As we seem to be quite low on the number of entries this month would it be better to extend this contest into August, as teh Summer months do tend to be quiet on the forums?
As we seem to be quite low on the number of entries this month would it be better to extend this contest into August, as teh Summer months do tend to be quiet on the forums?
That would be fantastic! My entry has been rendering for over a week, and is currently at 54% antialiasing; I'm betting it's not going to be done by the end of the day tomorrow.
@Jay: I had to go back a page or so, but I found your post where you expected my next bowl of ice cream image would be an empty one. Well, I didn't want to disappoint you so the image below is just for you. It did taste very good, and I managed to lick all but the very bottom of the bowl clean.
As we seem to be quite low on the number of entries this month would it be better to extend this contest into August, as teh Summer months do tend to be quiet on the forums?
As we seem to be quite low on the number of entries this month would it be better to extend this contest into August, as teh Summer months do tend to be quiet on the forums?
That would be a gift. I'm in over my head on my entry (bit off more than I could chew as usual :red:) and was trying to figure out how to complete it in 12 hours. I really want to submit an entry. :-)
@Jay: Nawww...had I wanted a second helping I wouldn't have licked the bowl that clean. Hmmm...on second thought...
I'm editing this post to add my "on second thought." I decided to refill my bowl, but wouldn't you know it we'd be out of vanilla. So I grabbed what was left and doctored it up a bit, as I some times do.
Render options same as previous bowl of ice cream.
Title changed to "Second bowl of doctored ice cream."
I stay with the mountains (though I do like swimming). Wandering and gossiping, just the jogger is a madman. The lake is at 2365 m / 7760 ft altitude and when I was there with a T-shirt only, I felt the cold wind more than I liked.
Lit by the HDRI only, plus two radials to brighten up the shadows. Render time 4 minutes and 16 seconds with IBL quality 256.
Title: Wandering and Gossiping Resources used: Hitomi, Victoria and Michael from DAZ 3D. HDRI Lac des Dix.
Edit. Made a simple material for this. If you want a copy just email me and I will post it back to you. I tried to upload it to the exchange on Bryce5.com but I ran into an upload error. Maybe the file is too large. Same goes for anyone else who wants a copy of this material.
Or if you want to build the material yourself. Here's the source images. Note, that with the heightmap for bump. Because of the unusual way Bryce handles bump from images, you might need to use negative bump with some mapping modes to get the balls to poke out rather than look like little pits.
Here is my WIP, "shady spot". I don't know if I'm happy with it yet.
I'm not sure if the the dappled sunlight looks good or not, I sort of made that up with a light and a gel I created in gimp. If anybody thinks the gel needs to look different, let me know in what way.
I also feel like I'm missing something from the scene, it feels a little too bland right now, but I can't place what's missing.
Here is my WIP, "shady spot". I don't know if I'm happy with it yet.
I'm not sure if the the dappled sunlight looks good or not, I sort of made that up with a light and a gel I created in gimp. If anybody thinks the gel needs to look different, let me know in what way.
I also feel like I'm missing something from the scene, it feels a little too bland right now, but I can't place what's missing.
It is a good scene structurally, my suggestion would be to improve the lighting. As things stand, everything looks a bit "ghostly" because of a lack of shadows coming from direct light sources. A TA render might be too punishing though.
Here is my WIP, "shady spot". I don't know if I'm happy with it yet.
I'm not sure if the the dappled sunlight looks good or not, I sort of made that up with a light and a gel I created in gimp. If anybody thinks the gel needs to look different, let me know in what way.
I also feel like I'm missing something from the scene, it feels a little too bland right now, but I can't place what's missing.
I agree with David... What it needs more light and shade, higher contrast. At the moment it looks kind of foggy as the light is so diffused.
Hope you don't mind but I've crudely Photoshopped your original to show how contrast will make it 'pop'. Re doing the lighting will be much more effective than Photoshopping it. I also added a few light beams (God Rays) to draw the eye to the fact the mottled pattern is light through the leaves and not spilled milkshake on the bridge. :D
@Sean: Two of the best already helped you with this, but I have a couple of questions.
