June 2016 New User 3D Art Contest “Scenes and Landscapes” – WIP Thread

evilded777

@Shinjiikari9th

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

Kismet2012 said:

I feel like you have lost some focus in the various changes to your image.  This is something I struggle with at times as well.  I make so many changes I lose sight of where I wanted to go with an image.

I am attaching a file of 3 versions with notes regarding which elements I liked in each.  These are just my personal opinions.  As always the image and vision is yours.

I also miss the sky background from the first images.  It provided a sense of space.  The rock formations in the final image are a bit confining.

Whatever you decide to do this is an excellent concept and you are doing a great job.

 

 

 

Here's version i. I went back to one of the cloud HDRIs that I have, and made some changes to the interior lighting.

can you toss just a little light on the hand? Its increasingly hard to see and determine what it is and what its holding.

evilded777

dracorn said:

Here are some improvements (the more I look at it, the more I need to fix):

I had originally set the boat to 50% scale because it was too large in relation to the Steppes. That made the birds also too large.  I increased the boat to 65%, and birds reduced to 65%.  I moved the boat back to increase the contrast with the shadows and lamplight on the shadows.  I adjusted the light on the monkey a little. 

I didn't like the color of the boat's lamps - they were plain gold diffuse and same color ambient.  So I gave it a clear glass shader, made the glass slightly transparent tan, and gave the ambient a more neutral gold glow.  Had to adjust the lamp light to match (it helps to parent stuff so when I move the boat back the lights move with it, duh).  Much better.

I quadrupled the shadow and pixel sampling to smooth out the grainy soft shadows and improve the look.  It slowed the render time, but it was still around 10 minutes. 

I just picked up Seaside Shore Shaders, so I will be changing the little islands to sand, but I have to leave and don't have time just yet.

Monkey?

Add a little more light to the boat, maybe? The lamplight helps to draw the eye there, but I think a little more wouldn't hurt. What is providing GI?

dracorn

Yes, the Monkey's name is Waldo... I adjusted the light on him, so he should be a little easier to find next render. I'm using 3Delight, and worked hard to get the shadows in the right direction. Can you tell me the trouble spot, Linwelly? I'm having a hard time seeing it. I'm still trying to learn all the acronyms, evilded777, but must confess I don't know what 'GI' means... unless you are referring to medical terminology.

dracorn

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

dracorn said:

Saphirewild said:

Looks like I am not going to have any time this week until the next months challenge because there has been a death in my family (My Brother-In-Law) so this week is not looking good for any rendering....so till next month I bid you all ado and good luck to all!!!! Some really amazing renders happening here!!!

I know how you feel, Saphirewild.  My nephew committed suicide the day before mother's day.  My husband found that this really helps: after the funeral, when everyone is gone and grief hits hard, that's a good time to visit (I assume) your sister.  My condolences to you and your family.

Sorry to read about your nephew dracorn, as well as your brother-in-law Saphirewild.

i know this hasn't been a good year for my family in reguards to loosing people. Like I said back in Feburary, I had lost my uncle, but I may not have mentioned that it was a suicide. I know that everyone had taken it hard, but I feel that I took it (and still am taking it) harder then most of them becaouse I was the last member to see or talk to him just the day before. The 5 month aniversery of our loosing him would have been his 56th birthday next month.

We've also lost his father to old age back in April. We had called him after we got home from finding my uncle, and I was so out of it that there wasn't any way that I could've tried to talk with him. (I think that I might have mixed myself a vadka to try and cope, I can't remember if I did or not. Eather way I haven't touched it again.) Back to grandpa though, like I said he passed in April at the ripe old age of 92 in his sleep from what I hear. A cousin of ours brought grandpa's ashes in with them so we could spread them on the mountains here were I live. I didn't even know if I was going to be able to make it because of how last minute it was.

Sorry about the rambling, but when I read your post dracorn, I guess it trigured something in me and I had to vent.

I ment what I said at the start to both you and Saphirewild, I'm sorry to here about your loses, and I wish both of your families well.

Hopefully I can get some rest after this because in about 40 minutes it will be right about when my late uncle called me for the last time...

night.

