3D models of Coventry

In reference to shop windows of the period you are trying to recreate - a book called Images of Lost London 1875-1945 has pictures of the right period with clear examples of how the window displays were arranged for a variety of shops. They have the same light fittings and the same style of lettering on the glass as those I've seen for Coventry. There are two versions of the book and the hardback unabridged copy is best. While these examples won't be exactly the same as Coventry, they'll give the right feel and combined with the right shop sign, would be very hard to criticise. There wasn't a great amount of stylistic variation back then. A library should be able to get you a copy. Hope this helps.

Hey Helen, thanks for the tip and sorry for the late reply, been really busy finishing off the film for the heritage weekend. I found on ebay a CD of over 200 historical carpentry / stone mason books which have been handy to use as a reference. From my last trip to Coventry I spent 2 days in the archives going through all the old planning records they have for a handful streets in the city centre. Interestingly I came across a series of plans from competition held for the council house - it could have looked very different. One included a medieval style gate house off hay lane, another would have been more neoclassical / art deco style. At some point in the dim future I do plan to model some of the possible designs, but at the moment I have my hands full with just getting the bulk of the 1880 - 1930s done. Depending on how things go, I've also figured out how to produce a virtual reality app, its going to take sometime to put together and it will be some cost involved so I'm trying to work out how best to go ahead with it. With a bit of luck a I might be able to get a demo version out early next year. Hope all is well with everyone now the summer has come to an abrupt end! Looking forward to seeing some of you at the council house next weekend for the heritage weekend - if you can make it. All the best Pete

I noticed that you were on the list. Good luck with the show, not that you'll need it, your stuff looks great. I hope to get to see something next weekend but I was too late to sign up to the trip round Whitefriars. That'll teach me not to make my mind up early. I'm finally getting to grips with Blender and can now wrap textures round my models. Well one at a time. I plan to assemble stuff in unity. I'm deeply into windows bays and carved woodwork at the moment. Dithering when to use cutouts and when to model. It's only when you start to build that you wonder things like how roofs look from below and how much detail to put in. Pity the early city had no gutters, they cover up a tricky part of a building. I'm having to consider LOD and occlusion culling from the start. The latter seems straight forward and I've had it working, the former, less so. Nice that they've added some of that stuff to the free version of Unity. Had another look at your early stuff the other day and we're all looking forward to the next bits.

Good going Helen! Like I've said before I admire anyone that can use blender. I'm getting back into using it a little to add a bit more atmosphere, such as the clocks working... some day in the future I really want to have it raining. I've used the video editing bit for the new film which has been a bit taxing at times, especially trying to line up the music with the film... but I've more or less got there. One tip about windows I've come to realise - put a box internally behind the window so the panes of glass to appear to indicate there is a room behind it, otherwise you'll be able to see into the void behind with all the joins etc, something which is obvious at times in my film if you know where to look. With roof geometry it is always a the trickiest bit to do, I don't think any of my roofs are completely right. There seems to a rule that says - if the front of the roof looks correct the rear of it will be a complete mess! As usual I'll post the film on youtube after the event.

Hopefully Pete will be along some time soon but I have to share what he has just posted in his Facebook site. I've dreamed about being able to do this for years!!!! Open the latest post fullscreen from outside The Kings Head and 'lookaround' with your mouse in 1890!!! - Coventry ReBuilt

Is it available for those not on Facebook?

I think so Cliff - try to click give it a go! You will be amazed.

I had . . . and I couldn't

Seriously good! I haven't got Facebook and I can see it on Windows 7. It probably needs something like Flashplayer.

I'm on Win 10 but don't have a facebook account. Is it different to the five available on YouTube?

Excellent! I use a tablet and it won't work with several browsers, including Puffin with built in Flash. But it does work with Google Chrome. Robin, with this when working you are able to pan around 360

Yes it's not a Youtube video, it's a 360 degree Virtual Reality view. It works for me when on facebook but doesn't when I'm not. That's Win7/Firefox, don't know about IE, Mac or Android.

Hopefully Pete will be here soon - I've made him aware I've updated here. He may be able to add to his website for all to see soon.

Works for me on Firefox with the cookies turned off and in Explorer with them on.

Hi all, I'm glad to see you like the 360 VR image. I've uploaded the images to the website, the 3D viewer works ok but it seems show the image with a slight stigmatism!?! link There are several bits and bobs I'm working on at the same time. I'll try and share the progress but some are really experimental so sorry it things don't quiet look right or they don't work at all. In all of this I'm still modelling / adding to the city. Currently I'm working my way down Gosford Street. I've managed to find resource material for most of the street, but oddly I can't seem to find a single image of the front of the Palace Yard, there are plenty of images of the court yard but nothing of the frontage? I try to avoid using artistic licence because things never look quiet right but I may have to in this instance... any suggestions for the way it might look are welcome. All the best, Pete