Well here we go

DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
edited August 2021 in Bryce Discussion

I've been a Carrara user for more than ten years now.

 

I bought Bryce 7.1 Pro quite a long time ago, love the manual, love what's going on in this forum, but I've been so caught up with learning more about Carrara combined with the fact that I really don't get a lot of computer time, I simply haven't given Bryce a shot yet.

 

I had it installed on my last computer, but not on this one... yet.

 

Well I recently took the time to learn Daz Studio in order to help remove compatibility issues since Genesis 1 is the last generation Daz Figure that is fully compatible with Carrara.

 

I recently thought to myself - if I can do that with Daz Studio, I really owe it to myself to also take the time to learn Bryce 7.1 Pro!

 

So I've started a new section on my website to help light the fire under my tush as well as to inspire me. Truth told, I also learn a lot when I write stuff because I usually do a pile of reading and other research along the way.

 

I still have a rather pressing project to complete before I go all-in, but the process has begun, and I'm really looking forward to it!

 

See you all soon!

Post edited by Dartanbeck on

Comments

  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069

    Dartanbeck - welcome in the Bryce forum and also welcome to Bryce. I had purchased all Carrara versions from 3 up to 8 (but not 8.5) but hardly used it. It is a very good tool but the best is the one you know how to use it wink
    The Bryce section of your website looks great.

  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,954

    Dartanbeck - Welcome to the Bryce Forum. Wow you have a great section for Bryce on your website. Hoping to see some Bryce renders soon.

  • adbcadbc Posts: 3,076

    Dartanbeck : great website ! Welcome to the bryce forum.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Thanks All! :)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    I've done a few little corrections of speech, but also added some things to make it a better start, in my opinion.

    For example, I've added a link to Horo's awesome website in the David Brinnen and Horo section, added a link to the Bryce Help Topics, Chohole's memorial and other things.

     

    I'm really anxious now to complete my project so I can get headlong into Bryce and see what I can do with it.

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069

    Dartanbeck - just looked again at your website: yes blush blush.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Horo said:

    Dartanbeck - just looked again at your website: yes blush blush.

    Thanks! I love your website too!!! Very Cool!!!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    I'm not sure how well this will work, but while I was waiting for a render that was going to take an hour and forty-three minutes I decided to come downstairs to this lowly little craptop and see if it can run Bryce! LOL

     

    It's not as horrible of a laptop as I make it out to be, I'm sure. But it is truly loathsome compared to my Ryzen 7, 64GB RAM, GTX 2060 machine that runs my projects in Carrara and Daz Studio, DaVinci Resolve, HitFilm, Affinity Photo, PD Howler, etc., etc,

     

    Anyway, I only got as far as to download and install Bryce 7.1 Pro with native and Pro content and the few Bryce Add-ons I have purchased. You see, I really wasn't kidding when I said that I've always 'intended' to fire up Bryce and have a go with it. It's just that I was always preoccupied with my Carrara work - no time for much of anything else.

     

    MasterSeries: Cloud City comes with a wonderful tutorial system that I checked out while I was eagerly awaiting Bryce 7.1 Pro Golden Lighting, which comes with a bunch of stuff including a whole series of videos by David Brinnen.

     

    I started watching the first one and... oh man. With help like this, I'm pretty sure I'll be up and going fairly quickly. 3D construction (modeling), texturing and lighting are something I think I have a pretty firm grasp of, so it's mostly a matter of figuring out how Bryce wants us to operate - and these tutorials and videos appear as if they'll help me along nicely with that - especially with the resources I mentioned already in my starter section for Bryce on my website.

    I have to work in the morning so I'm not going to start exploring anymore tonight, but now whenever I'm waiting for simulations or renders I can come down here and at least try to catch a feel for Bryce and learn my way around. Maybe even build something nice to show.

     

    If it works (on this lowly machine, that is) I'll be writing of my experience on my website. If it doesn't, no harm no foul... I'll just have to proceed as originally planned and wait until my project is more complete.

     

    Cheers

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,954

    I mainly use Bryce; it's an awesome, very versatile program. With no artistic background, I'm proud of the work  I do using Bryce, my favorite past-time. The only other 3D program I use is  Wings 3 i.e. if I find good tutorials like David's. I have linked my Pinterest board in my signature. If I can do cool work with Bryce, you are going to do magnificent,  fantastic work with this program and combining your other tools, the sky is your limit. Have Fun ... Bryce is all about having Fun, Fun, and more Fun.

    Looking forward to seeing your artwork.

  • HansmarHansmar Posts: 2,750

    Dartanbeck, welcome to the Bryce forum. Great looking website. Now looking forward to seeing great renders you will be creating! Bryce may be old (outdated even, probably), but it still is very versatile. And you can find loads of advice and good ideas by people like David Brinnen and Horo, and wonderful renders by the likes of Slepalex, and others. But you already know that!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    mermaid010 said:

    I mainly use Bryce; it's an awesome, very versatile program. With no artistic background, I'm proud of the work  I do using Bryce, my favorite past-time. The only other 3D program I use is  Wings 3 i.e. if I find good tutorials like David's. I have linked my Pinterest board in my signature. If I can do cool work with Bryce, you are going to do magnificent,  fantastic work with this program and combining your other tools, the sky is your limit. Have Fun ... Bryce is all about having Fun, Fun, and more Fun.

