Carrara Challenge 42 – PIONEERS – Dedicated to Eric Winemiller - WIP

AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438
edited October 2018 in Carrara Discussion

Welcome to Pioneers challenge.

This is a Carrara Challenge to Eric Winemiller, founder and owner of Digital Carvers Guild (http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/), a true pioneer of the Carrara plugins.

In his owns words:

DCG, like most plug-in businesses started out as a small single person shop. We released DCG's first commercial product for Ray Dream shortly before Carrara 1 was announced. Over the years we've expanded our product line and the number of developers.

Winemiller E. 2004. Plug-Ins and the SDK. 3DXtract.com. 2 [may 2004]: 18-19

Many of us have worked with these plugins. Now, as anybody here knows, recently, Eric has generously released DCG plugins as open source, thus all carrarists could make use of theses fantastic tools.

You can develop the theme of the Challenge 42 as your imagination would allow!

 

Rules:

  1.  You may enter up to three images. Images must be made for this challenge specifically. Votes will be on a per image basis. Each voter may vote for four images, one vote per image. An artist may only win one prize. Final images must be posted in the Entry thread to be considered. Voting is open to anyone with a DAZ 3D account. 
  2.  You must use at least one of the Digital Carves Guild plugins for Carrara, you can choose which one. 
  3.  Other plugins are allowed. If you do use a plugin, please let us know how you used it in the WIP thread.
  4.  When the entry thread is opened, you must link to at least one of your WIPs from this (WIP) thread in your entry. The WIP should contain your scene set up, or lights, or some other major scene component. 
  5.  Renders and scene set up must be done in Carrara.  The renderer could be the native one or a third part using a Carrara plugin, such as Octane or Lux, in which case a description of the process is required in one of the WIPs.
  6.  Postwork is allowed. If postwork is used, you must post a before and after render, and a description of the postwork that was done in one of your WIPs.
  7.  Pre-made content is allowed. Content should be listed in the entry when the time comes. Links would be great, but not required.
  8.  An artist can only win in one place.  There are four places and an honorable mention. The first place is for the image with more votes, and so on. 
  9.  The winner of the Challenge becomes the next Carrara Challenge host, and sets the rules for the next competition.  But should the winner decline this honor, the 2nd place winner will then get the opportunity to step forward and fill the role.

Important dates:

- WIP thread opens - Aug 24, 2018, 7pm, Mountain Standard Time, US.

- Entry thread opens - Sep 23, 2018, Midnight, Mountain Standard Time, US.

- Entry thread closes, voting begins - Sep 30, 2018, 23:00, Mountain Standard Time, US.

- Voting thread closes - Oct 7, 2018, 23:00, Mountain Standard Time, US.

 

Daz is generously continuing its sponsorship of the challenges, and we have PA sponsor too.

Daz Sponsored Prizes

1st place: $75.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s).

2nd place: $50.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s).

3rd place: $40.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s).

4th place: $30.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)

Honorable Mention: One item of the sponsor’s store: DimensionTheory

Post edited by Alberto on
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Comments

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438
    edited September 2018

    For instructions of installing and usage of the plugins, the DCG site have many information and is plenty of tutorials.

    General instructions by Diomede

    Diomede said:

    For Windows

    Eric posted the link to the free plugins.  Download from there.

    unzip the zip using the software of your choice.

    copy and paste the files to the extensions folder in your Carrara program file structure.

    not sure how it works for Mac folks, but am confident it is similar

    Return to DCG website, as linked above.  Navigate to the Carrara plugins section.  Each individual plugin has a page with info on installation and links to tutorials specific to that plugin.

    seems like pretty good support to me, but may be in the eye of the beholder.

    For example, for the first listed Carrara plugin, anything something or other

    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/plugin.php?ProductId=17

    - webpage has info specific to Carrara and to Lightwave divided clearly

    - continue scrolling down and there are sections beginning with “how do I”

    - the links to tutorials often include a link to download the complete scene associated with the tutorial

    For people completely unaware of their plugins, I recommend skimming the tutorial section before choosing a plugin for the challenge.  Might get some ideas of practical usage before investing too much time in one particular one.

