I just modified the category 1 rule - again. I noticed that there was talk of using Anything Grows and Philmo's Blimp plugin for making plants. I've never used either, so chalk up this lapse in my thinking to inexperience. Yes, it seems reasonable to be able to use actual Carrara plugins to make plants. I've amended the rule to read as follows:
"Plants and terrains in category 1 must be created by the artist using a Carrara function or plugin, or at least be created using native Carrara items from "basic plants," basic leaves," or other such specific content that came with the program."
I hope this opens a few more doors for everyone. It probably will for me. :)
Just a bit of fun using a particle emittor to create great looking flashes of light from a 'supposedly' highly reflective surface. It's part of an animation - but I don't use YouTube anymore or have any spare space on the channel I used to upload animated gifs - so you can't see it...
The particles are emitted by the '50' facing the camera and rendered separately. This is then used as an alpha map for a plane that sits in front of the camera through which the rest of the scene is viewed. It's a simple work around because Carrara doesn't have 'layers' and I don't know how easy a plug-in could do this???
So slick Selina! I've never used particles, so it is great to see what is possible.
Just a bit of fun using a particle emittor to create great looking flashes of light from a 'supposedly' highly reflective surface. It's part of an animation - but I don't use YouTube anymore or have any spare space on the channel I used to upload animated gifs - so you can't see it...
The particles are emitted by the '50' facing the camera and rendered separately. This is then used as an alpha map for a plane that sits in front of the camera through which the rest of the scene is viewed. It's a simple work around because Carrara doesn't have 'layers' and I don't know how easy a plug-in could do this???
So slick Selina! I've never used particles, so it is great to see what is possible.
Thanks for all who commented on the 'Flashy' Fifty... (click image to go to original post)
Here's a different method that doesn't require rendering a mask layer, but uses a duplicate invisible layer to hold the particles in the right place...
..and you can download the .car file along with a simple spreadsheet calculator to create your own - simples!
Created a leaf in the Vertex Modeller. And then saved it in the Objects Browser.
In the Plant Modeller, I loaded the leaf model. Because the hedge plant is supposed to be rather low, I made sure the Leaf Size was rather large, and the Leaves Quantity was rather low.
I then converted the plant into a Vertex Modeller object. (And saved it in my Objects Browser for later use...)
The Hedge it is just a shape created in the Vertex Modeller (that is made invissible), that follows the terrain, and then a Surface Replicator to populate the Hedge.
Very cool! I usually just draw out a shape onto the terrain and give it a new domain. The original shader will still work the same, since I don't change the UVs, but the domain can be used in the surf rep!
But the way you do it here is better for more control over things! Very Cool!
1 - A Golden Challenge - Unified Brain - nice image, reminds me of someone I used to know
2 - First Garden Gift - Diomede (Ted Murphy) - I think I could live here
10 - Burn, Burn, Burn - Stezza - terribly poignant given what's been happening 'down under.'
15 - Janna Sprite - Vyusur - beautiful work!
16 - 1950 Studebaker - Bunyip02 - Very 50s or am I mistaken?
19 - Hobbit Home - Varsel - The tranquil Shire, let's hope Gandalft doesn't show up anytime soon to spoil it!
This render is about the WW II US Army nurses at Corregidor island in April, 1942. The conditions were horrific. When US/Fillipino forces there were nearly overwhelmed by the Japanese, some nurses were given the opportunity to evacuate to safety. But they refused, preferring to stay and treat the thousands of wounded soldiers. A month later, the Allies on Corregidor surrendered. The nurses were imprisoned for almost 3 years, where they continued to treat the sick and wounded. The photo below shows them shortly after liberation.
I started this render as an experiment for achieving realistic skin tones in Carrara, and it expanded from there. The characters, from left to right, are V3, V5, and V4. I used standard skin maps. V4, for example, is Amy Elite. The hair is Librarian Pinup Updo, Zach, Riccardi, and Violet (the scarf).
There were three phases. Phase one was rendering the sky, planes (Japanese Zeros), and prop spin. Phase two was adding terrain. Phase 1 and 2 were then combined into a separate background and it was added to a plane primitive in phase three. Phase 3 was the addition of the characters.
Carrara processes include Realistic Sky, Clouds, Spin modifier (the propellers), Text (US pins and sig), Terrain, Plants, and Depth of field.
Carrara plugins were GMIC (Color controls) and Philemo's Cutouts and Blimps (palm trees and Caduceus pins).
I recreated all the flowers and leaves in Carrara so that my picture matches the category Garden. The base of the updo can qualify as hair. I also recorded a video on flower modeling:
Diomede and HW, thanks for the comments on my nurses render.
I have been drawn to try more realism in the human figure lately. I don't think that it is popular here, except maybe to Magaremoto. :) Then again, I'm still a long way from achieving realism. I've made some strides in figuring out how to render skin, but getting all the elements correct, especially lighting and hair, is a difficult challenge. So far, all I can approach is a kind of "exaggerated realism."
Comments
I like this ... so much awesome stuff... how did you do the hedge?
I tried a few weeks ago to make one in the tree room and gave up and so just modeled a cube and textured it lol
it's going to be tuff when it comes to voting which is a great thing
+1!!!
I just modified the category 1 rule - again. I noticed that there was talk of using Anything Grows and Philmo's Blimp plugin for making plants. I've never used either, so chalk up this lapse in my thinking to inexperience. Yes, it seems reasonable to be able to use actual Carrara plugins to make plants. I've amended the rule to read as follows:
"Plants and terrains in category 1 must be created by the artist using a Carrara function or plugin, or at least be created using native Carrara items from "basic plants," basic leaves," or other such specific content that came with the program."
