October, 2020 - Daz 3D New User Challenge - Atmosphere, Ghosts and Special Effects
Kismet2012
Posts: 4,252
New User's Challenge – October, 2020
Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest challenge.
New this year, we are breaking down each month into 2 different challenges. A Beginner Challenge and then also an Intermediate Challenge.
So which "Challenge" should you choose?
Follow the Beginner Challenge if you are:
- New to the New User Challenges
- New to Daz Studio
- Newer to 3D Rendering in General
Follow the Intermediate Challenge if you have:
- Participated in the New User Challenge for awhile
- Know the basics of Daz Studio and would like to learn more in depth topics
- Been using 3D Rendering Applications for awhile and feel comfortable with learning Intermediate Topics
*Please be sure to list in your post which Challenge level you are participating in*
Closing date for both is October 31, 2020
For a list of the current challenge rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules
They apply for both versions of the challenge.
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Comments
Ghosts, godrays and goblins...oh my.
Beginner - "Atmosphere"
Creating atmosphere in art is more than simply using some godrays, fog or dust in an image. It is creating a feeling; a sense of place or time. It needs to enhance and bring attention to the subject matter.
Tutorials
for DAZ Studio Iray:
http://sickleyield.deviantart.com/journal/Tutorial-Creating-Dust-And-Atmosphere-in-Iray-522291773
http://rawart3d.deviantart.com/art/Raw-FogCam-535959358 free product
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/334586/tutorial-adding-atmosphere-with-a-depth-canvas - this tutorial explains how to use a Depth Canvas
https://www.moonscapegraphics.com/post/2016/02/11/adding-an-atmosphere-in-iray - includes a sample scene you can download via Dropbox
DAZ Studio 3Delight:
http://www.omnifreaker.com/index.php?title=UberVolume
Linwelly's Simple Atmosphere Tutorial for 3Delight ( may also work in Iray ): https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1654176/#Comment_1654176
for Carrara:
Atmosphere Test Scenes for Carrara http://www.sharecg.com/v/33708/related/5/3D-Model/Atmosphere-Test-Scenes-for-Carrara
https://carraracafe.com/atmosphere-tutorial/
for Bryce:
Artist’s guide Sky Lab page 759
Bryce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahiyabdeUBI DOF in Bryce by David Brinnen
Bryce 7.1 Pro Easy - Spooky trees in Dan's fog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-lDcqH78Is
Bryce Basics - Free content cloud over Big Sur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs9490Co-XE
Atmospheric Basics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyLOZWevi8g A Blender tutorial but the first 46 seconds really give you an idea of what atmosphere can be like.
What are some other elements for creating atmosphere:
https://prezi.com/dmvb-nlsj_wr/creating-mood-in-art/
http://www.zevendesign.com/mood-lines-giving-designs-attitude/
An article in DS Creative Magazine (Page 40-41)
Don't forget to look at previous themed contests where information and hints are available.
October 2015's contest
October 2016's contest
October 2017's contest
October 2018’s contest
October 2019’s challenge
There are many products in the DAZ store which can be of help. You are not required to purchase any of these products to create your images. They are simply being listed for your convenience and/or inspiration. The promo images are also excellent examples of atmosphere using props and/or lights. Below is just a small sample.
DAZ Studio - Iray
Iray Distance Mist
Iray Distance Fog
Atmocam2
Iray Storm
Plane Easy Atmospheres
Fast Fog Iray 2: Electric Fogaloo -
IG Iray Dawn to Dusk 2 Atmospheric Lighting
FSL Rigged and Morphing Atmosphere Props and Shaders
Fog Camera
Time Inside Light Gels Bundle
Cinematic Light FX plus Atmosphere
Epic Props: Godrays & Volumetric Light for Iray
DAZ Studio - 3Delight
Above the Fog for Iray and 3Delight
Simple Godrays
Expanded Godrays - Celestial Bodies
Heavy Rain for 3Delight and Iray
Poser
Widow’s Woods: Forest
RDNA Atmospherics – Fog Vol 1
Spooky Light Gels for Poser
Bryce
Bryce ATMO
Some other items that may be of help in this Challenge:
The Golden rules of rendering can be found:
Bryce http://www.daz3d.com/golden-rules-composition-helpers-for-bryce
DAZ Studio http://www.sharecg.com/v/67783/browse/21/DAZ-Studio/Golden-Rules-Camera-Prop-v1.5
Also, DS has a built in thirds golden rule.