I would not call it rambling, Shinji, it's good to get it out. I worry most about my brother-in-law, who asked my sister-in-law about the hole in the wall, and she had thought it was the door slamming. Them he finds his only son dead in his bedroom of a gunshot wound. That image is forever burned into his mind. Putting into words helps us cope a little.

evilded777

dracorn said:

Yes, the Monkey's name is Waldo... I adjusted the light on him, so he should be a little easier to find next render. I'm using 3Delight, and worked hard to get the shadows in the right direction. Can you tell me the trouble spot, Linwelly? I'm having a hard time seeing it. I'm still trying to learn all the acronyms, evilded777, but must confess I don't know what 'GI' means... unless you are referring to medical terminology.

"GI" = Global Illumination.  UberEnvironment perhaps?

evilded777

Getting there. Suggestions before final render? I plan to render about 3x as big (I recommend the Asus Nvida TitanX... turns out I only had 2GB of VRAM, that extra 10 GB makes a huge difference), blend the lights better in post using canvasses and perhaps render a distance canvas just to add a touch of DOF... but I love how the glass came out on the walkway.  Can you make out the tiny sniper I put up there? I forgot who made that recommendation, but thank you.

Shinji Ikari 9th

evilded777 said:

@Shinjiikari9th

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

Kismet2012 said:

I feel like you have lost some focus in the various changes to your image.  This is something I struggle with at times as well.  I make so many changes I lose sight of where I wanted to go with an image.

I am attaching a file of 3 versions with notes regarding which elements I liked in each.  These are just my personal opinions.  As always the image and vision is yours.

I also miss the sky background from the first images.  It provided a sense of space.  The rock formations in the final image are a bit confining.

Whatever you decide to do this is an excellent concept and you are doing a great job.

 

 

 

Here's version i. I went back to one of the cloud HDRIs that I have, and made some changes to the interior lighting.

can you toss just a little light on the hand? Its increasingly hard to see and determine what it is and what its holding.

Here's version j. I'm thinking of going with something wookie for the title. Maybe "huuguughghg huuguughghg raaaaaahhgh wuuh" which is "are they shooting at us" according to http://www.wookietranslator.com/.

dracorn

evilded777 said:

dracorn said:

Yes, the Monkey's name is Waldo... I adjusted the light on him, so he should be a little easier to find next render. I'm using 3Delight, and worked hard to get the shadows in the right direction. Can you tell me the trouble spot, Linwelly? I'm having a hard time seeing it. I'm still trying to learn all the acronyms, evilded777, but must confess I don't know what 'GI' means... unless you are referring to medical terminology.

"GI" = Global Illumination.  UberEnvironment perhaps?

Ah, thank you. Yes it is Uber Environment. It is a preset provided with Skies of Economy, which I modified. Other lighting is AoA's Advanced Spotlights, and standard linear pointlights for the boat lamps.  As soon as I added my elf in the boat, I found she was overexposed so I had to play with the lighting. She really stands out, but I need to work on it before I post it again.

The sniper idea was mine, by the way.  I looked, even in the enlarged render, but I can't see him.  You need to illuminate him a little more.  Maybe back lighting to produce a silhouette?  I do like the way the glass walkway looks.  Your soldier looks as though he is concentrating - which works if he is ice man, but to pump up the drama, I suggest you intensify his expression.  I'm thinking Rambo here.  Maybe show some barred teeth. 

 

dracorn

Here is my latest rendition...

As I said before, I am trying to balance the lighting on the boat without making the elf glow in the dark.  I had to tone down the linear point lights at the lamps and replaced them with two spotlights shining on the water.  I added a few point lights to add the golden glow back to the boat.

Is it me, or is my elf just too bright?  I gave her golden skin, trying to get an islander look, and she is bathed in golden light.  Maybe I should make her skin a little more brown or perhaps change the color of the lighting?

I also adjusted the spotlight on the trees in the right foreground to line up their shadows with the sun.  Even though my macaws were the right size, I couldn't see them as well as I would like, so I increased the scale a little.  I upped the light on Waldo the monkey, so he should be a little easier to find.