What type of day did you have in mind? If it's a bright day there will be shade under those trees and maybe some litter visible as well. The way the tree trunks are glowing I get the feeling of a clearing to the right of all the trees which is letting sun light in. But not all of the tree trunks will be lit, there will be shadow on the opposite side. And they won't necessarily glow, but will reflect some light.
The other question is what type of trees did you have in mind? Tree trunks have some type of texture to them, even those which appear smooth. Adding a bit of texture to those tree trunks will help them stand out. I really like what you've done, but it appears to be flat, two dimensional. Unless you were going for a two dimensional look.
@David, @TheSavage64, and @GussNemo, thanks for the feedback. I will completely redo the lighting and haze, I'm experimenting to determine how to best accomplish that right now.
@GussNemo, I was trying to aim for a near-white trunk color, similar in color to (but not necessarily the exact texture of) an aspen or paper birch (the trees are actually some other species, I forget which I imported from DS.) I looked at the trunk and branch materials again, and somehow I missed that the bump setting was at 0% and the ambient was at 100%, which is why the center tree looks so flat especially when in the shadows. Unfortunately if I just set the ambient to 0% where it should be, the tree trunk becomes nearly charcoal in color due to the shadows, so unless I find some spectactularly good light setting, I'm probably going to have to cheat with extra lights and/or some ambient anyway.
Which reminds me, I completely forgot I have some reference photos I took to work from. here are pieces of those three photos (NOT renders!) which is sort of what I was aiming for in my mind. Thanks for making me look, now I have the actual photos to look at. I may now end up editing the tree textures a bit if I can pull it off without making them look too manually edited.
@Sean: While reading your post I started to wonder if one of David's extreme material tutorials would help achieve what you're after. Or, have you tried using the global ambient setting to adjust ambient intensity? Just some things that crossed my mind while reading your post. I've never tried tree trunks myself so I may be talking through my hat with the suggestions.
I wanted, and still want, to have the tiles in something else than just plain black and white, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, so any tips are welcome.
Comments
@dan: Somehow I think your ticket will last longer in the mail than my ice cream will. :lol:
An IMPORTANT question for everyone.
As we seem to be quite low on the number of entries this month would it be better to extend this contest into August, as teh Summer months do tend to be quiet on the forums?
That would be fantastic! My entry has been rendering for over a week, and is currently at 54% antialiasing; I'm betting it's not going to be done by the end of the day tomorrow.
Seems like a good idea to me... As everyone seems to be out and about beating the heat. :-)
Extending the challenge is fine with me.
@Jay: I had to go back a page or so, but I found your post where you expected my next bowl of ice cream image would be an empty one. Well, I didn't want to disappoint you so the image below is just for you. It did taste very good, and I managed to lick all but the very bottom of the bowl clean.
I'm fine with that.
Guss...hahaaa...nice one - are you hinting for seconds ;)
Jay
Whatever you need to do.....is fine
No problem at all !
That would be a gift. I'm in over my head on my entry (bit off more than I could chew as usual :red:) and was trying to figure out how to complete it in 12 hours. I really want to submit an entry. :-)
Works for me. Maybe I can work up something better for a second entry.
@Jay: Nawww...had I wanted a second helping I wouldn't have licked the bowl that clean. Hmmm...on second thought...
I'm editing this post to add my "on second thought." I decided to refill my bowl, but wouldn't you know it we'd be out of vanilla. So I grabbed what was left and doctored it up a bit, as I some times do.
Render options same as previous bowl of ice cream.
Title changed to "Second bowl of doctored ice cream."
GussNemo, I am salivating over that one, caramel is my favourite
@head wax: Thank you. If we have caramel in the fridge it isn't uncommon for me to add it to any flavor ice cream. And chocolate syrup.
What about sprinkles? Where's the 100's and 1000's?