    Looking forward to seeing your artwork.

    Hansmar said:

    Dartanbeck, welcome to the Bryce forum. Great looking website. Now looking forward to seeing great renders you will be creating! Bryce may be old (outdated even, probably), but it still is very versatile. And you can find loads of advice and good ideas by people like David Brinnen and Horo, and wonderful renders by the likes of Slepalex, and others. But you already know that!

    Thank You!!! 

    You know, back when I started using Carrara 8 Pro beta (just prior to the official release) neither Bryce or Carrara seemed like they would halt in development.

     

    With the art that comes out of them, and the people that use them I still feel it's a bad call to drop their development - but it's not my company, as much of a Daz 3d cheerleader as I am.

     

    Still, like I tell folks that bash Carrara because of it's apparent abandonment, just because it's not running the latest and greatest tech in the industry doesn't mean that we are losing out by using it. 

     

    Looking through the immense Bryce 7 Pro User's Manual I am astonished! I mean, just reading the Table of Contents (all of its many pages!!!) is amazing!

     

    Carrara is like that too. Endless supplies of possibilities laid out right before our fingertips - so easy to grab and use, yet complex enough to keep us working at ways to perfect it at the same time.

     

    My buddy is kind of perplexed at why I would choose Bryce as the next thing I learn to use. All I can say about that is: Let them be perplexed then!

     

    Chohole and I have become really good friends over the years. She's helped me through some pretty dark moments and we also just had plenty of great conversations together. She started inviting us (in the Carrara forum) to come vote at the Bryce contests, so I have been seeing great renders from this software for years!

     

    I have to say: I never really liked doing much in Daz Studio other than to use the incredible Content Creation Tools* and then also using aniMate 2's paid version* to tweak motions and create aniBlocks which I could then bring into Carrara and tweak into amazing animations. 

     

    * Links with a "*" lead to articles on my website, just FYI)

     

    After this recent stint into learning Daz Studio* more as an artist tool opened my eyes to what I've been so blind to all of these years.

     

    I mean, I had a lot of friends behind the scenes back when  Studio 4.0 was first coming out and I was blown away with what they've done to it, but still never felt comfortable working with it. Now I feel a lot more proficient.

     

    It's almost like going to VFX school and learning things like HitFilm and DaVinci Resolve* with Fusion* along with Sony Vegas really opened my mind up to more and more ways of doing things - especially that an artist should never really feel too stuck-in on a single piece of software. The more we know, the better we can jump around and use what's best for the situation.

     

    So now that I'm feeling proficient with Daz Studio, I am no longer held back away from using Genesis 2 through 8, as I can simply render those elements in Studio, then jump back into Carrara. 

     

    Recently seeing some videos by Horo and then from David Brinnen* started my mind onto a whole new trip of wanting to add Bryce to this process - and having some ideas as to what I want to use it for 'first' is something I haven't had before with Bryce, but now I do. Sometimes those 'first' ideas don't go as planned - and that's fine. As long as it breaks me into the software - the interface and tools, I can take it from there.

     

    The "Project" that I have to finish currently has a new workflow for me - jumping between Daz Studio and Carrara, running Particle Illusion* and compositing in video elements from Action VFX, incorporating it all together using PD Howler*, DaVinci Resolve, Fusion, HitFilm, Corel Video Studio Pro and Sony Vegas - DaVinci Resolve being the workhorse behind most of it.

     

    Check out my "Do It In Post" article for my thoughts regarding Post work

     

    It's funny too, because this new change in how I work* all began with my Carrara computer dying on me, so I began studying instead of rendering. Alita Battle Angel * came out which got me wanting to finally upgrade my main characters from generation 4 to 5 (enhanced by Genesis 2 and Generation 4 shaping morphs)*, and then I started writing my website to help myself keep my groove going and helping others along the way.

     

    After building my new Ryzen machine I began putting theory to practice. Success led me to wanting more. VFX techniques sparked my imagination to start trying out new, different things. 

     

    So am I starting off to learn abandoned software?

    No. I'm picking a tool of choice and intend on running with it!

