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Interacting characters are a real challenge. Without something for the Zebra to be jumping over it is hard to have a frame of reference but I think the Zebra's body needs to be rotated so his head and front legs are lower and his hind legs are higher.
If you have no done so I would group the Zebra and rider so you can rotate them together.
I would also suggest adding a large log or some other object for the Zebra to jump.
You have picked a really challenging pose. Some of the adjustments will not be easy.
1. The left thigh of the wrestler in red and the right thigh of the wrestler in blue look like they intersect slightly.
2. The right foot of the wrestler in blue looks like the toes of the boot are sunk into the rings surface slightly.
3. The upper torso of the wrestler in red looks like it needs to be rotated so her left shoulder is farther back. This will mean an adjustment to the wrestler's right arm and shoulder.
4. The wrestler in blue's fingers on her right hand should be in contact with the waist of the wrestler in blue. I believe blue's shoulder or possibly collar needs to be moved back slightly to allow the fingers on the hand to make the correct contact.
@ KnittingMommy
Yes, wise thoughtful people at forum here, or maybe a committee. Well no... Not a planning committee. If that was the case, we'd have the March challenge sometimre around December?
@ Daybird
Yeah, the critical part that's missing (as Chohole pointed out) is called a carabiner I think. It's a kind of "D" shaped aluminium clamp/ring they twist the rope around.
And yes... If all his body weight was up around his lower torso like that, he wouldn't be able to breathe, and might be looking at some cracked ribs!
I picked this photo to really press myself and force me out of my comfort zone. I mean I could've just picked a photo of a guy on a boogie board or something, but for a challenge to myself, I wanted to learn how to group objects in posing and tweak d-form where something like a harness would be pressing into his uniform.
In hindsight, maybe not the brightest idea. ; )
@ Chohole
Thanks for link. That give me some more specific terms to search for, but no luck. Just no harness or much of anything climbing related. Looked at ShareCG, Rendo, & Poser's store to name a few.
I asked at the commons, but no luck.
Happen to know of anything might be be able to 'wing it' sort of?
Thanks for replies and for reading!
--Bruce
If no props in 3D land, nothing for it but to cheat and make a cylinder or something? Suggestions welcome at this point.
Otherwise might be tied up for a while?
OK, that's not even remotely funny, so better log off.
---
Edit: weeding out old imgur files. PM missing links.
So I found a belt for him, and did the ol' cylinder thing for leg straps. The "D" ring is a torus because just nothing out there for rappelling stuff.
Added two ropes per Chohole.
If he was in a helicopter his 'valet' (person with the safety rope) might be aboard so he could actually use his weapon. (Unless an Aussie. They go down head first. Seriously. That really is a type of rappelling)
Anyway, quick dash of last night's work before off to real work.
Can I get a yes or a no about exact copy of the pose and 'official' entry?
I realize why we need to use photos for this month since so many 'pre-pose' shortcuts out there, but I mean it *is* the general idea. I followed the photo except for his arm (as explained) and his feet. He *would* need to keep them fairly extended or tilt off balance but it's not like he'd have to keep them fully extended I wouldn't think.
If not fair to others, can understand. Pleased with the progress last night.
Until the weekend then.
Thanks for reading!
--Bruce
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Edit: weeding out old imgur files. PM missing links.
Mhh, I found a picture that hit me instantly and so I took it for this chalange....and a chalange it is!!!
I realised very fast, that to pose a couple is 1000% more difficult than to pose a single person.
One big problem here is, that I don't now how high both people are. That makes a big different when you try to copy the pose.
Next big chalange will be her hair, but I will see, what I can do.
And the last big problem will be to find the right light setting. I think there are two light sorces right and left above them, but first I try to find the proper position for both of them.
Here my first testrender.
It's definitely getting close. I have no argument about the weapon, my other half and the rest of the tree gangs regularly carried Chain saws up and down trees, and sat in their harnesses and used them.
