Carrara Challenge #26: “Caustics and Nautical”

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  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    edited July 2016

    Everyone is doing so good that I thought I'd start to mess around. All objects created in Vertex room even though they are very simple. Figured I'd start out with a Prism like object first which I creased all vertical edges on to keep it from looking too roundish. Next added a Vertex object and dropped in a rectangle via Construct/Create 3D/Rectangle and copied or duplicated/rotated it a few times to have a few walls. Added a sphere the same way as a different Vertex object and deleted half of and gave it a chrome shader.

    Now to add a bulb which only shines on the Prism... then turn off the default Light 1 by setting it's intensity to 0 and making it invisible... could have just deleted it.

    Currently there are only the chrome shader for the half sphere and a plain green shader for the walls... both are reflective. After first render which was rather dark with only the Prism lighted I turned Caustics on in Render Settings and changed a few of it's settings around until I got something fairly interesting.

    Thinking of either adding a few more bulbs all with different color settings or making a 2d texture with a the colors of the rainbow.... hmmm... what to do next???

    PrismAndPath.png
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    Post edited by wgdjohn on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,125

    Fun concept.  Looks great.  I like the multi-color idea.  Keep experimenting.  Thanks for posting the steps with screengrabs.  I am always learning. 

  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202
    wgdjohn said:

    Everyone is doing so good that I thought I'd start to mess around. All objects created in Vertex room even though they are very simple. Figured I'd start out with a Prism like object first which I creased all vertical edges on to keep it from looking too roundish. Next added a Vertex object and dropped in a rectangle via Construct/Create 3D/Rectangle and copied or duplicated/rotated it a few times to have a few walls. Added a sphere the same way as a different Vertex object and deleted half of and gave it a chrome shader.

    Now to add a bulb which only shines on the Prism... then turn off the default Light 1 by setting it's intensity to 0 and making it invisible... could have just deleted it.

    Currently there are only the chrome shader for the half sphere and a plain green shader for the walls... both are reflective. After first render which was rather dark with only the Prism lighted I turned Caustics on in Render Settings and changed a few of it's settings around until I got something fairly interesting.

    Thinking of either adding a few more bulbs all with different color settings or making a 2d texture with a the colors of the rainbow.... hmmm... what to do next???

    Looking good.

    It is fun to play with Caustics isn't it?

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    edited July 2016

    diomede, will do... not done experimenting yet. Since the top is open it crates a dark shadow, rectangular, on the back wall... thinking of a few things... possibly redesiging the half sphere to instead be a 3/4 sphere...who knows... not I.

    chickenman, Caustics more fun than I thought. Luckily for the Carrara challenges is that they teach everyone to learn new tricks.

    Carrara is funnnn!

    Post edited by wgdjohn on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,125
    edited July 2016

    Evolution of my neolithic nautical idea.  Stone age spear fisherman in coracle in rocky shoreline.  The walrus model is a from a baby animal collection from one of the Poser focused stores.  Not happy with a lot of things about the walrus.  Trying to decide whether to try to fix with morphs and shaders or to just model my own walrus.  Seems like it is not much more than a distorted sphere.

    Been playing with creating waves.  The ocean is actually a vertex cube, subdivided, and then a wave function added in the dislacement channel.  The foam crests come from a layers list shader.  I added white foam to the water shader by mixing the water shader with a white bumpy shader controlled by elevation in the opacity blend control.  I used a variation of a tutorial that EvilProducer posted at Carraracafe.  I'll add a link in an edit.  Plan to add some spray splashing against the rocks with a particle emitter. 

    EDIT:  Here is the promised link to the carrara cafe tutorial on foamy seas.   http://carraracafe.com/news/tutorial-ocean-with-easily-animated-foam/

    Although I am pleased with several elements separately, I am not happy with how it is coming together.  The combination of dull colors and lifeless poses is leaving me cold.  Expect significant changes.  Maybe I will move the camera closer to the human and add some danger.  Suggestions welcome.

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    shader settings for foam.JPG
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202

    That is quite the shader for the ocean.

