April 2021 - Daz 3D New User Challenge - Open Render Challenge
Elliandra
Posts: 560
New User's Challenge - April 2021
Sponsored by DAZ 3D
Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest render challenge.
As with the previous months, we are breaking down each month into 2 different challenges. A Beginner Challenge and then also an Intermediate Challenge.
So which "Challenge" should you choose?
Follow the Beginner Challenge if you are:
- New to the New User Challenges
- New to Daz Studio
- Newer to 3D Rendering in General
Follow the Intermediate Challenge if you have:
- Participated in the New User Challenge for awhile
- Know the basics of Daz Studio and would like to learn more in depth topics
- Been using 3D Rendering Applications for awhile and feel comfortable with learning Intermediate Topics
Please don't forget to note in your post with your render whether the image is for the beginner or intermediate challenge, and to also mention which of your new skill set(s) you used in creating your image!
"Open Render Challenge"
The Open Render Challenge is also referred to as a "free" month, where you can concentrate on using and combining the skills you learned in the past few challenges.
If you would like to review the previous topics and information you can find the topics/threads here:
- Beginner/Intermediate : Composition/Instancing & Duplication
- Beginner/Intermediate : Lighting/Light Effects
- Beginner/Intermediate : Posing/Posing II
I will be checking in as will the rest of the Community Volunteers to try and help with anything you all may need.
For a list of the current challenge rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules
Closing Date: April 30th, 2021
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Comments
Greetings Everyone!! Sorry for the delay in getting this up work pulled me in early today of all days *headdesk*
If anyone has any questions or anything please don't hesitate to ask! I'll be popping in as often as possible!
Have fun and may the merriment commence!!
OK, open render. Someone else try and fit a G8Male into a Storm Fighter Jet.
Intermediate Challenge
Oh very cool! He almost looks like he's mid barrel roll! If you were to stagger the beams a little and make them less opaque it would give it a little more movement
I really like the fact that you have the Jet straight on but the mountain in the background is rotated lmao I keep wanting to turn my head to line stuff up
I went a little futher with it today.
Here's my start trying to show things from a head mounted camara on my character.
Great work. I love this new pov and I like the HUD on the display. It's something I need to learn myself, but perhaps go for a little motion blur - or perhaps a little gentle DOF on the target aircraft?
Great start, Shinji. Love the idea and the pov here. Have you considered using canvases to make certain items stand out? I would be tempted to maybe run a separate alpha canvas for things like the weapon and the beast. This can then give you the chance to tweak colour tones and make important things pop out a little more.
I can't take credit for that hud it came with HUD lighting. I can show how you can do this. Give some time I'm working on a different entry. It will have an Example on how it looks before and after.
Opps
First shot for this month's contest. Feedback welcome!
Are the Elementals? Are they Gods? Angel And Demon? Love the glow and outfit of the blue dress. Fire nicccccee.
I love the concept you have here!
So, these entities are creating an abundance of light. I like the radiance of the "good" entity on the right. Now, I have no idea how you would go about it, but do you think a double shadow coming off of your adventurer look cool. I am thinking of two shadows that would converge like the bottom half of an X. I do not know if this could be achieved with two spotlights with their 'render emitter' options set to off or not.
I have attached an image to better explain what I am trying to say. Obviously, the shadows are too strong and would need a lot of adjusting. And you may disagree that they would look good, which is totally cool too,
light type: spot
spread angle: 63 (depends on distance...in this case very tight on the figure)
render emitter: off
luminous flux: 400,00 (exaggerated for effect in the demo image)
It would also be extremely important to make sure the shadows are in line with the deities creating them.
I don't have anything else at the moment. I really like what you have already.
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You are off to a terrific start. I haven't even come up with a plan yet.
I have questions regarding your render...
Is the guy on the right shooting at a ground target? If not, he is wasting rounds/energy blowing up rocks. I think they are both shooting at the ship with the red thrust emissions, yes? If that is the case you could increase the action by sliding the 'enemy' ship down in that beautiful gap between the main pilot's fire lines with some shots going over and some under. Just slide the "bad" guy to the right and down a little and he will fit right in there for an intense dogfight (assuming once again that is the goal of the render...)
To maintain the formation flying angle and get the second pilot in the flight he might be better off positioned to the left and above your main fighter. Or, leave him where he is, but tell him to quit squeezing the trigger because he does not have the shot. Or...give him a shot on the "bandit's" wingman who has broken right and executed a dive. The classic two on two dogfight.
Don't get me wrong, this is beautiful work...but I am struggling with the story you are trying to tell. I really do look forward to seeing how you develop this piece!
Let's go with your story...
I am in the command vehicle watching your monitor. Suddenly I notice something and here is what I am yelling into your comms, "EYES UP SOLDIER! Contact front 30 feet!"