And her's a close up partial render of the elf.

I think when I changed her diffuse to golden, I may have overlooked her tonenails, which is why they are so white.  But at a distance they can't be seen anyway.

Shinji Ikari 9th

dracorn said:

Here is my latest rendition...

As I said before, I am trying to balance the lighting on the boat without making the elf glow in the dark.  I had to tone down the linear point lights at the lamps and replaced them with two spotlights shining on the water.  I added a few point lights to add the golden glow back to the boat.

Is it me, or is my elf just too bright?  I gave her golden skin, trying to get an islander look, and she is bathed in golden light.  Maybe I should make her skin a little more brown or perhaps change the color of the lighting?

I also adjusted the spotlight on the trees in the right foreground to line up their shadows with the sun.  Even though my macaws were the right size, I couldn't see them as well as I would like, so I increased the scale a little.  I upped the light on Waldo the monkey, so he should be a little easier to find.

And her's a close up partial render of the elf.

I think when I changed her diffuse to golden, I may have overlooked her tonenails, which is why they are so white.  But at a distance they can't be seen anyway.

Reading about Waldo brings back memories about the books.

Linwelly

dracorn said:

Yes, the Monkey's name is Waldo... I adjusted the light on him, so he should be a little easier to find next render. I'm using 3Delight, and worked hard to get the shadows in the right direction. Can you tell me the trouble spot, Linwelly? I'm having a hard time seeing it. I'm still trying to learn all the acronyms, evilded777, but must confess I don't know what 'GI' means... unless you are referring to medical terminology.

Yes GI is global illumination and you can use UE or UE2 for that. Wih the shadows in 3delight you have to remember which one is you major light source, in an outdoor scene like yours that would most probably be a distant light (representing sun light) and for that one you have your shadows on at a high intensity and depending on the weather situation the softness turned low. For your scene a UE2 light in addition would make sense and I would advise for shadows to set on occlusion/ soft. For all other lights you might use it would make sens to either turn the shadows of (which I personally don't like) of to a very low level and all on the soft side except for when the light source is seen in your scene and the fact that the light is there makes "sense"

So probably your shadows are all ok, what confused me was that one low hanging palm tree, but looking at it again I guess its in line with the rest.

Linwelly

evilded777 said:

Getting there. Suggestions before final render? I plan to render about 3x as big (I recommend the Asus Nvida TitanX... turns out I only had 2GB of VRAM, that extra 10 GB makes a huge difference), blend the lights better in post using canvasses and perhaps render a distance canvas just to add a touch of DOF... but I love how the glass came out on the walkway.  Can you make out the tiny sniper I put up there? I forgot who made that recommendation, but thank you.

only suggestion that comes to my mind  might be to enhance the light / dark contrasts. Right now I have the impression its all very close in the tonal range. And no I don't see the sniper....

Kismet2012

evilded777 said:

Getting there. Suggestions before final render? I plan to render about 3x as big (I recommend the Asus Nvida TitanX... turns out I only had 2GB of VRAM, that extra 10 GB makes a huge difference), blend the lights better in post using canvasses and perhaps render a distance canvas just to add a touch of DOF... but I love how the glass came out on the walkway.  Can you make out the tiny sniper I put up there? I forgot who made that recommendation, but thank you.

No...but I have not been able to spot Dracorn's monkey either.  

Kismet2012

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

evilded777 said:

@Shinjiikari9th

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

Kismet2012 said:

I feel like you have lost some focus in the various changes to your image.  This is something I struggle with at times as well.  I make so many changes I lose sight of where I wanted to go with an image.

I am attaching a file of 3 versions with notes regarding which elements I liked in each.  These are just my personal opinions.  As always the image and vision is yours.

I also miss the sky background from the first images.  It provided a sense of space.  The rock formations in the final image are a bit confining.

Whatever you decide to do this is an excellent concept and you are doing a great job.

 

 

 

Here's version i. I went back to one of the cloud HDRIs that I have, and made some changes to the interior lighting.

can you toss just a little light on the hand? Its increasingly hard to see and determine what it is and what its holding.

