CARRARA CHALLENGE #63: There be Dragons..... WIP

Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627
edited August 2022 in Carrara Discussion

Your challenge is to do a render/animation of a Dragon inspired scene.

Types of Dragons:-
Western Dragon, Eastern Dragon, Wyvern, Wyrm, Drake, Hydra, Lindworm, Fafnir, Drachenstein, Amphisbaena, Amphitere, Jörmungandr, Rainbow Serpent, Basilisk, Apalala, Tiamat, Chelan Lake Dragon, Dragon of Beowulf, Dragon of St.George, Ladon, Sui-Riu, T’ien Lung, Hydrus, Naga, Quetzalcoatl, Azhi Dahaka, huge serpent, Dragon lizards, Komodo dragons, Crocodiles, Alligators, Dinosaurs, to name a few !!!

Dragon resources:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dragons_in_mythology_and_folklore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dragons_in_popular_culture

DAZ3D Dragon inspired items:-
https://www.daz3d.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=dragon

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DA RULES:-

    YOU can do up to 4 carrara renders/animations including in an external renderer for which there is a carrara plug-in (eg LuxRender, Octane) with your interpretation of the theme.

    Images must be new, unpublished before the start of this challenge, but derivations of previous work allowed.
    
    A WIP (work in progress) image must be posted to the WIP thread.

    Content Use
Use of any and all content is allowed Subject to the Forum Terms of service.
Used content should be credited in the Entry Thread.
Participants are encouraged to create or modify content, but it is not required.

    Post-work
Post-work is allowed and welcome.
Entrants are encouraged, but not required, to explain their post-work in the WIP thread so that others can learn from it.
At least a brief description of post-work done should be included with the final entry in the Entry Thread.

    Winners
The winner of the Challenge gets to pick the theme for the next Challenge and to make changes to the rules if they wish.
The winner of the Challenge will be the host for the next Challenge, but they may pass the hosting duties to any of the other winners if both agree, or to any other member of the forum if none of the winners is able or willing to host the next Challenge.

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Sponsorship:-

Thank you to our generous sponsor DAZ3D for offering the following awards to the winners:

1st Place: $75.00 towards DAZ3D owned item(s)

2nd Place: $50.00 towards DAZ3D owned item(s)

3rd Place: $40.00 towards DAZ3D owned item(s)

4th Place: $30.00 Towards DAZ3D owned item(s)

(Can only Win Once)

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DATES to Remember:-

WIP Thread Opens: Saturday, 09 July 2022
Entry Thread Opens: Saturday, 06 August 2022
Entry Thread Closes/Voting Begins: Saturday, 20 August 2022 23:59:59 CST (GMT-6) 3 September 2022 23:59:59 CST (GMT-6)
Voting Ends: Saturday, 27 August 2022 23:59:59 CST (GMT-6) 10 September 2022 23:59:59 CST (GMT-6)

Post edited by Bunyip02 on
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Comments

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169

    Looking forward to some fun!  Lots of choices.  Good idea.

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    So pretty much the same title as Challenge 51, except the focus is specifically on large reptiles?

    I'm good with that. :)  Thanks for stepping up and hosting!

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited July 2022

    WIP - Generic Daz Dragon 3 Users

    If you load the Daz Dragon 3 in Carrara, the default load has the color diffuse map but is missing the maps for bump, etc.  The missing maps were most probably installed on your drive, but Carrara simply failed to load them.  Here is one of my attempts to correct the issue.  (1) I loaded the bump map and increased its strength to 105.  (2) I loaded the shininess map in the highlight channel with a multiplier set to a low number.  (3) I multiplied the diffuse color map by weighted green and white colors.  White keeps the original map, and green give a green tinge to the original. By weighted, I mean that the green is applied with more strength on areas of the skin surface which the original map had as darker grey skin.  To weight, I nested some mixers and multipliers. I checked the invert color boxes for the maps in the weight tree so that more green would be applied where the map is darker. See attached screenshot.  Saved the global shader for future use.

    The dragon on the viewer's left is the default load.  The dragon on the right has the updated bump maps and the weighted green multiplier.  If my final version has a close up, I will probably add some subsurface scattering to the skin and some translucncy to the wing membranes.

