Created for the Popular Science July 2001 issue. The Airbus A3XX (now A380) is a double decker aircraft. This aircraft also utilized the largest aircraft engines in the world. Also appearing in this image is Boeing's 747-400. It was included to show scale. These images also appeared in Grolier's Encyclopedia Year End Book for 2001.

After seeing these cars in the Pink Panther movie, I just had to play with them. This scene is an example of how realistic Lightwave can get an object. The scene consists of a white box hovering invisibly over the cars to act as a light box. It was given some illumination value and served two purposes. First it provided a nice reflection to show off the curves of the vehicles and second it acted as the main light sourse for the Radiosity rendered image. Not the soft and realistic shadows. Lightwave only was used here, no touchups were needed in Photoshop.

This is an example of photorealistic image compositing. Lightwave excels in this function and is one of the reasons it is used by top Hollywood Effects companies. Not all of these aircraft are real. Using a photograph from the Corel Library, I rendered some CG aircraft and composited them using Lightwave 3D and finished the details in Photoshop.

In response to 911. American Eagle is the Commuter Airline for American Airlines. This image consists of 2 computer generated F-15 "Eagles" in the American Eagle colors. They are providing protection to a Boeing 757. The Boeing 757 wing and engine are a photograph. The key you pulling off the photorealism is all in the lighting. Careful attention was given to the location and color of the shadows in the photograph.

This is a completely computer generated B-25. Note the gear in transition to the UP position just after takeoff. This is one of my favorite images because of the lighting. Most interestingly however is that although 3D, no 3D software was used in this image. This was a screen grab from a flight I made in Microsoft's Flight Simulator and touched up in Photoshop.

Yet another fine example of Lightwave's Radiosity Rendering ability.

Modeled in Alias Wavefront and Rendered in Lightwave, these images were based on a lighting and reflection exercise used in the real world to photograph cars in the studio. The trick isn't so much the lights but the reflection of a white "Box" located above the cars. This lends to the shapes and curves of the vehicle.

Image commissioned by Popular Science for the November 1997 issue. Combat Drones are meant to replace actual aircraft and can be safely flown from a control panel aboard another aircraft hundreds of miles from the action. They are also capable of traveling into radiated areas as well as perform maneuvers that would be beyond human capacity.

In my early years of 3D, I did alot of work for Architects. Lightwave was much cheaper than building models and I was able to provide real world lighting. This is an example of one of my Architectural renderings. Note the detail in the room, especially the lighting.

When I lived in San Diego, Dune Buggys seemed to be the sport that everyone was into. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

A photorealistic Earth based on high resolution Satellite imagery. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

The Emmy Awards are administered by three sister organizations; the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The Emmy Awards recognize excellence within various areas of the television industry. The awards are a symbol of peer recognition from over 12,000 members of the Academy. Each member casts a ballot for the category of competition in their field of expertise.

A High-Resolution model of the Emmy Statuette. This model was based on a scan of an actual statuette and converted to Lightwave 3D.

Created for a Computer Based Training program for a First Officer Training school in Florida. This shows not only the internal workings of the engine, but it's location within the engine cowling. The most interesting thing about this engine/aircraft combination is that not only is the propeller being turned by a JET engine, but the engine is actually mounted backwards. The intake is behind the engine. Intake air is channeled through the front and fed to the engine compressors located in the rear. Exhaust gasses from the jet engine blow across and turn another set of fan blades that are connected to the propeller system. So the engine and propeller system are never actual connected physically. I actually attended this school and have logged over 250 hours in this aircraft.

The Flying Infrared Signature Technology Aircraft (FISTA) program began in 1961 and first examined the infrared properties of the radiation from atmospheric nuclear blasts and related night sky and auroral phenomena. When this requirement ended with the signing of the nuclear atmospheric test ban treaty, in 1974 FISTA turned to measuring and understanding the infrared characteristics of aircraft and the detection and identification of aircraft in the infrared range from atmospheric and space-based platforms. I created this model originally for Popular Science when they did a feature on the Leonid Meteor Storm in November 1998. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

The FLETC serves as an interagency law enforcement training organization for 81 Federal agencies (aka Partner Organizations). The Center also provides services to state, local, and international law enforcement agencies. These images were used in a video animation for training Border Patrol Agents on the use of 4-Wheel Drive. Note that the actual gear box for this Bronco has been exaggerated. This is for illustration purposes.

A housing I designed in Lightwave. Lightwave is not only a stellat animation tool, but a pre-visualization tool as well. Building it in Lightwave first allows you to see any changes that need to be made before you make a mess in the garage. My intent was to make this and actually use it for my Flight Simulator. I have just had the space to put it anywhere so it still sits here

This Cessna 172 Float Plane was built for use in a Sporty's Aviation Academy video on Sea and Float Planes. Based upon a Cessna 172SP model I already had created for other Sporty's videos, note the detail of the "Lake-Stained" floats and rivets. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

Freelance illustration does not pay what it should, so until i can afford a real one, I had to have fun with this 3D model. Note the composition of the 3D model with the photograph. Careful attention was given to match the shadows and blur of the obviously cheap digital camera. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

Leonid meteor storms happen when Earth plows through clouds of dusty debris shed by comet 55/P Tempel-Tuttle. Popular Science asked me to produce illustrations for thier November 1998 issue that featured the FISTA and NOAA aircraft for taking various meassurements and images of the storm.