Here's version j. I'm thinking of going with something wookie for the title. Maybe "huuguughghg huuguughghg raaaaaahhgh wuuh" which is "are they shooting at us" according to http://www.wookietranslator.com/.

I am so glad evilded777 suggested that light on the hand holding the gun.  It makes a huge difference bringing the focus right to the hand and gun.

 

That sounds like a great title.

 

Kismet2012

dracorn said:

Here is my latest rendition...

As I said before, I am trying to balance the lighting on the boat without making the elf glow in the dark.  I had to tone down the linear point lights at the lamps and replaced them with two spotlights shining on the water.  I added a few point lights to add the golden glow back to the boat.

Is it me, or is my elf just too bright?  I gave her golden skin, trying to get an islander look, and she is bathed in golden light.  Maybe I should make her skin a little more brown or perhaps change the color of the lighting?

I also adjusted the spotlight on the trees in the right foreground to line up their shadows with the sun.  Even though my macaws were the right size, I couldn't see them as well as I would like, so I increased the scale a little.  I upped the light on Waldo the monkey, so he should be a little easier to find.

And her's a close up partial render of the elf.

I think when I changed her diffuse to golden, I may have overlooked her tonenails, which is why they are so white.  But at a distance they can't be seen anyway.

The front spotlight on the boat seems a little strong especially compared to the light on the stern of the boat.  Can the lights on the boat be moved?  They should be swinging slightly with the boats movement. 

Your elf really stands out quite nicely.  She looks great.

 

dracorn

Linwelly There is only sunlight on the low palm. Yeah that shadow is a little weird.  The only spotlight that is casting shadows is one on the right foreground palms.  All other additions are fill lights with cast shadows off.

Kismet2012 Do I need to give you a hint?  Where do monkey's hang out?  Thanks for letting me know that my elf isn't glowing in the dark anymore.  I will tone down the light in front of the boat.  Unfortunately, the boat model is older and is not rigged at all, not even the oars move.  So no swinging lights here.  Unless I do a Photoshop trick, but probably not. I'm pressed for time as my work demands more overtime.  5:00 am to 7:30 pm today, ugh.  When the project is over, an 8 hour day is going to feel short.  I just have to get through July...

So... has anybody found the monkey?  Maybe I need to make him a tad more obvious.  My husband found him and he isn't good at finding things so I thought it was okay.

Shinji Ikari 9th

dracorn said:

Linwelly There is only sunlight on the low palm. Yeah that shadow is a little weird.  The only spotlight that is casting shadows is one on the right foreground palms.  All other additions are fill lights with cast shadows off.

Kismet2012 Do I need to give you a hint?  Where do monkey's hang out?  Thanks for letting me know that my elf isn't glowing in the dark anymore.  I will tone down the light in front of the boat.  Unfortunately, the boat model is older and is not rigged at all, not even the oars move.  So no swinging lights here.  Unless I do a Photoshop trick, but probably not. I'm pressed for time as my work demands more overtime.  5:00 am to 7:30 pm today, ugh.  When the project is over, an 8 hour day is going to feel short.  I just have to get through July...

So... has anybody found the monkey?  Maybe I need to make him a tad more obvious.  My husband found him and he isn't good at finding things so I thought it was okay.

I think that I've found Waldo, in the third palm from the right.

Linwelly

Just a reminder, there is one more day in June! Remember to post the finished renders in the Entry thread!

tcmeehan

Hi Everyone. My laptop wasn't fully up to the challenge I presented to it.  I had to stop my Iray render after 36 hours and 9000 iterations. I was only 32% finished.  One of the fans in my laptop started to make strange noises and I thought it best not to push it any further.  I had fun making the image and fun watching it slowly progress but I didn't think I could keep it going in good faith. I am not going to be able to get the fan in my laptop fixed for a while cause I need it for a few classes.  Does anyone know any tricks in photoshop for smoothing out some of the pixelization without losing all the good subtle details?

@Dracorn: I found the monkey and I really like your render! Is there any quick way to bounce a little blue light from the ocean back on to the rocks in your shadows?

