Post Your Renders - #4: A New Hope

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Comments

  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    As mentioned, the first render was done in LightWave and roughly followed the creation steps that Dustrider described. It has an area light just above and behind it and the ground plane is simply some fractal noise so that you can see something.

    Since I loved Dustrider's effect with V4, I exported my model using OBJ. Some interesting issues...

    * it came into Carrara many times larger than its model size in LightWave -- it should only be about 30 cm across and 1 m tall. But when I brought V4 into the scene, she was positively tiny beside the thing.

    * most of the cool surfacing in LightWave was gone. In Carrara it was completely transparent and had no bump channel.

    * after posing V4 inside, nothing I did could get a bump channel working...sure, it was in the shader...but there was no visible effect during rendering.

    * since the golden stand didn't import with the crystal; I tried to make Victoria seem to be floating inside the quartz.

    Not bad for some fast work in both programs. I'll try a "pure Carrara" approach to see if I can improve on that quartz shader.

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  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited January 2013

    Garstor said:
    I'm working on creating a quartz crystal similar to what Dustrider built. I confess that I'm using LightWave though - please don't hate me or kick me out of the club!
    Bruthha...
    We all gots our kits o' tools we use! No be all like dat an' worry.
    Great job Garstor!
    Also, I really like that original Frankenstein movie - but who doesn't
    As for the Carrara version, I would make sure that you're not using anything that came from LW except for the model itself - I could be wrong in this. But I think you'll get better results with Carrara lights than anything brought over from LW. Also, like dustrider explained, you'll need to perform some sort of effect inside the crystal to give it substance, now that you have a figure inside. For the actual crystal shader, you'll likely want a high level of highlight and 0 - 5 on shininess to get a start... then tweak to your liking. The crystal shader might be the cause of your lack of bump on V4.
    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    The shader engines are different, so you'll have to either tweak them like Poser shaders, or they won't translate at all like D/S shaders and you'll need to start from scratch.


    To give the appearance of a solid crystal, rather than a glass wall with a space, you'll need to play around with the transparency and refraction channels, as well as the bump. Remember, you can uses cellular and noise shaders in channels besides the bump and color.

  • dowddowd Posts: 9
    edited December 1969

    I thought i would jump in after going through old files on my HD and ran across some Frazetta like
    images.
    I'm new to the forums but have been around for awhile and just now getting involved.
    Enjoy

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  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145
    edited December 1969

    Dowd - that's got a really nice feel to it - excellent!

  • DustRiderDustRider Posts: 2,744
    edited December 1969

    Great image Dowd!

    Thought I'd throw out an old one that I posted in the old forum where all images are now MIA. The character is definitely Frazetta inspired - same Genesis character as in the crystal image I posted earlier.

    Garstor - Looking Great! I really like the shape of your crystal, looking forward to see how it looks in Carrara!

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  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited January 2013

    @Dowd: Very nice! I like the detail with the male character's boot in the puddle.

    @Dartanbeck / evilproducer / dustrider: Thank-you for tolerating my apostasy! :coolsmirk:

    The Carrara-only version here might not survive the Admins -- it is blurry but I didn't clothe Victoria (or put hair on her for that matter). I mainly wanted to get to the end effect. The room obviously consists of some pre-built shaders...again, focused on just getting the thing put together in a hurry.

    I'll definitely aim for building a more serious version of the scene in the future.

    Image removed

    EDIT: Yep; too much for the overly-sensitive. Ah well...

    Post edited by Garstor on
  • dowddowd Posts: 9
    edited December 1969

    Thanks guys
    I did the boot puddle with some flatten out toruses (sp). I found a great mood setting secert with this image
    I used a volume spot light set high with a slight blue tint and played with the settings till I got the
    right haze look. I have been using this for a lot of images. Oh kill the shadow or drop it to 1 percent

  • The Pencil NeckThe Pencil Neck Posts: 163
    edited December 1969

    Great stuff, guys.

    I'm going to have to create a Crystal in Carrara, now.

    I love Frazetta. I grew up buying any book that had a Frazetta cover. :) When I was about 14 or 15, my grandmother bought me the Death Dealer painting on black velvet and that was hanging over my bed during my formative years. Loved that picture. It got destroyed in a flood during one of the hurricanes.

    I've tried to do Frazetta-like stuff before. Mostly with Daz, though. But I think FF is in the back of my mind with almost everything I do. He was such a huge influence in my formative years (along with Ditko, Kirby, Vallejo, John Romita, Jr., and John Byrne.)

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  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    Another LightWave render to play around with the quartz crystals. This also features my first "real" use of Filter Forge to create some texture maps (the flagstone ground and the marble boulder). Since I haven't got my brain around UVs in LW, you can spot an obvious seam there. :red:

    I took my original quartz crystal and started duplicating and distorting it to build up a cluster of them.

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  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    Ah yes, now let's see some renders of your crystals in Carrara!

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    Great stuff, guys.

    I'm going to have to create a Crystal in Carrara, now.

    I love Frazetta. I grew up buying any book that had a Frazetta cover. :) When I was about 14 or 15, my grandmother bought me the Death Dealer painting on black velvet and that was hanging over my bed during my formative years. Loved that picture. It got destroyed in a flood during one of the hurricanes.