Ah, that looks much better. Maybe you can also add another rope from the clamp downwards, to give us the illusion that he slide down the rope by himself.
Only the angle from the belt seems not fit correctly to the rope, when we consider gravity.
@Tynkere - I like what you've done so far. I have to agree with Chohole on the gear, but sometimes you have to make do while working on a project until you come up with something better. Thanks for the nod on the props stop. I actually made something myself since I couldn't find anything and was too impatient to keep looking. It isn't awesome, but I'm happy I was able to make anything that looks somewhat like the props in the photo. My hand ring is too big, but for a third attempt, I'll live with it.
So, I thought I'd throw out a test render to show how I'm doing thus far. This is not final scene, nor framing. The facial expression is all wrong, but I wanted to do something and not just leave her blank-faced. It isn't perfect, but I'm pleased that I've made SOME progress. I'm still working on the dforce option. I don't have as many garments for G8F as I thought I did.
Wow, you did an amazing job with the fire and the props. Even if it's not finished yet, it looks incredible.
I absolutely love this.
@daybird - Thanks so much! It means a lot to me. I feel bad that I didn't pick something more challenging like you did, but I'm really a beginner at posing. Up until now I've been picking parts in the scene tab and using either the rings in the viewport with the universal tool or using the sliders under parameters exclusively. It feels good to step outside the comfort zone just so much. I like what you've done so far. Can't wait to see it finished!
Edit: In case it would help someone else to know, I made the ring, links, and ball in Anim8or using basic tools and a couple scripts provided by the community. I made the fire prop in Aartform Curvy 3D 3.0. The fire prop is lit with the campfire shader, once again, from my favorite paid lighting resource: Real Lights for DAZ Studio Iray. (Psst. Don't tell DzFire I said so, but I almost never pay full price for anything. You're never very far from a sale, bargain, or discount.)
That looks really good. Smart, too. :)
The official word is that you just need to use the reference image as a reference. Get as close as you can, but you can modify the pose as you see fit to go with your render.
Here is my first version of my pose. I know I still need to do some work on the torso.
Looks like a good start, @sueya.
@Wanderer That looks really good! Great job on the replicating the post. I'm actually amazed you were able to find similar props. Ground collision can sometimes be a problem. I'm finding it easier with dForce. It doesn't really help much with shoes and boots. Or at least, I haven't figured out how to do that yet.
@daybird It's a good start. Yeah, it's a tough pose. One thing you might try is to see if you can shorten the male's torso a little bit. Then you can bring the arms more parallel to the floor as in the original and her arms won't be clipping into his. Otherwise, you actually have a very nice start.
@Knittingmommy - Thanks! I've been learning so much. Now I understand why so many people say to enter competitions and challenges like this. Looking through all the issues of DS Creative for freebies again the other day, and the one bit of advice that I saw again and again was to do exactly that--er, this. Thank you for helping us.
@Sueya - Good start. I like Knitting's advice to get the hips right first. Not sure if it's quite there yet.
Okay, thought I'd post an update of where I'm at since I didn't set the time limit high enough and it kicked me out of render before being quite finished. I see a lot that I'm not happy with, but the things I am happy with are more numerous. I learned to do some dforce, a wind node, and first time ever using DOF. Having said that, even though I know what I don't like, I'm not going to tear it apart. Please, constructive criticism is requested so that I can get better. I appreciate it when others take the time to look at my work and comment. Some things aren't visible to me until I do a larger render, and then they're glaring. Heh...
@knittingommy - must the figure(s) being posed be human? Can human figures be textured and shaped to appear cartoonish or abstact as long as the reference pose is replicated? I visited MoMA oday and am feeling inspired by some of the Dada and Surrealist artists. Thanks, RA
That sounds really cool and different. Why not give it a try? I'm so curious, what it will look like.