I hope this opens a few more doors for everyone. It probably will for me. :)
So slick Selina! I've never used particles, so it is great to see what is possible.
Looks great.
Dave, thank you so much for your nice comment!
Thanks !
Thanks - had to do a bit of post-work on those brows !
Psychedelic !!!!
+1
Thanks for all who commented on the 'Flashy' Fifty... (click image to go to original post)
Here's a different method that doesn't require rendering a mask layer, but uses a duplicate invisible layer to hold the particles in the right place...
..and you can download the .car file along with a simple spreadsheet calculator to create your own - simples!
Thank you! Very cool.
Many thank-you's !!!
Substitution?
Had an idea this morning. Thought I would render Carrara, as used by me. Went through some of my old entries. Missing Cripeman. Kapow.
If I finish this, have to decide which project to substitute. Will probably replace either the space battle I am working on or the cake pinup.
@Diomede Cool Concept!
@FENgari That's really cool! And thanks for sharing!
To create a hedge.
Created a basic tree-shape in the Plant Modeller.
Created a leaf in the Vertex Modeller. And then saved it in the Objects Browser.
In the Plant Modeller, I loaded the leaf model. Because the hedge plant is supposed to be rather low, I made sure the Leaf Size was rather large, and the Leaves Quantity was rather low.
I then converted the plant into a Vertex Modeller object. (And saved it in my Objects Browser for later use...)
The Hedge it is just a shape created in the Vertex Modeller (that is made invissible), that follows the terrain, and then a Surface Replicator to populate the Hedge.
Very cool! I usually just draw out a shape onto the terrain and give it a new domain. The original shader will still work the same, since I don't change the UVs, but the domain can be used in the surf rep!
But the way you do it here is better for more control over things! Very Cool!
Very nice !!
Over at the other thread so far I like:
1 - A Golden Challenge - Unified Brain - nice image, reminds me of someone I used to know
2 - First Garden Gift - Diomede (Ted Murphy) - I think I could live here
10 - Burn, Burn, Burn - Stezza - terribly poignant given what's been happening 'down under.'
..and there's more
15 - Janna Sprite - Vyusur - beautiful work!
16 - 1950 Studebaker - Bunyip02 - Very 50s or am I mistaken?
19 - Hobbit Home - Varsel - The tranquil Shire, let's hope Gandalft doesn't show up anytime soon to spoil it!
..not forgetting
20 - The Gate - Headwax - a delightful image full of detail to explore.
Selina, thanks for the file and the comments.
Varsel, thanks for the hedge tips.
Diomede, nice start on the Carrara computer!
Zero Hour
This render is about the WW II US Army nurses at Corregidor island in April, 1942. The conditions were horrific. When US/Fillipino forces there were nearly overwhelmed by the Japanese, some nurses were given the opportunity to evacuate to safety. But they refused, preferring to stay and treat the thousands of wounded soldiers. A month later, the Allies on Corregidor surrendered. The nurses were imprisoned for almost 3 years, where they continued to treat the sick and wounded. The photo below shows them shortly after liberation.
I started this render as an experiment for achieving realistic skin tones in Carrara, and it expanded from there. The characters, from left to right, are V3, V5, and V4. I used standard skin maps. V4, for example, is Amy Elite. The hair is Librarian Pinup Updo, Zach, Riccardi, and Violet (the scarf).
There were three phases. Phase one was rendering the sky, planes (Japanese Zeros), and prop spin. Phase two was adding terrain. Phase 1 and 2 were then combined into a separate background and it was added to a plane primitive in phase three. Phase 3 was the addition of the characters.
Carrara processes include Realistic Sky, Clouds, Spin modifier (the propellers), Text (US pins and sig), Terrain, Plants, and Depth of field.
Carrara plugins were GMIC (Color controls) and Philemo's Cutouts and Blimps (palm trees and Caduceus pins).
No postwork.
I recreated all the flowers and leaves in Carrara so that my picture matches the category Garden. The base of the updo can qualify as hair. I also recorded a video on flower modeling:
Vyusur, I sent you a PM.
Awesome video!
Veronika, thank you so much for another modeling video. Excellent. The last song seems like a familiar ragtime piece.
UB - really cool tribute to the nurses, and excellent render. And I always appreciate some history.
Thank you, Dart, Bunyip, Selina, and UB for the kind comments on my efforts.
terrific vid thanks Veronika!
Fengari - wonderful to see you back - your work sparkles - you and Vyusur put the rest of us to shame.
UB that is one powerful render = amazed but what you can squeeze out with no postwork
Varesl - thanks for that mini tut - great to make a maze with
Ted _ Kapow back!! Your humour knows no bounds :)
Selina, thank you so much for you nice comment!
UB, Ted, Andrew, thank you guys for your kind words!
Kudos to Vyusur. She just redid her flower hair image in Carrara, to fit the garden category rules. Above and beyond the call.
Diomede and HW, thanks for the comments on my nurses render.
I have been drawn to try more realism in the human figure lately. I don't think that it is popular here, except maybe to Magaremoto. :) Then again, I'm still a long way from achieving realism. I've made some strides in figuring out how to render skin, but getting all the elements correct, especially lighting and hair, is a difficult challenge. So far, all I can approach is a kind of "exaggerated realism."
How do you add a leaf to the leaf folder? Whenever I try to load one from the instances tray, it says "An I/O error ocurred while executing."