Here are various links to other things that may help you in this month's challenge. Credit is given to Szark for this wonderful thread.
Tutorials by Szark https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/2765/time-for-sharing-what-i-have-no-idea/p1
Here are some examples of images using "Atmosphere" provided by CV L'Adair.
Heart Of Winter
In The Misty Moonlight
The Night Watch
Dubious Shelter
Nocturnal
Here are some examples of atmosphere using lighting.
Strange Discovery
Yuzuru Full
Yuzuru
This was my home once
Intermediate Challenge - Ghosts and Special Effects
Working with Magical Elements and Forces
In this challenge you can use lighting, effects, atmospherics and special effects to bring your artwork to the next level whether it is adding magic to your favourite witchy scene or turning your favourite beloved characters into a ghost set to haunt people’s dreams
Muelsfell Storm of Magic Iray FX
Jepe's Effects - various products
Special FX for Daz Studio
Soldiers of Magic: Serpio
Ultraviolet Shaders, Lights, and Props
Iray Ghost Shaders
Vengeful Spirit for Genesis and Genesis 2 Female(s)
Special thanks to L'Adair for creating an example image containing ghosts.
Here we go taking a try at the basic challenge. I went digging through my older stuff for this one, I don't even know if some of it is still avalable.
Edit - I just checked on the two items that I wasn't sure if they were still offered, and it turns out that they are still around.
Nice start @Shinji. You have a very "war torn" and/or "natural disaster" style image going.
@Kismet2012, I was thinking more on the "war torn" side myself. Version B here besides tweeking the power armor's positioning and the left foot of said power armor, also adds a character opening fire on the power armor, and a pair of missles looking to take out the sholder weapons of the power armor.
Title: Threshold
Beginner Challenge
This is what I have so far; feedback would be appreciated!
This is my first attempt at using Godrays - I am using 3Delight
I used UberVolume and Dust. The only lights in this scene are an Advanced Spotlight and an IBL Light outside the window with a HDRI scene.
I also used a fog plane but it does not show up
I would like to know why the dog's toe nails are glowing
Definitely war torn...yep.
I know you will be adding more to this image. Looking forward to the next iteration.
You certainly have a spooky start.
Is the lantern the only source of light? If it is you might want to lower the intensity just a little to increase the shadows a little bit. Not much. I really like the way the light is framing your character's face. I wouldn't want to see you lose that but slightly deeper shadow in the adjoining room will add to the sense of mystery.
This is a great start.
Which dog is this? Is it DAZ Dog 8 or Millennium Dog? If DAZ Dog 8 did you convert the iray materials to 3Delight?
This is a great start.
For anyone interested in the Intermediate Level of this challenge I just added an image by Community Volunteer L'Adair with some ghostly figures.
And if you are interested, make sure you look at the image full-screen, preferably in a dark room for the full effect. It's slightly reminiscent of the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion ride in the Disney parks…
For the Intermediate challange. "In the Moonlight with Fog".
(I'm not sure what's going on here, but I may write a short story to explain it sometime!)
Rendered in 3Delight. With AoA lights. Fog and lightning special FX, with VYK Banshee in the Ghost Bride outfit. Postwork in Affinity Photo.
Thanks! Second try with the lantern intensity dropped a bit.
I can see a story in this image. I am glad to see 3Delight images.
It is a fine line between too bright and too dark. You still have enough light to illuminate his face but have dimmed it enough to add some deeper shadows. It makes me wonder what, if anything, he sees in that room.
Stretched on Your Grave
Beginner Challenge
Daz Studio 4.12
I had initially set out to make the one figure ghostly, but I struggled to get it to look as I wanted in my mind's eye. It worked well as is I think. The godrays were tricky to line up well and are a bit more subtle than I had planned. I still plan to tackle the intermediate challenge, but I want to rethink and plan a different scene.