@RA I don't think the pose has to be human. As long as you are using a referrence and can pose the figure, you should be able to use anything. I know when I did this challenge I used the wolf figure and used wolf referrence poses. As for the cartoonish or abstract bit, sure. Sounds interesting. Let's see your reference and what you are thinking of doing. Most of the cartoonish thing would probably through the use of shaders or postwork I would think so wouldn't affect posing. I'm trying to visualize what you might want to do. I love NPR stuff and I don't think we see enough of that in these challenges so I'd love to see what you are considering. I'm having a harder time trying to visualze abstract. Lol.
I must confess, that I would have also problems to pose her right. Her perfect butt makes it very difficult to look at the other parts.
And yes, I know about the ME TOO debate, but how can anyone not look at this part, when she wears such outfit.
@RA - I'm curious and looking forward to seeing what you make.
@daybird - IKR?
@Knittingmommy - NPR? What is that (apart from the obvious National Public Radio)?
Okay, for mine, I changed a few things, and turned off DOF because it simply takes too long to render. The last one I posted took 2 hours because the DOF kicked it out of VRAM and my CPU is old and tired, like me, and it was only 33% complete at that time. Without it on, the following image took about 15 minutes to complete. I also fixed a couple of minor issues with the pose as much as I could without messing it up. The framing is slightly different (slight angle change). The right arm and fire prop are off slightly from the original, which is apparent from the lack of light shining on the left forearm and right cheek. I'd like to fix the loincloth garment, but I was doing good to get what I have. Again, I fear messing it all up. Some issues might be due to difference in body type/proportions, but I've left her as is because changing the body type after posing started to cause other issues. I've included the original with a side-by-side for comparison.
Title: Firedancer
Software: Daz Studio for composition and rendering only. No postwork. Anim8or for hand props. Aartform Curvy 3D 3.0 for fire props.
Original: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1088557 I don't entirely trust this website, but the image appeared on the search for me and was too good to pass up. Permissions listed make it okay for use.
The trick to make her butt stick out like that is to bend the lower abdomen forward (as if shes reaching for her feet) and starting with the upper abdomen curve it backward plus there is the twist towards the viewer in her upper body which increases the effect. that will help as well to make her right arm look as long as in the original.
Yoga tip of the day try the poses yourself, in front of the mirror at best ( no I actually really mean that, even if you can't fully achive what the people in the photos do) even if only to a certain degree it will help understanding the body mechanics at work.
@Wanderer NPR stands for Non-Photorealistic Renders.
If anyone is interested in that sort of thing there is a whole thread devoted to it in the Art Studio with some really amazing images.The link is to the current thread. The first thread is linked in the OP post of the current thread if you want to go back to the beginning.
What means IKR? (Sorry my english is not so good.)
2h for this render sounds pretty good. I have no such render under 7h, because I don't own a Nvidia card.
The background fits perfect to your main figure and I find the yellowish red color palette in this scene still wonderful.
Are you crazy Linwelly?
If I really would try to copy that pose, I would be instant a case for the orthopedist!
@Knittingmommy - Thanks. Do you know if that Algovincian guy ever released his shader system to the public? I have to say his work is spectacular--as well as that of many of the others who have posted in those threads. When I see stuff like that, it makes me think I'll never really be an artist. So much creative vision and technique.
@daybird - (is okay) IKR is "I know, right?" as in, I totally agree with what you just said there. Thank you for your helpful words. Makes me feel better about my choices.
@Wanderer No, he hasn't. I wish he would but there are a lot of complicated processes to it and it's, well, complicated. I think he has some things in the works but I don't know when or if he'll be ready to release anything in the near future. @Algovincian does brilliant work. He's the reason I got into the NPR stuff myself. He's scary smart about all of this NPR stuff and using things like render passes and raw data from DS to create the looks he gets. I really don't think anyone comes even close to what he does. He tends to think it's all in the process he does, but don't let that fool you. He is wicked good at posing and setting up a scene. It isn't all his postworking process. There is some real talent there. :)
Lol. I tend to think the same things aobut my worth as an artist, too, when I see some of the talent around here. There is a lot of it. Just do the best you can. You will get better. And, from what I've seen, you have a really good start. Entering challenges like this one will help you, too. You'll get better and you'll learn by asking questions and working with the software and studying all of the great artists we have here on the forums.