    For example, for the first listed Carrara plugin, anything goos 

    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/plugin.php?ProductId=17

    - webpage has info specific to Carrara and to Lightwave divided clearly

    - continue scrolling down and there are sections beginning with “how do I”

    - the links to tutorials at top of page often include a link to download the complete scene associated with the tutorial

    From Carrara Cafe : How to install a Carrara plug-in under Mac OS X

    Individual links to specific plugin instructions:

    ANYTHING GOOS

    ANYTHING GROOVES

    ANYTHING GROWS

    COGNITO 

    DCG IMPORTER

    GROUND CONTROL

    NOIR

    PARCHMENT

    PROJECT GEMINI 

    SHADER GEL AND STROBE

    SHADER OPS

    SHADER OPS 2

    SHADERS PLUS

    SHOESTRING SHADERS

    STARBRIGHT 

    TERRAIN TOOLS

    TOON! PRO

    WIREFRAME PRO

     

    Tutorials at DCG:

    ANYTHING GOOS:
    Get started with Anything Goos for Carrara

    ANYTHING GROOVES:
    Anything Grooves sample shaders
    Get started with Anything Grooves
    Make the most of Adaptive Mesh
    Smooth text lines with Anything Grooves
    Stone wall
    Veloute-Grooves sample shaders

    ANYTHING GROWS:
    Animate Anything Grows and bones
    Assemble the Machine
    Creeping vine
    Crop circle secrets revealed!
    Get started with Anything Grows
    Grassy field
    Helmet hair to mullets
    Starscapes from Anything Grows

    COGNITO:
    Animate a music box
    Animate an elliptical orbit

    NOIR:
    Constrain the Noir effect

    PARCHMENT:
    Go primitive with Parchment and Toon!
    Mix NPR sketch with a normal render

    SHADER GEL AND STROBE:
    Crosshair spotlight
    Flickering neon signs
    Psychedelic light show

    SHADER OPS:
    Shader Ops sample shader

    SHADER OPS 2:
    Camera Mapping
    Explore Light Mangler

    SHADERS PLUS:
    Get started with GI Shadow Catcher

    STARBRIGHT:
    Animate a sunset

    TERRAIN TOOLS:
    Get started with Terrain Tools

    TOON! PRO:
    Get started with Toon! Pro

     

    Tutorials at Carrara Cafe:

    10 Reasons You Need a Falloff Shader Plugin
    Review - Shoestring Shaders - Desaturate Carrara 3D Expo Magazine Issue 4 p. 34
    Review - Enhance C by DCG 3D Expo Magazine Issue 5 p. 52
     

    Tutorials in 3DXtract.com ezine (they're available here: https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/29265/3dxtract-10th-anniversary-coming-up/p1)

    • Winemiller E. 2004. Ground control. 3DXtract.com. [Jan 2004]: 18-21
    • Winemiller E. 2004. Ground control with C4. 3DXtract.com. [Nov/Dec 2004]: 9-12
    • Winemiller E. 2005. Getting Tooned to Toon! Pro! 3DXtract.com. [Jan/Feb 2004]: 24-26

       Shader Ops, Ground Control, Anything Grows:

    • Tuten P. 2004. Woodland Scene. 3DXtract.com. [Feb 2004]: 17-21

       Anything Grooves:

    • Smith C. 2004. Featured Artist. 3DXtract.com. [Sep 2004]: 27-28

       Shoestring Shaders:

    • MacDougall P. 2005. Tutorial: Fake Subsurface Scattering. 3DXtract.com. [Mar/Apr 2005]: 29-32
    • Coles C. 2005. Time for Spring. 3DXtract.com. [Jul/Aug 2005]: 9-12

    The original page of Shoestring Shaders is still online: http://www.des-web.net/html/shoestring_shaders.html

    Shoestring Shaders Tutorials: http://www.des-web.net/html/tutorials.html

    Shoestring Shaders Fresnel in this forum https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/276471/fresnel

    Post edited by Alberto on
  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438
    edited August 2018

    Some images for inspiration:


    See page for author [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons


    By Léon Trousset (1838 - 29 December 1917) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Mission Santa Clara de Asis, California 1777

    "Always forward, never back"


    By The original uploader was Stefan Kühn at German Wikipedia. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    Dióscoro Puebla [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3a0864


    See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Laura Ingalls:

    Laura Ingalls Wilder and me
    https://flic.kr/p/dbU55R

     

    Little House on the     Prairie side view with wagon
    http://https://flic.kr/p/9niXfN

    Luois Pasteur


    Albert Edelfelt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Robert Koch:


    See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Koch's Collera expedition


    See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Pioneers probes:


    By NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    By Pioneer10-11.jpg: NASAderivative work: emijrp (Pioneer10-11.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    By Rick Guidice [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


    By Don Davis for NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

    Post edited by Alberto on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182
    edited August 2018

    Excellent choice.  Wonderful way to pay tribute to Eric and all the amazing plugins generously made available from DCG.  Looking forward to it.

