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Some other thoughts - the location of the fire in relation to his left hand and the pose of the hand distracted me at first. It took me a minute to realize that he wasn't casting fire, but that it was just in the background. The fire is a bright spot that draws your attention. I'd suggest either a) use depth of field to defocus the background, b) lower the intensity of the flame, or c) move the can slightly.
This should fix those concerns - I am most embarassed by the positioning mistake with the pistol :)
Looked to me like it was completely shifted...as if it was 'set' and the character was scaled down a little, but the pistol wasn't...or something like that.
@ knittingmommy
Don't worry about it being similar to my image. It looks great!
(Sorry...I must have missed this earlier. Sometimes, I'm like a little kid. I look at the pretty pictures, but don't read the big words...)
Just a reminder. Contest ends at end of day tomorrow Daz time so get your images finished off and uploaded.
I managed to track down my first entry to work on it. Wise note. If you totally end up changing a scene from what you originally planned out, it might be a good idea to save the scene under a name that makes more sense with the final render. For instance, I started this out just to try out the technique used in a recent DAZ tutorial so I named it GlowingGirl. When I went back to look it up and work on it, I was looking for something I thought I had called Circus or Hoop or HoopGirl, but not GlowingGirl.
The good news is I found it, I made some changes. I fixed the hands which hadn't transferred well from the G2 pose that I used and I changed the outfit and made some modifications to the outfit that I think look nice. I made sure that the bar wasn't poking into the figure which is wasn't, it's just the angle. I also found some reference videos to make sure that pose was strictly legit and found that it was. I don't know that I would want to sit on the bar like that while 20 feet off the ground, but some people do that sort of thing quite well! I literally got sidetracked for a good hour or more amazed at what those hoop acrobats can do! I tried playing with a slightly different camera angle, but I think I still like the first one. I'm uploading both, though, in hopes of getting feedback. I think I've finally got the emission in the hair toned down. I'm not sure if I want to tone it down more or not.
Second wise note: When using Iray (don't know if it is the same for 3Delight), make SURE you turn off that headlamp. I spent quite bit trying to figure out why I had a strange white light on my figure when there shouldn't have been any other lights in the scene! That headlamp was seriously messing up the look I was going for in the scene! It was such a rookie mistake, too! Usually, that is the first thing I do when I create a new camera is turn it off, but, apparently, I missed that step this time around.
@dHandle Thanks. Yeah, there are times when I come in quick and look at all the pictures then intend to come back to make comments and sometimes forget, too. So, things like that happen. I like looking at the pictures and seeing how everyone's images evolve from that first image to that last!
I like both of them. In regards to file naming, what I do for the contests is (abriveation for the month)+year fallowed by a letter to represent the version alphabeticly. for example the first version for next month will be may2016a.
edit- now if I can just decide on a title so I can post this months entry.
@Knittingmommy , if I had to pick one I'd go for the first one, where she's leaning backwards. I noticed btw something on both images. I assume it's light reflecting in the shiny material and that it's not intentional. On her right breast she has two red dots. One just below the breast that's not too obvious and one very obvious that at a quick glance could be taken for a nipple. Might be an idea to remove them?
Yeah, I was looking at that after I uploaded it and thought shifting her position might help to shift those slightly. I think just rotating her on the axis might do the trick. I'll have to try that out in the morning. Running the render for the dancer entry right now. No, it wasn't intentional. I, actually, didn't get really good reflections like that on the body suit until I added the latex shader to it. I really liked the reflections, but shifting those two dots might be a good idea. I think I also like the first one better.
I agree with @isidorn. The first version looks more natural somehow.
The file naming sounds like a good idea and I might give that a try on the next set of renders. I think 'Last Stand' looks like a good idea for a title. Or, 'One Lone Holdout' or something along those lines.
@Knittingmommy I glanced at your newest render, and my first impression was "Cool! A sword swallower!"
/grin
Then I took a second glance. "Hmm...she's swallowing a flaming sword..."
Then I looked closer...."Good heavens! It's set her hair on fire!!"
/gasp!
Then I went looking for my glasses...
HA! I crack myself up!
Wow ... last day of the month and I FINALLY put something together. I started this yesterday and was originally doing this for my daughter (this is a character she has created in her mind that she uses for role playing). I heard so much about her I finally got around to bringing her to life. Yes, this has been heavily post-worked in Photoshop. I am posting the Daz version (non-post) as well to help for critiquing. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to enter this in the contest (I just wrapped post-work ... this has not been used or displayed anywhere). I would like to go on record as typing that I had something COMPLETELY different (and quite a bit more comical) in mind for this month (wasn't anything like the last thing I posted either). At any rate, i would LOVE ANY comments or any advice to make this better. The reason I'm here is because I've been going solo at this for so long. I truly covet the advice of the veterans here. So please please please feel free to comment, gripe, tear it apart, critique, advise ... yada yada.
Regarding composition: Never used composition techniques before this month. Until recently, I "eyeballed" everything. Sometimes worked, sometimes not so much. I feel like a new world has been opened to me
I used the thirds guide to try to line up her eyes and the fire. The bridge of her nose is at one point, the base of the flame is at another (or it was ... until I scooched it over in post ... ) I do find sometimes my eyes drawing to her mouth first though? In post, I've "screened" her eyes to brighten them and bring them out more.
Someone early in this thread was asking about whether to Iray or 3Delight? Well, Jaguaris is Iray'd ... the flame is 3Delight. The reason for this is I like the flame, but it doesn't behave with Iray .... sooooo .... in this case is it obvious, or does it work?