Also, I saved my initial guitarist file so I can work on a seperate portrait like you suggested.

@Shinji:  Lighting up the hand in the foreground really brought your whole composition together! Great looking render.

Can't wait to see what the contest is next month and see what everone does with it, but I may have to take it easy depending on the condition of my computer.  

Kismet2012

tcmeehan said:

Hi Everyone. My laptop wasn't fully up to the challenge I presented to it.  I had to stop my Iray render after 36 hours and 9000 iterations. I was only 32% finished.  One of the fans in my laptop started to make strange noises and I thought it best not to push it any further.  I had fun making the image and fun watching it slowly progress but I didn't think I could keep it going in good faith. I am not going to be able to get the fan in my laptop fixed for a while cause I need it for a few classes.  Does anyone know any tricks in photoshop for smoothing out some of the pixelization without losing all the good subtle details?

@Dracorn: I found the monkey and I really like the image!  I saved my initial guitarist file so I can work on a seperate portrait like you suggested.

@Shinji:  Lighting up the hand in the foreground really brought your whole composition together! Great looking render.

Can't wait to see what the contest is next month, but I may have to take it easy depending on the condition of my computer.  

Cleaning up those shadows can take forever in Iray.  I do not have a specific way in postwork to clear up the pixelization but perhaps adding some fog/smoke type effects might help?

 

It is a great image. 

dracorn

Great image, tcmeehan! I really like this,especially the crowd and lighting. A few lighter flames in postwork would be a great finishing touch. I don't know of a way to clean up pixilization, and sharpen in Photoshop has its limitations. I've heard comments how rendering has melted people's laptops. That's why my new PC is a tower with 5 fans including a dual fan water cooler radiatior. I just finished my final render last night which took 1 hour 42 minutes. I wouldn't have the patience for much longer. I like your suggestion about the blue light bouncing back on the rocks in the shadows, and there is a quick way to do it... it's called Photoshop! I ran out of time and now it's post work time. I'm using 3Delight so I need to investigate how to do it.

TabascoJack

Nice scene. tmcmeehan.

 

evilded777

Getting there.

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

evilded777 said:

@Shinjiikari9th

Shinji Ikari 9th said:

Kismet2012 said:

I feel like you have lost some focus in the various changes to your image.  This is something I struggle with at times as well.  I make so many changes I lose sight of where I wanted to go with an image.

I am attaching a file of 3 versions with notes regarding which elements I liked in each.  These are just my personal opinions.  As always the image and vision is yours.

I also miss the sky background from the first images.  It provided a sense of space.  The rock formations in the final image are a bit confining.

Whatever you decide to do this is an excellent concept and you are doing a great job.

 

 

 

Here's version i. I went back to one of the cloud HDRIs that I have, and made some changes to the interior lighting.

can you toss just a little light on the hand? Its increasingly hard to see and determine what it is and what its holding.

Here's version j. I'm thinking of going with something wookie for the title. Maybe "huuguughghg huuguughghg raaaaaahhgh wuuh" which is "are they shooting at us" according to http://www.wookietranslator.com/.

Wasn't what I had in mind when I said "a little light", but it sure works.  Changes the whole tone of the image and its much more immediate...I like this one the best.

evilded777

tcmeehan said:

Hi Everyone. My laptop wasn't fully up to the challenge I presented to it.  I had to stop my Iray render after 36 hours and 9000 iterations. I was only 32% finished.  One of the fans in my laptop started to make strange noises and I thought it best not to push it any further.  I had fun making the image and fun watching it slowly progress but I didn't think I could keep it going in good faith. I am not going to be able to get the fan in my laptop fixed for a while cause I need it for a few classes.  Does anyone know any tricks in photoshop for smoothing out some of the pixelization without losing all the good subtle details?

@Dracorn: I found the monkey and I really like your render! Is there any quick way to bounce a little blue light from the ocean back on to the rocks in your shadows?

Also, I saved my initial guitarist file so I can work on a seperate portrait like you suggested.

@Shinji:  Lighting up the hand in the foreground really brought your whole composition together! Great looking render.