    For some space scenes or starry skies, check out the free DCG Plugin StarBright to make and control a 360 degree starfield


    NOTE - this link is now FREE, it is not a commercial link.  Thank you, Eric.  http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/plugin.php?ProductId=14

     

    For myself, will have to put my thinking cap on.  There are so many great options.  

    StarBright 01.JPG
    517 x 123 - 32K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • VIArtsVIArts Posts: 1,504

    Oooo man, I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can do with all my new powers. This'll be a start.

     

    BTW and JFYI, I'm planning to change my username.

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,116

    Carrara Heaven ?

    sweet... great challenge topic.... I shall have to model my main piece for this one... or at least try to yes cool

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,996

    Wow great choice Alberto! I see there is a fine Wright brothers Flyer over on ShareCG ..... 

    Wonderful reference images and ideas ! 

    Love how so many of your references are examples of colonialism :) 

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438
    head wax said:

    Wow great choice Alberto! I see there is a fine Wright brothers Flyer over on ShareCG ..... 

    Wonderful reference images and ideas ! 

    Love how so many of your references are examples of colonialism :) 

    I'm here due this colonialism. I'm a descendant of spaniards, mexican indians, frenchs and africans... at least.smiley

  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,238

    This is a great challenge, thank you. And another thank you again to Eric Winemiller for bequeathing his plugins to the Carrara community. (Maybe that's the wrong verb...)

    My greatest challenge is actually finishing something...

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    Looks good, Alberto!

    I have never used any of the DCG plugins.  How exactly are they supposed to be installed into the Extensions folder (for example, copy and paste)?  When Carrara is open, where are these plugins found?  Are there tutorials on how to use them?  If you or others here provide this information, maybe you could post it in your second post of this thread?

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182

    UB, if you go to the Digial Carvers Guild site, there is a tab near the top for all the tutorials.  For each plugin, there are links to the tutorials for that plugin on that plugin's page.

    Here are the tutorials grouped as tutorials.  after you have browsed the available free plugins, you may prefer to find the appropriate tutorials from the respective plugin pages.
    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/tutorials.php

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,691
    Diomede said:

    UB, if you go to the Digial Carvers Guild site, there is a tab near the top for all the tutorials.  For each plugin, there are links to the tutorials for that plugin on that plugin's page.

    Here are the tutorials grouped as tutorials.  after you have browsed the available free plugins, you may prefer to find the appropriate tutorials from the respective plugin pages.
    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/tutorials.php

    Get started with Terrain Tools and Grassy Field both look interesting, along with all of the others.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438

    Looks good, Alberto!

    I have never used any of the DCG plugins.  How exactly are they supposed to be installed into the Extensions folder (for example, copy and paste)?  When Carrara is open, where are these plugins found?  Are there tutorials on how to use them?  If you or others here provide this information, maybe you could post it in your second post of this thread?

     

    Thank you!

    I'll refer you to the DCG site, because it's the best source of information: how to's, tutorials... very rich. 

  • de3ande3an Posts: 915
    Bunyip02 said:

    Get started with Terrain Tools and Grassy Field both look interesting, along with all of the others.

     

    Grassy Field? What is that? I don't see it among the DCG plug-ins.

     

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,438
    de3an said:
    Bunyip02 said:

    Get started with Terrain Tools and Grassy Field both look interesting, along with all of the others.

     

    Grassy Field? What is that? I don't see it among the DCG plug-ins.

     

    I think Bunyip speaks about this Anything Grows tutorial: http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/tutorial.php?TutorialId=9

  • de3ande3an Posts: 915
    Alberto said:

    I think Bunyip speaks about this Anything Grows tutorial: http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/tutorial.php?TutorialId=9

     

    Thanks! I thought I might have somehow missed a plug-in.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,996
    Alberto said:
    head wax said:

    Wow great choice Alberto! I see there is a fine Wright brothers Flyer over on ShareCG ..... 

    Wonderful reference images and ideas ! 

    Love how so many of your references are examples of colonialism :) 

    I'm here due this colonialism. I'm a descendant of spaniards, mexican indians, frenchs and africans... at least.smiley

    Yes some of my ancestors were dragged outhere as convicts, others left their own countries because of economic pressures ..

     

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    Because I have had some success in the Challenges, people here generally think that I know more than I actually know.

    I have large gaps in knowledge. 

