Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
7533 S Center View Ct #4664
West Jordan, UT 84084
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2024 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Jaderail. Health has to be put before everything else. Do not create the tutorial unless and until you are well enough to do so.
My opinion on whether or not the tut should be created is this. Even though the current contest participants have a handle on the requirements future users may need more guidance. It has been mentioned many times in many of the contest threads that the old contests can be reviewed to learn techniques and tips. A future new user may find the information useful.
But again, please put your health first. You know yourself the best and your current limitations.
Thank you for the wonderful help and guidance you provide.
Looking good. You may want to think about enabling anisotropic specular (if you're using UberSurface).
Thanks. I did try out the Basic Ubersurface. Certainly a lot more options - I probably wouldn't have bothered checking it out without this contest :)
TobiasG:
wow, i really like how you are using shaders and lights in your scene! The composition is quite eye-catching and the production is quite hi level :)
Imo the only weak point now is just the sword design: the prop shows a too basic mesh with evident 'deformers' used for getting the object shape: flat surfaces/shapes extruded and beveled with very few details, straight edges that make it look like a set of industrial cutout metal - far from a hand forged sword... but that's a modelling issue, not sure a main point in this contest ;) So i apologize for the off-topicness of my comment, but i think your scene deserves a better sword ^^
Thank you!
The sword is a bit silly, I agree. The props from this set are very good for playing around with shaders and textures, not so good modelling-wise, though. I do have better katana models, but that wouldn't fit here.
Unfortunately, this month I don't have the money to spend on a decent sword model (and I don't have the time to learn to make one in Blender right now), and I'm not sure whether I'm that interested in Fantasy anyway to justify the expense. So, I don't see a way to improve on the prop, unfortunately...
I like your metal shader on the flat surface. As far as the model, eh,many swords were slabs of metal with edges, contrary to the "fantasy" stuff churned out by game designers and comic books. With the right shaders, it will be fine. Just go for more "cast metal" treatment for those parts that would have been cast and vary the surfaces. I think it is more of a challenge to take color and shade and make an illusion.. rather than rely on modeled in detail.
Texture vs modeled in is an old argument. I always point to this image.
Ok I missed this first view.. her little hand wrapped around that massive thumb is precious.
I like your metal shader on the flat surface. As far as the model, eh,many swords were slabs of metal with edges, contrary to the "fantasy" stuff churned out by game designers and comic books. With the right shaders, it will be fine. Just go for more "cast metal" treatment for those parts that would have been cast and vary the surfaces. I think it is more of a challenge to take color and shade and make an illusion.. rather than rely on modeled in detail.
Texture vs modeled in is an old argument. I always point to this image.
The sword is a relatively cheesy B-movie prop, which is somewhat hard to change with shaders, I think. The pic you linked has the advantage that it's paint on canvas (or something), so the artist is free how to shape, color and light his subject. If I were painting this (might do that...), I'd go for a different sword design. With Daz, I need to use what I have, however. Shaders are great in that they add flexibility and loads of options, but you're still working with specific props. I guess that's a feature, not a bug :)
That said, I tried a cast iron look for the non-blade parts. I think this is rougher, and less TVish looking.
The sword is a relatively cheesy B-movie prop, which is somewhat hard to change with shaders, I think. The pic you linked has the advantage that it's paint on canvas (or something), so the artist is free how to shape, color and light his subject. If I were painting this (might do that...), I'd go for a different sword design. With Daz, I need to use what I have, however. Shaders are great in that they add flexibility and loads of options, but you're still working with specific props. I guess that's a feature, not a bug :)
That said, I tried a cast iron look for the non-blade parts. I think this is rougher, and less TVish looking.
The painting I linked is just inspiration. What you did to the hilt is exactly what needed done, IMO, because it drastically changed the sword image and differentiated the materials used, and yes, making the best of the materials you have. I think that is the point. And, using the same techniques learned to make a "bad" prop look good will only do wonders on a "good prop". Also, these changes make it "your prop" instead of "everyone's prop".
Basics.. you did exactly what Rembrandt's student did in the painting. You took a flat, plane surface and changed it to the "illusion" of something else with color and light.
Well done, in my opinion.
