Carrara Challenge #24 "Under the Sea" & "Out of the Box" Entry Thread
stringtheory9
Posts: 411
Carrara Challenge #24: “Under the Sea” & "Out of the Box"
Link to WIP Thread: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/78481/carrara-challenge-24-under-the-sea-or-out-of-the-box-wip-thread/p1
Challenge #24 is going to be a 2/4 one. You can pick whichever theme you like and as usual participants may submit up to two renders; however your second render should not be under the same theme as your first render.
Your objective(s) should you choose to accept:
"Under the Sea" - Break out your finest box of blue-green lights! This month we're going down! Down below the waves. To make this theme a little more flexible, anything that gets your camera wet is fair game. So renders inside a bath tub or glass of water are also welcome!
"Out of the Box" - The theme with no limits besides the imagination! Oh, except this one thing... All content used must have come with your version of Carrara (Yes, all those beauties under your Objects tab). Of course since modeling come out of the box feel free to model your own objects but you should try to keep the majority of the scene objects to those that came with Carrara. The main goal of this theme is to see what can be done with native content so re-texture and edit those models to your hearts desire!
Content that can be used for this theme:
1. Any old native objects that are listed in the PDF found under the top "Help" menu > "Object Catalog".
Thanks to diomede for finding this and saving me a lot of times trying to put a list together!
2. For the list of new native content that can be used, click here.
3. Anything you create using native Carrara tools (modeled items, trees, skys, clouds etc.)
4. There are no restrictions on what can be used behind the scene to assist your entry as long as it's not visable in the final image.
See diomedes tutorial for example.
5. Any and all plugins CAN be used for producing textures in your image.
Basic rules will be:
1. Each participant may submit up to 2 images into the Challenge.
2. Images must be new (previously unpublished).
3. Images must be primarily set up in Carrara.
4. Images must be rendered in Carrara or in an external renderer for which there is a Carrara plug-in (e.g. LuxRenderer, Octane).
5. At least one WIP (work in progress) image must be posted to the WIP thread (this can be as simple as the scene setup, a pre/post post-work comparison or just a final image with a brief description of the process you used or as complex as modeling rooms shots, shader setups or partial scene setups or test renders).
6. At least one object in the scene has to be modeled in Carrara (Under the Sea theme).
6. At least one of the native objects must have been modified by the participant (Out of the Box theme).
Sponsor:
Once again, Daz will generously sponsor the monthly challenge with the following prizes:
1st Place: $100.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
2nd Place: $ 50.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
3rd Place: $ 25.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
Honorable Mention (4th place): $10.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
PLUS
As an added incentive for this month's challenge, in addition to Daz 3D's generous prizes, Dartanbeck will donate an item from his store to each of the place winners, including Honorable Mention.
*** Each place winner may choose one item of their choice from Store du Dartanbeck
Woodlands Kit Underwater Realms Badlands Kit
Animation Kit Animation Kit Starry Sky for Carrara
for Mil Dragon 2 Swordworks for M4
*** if a winner already owns all of them or simply doesn't want one, they MAY gift their reward to anyone with a Daz 3D account 
Thank you Dartanbeck!!!
Dates to Remember:
WIP Thread Opens: Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Entry Thread Opens: Friday, April 29, 2016
Entry Thread Closes/Voting Begins: Monday May 9, 2016 23:59:59 CST (GMT-6)
Voting Ends: Saturday, May 14, 2016 @ 10pm Pacific
An announcement will be made shortly in forum for The Commons. Feel free to provide any updates or share there as well!
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Comments
Entry: #1
Title: Mysterys of the Sea
Artist: wgdjohn (John ~Wilson Graphic Design~)
Requirements: "modeled in Carrara"
Created a much better landscape. Created all tube sponges and cone sponges in the vertex room of Carrara. The brain coral is a simple sphere with a very complex shader which is based on wood but much much more. All my objects use procedural textures.
Products Used:
Carrara 8.5 Pro, it's Landscape editor, Fog, vertex and texture rooms. The shells are the same Shell Formula with 2 different textures found in Carrara/objects.