Your gruesome opponent is clipped out of the scene. So sad. Get your man's head up. To keep the weapon in the scene AND show us your creepy critter put your man in the close-ready position.
Go to a search engine of your choice and type in: "close ready rifle position". Reference an image where the muzzle is pointed down. The high-ready position will get you butt-stroked in the back of the helmet by your trainer. Don't raise the muzzle until, well, until you see what you are showing us in your render. That is muzzle raising, finger on trigger time!
A beam or two from a flashlight or weapon mounted light (simulated) would really add to this shot. But, then again, maybe you don't need two flashlight beams. Are you alone? Did you start out alone? Are you very recently alone, or just discovered that you are alone..."SITREP!"...sorry, I get a little excitable sometimes.
Ohhh, mysterious indeed. I love the lighting and atmosphere.
Hi guys!
Awesome renders so far!!
@AgitatedRiot
Love the new version! I totally agree with vamok about the positioning of the jets though to drop the lead jet down a little and maybe give him a little more rotation so he looks like he's in the process of rolling/climbing out of the line of fire.
@Shinji Ikari 9th
I like the overall concept of this but it's really dark and a tad hard to read. I get the feel from it that he's just about to realize the monster is in front of him with the way the muzzle of the rifle is positioned, like he's sweeping the room from his current location.
Quick question on the diamond shaped stones on the floor. Are those meant to be the edge trim on a pathway? If so it would make more sense for the gun to be pointed towards the monster as it is standing in the middle of the path?
I would also suggest using the canvases like Alias52n mentioned to highlight the main figures and add a little more contrast to the background room so they don't blend into each other as much.
Another Idea would be to have some fire lighting up the small corridors at the back of the room to give a slight rim light effect to the monster which appears to be the main focust of the scene.
@aprilshowers2065
Really nice render the fire is wicked hot (hehe) I get the feeling from your character that he's going "What now?" as he's looking at the Angel and the Demon roflmao like the hero that's constantly put upon by the gods and just wants to try and take it easy for a while!
I really like vamok's idea of the dual shadows with one being cast from each of the demon and angel figures.
Your angel however is looking a tad blown out and loosing a lot of details for the outfit and skin. If I might suggest plugging the color texture maps in to the emission color and then bump maps into the emission strength this will help you keep a lot of the details and you can adjust the lumens/watts to keep the glow on her.
@_ AL1vE _
OMG so James Bond!!
This is really nice and I really like the outline effect of the figure in the back with the glow extending down the corridor towards us.
Can't say there is anything I would actually change on this one at all you can even see the reflections on the floor! Well Done!
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Thanks for your feedback, though I'll have to wait until tonight at the earliest to see what I can try and do with your comments due to having to head into work as I type this.
Like the story that you came up with from it by the way.
Freight Escort
Intermediate Challenge
Comments/suggestions welcome.
Morning Everyone!!
I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!
@vamok
I like the image but the ships feel a little "flat" to me, almost like they have a satin finish plastic instead of glass and metal on them.
You may also want to put a light on the planet or a slight emissive with the texture in the emission color so it stands out a little more.
You could also have the pilots talking to each other with the one in the front having his head turned slightly?
All good suggestions, I'll see what I can do. Thank you.
Version B here
changes include-
Made changes to the character holding the gun by tweeking their torso and neck to get the demon fully in frame
Set the muzzle flash on the gun to visable
texture work on the demon
opening and lighting the portal from wince the demon came.
Sorry if I sound rushed, I need to be getting out the door and on my way to work ASAP as I type this.
A lot better then first. Love the creature.
Still Work on the first submittion, It's on rendering.
But I promised Alias52 how to light up a instruments. The first pic is of the commander with default lights. Then I added 16K hdri. Then I lit up the Panels by adding emissions and changing the emission color to the material base. Tad DA
Still a work in prgress
Second Submittion
For those Oh Crap momnents.
Needs missle trail
This is the first version of my entry for the Intermediate Challenge
I used 3 Delight. I would like to know if it is possible to get the circle centres to glow in the tower props like in the promo images for the props.
This is the product I used for the HDRI (window view) and the props :- Orestes iray artful flares hdris and props
I have adapted the dancers poses from Genesis 2 Hip Hop Poses - these figures are Genesis 8.
Beginner entry.
Only I would choose the open render month for my first entry. Where I'm supposed to bring everything together.
So I guess this is more of a starting point than making use of any new skills.
Maybe will get better as the month goes on and add something else in.
I been using Daz since January, a 12-year break from using 3D software - things have changed!
This is one of my first renders for a webcomic, supposed to be my villainous character with her robot dog. Feedback welcome.
95% Daz, photoshop for the hair to make it less grainy.
For those Oh Crap momnents.
Heck yeah! Now that is exciting. Nicely done. I really like the incoming missle too.