     

    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited July 2022

    Here is a screenshot to show the nested tree to apply weighted green tinge.

    aa01 dragon default and green 02 invert multipliers shader update.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 99K
    aa03 dragon skin shader settings.jpg
    1330 x 921 - 168K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited July 2022

    And here is the same global shader but substituting a red color for the green color.  Compared to default load.

    aa04 same method but apply red.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 99K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    Diomede said:

    Looking forward to some fun!  Lots of choices.  Good idea.

    Thanks !!!

    Thinking out of the box is welcome too, ie Dragon Boat or the Dragon headpiece ornaments on Viking boats.

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    Diomede said:

    WIP - Generic Daz Dragon 3 Users

    If you load the Daz Dragon 3 in Carrara, the default load has the color diffuse map but is missing the maps for bump, etc.  The missing maps were most probably installed on your drive, but Carrara simply failed to load them.  Here is one of my attempts to correct the issue.  (1) I loaded the bump map and increased its strength to 105.  (2) I loaded the shininess map in the highlight channel with a multiplier set to a low number.  (3) I multiplied the diffuse color map by weighted green and white colors.  White keeps the original map, and green give a green tinge to the original. By weighted, I mean that the green is applied with more strength on areas of the skin surface which the original map had as darker grey skin.  To weight, I nested some mixers and multipliers. I checked the invert color boxes for the maps in the weight tree so that more green would be applied where the map is darker. See attached screenshot.  Saved the global shader for future use.

    The dragon on the viewer's left is the default load.  The dragon on the right has the updated bump maps and the weighted green multiplier.  If my final version has a close up, I will probably add some subsurface scattering to the skin and some translucncy to the wing membranes.

    Thanks for the tutorial !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    WendyLuvsCatz said:

    there is this

    https://www.daz3d.com/dp-daz-dragon-3-carrara-shaders

    Thanks for the link Wendy, set is well recommended !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    UnifiedBrain said:

    So pretty much the same title as Challenge 51, except the focus is specifically on large reptiles?

    I'm good with that. :)  Thanks for stepping up and hosting!

    Yep, Lizards, including Godzilla if he tickles your fancy !!!

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,064
    edited July 2022

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    HerculoidsWiP.jpg
    1675 x 759 - 338K
    Herculoids.png
    1000 x 563 - 1M
    Post edited by Stezza on
  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    Excellent render to start with Stezza !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627
    edited July 2022

    Dragon Princess

    Aiko 3 & Millennium Dragon

    WIP

    Raw render. Still to post work.

    CC63 DragonPrincess 1 WIP.png
    2536 x 1033 - 712K
    CC63 DragonPrincess 1.png
    1600 x 1200 - 2M
    Post edited by Bunyip02 on
  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627
    edited July 2022

    Postwork

    First of all used Topaz Adjust with the Crisp filter to bring out the details.

    Next used Topaz Adjust Color Blast filter to bring out the colour.

    Then into Filter Forge and applied the Aquarelle filter for a NPR look.

    Back into PSP and adjusted the Filter Forge layer to 65% transperancy so the filter look did not overpower the image.

    Final postworked image.

    CC63 DragonPrincess 1 WIP2.png
    1912 x 1042 - 1M
    CC63 DragonPrincess 1 WIP3.png
    1923 x 1040 - 1M
    CC63 DragonPrincess 1 WIP4.png
    1532 x 1025 - 1M
    CC63 DragonPrincess 1 WIP5.png
    1682 x 850 - 1M
    CC63 DragonPrincess 1b.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 3M
    Post edited by Bunyip02 on
  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,235

    Bunyip02 said:

    Thanks !!!

    Thinking out of the box is welcome too, ie Dragon Boat or the Dragon headpiece ornaments on Viking boats.

    Thanks for hosting Bunyip02, cool theme. I started sketching out some ideas yesterday involving a paper dragon puppet but haven't even set it in composition yet, let alone create it. Was mainly looking at references and such. Lots of false starts as usual for me...

  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,235

    Diomede said:

    Here is a screenshot to show the nested tree to apply weighted green tinge.

    Cool Diomede, thank you for the explanations and very helpful screen grab. I believe this will come in handy soon. smiley

  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,235

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

     Ha, that's cool Stezza, nice work. I had to look that up, never heard of the show.