Finaly got around to try and replicate the pose I chose. Version A is rendering as I type this.
Here's my start. It's rough for sure, but at least I've gotten started now.
@Shinji Ikari 9th - I like what you've chosen and the way you're interpreting it so far. The shield lighting is cool, but I worry about its impact on the rest of the scene. It really creates a strong focal point. I look forward to seeing how it progresses.
@Knittingmommy - Thanks. Your words are an encouragement to me.
And, as much as I hate to devote another post to it, I couldn't leave it alone. The expression, head tilt, hand, etc, etc. all bothered me from the new angle. So, I did one more render. I'm not crazy about some of the details, but I'm learning, so it's okay. So, last one for this pose and that's my final answer.
Thanks for putting up with me.
Everyone - thanks for the questions and answers regarding acronyms like IKR. Had no idea. Will help me outside my 3D hobby.
@Wanderer - Latest render is spectacular. Your pose appears very natural to me and the image lighting is convincing. No need to have DOF, etc. in every test render. The only constructive thought I have is about the flames. It might best be handled in post, which you said you were not doing yet, which is fine. They appear like flat white splashes to my eye. Might consider an orange/yellow to white gradient at the base or tip, even if just very brief. The flames in the reference photo are dominated by white, but there is still some slight yellowing at the edges.
@Shinji Ikari 9th - Welcome to this month. Glad you found a pose that fits what you like to do since you mentioned finding a photo reference could be an issue. Great job overall, especially on the reflections and light effects. Really carrying over from last month. Hard for me to retain information. One constructive thought is about the facing. The direction of the eyes and helmet don't quite match up between the render and the reference. In one the head is gazing ouside the right leg, and in the other the gaze is between the two feet.
Correction - @Sueya, not
@Daybird- Yoga. That automatically makes for a challenging pose. If I tried Linwelly's advice to try the pose myself I would definitely hurt myself. However, I know it is good advice. One constructive thought is to adjust the right hand's fingers and the angle of the right foot to the camera. The right foot might be addressed if you twist the body slightly as per Linwelly's suggestion. More of the sole of the foot faces the viewer in the reference.@Tynkere - Happy to be learning so much about mountain climbing and lumberjacks. Glad you solved the leg strap issue. Scouring the ether for props can sometimes take longer than just creating a primtiive within Daz or doing a simple model through the Hexagon bridge. One doesn't have to be a sophisticated modeler for many of the simple objects that populate scenes. Often the shaders can make or break them, rather than shape.
@Night678winG - The wrestling image is spot on. Lots of little details that I like, such as the tear in the stockings and the draping folds of the flags. As for constructive criticism, one observation is the left arm of the woman in white. Do you prefer the left arm up around the shoulder or behind the neck? Have to admit that I don't really understand the move but from your description I think the pressure would be applied further along, with the elbow bent enough that the hand can be slightly seen through the armpit of the woman in red. At least that is what I think I am seeing in the reference.
I hope to have an update of my project soon and will post a more current WIP. Keep up the great work.
Thank you to KM and other good folks who look in and offer helpful suggestions. The screenshots and mini tutorials have been especially helpful to me. That doesn't mean that I can get the fingers correct for someone playing a stringed instrument, though.
Here is my latest WIP. This is a WIP just for the pose. No attempt to get lighting or anything like that. Ultimately, I intend to have the character in a Back to the Future type setting. For now, the challenge has been to get the fingers and arms adjusted to match the musical instrument. (EDIT: That has meant that the arm angles don't quite match the reference but I've tried to preserve everything else). The process of trying has been much less frustrating since KM posted the tutorial. Thanks again.