Space Images

Aliens - Space Freighters

A while back, I was building models with my daughters and this idea for some alien space ships came to mind. I quickly roughed up some space freighters, along with an idea for some sort of energy panel, and this picture was begun. While my wife surffed the web, I worked out the piece's positions and, when it was my turn to play, this image came to be. The fun part about ray traced blocks is the ability to use pieces in colors that aren't usually available. This is a rather interesting scene considering that it only uses six different bricks (a 2x1, 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 1x6 and round).

Battle - Interception

Okay, more fun with basic bricks! Those buckets of bricks can sure hold a lot of ideas! In this scene, two Interceptor craft are attacking a Space Frigate. The hard part was creating the laser bolts using POV-Ray's new media statement. I spent a good couple of hours figuring out how to get the effect I wanted.

Satellite

A voyaging satellite looking for new and exotic life forms. Unlike the other planets I've done so far, this one uses overlapping textures for a more interesting effect. Wonder if the satellite found anything?

Surveillance Mission

A pair of ground skimmers are on a surveillance mission to monitor a power generator. The fun part of doing this image was creating the landscape. In trying to be different, I thought a more rounded landscape would be more interesting.

X-Wing Fighters

What can I say, I'm a softy for Star Wars. I've built LEGO versions of most Star Wars space ships for years. I started by making space ships for my Action Figures. So, while building with my girls, I created this simple X-Wing fighter. For this scene, I added a bright orange planet and a squadron of X-Wings. Sometimes, simple can look great!

367 Moon Lander

The Moon Lander is an old circa 1977 model that I had always wanted to build, but never seemed to have all the bricks. I broke out my LEGO bricks, slapped together a fair replica of the original (okay, so I didn't have enough blue ramps) and modeled it on my computer. I spruced up the scene a bit with a blurred star background and a shimmering earth! I also added a lunar surface -- yes, it really is from the moon! Now, if I can only get around to adding the astronauts and a moon rover. Sigh.

Updated 10 Jan 98: I finally got around to rendering this with my new library. P.S. I now have the original instructions, so I can now finish this one right! Thanks, Sean!

452 Mobile Tracking Station

This, I'm proud to say, is my first LEGO Space model (yes, I started small). I remember putting all my LEGO models together (around the venerable age of 8 or 9), dragging -- I mean showing -- my parents around to each of my triumphantly reconstructed sets (minus a few pieces of course), and pointing to this one and saying, "This is my first space model of many!" (I did get more, as you can see!)

I also rendered a different angle to show off the rear controls inside the station. The satellite off to the upper right is from model 897 (see below).

Updated 5 Aug 98: Fixed an error in the trailer hitch.

483 Alpha-1 Rocket Base

I fell in love with the old LEGO space themes, probably because I have most of the first space models sold! The style was chunky, but a strong theme to build from. The rocket base was one of the first few models to use molded base plates (which I still need to render). This is the latest version, wrench and all!

Updated 10 Jan 98: A played with Chris Colefax's bend library (see links) to get the hose on the rocket launcher!

497 Galaxy Explorer

After almost two years since I first wanted to do this model, I finally have my Galaxy Explorer soaring through space! Hey, I had motivation, someone asked for it! I still have the sub-station, car and moon plates to model, but, hey, you don't want it all at once! The nice star field is my first attempt at using Chris Colefax's Galaxy include file! I think it worked out quite nicely!

897, 462 Rocket Launcher

Don't ask me how, but I actually own two of these! My Mom thinks it was just one of those, "I think he'll like this, but I don't remember what we got him last year" kind of things. I own model 897 (as it appears in my 1981 European catalog), but my 1981 English shows it as 462. Same model, different numbers! Oh, in case your wondering, the 897 is also known as Mobile Abshußrampe, mobile de lancement de fusées, and Lancia missili semovente!

6861 X-1 Patrol Craft

This is the first LEGO space theme I rendered. I should note that I'm not the first to render this model (Paul Gyugyi did a special render of this), but it is more true to the original and it forced me model some pieces I would need for other models. This was also the first time I played with mini-figures (the new style, of course). I also played around with star fields for this one. Special thanks to Nathan Kopp for his POV-Ray lens flare library, which is how I created the binary stars.

Updated 10 Jan 98: This is my most recent render with my new mini-figure library.

Added 31 Jul 98: Here is another view of the 6861 model heading into the binary system. Just a different perspective. I keep wanting to make this an animation ... now there's an idea!