Fish are from Sea Life Pack 1 and Pack 2 and Trigger Fish from PC + Pack 2006-7
Sea Life/fauna are from RDNA Kelplands Vol 3, Gardens Of Posiedon - Invertebrates also - Corals
Primivol Fog available in Advance Pack. All are available from DAZ including Carrara of course.
Back Story:
This is a composite of many dives I've made in the lower Bahamas and Florida. I've not seen or recall seeing some of the fish shown here who are stand-ins.This is just a sample scene representing only a few varieties of the fish and fauna seen on 1 dive.
WIP:
Early Idea - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1093826/#Comment_1093826
Design - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1118921/#Comment_1118921
Nearly Done - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1136586/#Comment_1136586
Entry: #2
Title: Things Didn't Go As Planned...
Artist: Antara
Requirements: "modeled in Carrara"
Terrain from a custom painted image, bubble sphere (in a replicator), trapped air shapes for the flowers (morphed vertex spheres).
Other modifications: custom shaders (on everything) and many are Carrara procedural ones. Bent seaplants using Modifiers to create direction of current effect.
Products Used:
Carrara 8.5 Pro. Carrara 8 Native Content (the ring).
Bouquet of roses and petals from The DAZ Rose.
Sea plants from a freebie set by Dreampaint, available here: http://dreampaint.perso.sfr.fr/poser9.html, (it's a freebie link, so I hope it's OK to post).
The wrap on the bouquet is an arm bandage, which I hammered into the desired shape in Carrara, but I can't find any info on where I got it from... It might have been a freebie that came with some product, I think.
Photoshop CS6 and Krita (for postwork)
Process:
Simple lighting setup in Carrara: Distance fog; 2 spots with color gels (1 for the overal caustics effect and the other - a more targeted spot-like gel+caustics, both spots sit on top of each other with the same settings except for intensity; 1 distance light without shadows to fake bounce from the sand (set to only affect the bouquet); 1 bulb to intensify highlight (set to affect only the trapped air shapes in the flowers).
Rendered with and without multi-pass layers.
Postwork: Multi-pass compositing + lens blur using Distance pass + added disturbed sand and more bubbles.
WIP:
First test - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1142566/#Comment_1142566
Details and composition test - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1143411/#Comment_1143411
Nearly done (postwork test) - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1151651/#Comment_1151651
Entry #3
Title: "Hot Wheels"
Artist: Mark D. Olsen (MDO2010)
Challenge Option: Out of the Box
Carrara Native Content Items Used:
Cars are the 80scoupe, 80ssprts and 70ssprts
Furniture pieces are the Rockchair, Endtable, Sofa1, and Lamp
I also used another copy of the 70ssports car model which I combined into one vertex object, then added some additional geometry to and retextured for the closest car. The walls and floor are just plane primitives.
Made in Carrara's Vertex Modeler:
Weepul (also uses dynamic hair), Hotwheels track, LEGO ground plate (uses a replicator for the bumps), LEGO bricks, picture frame.
The Rubik's Cube, paper airplanes, baseboards and electrical outlet are all reused items I modeled for older images.
Other Products Used:
Rons Light and Shadows http://www.daz3d.com/rons-light-and-shadows (for GOBO one light)
Rons Flames http://www.daz3d.com/rons-flames (for traditional flames on car)
DP Veloute Shaders http://www.daz3d.com/dp-veloute-materials-for-carrara (on lamps)
WIP Thread Posts
Modeling Track Loop
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1079906/#Comment_1079906
Fixing and Retexuring Car Model
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1107716/#Comment_1107716
Final Scene Setup and Render With and Without Postwork
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1162611/#Comment_1162611
I feel like the weepul is about to get in that car and peel out.
Entry: #4
Title: Ralph the Diving Pig of Aquarena Springs
Artist: Diomede
Requirements: Theme is underwater so camera is in a swimming pool and "modeled in Carrara" includes
diving suit and gear for the pig, swimming pool and ladder
Products Used:
Daz Fairy Tale Pig, G2F Li'l Mermaid by Daz Originals DemonicaEvilius Silver. The G2F is a modified Callie 6, sample hair that comes with Carrara, ocean primitive
Back Story:
There used to be a local underwater theme park (Aquarna Springs) near where I lived. They promoted Ralph the Swimming Pig. They also promoted an underwater mermaid show with college students dressed as mermaids. Here they are practicing for the show. .
