3d Model of Temple II at Tikal

Recently my final product of Temple II at Tikal was posted at Cyark.org.  As I have previously mentioned Cyark “is dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage sites through the CyArk 3D Heritage Archive, an internet archive which is the repository for heritage site data developed through laser scanning, digital modeling, and other state-of-the-art spatial technologies.”  I was lucky enough to get into contact with them last year via twitter after reading an article featuring them in Archaeology magazine.  You can read more about it in the About section of this site.

This was my second project for Cyark and I much more proud of this than my last attempt, Monte Alban.  The main difference between the two models was that all of my textures I used for this model were from actual pictures of Temple II at Tikal.  Justin Barton and the team at Cyark has been extremely patient and let me work at my own pace.

My work flow begins with utilizing the cloud point diagrams found on Cyark’s website.  Cyark gave me access to a user account where I was able to take individual measurements of all aspects of the model.  The models I am working with only hold a fraction of the million cloud points taken by Cyark’s 3d scanners. The process is always very slow at first.  After working in Sketchup and being completely used to the work flow, going back and forth between this unfamiliar 3d viewing program was a little difficult.  Thanks to the MONTHS it took me to do Monte Alban, I have gotten the hang of it.

Throughout the process of measuring the features of the model, I began creating the model.  Google Sketchup has my been my most used program on my computer for the last 3 years.  For a free program it does some amazing things.  I never had a background in CAD or 3d modeling and learning this on my own was not intimidating at all.  Unlike learning 3ds Max, which I am doing right now.

Once I was finished with the base model of Temple II, I began texturing it.  I took pictures of Temple II from Cyark’s website and began to slowly crop parts of the temple and resize them to fit their individual parts.  This is one of my favorite parts of the modeling procress.  This is where the model really begins to come alive.

After the texturing process I was able to convert the it into a .3ds file to send off to Cyark so they could add it in the 3d Viewer.  Please go check it out here.  I am not really sure what project they are going to have me do next.  I think I might jump ahead and start to work on the Temple of Jupiter at Pompeii.  Cyark is slowly filling out its ranks with new and exciting things.  I hope to have a full feature on them with an few interviews as well.

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