I finished modeling the Lignum Vitae, but it took much longer than expected. The repetition of extruding and bridging various nodes to create the roots and branches definitely got tedious. Still, I was determined to make it look as good as possible to an achievable level within my skill set. I would guess that I spent around 8 hours or so completing the final model, which is much longer than I intended. As such, I was in a bit of a rush when modeling the houses for the Elves.
I wasn’t sure where to begin with the houses; I wanted them obscurely shaped so there weren’t any tutorials I could follow to know where to start. Thus, I chose a basic polygon model shape that was closest to the form I wanted to create, or that I thought would be the easiest to mould to create my desired shape – a cylinder. Starting there, I used methods of trial and error, extruding and stretching the edges, faces and vertices, and ended up with a house I was relatively happy with. It’s sort of strange and creepy-looking, but I can envision some dwelling townsfolk, an Elven family, living there. I also ensured to work while going in and out of smooth mode (pressing 3 – not sure what it’s actually called), as I wanted the house’s texture and build to be reminiscent of clay, or a half-melted candle.
I also wanted each house to look unique, so I chose different base polygon model shapes for each house – a sphere, a square-based pyramid, a trapezium, etc. I didn’t have exact sketches or specific plans for what I wanted each house to look like, so I simply worked off a combination of spontaneous inspiration and trial and error. Though the houses aren’t as detailed as I’d ideally like them to be, (if I had more time I would’ve liked to add details such as interior furniture and doorknobs/window frames) I’m nonetheless content with the overall ominous and mystical atmosphere that they exude.
With each house being so different, I began to contemplate new lore for this world and its citizens. I concluded that because of the individually unique vibes each house emanates, each house would belong to a different “clan” of Elves – such as Elves that use plant-based magic, or Elves that worship the sun (“light elves?”). I have basic character designs in my head for each of these “clans” as well, and I’m considering using one of these as a starting point for creating a character for our next project.