WIP:
Concept background on Aquarena Springs - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1103731/#Comment_1103731
Modeling Ralph's diving gear - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1119271/#Comment_1119271
Nearly Done - http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1132336/#Comment_1132336
Entry: #5
Title: Audacious Romance Cover
Artist: Diomede
Requirements: Theme is "out of the box" so see Products Used for the browser items. In addition, modeled the ribbon for the title banner in the vertex modeler and used the terrain modeler functions to alter the default terrain shape.
Products Used:
from the browser - Malehd2, Male2 body, dress, plaque, griffin, sword, castle, sample hair
other default items - infinite plane for ocean, terrain, cylinder for title oval, text object
WIP:
.head converted to vertex model http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1083551/#Comment_1083551
head uvmapped http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1087306/#Comment_1087306
head adjust uv to align with reference photo http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1091601/#Comment_1091601
terrain, apply plateau filter http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1101816/#Comment_1101816
combine head with other objects and terrain http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1164971/#Comment_1164971
Entry # 6: The guardian of Atlantis (The Mermaid)
Author: DUDU
Objects used:
- Ruins packs of “NERGAL83” (ShareCG)
- The Jellyfish from “mtnmen” of ShareCG
- A few fishes from my library…
- Laura 3 of DAZ3D
- Michael 3 of DAZ3D
- Realistic Sea of EvilProducer.
Objects “home made”:
- All the corals, vegetables, urchins and starfish.
- The rock and its texture.
- The algae (rigged and replicated)
- The tail of the mermaid.
- The harpoon of the diver (handle: soldering iron from the Carrara Content)
WIP threads:
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1078631/#Comment_1078631
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1082856/#Comment_1082856
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1117806/#Comment_1117806
Entry # 7
Title - Under the Sea
Author: Stezza
Items used:
Daz shark
Daz fish & sea turtle
Darts underwater realms
3DUniverse Pirate chest
Daz Environment moss ( turned upside down )
Clown Fish
Repli-Grass by MikeMoir
Ron's brushes
Objects “Created”:
The annennnammaaaaa ( still can't spell it ) and shader for it
WIP threads:
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1116321/#Comment_1116321
Postwork:
Done in PSE14
added sun rays and a few bubbles as well as ocean surface by use of layers upon layers.
Took me a while to come up with a unique title for the image!
Entry # 8
Title - Earthsea
Author: headwax
Items used:
From objects folder: Viking ship, Yacht Corbia, Castle Light house Arch Dolphin Griffin Sphynx Taj Mahal Russian Palace
The nice column thing in the foreground is from English Village by Phil W
Objects “Created”: I made the foreground terrains by doing a depth pass on the original lighthouse terrain then using that depth pass as a map for Carrara's terrain model, retextured it with custom terrain shader, use same shader on castle walls
made glow things for windows on castle, made ocean's custom shader, I added a modifier to the Viking ship to make it longer then fixed the crappy sail
WIP threads: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1148531/#Comment_1148531
Postwork:
Yes, including Ron's brushes
Entry #The Other Number 8
Title - Out of our Depth
Author: headwax
Items used:
Dart's Amazing Underwater Realms. Bathysphere, water dragon, dolphin from poser , alien plants from daz shop, fish from poser, seadragon , triple headed beasty thing from daz shop, madagascar (?) building
Objects “Created”: fog planes. remapped distance terrains, made some bubbles ;) used caustics generator as map on lights
WIP threads: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1087756/#Comment_1087756 et http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1081066/#Comment_1081066
Postwork:
Combined a stack of different render passes for a graphic novel feel
Yes, including Ron's brushes
Entry #9
Title: "Photographing R'lyeh"
Artist: Mark D. Olsen (MDO2010)
Challenge Option: Under the Sea
Made in Carrara's Vertex Modeler:
Everything except Cthulhu and the plants. The temple, tall leaning structures, bridge, nearby crevasse and paving stones were all made in the vertex modeler.