    I would think if the walruses had some Carrara hair it might look better as they look like they are plastic due to the shinyness.

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    Playtime: :)  Before I changed the sphere I've experimented by assigning different shading domains for each... floor, side wall L then right and finally the rear wall. In both the first pic and last it's plain to see that the dark rectangular shadow I saw is from the opposing wall being opened and ending before the sphere is shown.

    1st pic has the same shader as the dome. 2nd pic has a white shader with no reflection, I think. 3rd pic is same shader as 2nd but with reflection On and it's shader set to a Value of 46.65.

    I like how false depth is added... much like a wall mirror adds depth to a real world room.

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  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202
    edited July 2016

    Here are some test renders I have been working on in a Nautical theme.

    I have HMS Victory and the Licorne ships and have not used them. Victory is not as pleasant to use as Licorne as there is only limited options available but they are both old items so cant complain.

    I am working on camera angles befor I add my characters.

    I am tending to like the one looking from Licorn back to Victory best and it gives a stage for Characters to be on.

     

    HMS Victory 3.jpg
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    HMS Victory 2.jpg
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    HMS Victory 4.jpg
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    Post edited by chickenman on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,125

    Great start, Chickenman.  If you are going to focus on some swashbuckling then I see why you would want the angle from the deck.  But the first pic could make for a good chase scene. All good.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,964

     

    wgdjohn said:

    Now to add a bulb which only shines on the Prism... then turn off the default Light 1 by setting it's intensity to 0 and making it invisible... could have just deleted it.

    Currently there are only the chrome shader for the half sphere and a plain green shader for the walls... both are reflective. After first render which was rather dark with only the Prism lighted I turned Caustics on in Render Settings and changed a few of it's settings around until I got something fairly interesting.

    Thinking of either adding a few more bulbs all with different color settings or making a 2d texture with a the colors of the rainbow.... hmmm... what to do next???

    that last render is triffic! 

     

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,964

    diomede wroteth 

     

    Although I am pleased with several elements separately, I am not happy with how it is coming together.  The combination of dull colors and lifeless poses is leaving me cold.  Expect significant changes.  Maybe I will move the camera closer to the human and add some danger.  Suggestions welcome.

     

     

     

    all the elements are there! I once read that an illustrator illustrates the event just before or after the climax - never the climax itself. I bring the timleine forward - the hunter is about to make the kill - excitement;  or just has - poignant and sad

    a hunter tall enough in the foreground will break the horison line, and a strong armed throwing action with spear will create a drmatic diagonal and lead the eye to the focal point   

     

     

    http://blueswami.com/Photos_Aborigines.html?page=1&scope=1&sortby=id&dir=desc&pic=1732 watch out you can see his willy

     

     

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,964

    @chickenman , looks great

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    diomede and chickenman, I especially like the water in both of yours... egar to see how the final renders look.

    headwax, thanks :)  After looking again it is the best of the 3... think I'll concentrate on blending or distracting from distracting the more or less sharp border of the blueish rectangle... hmmm... ok got an idea and will give it a go.

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    head wax said:

     

    wgdjohn said:

    Now to add a bulb which only shines on the Prism... then turn off the default Light 1 by setting it's intensity to 0 and making it invisible... could have just deleted it.

    Currently there are only the chrome shader for the half sphere and a plain green shader for the walls... both are reflective. After first render which was rather dark with only the Prism lighted I turned Caustics on in Render Settings and changed a few of it's settings around until I got something fairly interesting.

    Thinking of either adding a few more bulbs all with different color settings or making a 2d texture with a the colors of the rainbow.... hmmm... what to do next???

    that last render is triffic! 

    Did you mean the all green one from the above post or the last version of my 3 variations in my next post? I'm not sure which to work on. [cornfused]

  • starboardstarboard Posts: 452

    A few years ago I made a video of HMS Eagle as  she joined Admiral Boscawen's fleet in the blockading of Brest in the Seven Years  War. At the time I did not have the plans of the Eagle..and did not believe that they existed, as she was just another  60 gun ship with little to distinquish her at the time besides the fact that James Cook had started his naval career aboard this ship. Recently I have found the plans to the Eagle so its worth another try.  Also, since I made the video I have been learning Carrara and this contest seemed a good motivation to re-build this ship and to created HD video footage. As always it has been a learning process, which has dragged on and on. However this is what I have so far ..WIP. 