  • DesertDudeDesertDude Posts: 1,235

    Bunyip02 said:

    Postwork

     

    First of all used Topaz Adjust with the Crisp filter to bring out the details.

     

    Next used Topaz Adjust Color Blast filter to bring out the colour.

     

    Then into Filter Forge and applied the Aquarelle filter for a NPR look.

     

    Back into PSP and adjusted the Filter Forge layer to 65% transperancy so the filter look did not overpower the image.

    Final postworked image.

    The final has a nice illustrative style and colors and I like the point of view. yes

  • ed3Ded3D Posts: 2,193

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    ~  Very Good  _  heart 

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,064

    Thanks Carrara'ists ... I posted the DownUnder Dragon for anyone who may find it useful for the challenge yes

    Herculoids was one of my favs heart

     

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    DesertDude said:

    Bunyip02 said:

    Thanks !!!

    Thinking out of the box is welcome too, ie Dragon Boat or the Dragon headpiece ornaments on Viking boats.

    Thanks for hosting Bunyip02, cool theme. I started sketching out some ideas yesterday involving a paper dragon puppet but haven't even set it in composition yet, let alone create it. Was mainly looking at references and such. Lots of false starts as usual for me...

    Happy to be host !!!

    Looking forward to what you come up with !

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    DesertDude said:

    Diomede said:

    Here is a screenshot to show the nested tree to apply weighted green tinge.

    Cool Diomede, thank you for the explanations and very helpful screen grab. I believe this will come in handy soon. smiley

    Always good to see a screen shot of the methodology that is used - thanks Diomede !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    DesertDude said:

    Bunyip02 said:

    Postwork

     

    First of all used Topaz Adjust with the Crisp filter to bring out the details.

     

    Next used Topaz Adjust Color Blast filter to bring out the colour.

     

    Then into Filter Forge and applied the Aquarelle filter for a NPR look.

     

    Back into PSP and adjusted the Filter Forge layer to 65% transperancy so the filter look did not overpower the image.

    Final postworked image.

    The final has a nice illustrative style and colors and I like the point of view. yes

    Thanks - was going for a book illustration feel to the image !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    ed3D said:

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    ~  Very Good  _  heart 

    ed3D hope you are going to join in the fun !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    Stezza said:

    Thanks Carrara'ists ... I posted the DownUnder Dragon for anyone who may find it useful for the challenge yes

    Herculoids was one of my favs heart

    Thanks for the freebie Stezza !!!

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,064
    edited July 2022

    I made use of the dragon smiley

    Fantasy Garden Party

    Willy Gruen went to a garden party
    and much to his surprise
    there was singing crows
    and onion breath
    and lots of dragon flies

    everything except the background picture I modelled in Carrara yes

     

    Fantasy Garden Party.png
    800 x 600 - 904K
    Fantasy Garden WiP.jpg
    1485 x 758 - 324K
    Post edited by Stezza on
  • ed3Ded3D Posts: 2,193
    edited July 2022

    Bunyip02 said:

    ed3D said:

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    ~  Very Good  _  heart 

    ed3D hope you are going to join in the fun !!!

    ~  was supposeing to  ~

    Post edited by ed3D on
  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    Stezza said:

    I made use of the dragon smiley

    Fantasy Garden Party

    Willy Gruen went to a garden party
    and much to his surprise
    there was singing crows
    and onion breath
    and lots of dragon flies

    everything except the background picture I modelled in Carrara yes

    Awesome Stezza, love how you add your characters to the scene !!!

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,627

    ed3D_659128 said:

    Bunyip02 said:

    ed3D said:

    Stezza said:

    The Herculoids 

    revamped file from one I did 2013 when Carrara was v8  wink
    changed the dragon style using 3DU dragon for dragon3 added foliage, props and added Tara ( Zandor's wife ) who wasn't in my original file.

    ~  Very Good  _  heart 

    ed3D hope you are going to join in the fun !!!

    ~  was supposeing to  ~

    Looking forward to your work !!!

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987

    wow Great Challenge idea Bunyip02 and lots of wonderful creative juices happening already - should have an image up soon - sorry I have been away ;(

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