitors with a swipe of 'clean' on it :P (ever do that to your TV or Comp Monitor?)

i dunno.. its pretty good tho man..

[Silly]

LS: Good question, I think I'll just turn her head more to look at the viewer. And I'll try to think of some way to make the chair mechanism explicit without moving her away from the instruments too much.

Why did you think she is a neat freak?

[stoph]

dunno if it was raised, but her right hand (resting on the back of the seat) is quite thin and dainty, i think a little misproportioned, especially in comparison to her left hand. i really like this piece, tho, i think its ambitious lighting and a really sweet pallete :} *waits patiently for an update*

[dogfood]

Position-wise, she's actually where she needs to be in relation to the panel. There aren't any aircraft I can think of where the knees sit under the instrument panel like it was a desk. In some planes, it's because the legs would be left behind in case of ejection, but even the big transports keep the panel at arm's length. It helps with the scan that pilots use to make use of all of the important instruments and (less often) the secondary ones, without having to change the eye's focus as much. This is actually pretty key for long flights or intense periods of instrument use.

[Silly]

So you would suggest that I move the control stick back? It'll be a pain but I'll survive ;)

I don't think I had references for this when I drew it, at the time I made the sketch it was something very futuristic to imagine controls like that in a non-fighter craft... I probably reasoned that with the column gone, the distance would reduce or something like that.

Do you draw lots of planes or do you have other interests in the subject? I studied aerospace technology for a bit in school but ergonomics were not covered...

[Chronic]

It helps with the scan that pilots use to make use of all of the important instruments and (less often) the secondary ones, without having to change the eye's focus as much

this the thing I also came think about. she will have a very hard time reaching all her instruments, I would even consider putting some of them up a bit above their present position, and within a radius of her arms reach, without having to lean her upper body to reach most of them. this actually reminds me more of a large motorboat (whick probably not is all accidental). at sea people don´t have to consider what´s below or above their boats, while they really want to see what´s in front of them.

and from what I see now, a larger person than her, would have a really hard time to fit the seat (unless it´s adjustable, but he has to get in place too).


well...enough with crits, I really like the concept and you have made great details and the coloring is also very cool, (she would maybe get som sunglasses to avoid that devilish light...hehe).

really waiting to see more of the progress of this project!!

great going!!
I can spot some maps or papers at her right side of the cabin, maybe like there´s a similar but mirrored seat on her right side (maybe a 2:nd captain?)

[Silly]

Here is my progress for today, I tried to take into account the comments thus far (without starting over).

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/silly_pl4c3/art/cockpit92.jpg

[dogfood]

Do you draw lots of planes or do you have other interests in the subject?
You know, I actually don't draw planes very much (but do so occassionally), but let's say I have some intimate experience with various aspects of aviation.