    1. The first image shows a frame of the Eagle joining Boscawen's fleet off Brest.  She is approaching the fleet from leaward while a brig sails for England with dispatches.  I built a typical 60 gun ship of the period. This can be compared with the model in Carrara which is far more accurate . The Eagle was only 60 guns..barely strong enough to be included in the definition of 
    "ship of the line".  The 60 gun ships were even at that time being replaced by 74 gun ships.

    2. Is a second frame from this clip and shows the Eagle beginning her salute to the flag ( Boscawen) While the ponderous 3 deckers under topsails continue their endless patrol.

    3. Shows the wire frame of the Eagle as built in Carrara.. The model so far has used 40 MB. However there is a tremendous amount of standing rigging, running rigging, and sails yet to come.  An of course there are the crew...Low poly figures.

    4. Shows the Eagle off the port quarter.  There are still  some clean up items to finish in the hull itself..But for my purposes it should be ok. During the mid 1700's they used a large amount of ornimentation on these ships...Wood sculpting was a boom businiess.

    5. Shows her off the port bow. The lion figurehead still needs work. And the stem needs to be  texture mapped so as to match the hull . At this stage I am not sure I can finish the model enough for the final submission..Lots to do.  

    Back to work.

     

     

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    Eagle B.png
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  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202
    msteaka said:

    A few years ago I made a video of HMS Eagle as  she joined Admiral Boscawen's fleet in the blockading of Brest in the Seven Years  War. At the time I did not have the plans of the Eagle..and did not believe that they existed, as she was just another  60 gun ship with little to distinquish her at the time besides the fact that James Cook had started his naval career aboard this ship. Recently I have found the plans to the Eagle so its worth another try.  Also, since I made the video I have been learning Carrara and this contest seemed a good motivation to re-build this ship and to created HD video footage. As always it has been a learning process, which has dragged on and on. However this is what I have so far ..WIP. 

    1. The first image shows a frame of the Eagle joining Boscawen's fleet off Brest.  She is approaching the fleet from leaward while a brig sails for England with dispatches.  I built a typical 60 gun ship of the period. This can be compared with the model in Carrara which is far more accurate . The Eagle was only 60 guns..barely strong enough to be included in the definition of 
    "ship of the line".  The 60 gun ships were even at that time being replaced by 74 gun ships.

    2. Is a second frame from this clip and shows the Eagle beginning her salute to the flag ( Boscawen) While the ponderous 3 deckers under topsails continue their endless patrol.

    3. Shows the wire frame of the Eagle as built in Carrara.. The model so far has used 40 MB. However there is a tremendous amount of standing rigging, running rigging, and sails yet to come.  An of course there are the crew...Low poly figures.

    4. Shows the Eagle off the port quarter.  There are still  some clean up items to finish in the hull itself..But for my purposes it should be ok. During the mid 1700's they used a large amount of ornimentation on these ships...Wood sculpting was a boom businiess.

    5. Shows her off the port bow. The lion figurehead still needs work. And the stem needs to be  texture mapped so as to match the hull . At this stage I am not sure I can finish the model enough for the final submission..Lots to do.  

    Back to work.

     

     

    Looking good sofar.

    You can always set up the camera angles to utilize the part that is completed if possible.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,964
    edited July 2016

    @wgdjohn this one :) http://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/89/97b4388a5e99408b7a12c629ed552a.png

     

    maybe you need a dash of red - very small to offset the green?

     

    @msteaka that's flabbergastingly good

    Post edited by Headwax on
  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202

    We know MSteaka loves ships so it is good to see that the theme inspired the artist again.

  • chickenmanchickenman Posts: 1,202
    edited July 2016

    Here are some more I am still playing with Point of view.

