Building a Historical Dutch Botter with Blender

[Mr.TheRich]

I've been working for over a week now on a 3D model of a botter. A traditional flat bottom Dutch fishing ships that sailed the former dutch "South Sea" almost 200 years. I'll share what I have now, my references and behind the scenes. Be sure to ask questions about this, the ship, the process, the workflow, the plans etc!!

 

Here below are some renders of the state of the ship now. Below I explain what is done and what needs still to be done.

Currently most of the ship hull is finished in terms of shape. Most of the rigging is set, but not fully dynamic (to easily modify and change the trim) the textures are temporary, and will have more detail (nails/dirt/damage) later on. Currently I'm working on the sails and get them properly shaped and rigged. Here is a preview of that:

[Mr.TheRich]

Some detail close up shots of the rigging

[thibaultron]

I'll be watching your tutorial! Always want to learn new things! Wonderful work, and in just a week!

[herask]

excellent work! viewing this on my phone I thought that were reference photos...

[SardonicMeow]

1 hour ago, herask said:

I thought that were reference photos

I was fooled too.  What incredible work.

 

I am looking forward to seeing more.  In particular, I would like to see the method for developing the hull shape from the plans.

 

[Dr PR]

Very nice work! Looks like a wooden shoe with sails!

[tabycz]

Great job! It's amazing. Can you share wire?

[Jack H]

Excellent rendering!

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by hjx

[Mr.TheRich]

1 hour ago, hjx said:

Excellent rendering and quite professional map making. If you use normal map, you can solve the problem of “low-polygon” model, especially at the ship side. 

Add a little bump map and specular map appropriately to show the metal texture of the anchor, which will be more perfect.

 

Thanks! and thanks for the thinking

Normal maps are no magic bullet though, and they can't "solve" polygon silhouettes. They can only fix the head on appearance of curves but their effect fails when looked at from an angle.

I didn't any proper detail passes yet on material and textures. any color you see now is temporary just to show something nice.

I'll share a clay model and wireframe later.

[Jack H]

Hi

I'm sorry.

 

Hjx

Edited December 8, 2019 by hjx

[Mr.TheRich]

I have over 11 years of experience with 3D modeling, and believe me, I know exactly what I'm doing, thank you. Of course, I stand open for constructive feedback. I don't understand why you call my work professional, but then proceed to lecture me on a very basic subject like I'm just starting out. You're not wrong, but what your suggesting will not help in this case:

 

This model has either smooth curves or sharp edges, and is not an organic model with complex detailed shapes. I use smoothing groups for the gentle curves, to achieve the smoothest result and weighted normals for the corners to give them a bevel, which helps with realism. These methods already gives you the best possible shading with the polygons possible for a hard surface model. Adding/baking a normal map will not add any value here. And so the normal maps are used for small detail like wood grain and (yet to be) painted details like nails and scratches.

 

E.g. a simple low poly cylinder with smoothing groups and weighted normals will already look as round as possible.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Mr.TheRich

[Mike Y]

I was fooled by these renders as well, thought they were photos! Incredible!

But what was a hint is the same look & feel for side grain and end grain. Frames will definitely look different comparing to deck planks.

 

Any plans to build this beauty in wood? 

[Mr.TheRich]

On 12/8/2019 at 11:11 PM, Mike Y said:

I was fooled by these renders as well, thought they were photos! Incredible!

But what was a hint is the same look & feel for side grain and end grain. Frames will definitely look different comparing to deck planks.

 

Any plans to build this beauty in wood? 

Yeah currently the wood textures are put on very quickly. When I'll be fully working on the textures I'll make the grain correct.

Currently no plans to make a wood model of this boat. That could take very long (with my perfectionism in mind) and i don't have the time for that now.

[Nirvana]

Just amazing and beautiful rendering, what software did you use?

[ccoyle]

Count me among the fooled -- exquisitely life-like work!

[Mr.TheRich]

[amateur]

Looks great!

in the first pics only the fact that the lid on the 'bun' are missing (and show a non-rendered grey insidegave themodel away.

 

in your last pic,I guess most skippers wouldhave reduced sailjust to main and fore-sail, and would have stricken bezaan and kluiver when the wind startd to grow steonger (especially because the fishing gear is still out)

Is Hu37 a fictitious ship? (Couldn't make out the village that uses hu as indication)

 

Jan

[Nirvana]

Answering my own question as I didn't read the title 100%.

It's the Blender software.

[Mr.TheRich]

11 hours ago, amateur said:

Looks great!

in the first pics only the fact that the lid on the 'bun' are missing (and show a non-rendered grey insidegave themodel away.

 

in your last pic,I guess most skippers wouldhave reduced sailjust to main and fore-sail, and would have stricken bezaan and kluiver when the wind startd to grow steonger (especially because the fishing gear is still out)

Is Hu37 a fictitious ship? (Couldn't make out the village that uses hu as indication)

 

Jan

Thanks!
The "grey inside" is actually water color same as the water outside. so it's not non-rendered, it is in fact, rendered. (the water was done quick and is actually not transparent, hence you don't see the wood through it while you should)

Full rig is out because they are "aan de dwarskuil" (pulling fishing net). As this is an artistic work, I made the sea rougher than it would have been sailing with these sails for dramatic effect.

And yes HU37 is fictitious. I didn't want anyone to think this ship represents a specific real life botter, but it's based on drawings of a Huizer Botter. (which would be HZ)
 

[Nirvana]

The last rendering is even better, looks like oil on canvas.

I have done rendering in SUPodium and Fusion360, but never done a rendering like yours.
How long time did it take to process it all?

And I like the boat in far distance.
Great skills.

[amateur]

I see, I already thought so: hz sounds like huizen, but it is a non-existent code.

 

For all non-dutch: Dutch law presribed an indication on the mainsail which made the ship reconizable: the lettering refers to the home-port, the number is just a count: the order of registration. First ship registerd got a 1, second 2 etc.

 

Jan

[Nirvana]

I have the s/n in the sail of my RC yacht, 

There are some differences but in general a number I the sail is like a Id-card, related to manufacturers and number of built units. The numbers follows the boat and can't be changed.

That's what I just on an official sailing site.

 

[JohanvdK]

Your ship is popping up in all sorts of places! 

 

 

When (I hope) are you going to update the sketchfab model to include the latest details? They look so cool.