    I've looked very closely at the DCG site earlier today, before posting.  The answers to my previous questions were not there.

    So, if you answer my (very specific) questions with "Look at the DCG site," I am no better off than I started. :)

    The plugins themselves seem great, based on art I have seen.  But the support materials are not that good, at least based on my experience so far.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182

    For Windows

    Eric posted the link to the free plugins.  Download from there.

    unzip the zip using the software of your choice.

    copy and paste the files to the extensions folder in your Carrara program file structure.

     

    not sure how it works for Mac folks, but am confident it is similar

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182

    Return to DCG website, as linked above.  Navigate to the Carrara plugins section.  Each individual plugin has a page with info on installation and links to tutorials specific to that plugin.

     

    seems like pretty good support to me, but may be in the eye of the beholder.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,996
    edited August 2018

    .

    Post edited by Headwax on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182

    For example, for the first listed Carrara plugin, anything something or other

    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/plugin.php?ProductId=17

    - webpage has info specific to Carrara and to Lightwave divided clearly

    - continue scrolling down and there are sections beginning with “how do I”

    - the links to tutorials often include a link to download the complete scene associated with the tutorial

     

    For people completely unaware of their plugins, I recommend skimming the tutorial section before choosing a plugin for the challenge.  Might get some ideas of practical usage before investing too much time in one particular one.

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182
    edited August 2018

    For example, for the first listed Carrara plugin, anything goos 

    http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/plugin.php?ProductId=17

    - webpage has info specific to Carrara and to Lightwave divided clearly

    - continue scrolling down and there are sections beginning with “how do I”

    - the links to tutorials at top of page often include a link to download the complete scene associated with the tutorial

     

    For people completely unaware of their plugins, I recommend skimming the tutorial section before choosing a plugin for the challenge.  Might get some ideas of practical usage before investing too much time in one particular one.

     

    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,182
    edited August 2018

    Head wax jumped between my posts - should read as 3 together to point to using the DCG website

    Post edited by Diomede on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,996

    sorry Ted, I removed my post to make it legable for the explanation

    here's a couple of toon pro renders with associated parameters - flyer from sharecg

    for the post work I also rendered out  a Wireframe pro plus used filter forge , - combined various shadow passes with the Digital Carvers' plugins

     

    Untitled-1.jpg
    2347 x 1202 - 663K
    Untitled-2.jpg
    2299 x 1362 - 533K
  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588
    Diomede said:

    Return to DCG website, as linked above.  Navigate to the Carrara plugins section.  Each individual plugin has a page with info on installation and links to tutorials specific to that plugin.

     

    seems like pretty good support to me, but may be in the eye of the beholder.

    OK, the original link to the tutorials page didn't help at all.  But as you mentioned, the information at the bottom on the individual plugin pages was very helpful.

    Thanks!

     

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    space pioneers!

    hairy alien cucumberssmiley

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,691
    Alberto said:
    de3an said:
    Bunyip02 said:

    Get started with Terrain Tools and Grassy Field both look interesting, along with all of the others.

     

    Grassy Field? What is that? I don't see it among the DCG plug-ins.

     

    I think Bunyip speaks about this Anything Grows tutorial: http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/tutorial.php?TutorialId=9

    That's the one. Also worthwhile checking out each of the tutorials as quite a few have a downloadable scene file with them, there are also some shaders.

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,691
    head wax said:

    sorry Ted, I removed my post to make it legable for the explanation

    here's a couple of toon pro renders with associated parameters - flyer from sharecg

    for the post work I also rendered out  a Wireframe pro plus used filter forge , - combined various shadow passes with the Digital Carvers' plugins

     

    Darnation, you stole one of my ideas, very nice !!!!!!

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,996

    Hey Bunyip02 there's plenty of room in the sky for more wright brothers :)  !!

    I'm not going to do it as my entry so please go ahead !! I just wanted a quick example for toonpro so I could post some settings for people to play with

     

    tehers's also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgolfier_brothers

    I like mistaras ideas of hairy cucumbers 

    there's dead explorer's galore to explore :) 

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,691
    head wax said:

    Hey Bunyip02 there's plenty of room in the sky for more wright brothers :)  !!

    I'm not going to do it as my entry so please go ahead !! I just wanted a quick example for toonpro so I could post some settings for people to play with

     

    tehers's also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgolfier_brothers

    I like mistaras ideas of hairy cucumbers 

    there's dead explorer's galore to explore :) 

    Hmmm, I will have to think up a different variation.

    Nice site for aviation freaks :- http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/pioneers.html

     

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