Tetrahedral Planetoid DoubleBoth visible faces
Date: 2021-02-03
Here is a combined image of both the right and left side of the Tetrahedral Planetoid model.
Tetrahedral Planetoid Pagodaright face focus
Date: 2010-08-05
And here is the right face. I ended up adding some details on areas that were not visible from the original angle. You can see how the faces are at very different angles, since this shot views the left face almost edge-on.
Tetrahedral Planetoid Palmleft face focus
Date: 2010-08-05
Finally, a different view! Here is the left face of the Tetrahedral Planetoid. Of the two, I like this one better, perhaps it's how the lighting turned out.
Tetrahedral PlanetoidFinished version with plants
Date: 2010-08-04
Here it is! A 3d color version of Escher's Tetrahedral Planetoid, complete with plants. I'm sure there are a few things I missed, but it's very nearly all there. I'm working on spiffing up the parts that you can't see. Should have some other views pretty soon.
Seeing this in its "final" state is very rewarding. This has been an off-and-on project (and mostly off) for over three years. I'm in the planning stages of writing a computer program (a script really) that will create this kind of radial tiered city automagically. Should be a challenge.
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 07Finished but for foliage
Date: 2010-08-03
Back on this 3d modeling project after almost exactly a year off. Funny how project enthusiasm will wax and wane.
I've rotated the render to match the original woodcut. I think these two faces are finished except for the plants. Once everything is in I'll do some different angles! I've always wondered what it would look like when viewed face-on. Soon we will find out!
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 06Almost done with buildings
Date: 2009-08-08
Nearly done with the buildings now. The top pinnacle is done (I think), the side pinnacles just need some stairs and touch up, and the bottom pinnacle is well on its way. I adjusted the lights and atmosphere again, so it brings out the geometry a bit more. So close!
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 05Boats and towers
Date: 2009-08-08
Very rough placeholders are in for the top and bottom spires. I also changed the render mode to Isometric, since it shows the top and bottom towers better, and is closer to Escher's original drafting method. Some boats are now floating around in the water also. Really beginning to look like the original! I'm hoping that the roghed in cubes will save me a lot of grief when I'm doing the actual geometry. They are much easier to get in place when you aren't actually doing flat faces and strange shaped seams.
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 04Both side spires roughed out
Date: 2009-08-06
Finished roughing out the other side spire. Also added the roof texture and re-did the lighting. I'm not being quite so particular about modeling everything exactly kosher, and its going a little faster. This update took about three hours from the last one.
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 033rd render
Date: 2009-07-22
Added an atmosphere and some more planes, as well as the basic geometry for one of the spires. Man, that took forever! It seems that every update includes such miniscule progress that it's barely worth it. There has to be a better way of doing this!
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 02Second render
Date: 2009-07-21
After several years of dormancy, I've added more buildings, windows, stairs, grass, etc. This really is much harder than it looks... I think?
Tetrahedral Planetoid WIP 01First render, quite incomplete.
Date: 2007-03-04
First render, and quite incomplete. It took me several days to get to this point. Nailing down the exact way in which the planetoid is built took some thought. Getting used to the way in which all of the geometry radiates from the center, and is concentric around the four "courtyard" areas has streched my brain. Taking a break now...
