Show Us Your Bryce Renders! Part 4
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Playing around with the ever-wonderful Mandelbulb 3D (latest version, as of writing, is v1.8.7 beta-4 test.zip) freeware - used for producing ‘fractal-like’ images. It’s capable of producing weird fractal obj’s, too (this link is a YouTube video by Don Whitaker describing the steps for producing obj's).
The first image (obj included) below is Bryce-rendered (note, I intentionally stopped this 6-hour render half-way through as I felt the noise added to the ambience of the scene).
Fractals, on their very own, can be generated directly also (the second image below is non-Bryce aware), using the above version. However, for creating the obj’s, two other freewares’ - Fiji ImageJ and Meshlab - are required (see, again, Don Whitaker's second video) on the whole introduction to Mandelbulb 3D.
Experimentation, of course, is always required with new ‘wares, so time well spent is rewarded.
Mandelbulb 3D, I'll presume, would be very useful for those wanting to produce alien-like landscapes – both within Bryce, and without.
Title of first image: “Fractalyce”; second image: “Spikeworld”.
Jay
Wonderful images Jay!
Given a few spare moments - it's been a long day already - I've been playing with http://www.daz3d.com/bryce-7-1-pro-lenses-and-filters the EWL and mirrors and a little stepped model I made in Wings3D.
@Jamahoney - very nice. The first one looks like a beast, the second one like a building.
@David - great renders, I like the second best.
Agreed. It reminds me of a fractal, and I looooove fractals!
Cheers, David (love the third one down - very 'fratalicious') and Horo.
Jay
@David: Real nice cube. Not enough time to run through the tutorials now. Love all four of the mirrored images. The first and last remind me of looking straight up at the rotunda and seeing a very elaborate lighting fixture. The light at the four corners windows in the rotunda.
@Jay: Really nice images, they have a good alien look to them. The first one looks as though an alien ship is about to plow through, or into, something. And as Horo said, the second a building. One of several if the images at the right are taken into account.
Some pages back I showed an image that'd been sitting on the WIP shelf for some time. I pulled it out, and since I'd learned a few things since that time, added the water and the foreground boulders. It was better than it had been but the foreground boulders bothered me, so I pulled it out again and tweaked the foreground boulders. I also tweaked the haze and depth of field. Let me know what you think.
Although the DOF effect reduces the scale of your scene to a model, I like the effect of it here. To capitalise on this you could introduce a model of a toy - like a Lego character or something like that. The form of the terrain is good, the material looks good at this distance, the sky is letting you down here. It looks too generic... Which has given me an idea - I will have to test.
But yes, definitely coming along Jamie, looking good.
@ Jamahoney.
Thanks for all the links, it seems every time I turn around there is something new to take up my time, hard to focus with distractions like those, will try to use the methods to create some kind of organic plant life.
Cheers, Guss....and Tapioca
On your own work, Guss...I like the colour overall, and the sky suits my eye anyway - I like the contrast of the blue versus the red/orange.
As to DOF, have to admit never using it as I hate loosing detail. However, if I ever should use it in the future, it would be as background DOF rather than foreground DOF. I suspect there's an art to it - as I've seen many-a-photograph ruined by its over-abuse. But, as said, I'm detail-biased, and bias is overly-abused, too...hahaa :)
Jay
OK Jamie, I made this one with your image in mind. I don't necessarily commend this method to you directly (that is your choice), but hopefully you will see the benefit of ditching the Bryce default sky for something less generic.
Bryce 7.1 Pro Advanced - Using the texture capture cubic setup with SC - by David Brinnen
First image is scene with default sky, second is the replacement, just the sky setting and light has been changed, nothing else.
To add to this - the default Bryce sky is too pinkish. A sky is mostly grey with a bit of blue in it. I have some sky colours (and vegetation colours) that can be picked. Got to Raytracing > Resources. The pictures can be downloaded.
Thought I'd try David's Crepuscular Rays tutorial and here's the result - I used two renders as suggested - the Rays via the volumetric fog ball, then another render with better lighting on the Mech. (Objects whipped from MechaniXTC pack at Renderosity). Layered with screening in Photoshop. Made me very happy to learn how to do this - Thanks.
@David: Thanks for the kind words. After seeing the difference between those two mountains I will watch the video when I've more time. And I agree about the sky, or any sky I've used. I had wondered about the brightness of the center cloud mass since the sun/light is off to the right. Eh, nothing is set in stone.
@Jay: DOF was something that I thought during one render, just after I planted those four rocks a bit deeper. I'm not totally sold on it but it could be said an amateur photographer has a lot to learn about framing the scene. I may take out the DOF on the next one.
@Horo: Thanks for the info. I forgot just how much you have for free download.
@keryna: I like your results. The light rays look great.
@keryna - that looks excellent!
There is always something new to learn every day.
Thanks Jay for the Fractals - links, your renders are awesome.
David - thanks for all the videos and sharing your experience with us.
Guss - lovely abstracts
Keryna - Excellent use of David's tutorial.
@Jamahoney Now I really want Mandelbub lol, those are awesome!
@kernya Those rays do indeed look great...
Here are two new ones, a more-traditional Simplicity entry made with just 3 spheres and
no lights, and a Nexus one as well.
For our previous discussion @Guss and @Miss B, these were both made without interior
lighting at all, just shadowless mirrored shells and an MRD of 12. The colors in the Simplicity
one come from the sky, enhanced in post.