I agree with the idea of making the most of what you got, since my modeling skills leave a lot to be desired its the textures and shaders that save me, at least for now. Without spending my life savings on content :-)
I'm really enjoying seeing what everyone has come up with, now I have about a million ideas running through my head, makes me very glad I've decided to take part. Anyway, here's my latest test using the masquerade masks, many, many thanks for these by the way. I'm going for a leather look for the mask, and simple wood for the shaft of the handle.
@TobiasG I still am loving the skin on your guy
oooo nice leather shader. I love leather. What did you use for your velvetness on the turtleneck?
While I would love to take credit for it, I just started playing with the dress now, the dress is from the Super Dress and Leggings for GF2 that was just released, I applied the velvet presets to get an idea of what to play with,
Maybe I should clarify since I just confused myself with my last post, the leather is mine, the dress was the default, and thanks btw
Thanks - the skin is out-of-the box Michael, though. I just toggled a few of the options it came with. Doing a skin shader myself isn't something I'm ready for :) And since the Michael skin is quite good, I don't see the need right now anyway. I'm lazy ;)
lol....I get that, hmmm....guess I need to spend more time playing with the men in my library more....and saying that out loud just got me a priceless look from my fiancé.
Thanks - the skin is out-of-the box Michael, though. I just toggled a few of the options it came with. Doing a skin shader myself isn't something I'm ready for :) And since the Michael skin is quite good, I don't see the need right now anyway. I'm lazy ;)
M4 or M5 skin? Don't know if it was the options you toggled, or your lighting, or both, but the skin does look very impressive. I like it a lot. If you do want to tweak it further I might suggest adding (or increasing) the subsurface scattering. Maybe even try the Subsurface Shader.
Great job with the mask. The lighting is very nice too.
and here's an unexpected result of mixing different displacement and bump maps.....kinda funky though
That looks like my AoA subsurface attempts. Yours is prettier.
M4 or M5 skin? Don't know if it was the options you toggled, or your lighting, or both, but the skin does look very impressive. I like it a lot. If you do want to tweak it further I might suggest adding (or increasing) the subsurface scattering. Maybe even try the Subsurface Shader.
It's M5. It comes with SS and other options, most of which I set to high. I'll have a try whether sss can be improved.
M5 default...good to know, I'll have to play around with him.
And the image is evolving, at this point though, I can't tell if I lost the velvet when playing with the shader, or if my eyes are a little blurry at this point,
Looking good so far
new shader.
Mainly for Kismet, I was looking at Novica and Serenenights thread and saw they had done a helicoptor drone thingy. I thought the camoflage paint was interesting, so I surfed about and found this image. Something like this for your Colo, maybe, but less blue?
Also it seems most of the new camoflage has gone digital, I know my sons stuff is. Easy to play with :)
sweet camo shader....me likey
Nice camo. Did you make it or is it a shader?
Great camo shader. You work you have done with shaders and textures is very impressive.
Nice camo. Did you make it or is it a shader?
I made a shader. It is kind of the newer US ARMY digital. At first I tried a jpg of my son's laundry bag he left home last leave. (imagine that.. he brought home laundry) That didn't work so well so I found an open source jpg on the net. It is digitally generated, so really easy to work with.
Oops I was talking wrong image, No the helecopter is an actual photo, but I do plan to make that as a shader as soon as I figure out how to generate random digital patterns.
Hmm.. I'm not getting the Choppers Camo at all. It looks like it really stands out against the sky to me. LOL, wink, wink nudge, nudge...
It never made much sense to me to camouflage aircraft.
If you look from the sky down, most does. Most have an undersurface painted light blue/grey to match the sky.. looking up at them. Don't think Radar cares tho, so, I dunno. Certainly not my area of expertise. :)
I just like that it can add interest to big areas of plain surface without modeling greebles, panel lines and foofery.
Anyhow, fast stab at the blue. My son says the new ACU digital they use was designed to be effective in most terrain. He also says you stand out like a sore thumb in any terrain anyhow. Shrug. :)
This is interesting, to me, but more for an airplane than clothing. Eh, Fashion camo, I've seen it ha ha.
Back to shaderating.