Lighting: Looking at this hindsite, I probably should use a silver sphere in the middle to gauge the HDRI position and lighting. If I have time today (knock on wood) I'll go back and do that. I'm new to HDRI, and this particular hdr is tricky to use, but it does interesting things and has all the makings of being rewarding once I get the hang of it. I added an emissive plane to add a soft highlight and soft shadows.
Pose: Expression is just ... not ... right .... trying to find that balance of "I may look young and sweet, but don't hack me off and let me find you in a dark alley" ... or something like that.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you so much!
Daz Render
Postworked in Photoshop
Omigosh, the flaming hair ... I LOVE IT!!!! Please don't be offended if I borrow that idea someday
I can't decide between the two poses. At first I thought the 2nd one was more natural. But the first looks has a real "mid-swing" feel to it. Dunno, either one works great to me.
@ebonartgallery
@ebonartgallery I know a little about combat stances, but I don't know much about guns (other than how to point and shoot one), so please take this with a grain of salt.
His weight, though nearly centered, is more prominantly on his back leg. Depending on the gun, the kickback (is that what it's called?) could knock him backwards a step or two ... a very bad thing in the middle of an intense fire-fight. Try bringing his hips a little more forward. The end result would be his back leg a bit more straightened and the front leg a little more bent.
Again, if the gun isn't a type that kicks heavy, then ignore me.
Also, you might want to check his straps. Sections are disappearing into his suit.
Overall it's very well done!
A very lovely image. Getting those subtle expressions are not easy and take a lot of fiddling with very minute changes to get it just right. In her case I think it might be her mouth...that may also be why your eyes are drawn to her mouth. Your subconscious knows it isn't quite right and is trying to figure out what is wrong. ( at least that is what happens with me a lot )
A slight head tilt might also help to convey the feeling.
Lighting: Try turning down the intensity of the light. I have not used HDRI's much myself so unfortunately I am not sure how to achieve this...rotate it maybe?...but her wings on our right, her left, are getting blown out a bit by the intense light. I would be nice to see the details in those beautiful feathers. The blowout is worse with the addition of the flame. Having said that the flame adds a very nice warmth to her face and helps to fill in shadows and really makes her eyes pop. You might be able to fix this in post.
Composition wise I think you are spot on...especially in the postworked version which includes the flame. My eye is drawn by the flame then goes right to her eyes. The background is not distracting and the overall colour pallete is very nice.
@Kismet2012 Thanks so much for the advice! The lighting was actually due to the emissive plane I am using. I shrunk the sucker and repositioned it (see other attachment for current lighting positioning). It does still seem a bit bright in one spot, but at least the textures aren't completely buried. I also tweaked her mouth and head tilt.
What do you think? (note, image grainy due to rendering being cut short for testing)
Thanks for your suggestions knittingmommy, I liked the second one, 'One Lone Holdout' better when I kicked them around. I've gone and posted so I don't forget to do so after I get home from work this afternoon.
Wow it was so cool to read this from start to finish and see these evolve in 20 minutes (instead of waiting the whole month lol) So sorry I missed the last two contests, I have spend almost a month putting my custom categories back together after the upgrade wiped them out. Now I am busy actually testing all the stuff I have since I haven't even used a tenth of it. Hopefully can participate next month. You guys all did a fantastic job!
The lighting is much better and the small area that is still a little bright should be behind the flame, or close to it, once it is postworked.
Her expression looks much better.
@kismet2012 Thanks so much for your help!
12 hours to deadline!
Not sure if I'll be able to finish my first project in time, I set up this little scene before I went to bed and had it render while I slept. I might enter it too, even though I'm not completely happy with it, or have it be my only entry if the other doesn't get finished.
The first is a raw render, the other has had some colour adjustments in post. Comments and opinions are most welcome!
I am not going to be able to get my render in this month in time!!!
How cute!! I do like the coloring you did in post. Nice one!
Ha!!! @dHandle You crack me up, too! Best laugh I've had in quite awhile!!!
In fact, I'm still smiling!!
@Kaliadder I wouldn't be offended. In fact, I highly recommend it. And, if you do watch this video. It is where I learned how to do it. DAZ 3D has a YouTube channel and they have been putting up some of the most awesome mini tutorials over there on different techniques inside DS 4.9 and the one on emissives was put out on the 12th and, until then, I had no idea what I was doing for the contest. I loved this idea so much I had to try it
I really like this version of the lighting! The whole thing is a very nice image!
@Isidorn Looks like a good start. I think, given the funny pose, you might try to make it look like she is smiling a little more. Maybe add in a fill light of some kind to try and minimize the shadows on the back wall? Maybe, also, try a more colorful background with sparkles or bokeh or something? She looks like she should be having a little more fun posing for the camera than she is currently. You could, also, try giving her head a little bend and twist so she isn't looking directly at the camera but being caught cutting up. Just my thoughts. As always, take with a grain of salt!
@Shinji Ikari 9th So, glad I could help! I really like how your image shaped up! I think I forgot to mention that!
My second entry is still rendering, but should be finished soon then I can finish up the first entry which actually doesn't take as long to render than the second one has.
Time is ticking people!!! Get those renders finished!
@Knittingmommy ... I will definitely check that out. Thanks!
I seem to be rapidly running out of April and this is still very much a work in progress. Here's the latest render anyway.
The tip jar is actually coming along nicely but I'm having trouble with the image on the coins and bills in it so didn't include in this render.
I'm also still troubleshooting the bear. In this render it has a spotlight directly over head and another one between the woman on the phone and the bear pointing directly at its chest, both at 200%. I'm gong to start playing with the shader settings on it next to see if I can get the hair to illuminat better.
h_habash & Kismet2012: Thanks for your suggestions!