Oh, and here's a tip for the Nexus ones... since the "real" structure at the heart of the nexus tends
to look a little different than the reflections do, thus making the "seams" evident in may cases, you
can combat that by moving the camera until it faces the wall of the outer cube so that all you're seeing
are the reflections, not any of the actual structure directly -- which is what I did in this one. It makes it
all blend together better sometimes.
Nice colours in both of them.
@David: Finally had the time to watch that video, and three others while I was there. I see how using other than a Bryce sky DOES make a difference, though I'd have to do it without the Scene Converter because I can't purchase it at the moment; or I'd have to do dishes for a month just to get my better half to all me to purchase it. Can what you showed be done without the Scene Converter? As to the DOF in my valley scene, I'm not real happy with the results, so I may remove the DOF and allow the rocks in the foreground to become part of the scene again. Time will tell. But I do what to do something with the sky.
@TLBKlaus: Wow, I say as I wipe drool off my chin. Those two look great. And I agree with Horo about the color, especially in the Nexus image.
@GussNemo - be careful with DOF. It tends to make things in a landscape small. Use DOF rather for close-ups, say a flower or a rock close to the camera and a blurry backdrop - or vice versa. The sky does make a huge difference. Try to use custom sky, adjust the colours and the clouds. It is not that difficult.
Me thinks you don't need it, as your works are fractalized aready - love the top (gold, bubbley, glassy) one - so rich.
Jay
Edit: Btw, just got an update for Mandelbulb 3D (Version 1.8.9 - this link is a direct .zip file for download). It has far more formulae to produce the fractals, and had no problems with the download (takes just a few seconds).
@Horo: Thank you for the information. The more I look at that image the more I dislike the use of DOF to blur the foreground boulders. To me, it more of a distraction that helpful. Live and learn. When time permits I'll play around with the sky to see what I can come up with. It can't be as bad as what I first used. Also, that water material you steered me to is great stuff. The "too" green water look in one of the canyon images I posted comes from the material I used for the terrains forming the canyon and rocks in the water. It's material David created and is designed to show a leafy green on top of the object. When I figured this out is was a simple matter of placing a plane beneath the water terrain and giving it a blue material. The results are below.
Yes, if the water has some transparency (which it most of the time has), the ground below it can make a huge difference. Good choice here.
@Horo: Thanks. More to pack away in the old gray cells.
Yes.
Bryce 10 minute project - put a photo in the sky and improve your lighting - by David Brinnen
There you go Jamie,
That last looks very interesting David, I need to get to your tuts on putting renders into pictures...
I have a gorgeous shot from the British Virgin Islands that needs an Aikobot strolling along the
sand. :D
Here's a new Exology abstract, done by importing an object made in Cinema 4D which was then replicated
and rendered in Bryce... MRD at 12 and inside a shadowless mirrored sphere. Also some contrast/fog postwork.
@TLBKlaus - looks really nice.
@TLBKlaus and everyone else - having recently taken the time to work though all the postings on this thread , I must say its been such a pleasure seeing all the interesting scenes and WIPs, and amazing effects - its such a great learning opportunity, and Im learning from each of you. And loving the creative images too.
Here is an unrelated link, which may give some of you laugh and some distraction from your intense Bruce-work. It stars the son of our colleague, (who apprear briefly as the "poacher"), filmed mainly in Imfolozi Game Reserve, for anti-rhino poaching awareness,Please post to your friends if you want to help...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06lqe3ZgQ9o&feature=youtu.be
the "story" is a spoof of The original Beckham video is at...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPcjTefW_Ao
Now a technical Question for Rashid or David or Horro - Could one get the effect of structural colour in Bryce, where the physical microstructure of an object (eg a super-fine grating) splits light and reflects only some wavelengths like the structure of some butterfly wing scales does? EG...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4I9mmd-2Rc
I gave it a try with a serrated micro-pattern on a large "plate" but no luck. I'm assuming Bryce "light" does not have the relevant "wavelength and interference" characteristics that real light does....
Keryna...hahaaa..very funny on the Bechkam spoof, but, of course, serious concerning the Rhino killings. Was watching a documentary on the subject the other day (SKY, or maybe PBS...can't recall), and it really is a shame. I know this isn't the area for discussing such topics, but I'm sure the Admins won't object this one time. As for Sean Conway...he's just a crazy, crazy Irishman like them all...oooops ;)
TLBKlaus...pheeeew..what can I say.
David...off to watch your latest vid now...but love the distant fog/haze/atmospheric effect (if that's what it is, apologies) in your work above...it really 'sends' back the terrain/mountains (btw..is that your own terrain..it looks very sharp and detailed).
Jay
My latest render.
I did consider posting it as a challenge entry but decided it was probably more suited to here.
inspired by David's recent moody island landscapes though not using the same materials or methods.
Ouch with a render time of 11 hours... and the clouds could have been done a lot better.
Yes you can get this effect, you would use the anisotropic material property to create it. It would not be as a result of physical micro-structure within Bryce because the render engine does not have the capability to support that effect, but you can simulate the visual results of the effect itself within Bryce in any number of different ways.
Dave, it's nice to inspire new works, the shadows of the clouds on the terrain look great, but the render time...
Jay, I "geo-crafted" the terrain in Grome 3 - it took quite a while before I was happy with the shape, so I am pleased you like it. If you've watched the video, you'll see I did spend about a third of it faffing with the haze setting for just the reason of establishing the scale.
TLBKlaus, these shapes are wonderful, I keep thinking I want to try http://www.incendia.net/