Other Products Used:
Chthulhu Rising http://www.daz3d.com/cthulhu-rising
Poseiden's Garden Set http://www.daz3d.com/gardens-of-poseidon-set-pack-vol-1
WIP Thread Posts
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1172516/#Comment_1172516
Entry #10
Title: String Theory
Artist: stringtheory9
Challenge Option: Out of The Box
Out of the box objects used: man 2, woman 2, violin, long skirt, music stand, glasses, chair, hair, hair cap, 5 spots and hdri-20_color.hdr from the global Illumination folder.
Objects modeled: Stage
WIP Thread Posts
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/1178066/#Comment_1178066
Thanks for all the great entries! Voting is now open.
Was just agonizing over my votes and noticed that there are two 8s.
That is because Headwax likes to only be counted once or Nobody said there would be math involved in Art.
my votes in page order... wish I could list them all... see above
#2 Antara "Things Didn't Go As Planned..."
#3 MDO2010 "Hot Wheels"
#7 Stezza "Under the Sea"
In no particular order:
ha ha yes sorry, my copy and paste abilities have been shown up once more ... I copied Stezza's so blame him - he's been a little confused lately :)
In no particular order :
Entry #3 Title: "Hot Wheels" Artist: Mark D. Olsen (MDO2010)
Entry # 6: The guardian of Atlantis (The Mermaid) Author: DUDU
Entry #10 Title: String Theory Artist: stringtheory9
I only had 10 entries to choose from, yet I still had trouble narrowing down the list...
Here we go:
in order of entries
Great work, was hard to choose from this lot..
Entry #3
Title: "Hot Wheels"
Artist: Mark D. Olsen (MDO2010)
Entry #The Other Number 8
Title - Out of our Depth
Author: headwax
Entry #10
Title: String Theory
Artist: stringtheory9
my votes in page order
#2 Antara "Things Didn't Go As Planned..."
#6 Dudu "Guardian of Atlantis"
#8 Headwax "Earthsea"
Entry #10
Title: String Theory
Artist: stringtheory9
Entry # 6: The guardian of Atlantis (The Mermaid)
Author: DUDU
Entry: #2
Title: Things Didn't Go As Planned...
Artist: Antara
HM to
Entry: #1
Title: Mysterys of the Sea
Artist: wgdjohn (
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I thought this was going to be easy to vote but it was super hard
I really liked number 3 and I thought Ralph the Diving Pig of Aquarena Springs was superb! Nice work diomede
My vote in numerical order (which head wax made way more complicated than it should have been!:)
Entry: #2
Title: Things Didn't Go As Planned...
Artist: Antara
Entry #3
Title: "Hot Wheels"
Artist: Mark D. Olsen (MDO2010)
Entry #8.2
Title - Out of our Depth
Author: headwax
I narrowed it down to 11 . . .
Okay.
#2. Things didn't go as planned
#7 Under the sea
#8b Out of our depth
I have been holding of on voting as I try to figure out who gets my votes.
I think I have narrowed it down I think. ( I hope my math skills are better than Headwax's)
In no particualar Numerical / Page order.
Entry: #1 Title: Mysterys of the Sea Artist: wgdjohn
Entry: #2 Title: Things Didn't Go As Planned... Artist: Antara
Entry # 7 Title - Under the Sea Author: Stezza
There are so many really good ones this time it is really hard to decide. I think they are all outstanding in their on regards. They each have something that is interesting and have different interpretation’s that make this hard to do.
Thank you too all the artists who submitted such great entries! And thank you to everyone who voted!
Voting is now closed. The results wil be announced soon.
While out of pure jealousy, I might be thinking "The people have spoken, the bastards!" (attributed to Dick Tuck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Tuck), I want to offer sincere congratulations to the winners and other participants. Tremendous job, everyone.
3 days only to vote... I'm sorry but I didn't think that it was so short !
Next time...
I didn't think it was that short either so I ended up being the tie breaker.
It did feel really short. I thought I had matched pervious challenges. We still have ties so I'll extend the voting until Saturday night.