     

     

    HMS Victory 5.jpg
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    HMS Victory 6.jpg
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    Post edited by chickenman on
  • StezzaStezza Posts: 7,989

    @msteaka ... awesome.. yes

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 7,989
    edited July 2016

    playing around with another nautical theme... Lucky for us King Neptune ( or Triton whichever you prefer ) happened by!

    was thinking of the argonauts for some reason

     

    Post edited by Stezza on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,964

    great idea Stezza :) had me hunting an old one of mind own, an elf in a bath

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    head wax is reading my mind. :)  Finally changed the color and played with "intensity" at 2 different settings and pulled the view back a bit... had been messing around with different objects which did'nt turn out to add anything... perhaps I use them another time.

    Everyone's WIPs are looking *Extremely* good.

     

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    Caustics_Prism2d2.png
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  • StezzaStezza Posts: 7,989

    Here is the above image before postwork..

    I used G1 with the V3 mertail and Mech's neanderthal hair.. Daz dolphin, Skull Rock and a reworked Victory along with JoLabs liquid pack..

    also used freaky skins on G1 and tweaked all the shaders on skull rock and Victory.. I made the lame trident laugh

    Postwork was done in PSE14 with tweaking of the layers for colour and atmosphere/lightning with the use of Ron's brushes.

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  • time to show the work:

    the first image is with bumps on the walls and ball.

    and too low color to show caustics.

     

    the second image is without bumps

    and higher color so you see caustics.

     

    the third image is with bumps like the first.

    and with color and caustics like the second.

     

     

     

     

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    willy nilly lights2 no bump.jpg
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  • starboardstarboard Posts: 452

    WIP  Still at it. Have stepped the masts and have most of the standing rigging.  The running rigging is going to be a nightmare.....

    Chickenman. I like your composiitions...lots of drama. I like the views from onboard looking out at the other vessel. Its really too bad that Carrara does not have a more sophisticated ocean ..I tried playing around with it but have not had much success. I was wondering about adding a bump map to the the existing surface...If you had a wavelet pattern in B&W.. could this be used to dimple the  surface.?  If you could move this bump map over the surface, would it blend with Carrara's waves ..?

    Stezza, what happened to the Endeavour..I hope you have not given up on it... It is tough..I spent  bucket full of time  playing around with the present hull. What I mentioned in the previous posts abut the number of frames was not so...When I came to building this one I found out that the more frames the better.  The lofting should interpolate between the frames in a smooth curve..but in Carrara it seems to be a straight line. This is very apparent at the bows where I had to keep adding frames so as to create an acceptable curve. I hav enot had enough time to experiment with it..but there might be a smoothing tool or method.  Also..I only made  a half  hull for the one I am working on at present..then duplicat with symetry.  Works like a charm.

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  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    hi Msteaka :)

    if you make the ocean higher resolution,. you'll get more detail,.,.use the "Sampling grid" options to set the resolution to 1024 for the best detail

    If you add the ocean to a replicator,. and set the replicator to "seamless"  it'll tile the ocean. (it does the same with terrains)

     

    In the ocean shader,. you can use any shaders to add bump or colour ,. Noise/Fractal noise,. can work well for bump.

    You can also add terrain elevation shaders to add some white tops, ...only on high points

     

     

     

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634

    3DAGE, good to know thanks

  • wgdjohnwgdjohn Posts: 2,634
    edited July 2016

    My WIP's update:

    Finally created a Polyhedron vertex object, aftere a few ones that just would not work, to use in my entry. Looks great and doesn't disctract hardly at all from the caustics which to me create a textured look to the entire scene... not the one below of course. :)

    [Edit - Additional note]  For the texture on the infinite plane I used a shader from DCG Enhance C/Tiles... I-z just gota play with my 3rd party shaders every once in a while. :)  Looks fairly nice... unfortunatly it takes a bit longer for the .car file to load this simple scene... I believe it's because of the infinite plane... requires a lot of tiles to be loaded, calculated,... haven't tried it yet on just a plane which I plane to try out to compare for a quicker loading time.

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    Post edited by wgdjohn on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    edited July 2016

    we're in voting already?

    saw announce in the commons

    oh , we still haz a week. smiley

     

    Post edited by Mistara on
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