    I've tried to do Frazetta-like stuff before. Mostly with Daz, though. But I think FF is in the back of my mind with almost everything I do. He was such a huge influence in my formative years (along with Ditko, Kirby, Vallejo, John Romita, Jr., and John Byrne.)



    I think if the sword weren't blocking the face in the second render, it would look so much better. I think the light effect you've added to the sword and the reflected light would be more powerful.

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    My simple attempt at a woman in a crystal:


    I can post the shader settings if anybody is interested.

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  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    My simple attempt at a woman in a crystal:

    I can post the shader settings if anybody is interested.

    Very nice!

    The cool thing with this is that you can make a different crystal shape every time and thus get differing refraction/reflection effects on V4 (or whatever is inside).

    You took the time to clothe Vicky too and thus not incur a prudish wrath. :) My Carrara-only attempt that got censored is here.

  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    Ah yes, now let's see some renders of your crystals in Carrara!

    I do have an idea for this that might go faster in Carrara. I'll see if I can find the time to play later today.

    LightWave is definitely very powerful but it does have some interesting quirks to get used to.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited December 1969

    The environment images I've shown before is sort of a side effect of the construction kit. It is actually designed to be a quick way to build your own backgrounds and scenes without having to spend too much time on the surroundings.
    Carrara lends itself well to creating 360 degree populated scenes that still render somewhat quickly.
    I don't want to use this thread as an ad, but I just wanted to show how I intended to use it. This is the base environment for the Woodlands set, without any of the woodlands elements except for the sky, atmosphere, lighting, etc.,
    Then you can focus on what you wanted in the first place. In this example, Dartanbeck has to do something that he never ever wants to do - he has to kill a Dragon. When it comes to self defense - or protecting those you love, your feeling of the majesty of the being can quickly disappear.

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  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145
    edited December 1969

    Wonderful image and atmospherics!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Phil

  • DustRiderDustRider Posts: 2,744
    edited December 1969

    Wow - Great render Dartanbeck!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited December 1969

    Thanks you guys!

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    A WIP, inspired by the women in crystals and Frazetta discussion. I have some more characters to add and maybe some more background to fill in, but as of this moment I'm pretty happy with the lighting.

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  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    A WIP, inspired by the women in crystals and Frazetta discussion. I have some more characters to add and maybe some more background to fill in, but as of this moment I'm pretty happy with the lighting.

    I like ... a lot! :) Now you need Dart's scenic atmospheric thingy and it'll be perfect!

    Actually, I'm thinking of trying a series of "Stuck In Crystal" renders.

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    Garstor said:
    A WIP, inspired by the women in crystals and Frazetta discussion. I have some more characters to add and maybe some more background to fill in, but as of this moment I'm pretty happy with the lighting.

    I like ... a lot! :) Now you need Dart's scenic atmospheric thingy and it'll be perfect!

    Actually, I'm thinking of trying a series of "Stuck In Crystal" renders.


    To keep with Frazetta, I've added big cats with dynamic hair. I wasn't sure if it would render through something with refraction, in-scattering, Fresnel effects, etc. It's so touchy with clouds and light cones, but so far, so good!

  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    To keep with Frazetta, I've added big cats with dynamic hair. I wasn't sure if it would render through something with refraction, in-scattering, Fresnel effects, etc. It's so touchy with clouds and light cones, but so far, so good!

    A fine answer to the question, "How do you keep Garstor in suspense?"

    I've always want to add in a cat model...haven't done it yet...maybe this weekend?

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    Here's the image I mentioned above:


    I need to work more on the hair or the light rig I used to simulate GI. The hair likes a hard light to look good, and I think my light is a bit to diffuse.


    The first version is a straight render and the second uses post work for DOF, levels and simulated light bloom.

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  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited December 1969

    Love the kitty idea! Good thinking, man! Kinda reminds me of having to use a Porta-Potty at a job with too many smart allecs hanging around - there's always a risk of being knocked over - with nothing you can do to prevent it ;)
    "Nice kitty... no... no don't spring towards me..."

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited January 2013

    Love the kitty idea! Good thinking, man! Kinda reminds me of having to use a Porta-Potty at a job with too many smart allecs hanging around - there's always a risk of being knocked over - with nothing you can do to prevent it ;)
    "Nice kitty... no... no don't spring towards me..."


    Man, don't ever mention porta-potties and construction sites again! I worked on one once where they never pumped it out! I remember going in there one day, and was greeted by the sight of the Matterhorn sticking four inches out of the middle of the hole, topped with a fresh white blanket of TP. I still have nightmares! Needless to say, I held whatever I had to do until lunch break and then headed to the nearest gas station for the next two weeks. :sick:

    Post edited by evilproducer on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,580
    edited December 1969

    :sick:
    :sick:
    :sick:
    :sick:
    Sorry Bud,
    Never again. Yeeeesh!
    Did I mention that I love the kitties?

  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    :sick:
    :sick:
    :sick:
    :sick:
    Sorry Bud,
    Never again. Yeeeesh!
    Did I mention that I love the kitties?

    I vomited a bit in my mouth at evil's horrific tale...

    Yes, let's focus on the kitties! Great image evil! I love it -- pretty much exactly what popped into my head when you first mentioned adding felines to it.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,226
    edited December 1969

    I am surprised Sockratease has not posted one of these renders yet

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This discussion has been closed.