I stay with the mountains (though I do like swimming). Wandering and gossiping, just the jogger is a madman. The lake is at 2365 m / 7760 ft altitude and when I was there with a T-shirt only, I felt the cold wind more than I liked.
Lit by the HDRI only, plus two radials to brighten up the shadows. Render time 4 minutes and 16 seconds with IBL quality 256.
Title: Wandering and Gossiping
Resources used: Hitomi, Victoria and Michael from DAZ 3D. HDRI Lac des Dix.
@David: Sprinkles I understand, but 100s and 1000s refer to something I'm not familiar with.
@Horo: Nice image, and desolate looking too. It would be a nice place to walk or run, though.
Or if you want to build the material yourself. Here's the source images. Note, that with the heightmap for bump. Because of the unusual way Bryce handles bump from images, you might need to use negative bump with some mapping modes to get the balls to poke out rather than look like little pits.
@David: You're right, they don't have to be eaten to be used.
Here is my WIP, "shady spot". I don't know if I'm happy with it yet.
I'm not sure if the the dappled sunlight looks good or not, I sort of made that up with a light and a gel I created in gimp. If anybody thinks the gel needs to look different, let me know in what way.
I also feel like I'm missing something from the scene, it feels a little too bland right now, but I can't place what's missing.
It is a good scene structurally, my suggestion would be to improve the lighting. As things stand, everything looks a bit "ghostly" because of a lack of shadows coming from direct light sources. A TA render might be too punishing though.
I agree with David... What it needs more light and shade, higher contrast. At the moment it looks kind of foggy as the light is so diffused.
Hope you don't mind but I've crudely Photoshopped your original to show how contrast will make it 'pop'. Re doing the lighting will be much more effective than Photoshopping it. I also added a few light beams (God Rays) to draw the eye to the fact the mottled pattern is light through the leaves and not spilled milkshake on the bridge. :D
@Sean: Two of the best already helped you with this, but I have a couple of questions.
What type of day did you have in mind? If it's a bright day there will be shade under those trees and maybe some litter visible as well. The way the tree trunks are glowing I get the feeling of a clearing to the right of all the trees which is letting sun light in. But not all of the tree trunks will be lit, there will be shadow on the opposite side. And they won't necessarily glow, but will reflect some light.
The other question is what type of trees did you have in mind? Tree trunks have some type of texture to them, even those which appear smooth. Adding a bit of texture to those tree trunks will help them stand out. I really like what you've done, but it appears to be flat, two dimensional. Unless you were going for a two dimensional look.
@David, @TheSavage64, and @GussNemo, thanks for the feedback. I will completely redo the lighting and haze, I'm experimenting to determine how to best accomplish that right now.
@GussNemo, I was trying to aim for a near-white trunk color, similar in color to (but not necessarily the exact texture of) an aspen or paper birch (the trees are actually some other species, I forget which I imported from DS.) I looked at the trunk and branch materials again, and somehow I missed that the bump setting was at 0% and the ambient was at 100%, which is why the center tree looks so flat especially when in the shadows. Unfortunately if I just set the ambient to 0% where it should be, the tree trunk becomes nearly charcoal in color due to the shadows, so unless I find some spectactularly good light setting, I'm probably going to have to cheat with extra lights and/or some ambient anyway.
Which reminds me, I completely forgot I have some reference photos I took to work from. here are pieces of those three photos (NOT renders!) which is sort of what I was aiming for in my mind. Thanks for making me look, now I have the actual photos to look at. I may now end up editing the tree textures a bit if I can pull it off without making them look too manually edited.
@Sean: While reading your post I started to wonder if one of David's extreme material tutorials would help achieve what you're after. Or, have you tried using the global ambient setting to adjust ambient intensity? Just some things that crossed my mind while reading your post. I've never tried tree trunks myself so I may be talking through my hat with the suggestions.
Fun challenge. I have to give it a shot.
@reserv: That is really nice.
Agreed, and welcome to the challenge. :coolsmile:
Here's another one. A somewhat threatened Queen.
I wanted, and still want, to have the tiles in something else than just plain black and white, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, so any tips are welcome.