Tirick
My poor GTX 970 hates my guts, I modified the strand based dual lobe hair shader to make it emissive and added it to a dForce hair, so now the scenes memory usage for lights is almost as much as geometry and textures.
Intermediate entry:
I think I'll call it 'Power Overwhelming'
There are still some other things I want to try as well as make a better cutout texture for the flames on her hands.
Any suggestions welcome.
I think the sublte godrays work. They do not always have to be strong to be effective.
I hate it when an image doesn't quite work out the way we hope. What you have created is very effective.
I am looking forward to your intermediate image.
The emmissive effect on the hair is quite effective. What are the points of light around the head and shoulders?
It appears you have a heavy fog/smoke element in the image. It is doing what it is supposed to do by diffusing the light but I am finding it hard to see details. If that is your intention then it works. But perhaps reducing the fog/smoke slightly might help with your rendering and allow more of your figure to be visible.
Great start.
Version C here, adding in the craft that had sent the rockets coming around for another pass.
While it looks like the pilot is making like "Mavric" from Top Gun, that is not the case, they just look closer then they are.
I wanted the power to be bursting out of her eyes, mouth and chest sort of like a super charged scream on the cusp of unleashing it. The points of light were the holes to let the light beam out from the chest area which admittedly didn't work very well and even less once I put an outfit on her. The heavy dust/smoke was also originally to try get noticeable beams of light which also wasn't quite working as intended.
I made some adjustments, tweaked her pose a bit, changed the chest light (still not satisfied with it though), reduced the fog but still managed to get light beams and changed up the hair somewhat.
I still need to make some better flames but for now here is version 2
The change you made here makes the entire image just pop, It looks fantastic!
Intermediate Challenge
Title: The Loathesome Cellar
Software: Daz Studio
Here's the first iteration of my attempt at the intermediate challenge. On top of trying to learn the ins and outs of composition, I really struggle with lighting a lot of the time. When I try to create a "dark" scene, I'm finding I need to set the Iray iterations to 50k, so it takes a long time to render, and then when I bring the render into Photoshop to try and clumsily do some minor postwork, that's when I first see exactly how dark, flat, etc the render actually is...
I'm terrible at doing said post work and really struggle with deciding what I need to go back into the DS scene and change in order to re-render and have different options in Ps. Any advice along those lines would be amazing.
Also, please nitpick away as far as composition, posing, placement, vantage point, rule of thirds, etc. I've been trying to keep those things in mind and work on them, but feel like I'm just not that guy who can say "this thing draws my eye", "this isn't balanced", etc.
I'll include the straight render from DS and my ill-advised attempt at post work in case it helps point out that one or the other (or both) is where I should be focusing my efforts, at least as far as lighting.
Look at tone mapping in the render settings. For a dark room set the Exposure to 11 or 12 or so and try it. EV of 13 is really for a bright room or daylight. Playing with this value can help get the lighting from good to perfect. I am no expert on this, but I read a ton of advice and tutorials and this really helped me with my darker renders. For my submission Stretched on Your Grave, I used 10 but there is really only one strong light. and a very dark enclosed room. I've read that you can play with the shutter speed and f/Stop values to tweak it but I am not familiar at all with real camera settings so have avoided it for now. EV as far as I know sets both.
Sickle Yield's Deviant Art tutorials are invaluable. This one here covers what you are looking for I think. https://www.deviantart.com/sickleyield/journal/Tutorial-Lighting-and-Tone-Mapping-In-Iray-531864617
@Tirick Wow, that one short tutorial makes it so simple to understand those settings which I know I've taken stabs in the dark at in the past, but didn't really understand... Awesome, thank you!!
Iray likes lighter scenes, so when you can use Tone Mapping to make it darker, it will improve the render speed. There is another technique that may help you get the effect you're looking for: Ghost Lights. The way a ghost light works is the light is visible but the mesh is not. Kindred Arts posted a great thread on how to do it, and then later released several products that are really handy. Here's the link to KA's ghost light tutorial. One of the great things about ghost lights is they aren't "specular" and won't create highlights on other things like a spotlight will. This makes them really useful as fill lights for dark scenes.