     

    This was my first work on the new Ryzen after nearly a year and a half without having a computer

    And as much as I loved that hair (still do), it's also really problematic in many situations - especially when she's standing still, talking to someone, etc.,

    So the next evolution used dForce hair that is designed for Genesis 8 Female. At first I made (and still have) a Genesis 8 version of my Rosie character (3D super hero of my wife) but ran into 'not enough content in my library' issues, so I developed another new Genesis 1 version of her and converted the dForce hair to work with Genesis 1

    see Content Generations Conversion*

     

    Too much babble? Sorry. I go on tangents sometimes - especially when I'm waiting for a render! :)

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,954

    Awesome work, no doubt you are a master in 3D

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    <blushing> blush

    Thank you... but I'm just a rock drummer having fun with my art! smiley

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    Dartanbeck said:

    <blushing> blush

    Thank you... but I'm just a rock drummer having fun with my art! smiley

    Okay, in truth I've spent most of my life chiseling custom stone for patios, walls, walkways, cliffs, waterfalls, sculptures benches, etc., (custom stone chiseling) in a piece of the world that is beautiful with trees, flowers, prairie grass and wildlife. I speak with the animals around here and the people are absolutely bewildered by the effect that has caused between me and them. They (the animals) get excited, yet calm when I'm near! LOL

    I love getting kisses from puppies, kittens, cattle and horses!

     

    Digital filmmaking is such a strange concept for anyone living here that it is sometimes hard to explain what it is that I'm doing - so I want to finish this project and make the 'behind the scenes' videos to help explain it better ;) - and then I can Show them! 

     

    Still watching tutorials before I plunge in too deeply. I'm already thinking that I might need to uninstall and reinstall so I can delete the presets that I accidentally screwed up with the unique Import system. I'll get this though... I really will!!!

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    Oh... and I started playing drums in a rock band when I was 14 - same year as my first real job.

    Two years later I became a professional monster for our local TV channel: Zekiel Raven - Lord of the Dark, and I did introductions to "Tales from the Dark Side" TV series. So I got heavily into monster makeup art at 16, and it went along well with my new Rock drummer/singer career. 

     

    Still playing in rock bands. In fact, I have a "80's Hair Band festival to play tomorrow! :)

    DannyBeck041892d.jpg
    1028 x 767 - 425K
    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2021

    The name: "Dartanbeck" became a 'thing' from my nephew. I always called his dad (my brother) "Johnbeck", as if John and Beck were one word.

    My wife, the Beautiful, Wonderful Treasure, Rosie, called me d'Artagnan (pronounced dar-TAN-yan), after the fourth Musketeer, so my nephew called me "DartanBeck"

     

    When it came time to come up with a Daz 3d PA name, I chose "Dartanbeck", and I've been going by that ever since! :)

    dar-TAN-beck

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,954

    Thanks for sharing some personal info with the Bryce members. I think you should take a shot at entering the current challenge, the closing date is 30th Sept, there is plenty of time to enter even one render. smiley

  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069
    edited August 2021

    Dartanbeck - I agree with mermaid. Give the challenge a go. As a Bryce New User you may also get a price, so you can only win. laugh

    Post edited by Horo on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Sounds like fun, and a great way to pressure myself into getting that first render together! :)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Although it doesn't yet involve Bryce directly, this is a little Preface regarding "The Project" I was talking about:

    The Production

    Upon its release will also come tutorials and workflow demonstrations on how I am removing the barriers and constraints that come along with being tied to any one application for any part of a production, which also removes compatibility issues.

     

    At the same time I will also attempt a plead to Daz 3d to realize the value of the other production software under their banner - software which has the ability to put Daz 3d ever higher on the food chain within the industry, with more potential for PAs and customers, while invigorating a fan base that already exists. 

     

    Bryce and Carrara are formidable and ultimately interesting 3D Art applications that have immense potential in todays growing interest in home and studio production. In a world that, like me, realize that no one app has to complete the entire mission. That these apps Add to the interest of Daz Studio and its support products far more that deterring from them. 

     

    Nothing really competes with Bryce other than perhaps Vue, and even top of the industry software are just recently gaining abilities that Carrara has had for years. Launching upgrades to these two apps would create an imaginative stir that would impact Daz 3d for years, and I think they know that. So perhaps they're already planning it - who knows. 

     

    Either way, I intend to get fairly loud (and polite) about it.

  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069

    Dartanbeck - great render. I fully about your comment about Carrara and Bryce.

  • Yellow PenYellow Pen Posts: 918

    Dartanbeck - I see you are a great 3d artist. Your Pictures are amazing. And, I'm glad that Bryce have a new fan.

    And I agree with Mermaid and Horo, enter the Bryce challenge...

  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,954

    Dartanbeck - beautiful work, I agree with Yellow Pen you are an awesome 3D artist.

  • adbcadbc Posts: 3,076

    Dartanbeck : Awesome work. I agree with the others about the Bryce challenge.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Thanks All - Yes, I will see! :)

  • HansmarHansmar Posts: 2,750

    Dartanbeck, wonderful works. Please do not enter the contest, because that would certainly diminish my chances of succes cheeky

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    LOL!!! You are incorrect! ;)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103

    Nice reverse psychology though!!! I love it!

  • HansmarHansmar Posts: 2,750

    I thought I was being dead serious?

  • Yellow PenYellow Pen Posts: 918

    Hansmar - you're a funny Guy laugh

     

Sign In or Register to comment.