Can't wait to see what the contest is next month and see what everone does with it, but I may have to take it easy depending on the condition of my computer.  

Been waiting for this since you posted the minotaur guitar player.  Nice concept and well executed.

Knittingmommy

I've really enjoyed watching these scenes come together.  Shinji, I really love this last image!  Just Wow! Very nice indeed!  tcmeehan, instead of trying to clean it up, you might try using a filter to make the noise you do have an asset.  I'm not sure which filter would appeal to you but there are several in Photoshop and Filter Forge and Gimp that might get you the look you want and minimize the look of the noise.  I like the idea of adding fog or something, though, as lots of concerts use dry ice for effects and it would fit in perfectly with the rock theme.

Dracorn, I haven't had a chance to look for the monkey so I'm trying to avoid all posts that mention him until I find him!  I do like the scene, though.  TabascoJack, I love how your Bryce render turned out, too.

It seems like this month has been crazy busy for a lot of people, but I do see some entries in the entry thread now which is good.  Hopefully, I'll be less busy next month and get to join in more.  You guys all make sure you get your entries in tonight!  

tcmeehan

Hey Everyone! Thanks for the suggestions and feedback! @Dracorn: I really like your lighter idea, I wish I could have incorporated it earlier so I could have changes some of the hand poses to make it look like they had lighters in their hands.  Makes me want to have a Minotaur sitting at a piano singing a rock ballad.

@Kismet and @Knittingmommy: My Photoshop skills are very limited but I did try to add a little fog.  Thanks for the idea! I'm hoping with the added variation it helps take some of the attention away from the pixelization.

@Evilded: Thanks for the compliments! Your render looks great in the entry feed, I found the sniper when I clicked it to full size!  I think someone should make a Waldo morph so we could have a 'where's waldo' render contest.

@TabascoJack: Awesome landscape!

 

Defenistrat

So I have been lurking (again) all month. I feel like this is too general of a statement but everybody has some really wonderful images this month, and it so cool to learn from everything you guys are doing.

I had to travel for work the first half of the month, and then came home and got sick. I tried to start something a couple of nights ago, but didn't really have the time to finish it. Still wanted to share... just for the sake of... I don't know, holding myself accountable I guess since I kind of committed myself to participating in this event while I was learning.

Anyway, good luck all! Again, amazing renders!

dracorn

Anyway, here's my last and final render.  I put it in the Entries thread to make sure I nudged in before the cutoff.

I added the foam around the edges where the land meets the water, plus the haze.  I really don't like the wake, but I'm not sure how to do it better... especially last minute.  I used the smudge tool and then painted some highlights on top of it.  I swear that I own all of Ron's Water Brushes but couldn't find anything that would work for a wake.  And I thought he made everything.  Well, actually he has made everything.  I just have to figure out how to use it.

Finally, I found a little skinny triangle splash and used that as a paintbrush instead of a stamp.  I'm pretty new at Photoshop, so I was learning even as I did the post work. 

dracorn

Defenistrat said:

So I have been lurking (again) all month. I feel like this is too general of a statement but everybody has some really wonderful images this month, and it so cool to learn from everything you guys are doing.

I had to travel for work the first half of the month, and then came home and got sick. I tried to start something a couple of nights ago, but didn't really have the time to finish it. Still wanted to share... just for the sake of... I don't know, holding myself accountable I guess since I kind of committed myself to participating in this event while I was learning.

Anyway, good luck all! Again, amazing renders!

That's how we all do it.  Nice pose by the way.  Has lot's of 'tude.  I would like to see what you do with this - even if it's not for the contest.

Kismet2012

Defenistrat said:

So I have been lurking (again) all month. I feel like this is too general of a statement but everybody has some really wonderful images this month, and it so cool to learn from everything you guys are doing.

I had to travel for work the first half of the month, and then came home and got sick. I tried to start something a couple of nights ago, but didn't really have the time to finish it. Still wanted to share... just for the sake of... I don't know, holding myself accountable I guess since I kind of committed myself to participating in this event while I was learning.

Anyway, good luck all! Again, amazing renders!

This image definitely has potential.  So sorry to hear you got sick after traveling for work.