As the US Air Force C-130 Hurcules is over 50 years old, a replacement is being looked at from 3 Aircraft manufacturing giants, Lockheed Martin, Airbus and Boeing. Lockheed Martin being true to thier fasion suggests a stealth verson of the veavy lifting cargo plane. Boeing is suggesting a tailless aircraft with rotating main wings that can take off vertically. Airbus is being much more conventional. These images appeared in Popular Science for thier July 1999 issue. They not only appeared in the feature article but the cover as well.

These iimages were createed to show off the car's paint scheme to sponsors. The animation included an "X-ray/wireframe" effect as well.

These images were created for Newsweek Magazine during some heated times inthe Middle East in 1998. They wanted to know how my renderings of Military Helicopters looked in consideration for a feature. They loved the work, but unfortunately dropped the feature. In these renderings, the 3D Helicopters are composited over a photograph. The amount of blur used in the rotor blades are really up to interpretation. In the real world, it would depend on the various camera settings like shutter speed and Iris settings. The same goes for Lightwave. Lightwave has the same set of settings as do real world cameras, making it an ideal and favorite choice in Hollywood for this type of composite work.

No Tail Rotor (NOTAR). Thishelicopter actually uses directed engine exhaust thrust to counteract the tourque from the main rotor blades. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

Photo realistic rendering of the Oscar Statuette. Born in 1928, the Academy Award of Merit — which we know as simply "the Oscar" — depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes, signifying the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers and Technicians.

Weighing 8.5 pounds and standing 13.5 inches tall, the statuette was designed by MGM's chief art director Cedric Gibbons. Frederic Hope, Gibbons' assistant, created the original Belgian black marble base; artist George Stanley sculpted the design; and the California Bronze Foundry hand cast the first statuette in bronze plated with 24-karat gold.

Quiet Supersonic Transport. These imahes appeared in both Popular Science and PM magazines. Supersonic flight over the United States is forbidden becasue of the damage caused on the ground due to the shockwave produced by the aircraft. Engineers are developing new designs that deflect this shockwave upwards and therefore making it safer. If successful, business travel could now be accomplished at speeds previously only available to Military Fighters. Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing are all in the race to make these Supersonic biz jets.

These images were featured in Popular Science in September 1997. they show using a high energy laser to destroy inbound ICBMs. This was my very first Popular Science assignment.

Just a very nice rendering of a Schooner. The top image shows the schooner composited over a photograph. The lower one is all Lightwave

Sea Launch Sea Launch Sea Launch is an international satellite launch service company that has a unique way of delivering payloads into space. With the launch platform situated on the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. These images appeared in Popular Science in August 1999.

The simulator company SimMajic had an idea of creating a full sized P-51 mustang replica to act as a housing for a WWII combat game. The player would sit in the housing and monitors would descend from above surrounding the canopy. Just to give you an idea on how much each "flight" would cost, there is no coin slot, instead there is a credit card swipe.

A photo realistic skull. Note the texture and the lighting that lends to the realism. This model is currently available for purchase on TurboSquid.

Driving to my office one day, I noticed this lot that had just been cleared out. It was used for a long time as a storage place for utility bucket trucks. I thought it would be a great place to build my empire! But not being a Trump, it never happened. This is one of my favorite images.

Same as above but at night and with the addition of a New Orleans Police car used in the movie Lake Placid.

These were used in Today's Home Owner Magazine in a feature about setting up Surround Sound in your home.

Another one of my favorite images. This is a photograph of clouds taken from a Lear 36. I rendered and composited a 3D F-18 over the photograph. The end result is an image of a Lear 36 Chase Plane following an F-18 through a flight test. Note the details in the aircraft. The tail shows ATA, that is Airline Training Academy, a school i was attending at the time.

Having seen my work in Popular Science, I was contacted my The New Yorker to illustrate some of the new advanced features of the Cadillac comming out that year.

Appearing in the Popular Science May 1999 issue, this is America's newest submarine. This was not only used in the feature, but the cover as well. According to the Art Director, it was thier most successful cover on years.

Just having some fun with a friend and Photoshop

Flight International is a subcontractor for the NAVY. They offer a variety of services from towing gunnery targets to being a target themselves. So when they asked me to come up with some ideas for a calender, i could not resist the surreal images here. In all actuality, the catapult on a an aircraft carrier would launch only the nose gear of the Lear 36 leaving the rest of the aircraft still sitting on the deck.