Carrara Challenge #58 - It's a Kind of Magic - WIP thread.

DesertDude

Thank you Headwax for the extension.

I made a few changes:
I added a Particle System and attached it to a Motion Path (Motion Tab > Motion Path). I moved the points of the Motion Path around to create a loopy loopy flight path. I then textured that Particle System with a green 'smoke' texture.
I duplicated that Particle System and changed a few parameters to create a few 'sparkles' within the green smoke.

I detailed the broom a bit more to try to give it more character. I gave the cat's tail a morph so it's not so pointed out straight.

I also added a few more clouds.

The art you all create here leaves me humbled.

 

 

Bunyip02

Diomede said:

I had a few moments to do a quick update with some postwork.  The biggest change is to make Galadriel's hair more golden.  Tough choice because I didn't want to take away from her ring.  I am going to swap out my entry while there is time.

Nice !!!

Bunyip02

DesertDude said:

Thank you Headwax for the extension.

I made a few changes:
I added a Particle System and attached it to a Motion Path (Motion Tab > Motion Path). I moved the points of the Motion Path around to create a loopy loopy flight path. I then textured that Particle System with a green 'smoke' texture.
I duplicated that Particle System and changed a few parameters to create a few 'sparkles' within the green smoke.

I detailed the broom a bit more to try to give it more character. I gave the cat's tail a morph so it's not so pointed out straight.

I also added a few more clouds.

The art you all create here leaves me humbled.

 

Definately adds to the render !!!

Headwax

DesertDude said:

Thank you Headwax for the extension.

I made a few changes:
I added a Particle System and attached it to a Motion Path (Motion Tab > Motion Path). I moved the points of the Motion Path around to create a loopy loopy flight path. I then textured that Particle System with a green 'smoke' texture.
I duplicated that Particle System and changed a few parameters to create a few 'sparkles' within the green smoke.

I detailed the broom a bit more to try to give it more character. I gave the cat's tail a morph so it's not so pointed out straight.

I also added a few more clouds.

The art you all create here leaves me humbled.

 

 

 

 

what a beauty! lots of movement and fun and that broom has much more prescence :)

Headwax

Diomede said:

I had a few moments to do a quick update with some postwork.  The biggest change is to make Galadriel's hair more golden.  Tough choice because I didn't want to take away from her ring.  I am going to swap out my entry while there is time.

 

i think you have balanced out the tones in this work beautifully

Headwax

Just to let you know I'll close the Entry thread tomorrow. Thanks to all who have entered!!!! What an amazing gallery of work.!

Stezza

DesertDude said:

Dartanbeck - Thank you
Vyusur - Thank you
Bunyip02 - Thank you
Headwax - Thank you

I can sort of manipulate 3D software but can't figure out how to Quote multiple people in a post on a software forum.
I felt like I could do this before but now I'm taken to a separate page where it looks like I have to post that one quote?
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks In Advance

 

 

doing nothing wrong.. it's Daz's fix to something that wasn't broke!  

awesome works by all.. I've been on a sabbatical so haven't been spending much time in the forums but the looking back thru it's all

 AWESOME 

Headwax

welcome back ;)

 

yep that lack of multi quotes is a pita

Mistara

jeez loo eez  dont think is not meant to be

well, it kinda works. it was about a doll they brought to life

trying to use the original star figure for poser, but she not bending.
ik issue?

wuo  She Blinded Me with Science

Lens flare effect
pbr and hdri plugins
Hein Wizard
Star original figure
desert princess

 

ed3D

Headwax said:

 

gah ., ! Technology ! Ill extend a few days!

~  And , _ Thanx ,, ,at least  can still listen to Jazz    :yeahs:

Headwax

Okay better call it. Time to start voting !

Thanks to all who made work for this challenge - lovely to see such terrific images.

I really learnt a lot fromt his challenge.

That's  magic Mysty ;) Nice glow!

 

 

DesertDude

Definately adds to the render !!!

Thanks Bunyip!

DesertDude

Headwax said:

what a beauty! lots of movement and fun and that broom has much more prescence :)

Thanks Headwax!

DesertDude

Diomede said:

- Desertdude, the whimsy is magical and the modeling is top notch.  Expression = greatness.

Thanks Diomede! - (accidentally missed your comment earlier  )

DesertDude

Here is a quick technqiue to make your own normal maps inside Carrara - no plugins needed (but there are a few caveats, of course).

I was watching a tutorial on making stylized clouds and in the tutorial the author made a normal map using metaball spheres. I made a similar blob of metaballs and thought I could use the Baker plugin, but I think it requires a UV mapped object - it just crashes Carrara. Converting to a vertex object made a disaster mesh. After a bit of googling around I found this:

http://www.bencloward.com/tutorials_normal_maps11.shtml

Skipping down to the part where it says "Creating A Normal Map Right In Your 3D App":
"Did you know that you can create a normal map in ANY 3D program? You don't need any special plug-ins or exporters or extra tools at all when you create a normal map with this technique! I'll explain how to do it, but first there are a few limitations:

• Your low res model must be a flat plain.
• The low res model must have a planar UV projection (flat texture coordinates).
• You can't use this for characters that have specific unwrapped texture coordinates.

This technique is really good for environment normal maps like bumpy ground, rock walls, bricks, metal panels, etc."

Because this technique uses an Isometric Camera, any geometry that is hidden, or undercut from the POV of the camera, won't be rendered and your results won't look right.

I attached an empty scene with the Lighting set up.

And here's how:

Add a Distant Light, Name it 'Green Positive' (or whatever), set to 50%, set color to R=0, G=255, B=0, Turn off Cast Shadows. I changed the Rotation Controller to 'Angles' under Motion Tab > Motion > Rotation Controller. This light is pointing straight down in the scene with X=0 Y=0  Z=0 degrees of rotation.

Duplicate the light, name it 'Green Negative', and check the Negative checkbox. Leave all other settings the same. Set the rotation to X = 180 so the light is pointing straight up.
Duplicate the light, name it 'Red Positive',  and uncheck the Negative checkbox. Change the color to R=255, G=0 B=0. Set the rotation to X = -90 Y = 0  Z = 90.
Duplicate the light, name it 'Red Negative' and check the Negative check box. Set the rotation to X= 90, Y=0  Z = 90.
Duplicate the light one more time, name it 'Blue'  set it to 100% and uncheck the Negative checkbox. Set the color to R=0 G=0 B=255. Set the rotation to -90.

Create a new Multi Channel Shader, name it 'White Shader' (or whatever) and set all channels to none. In the Color Channel add a pure white color. In the Glow Channel add a value 0-100% slider and set to 50%.
Change your object shading to this White Shader.
Make sure all other lights are off, including Ambient light in your scene.

Add an Isometric camera and fill your frame however your like.
If your object doesn't completely fill your frame set the Backdrop to a neutral gray R=128 G=128 B=128

In the Render room change the Rendering Camera to 'Isometric'
Render and save in your preferred filed format.

Now you can use this Normal Map in the Bump Channel of a shader under Bump > Normal Map.
With this set up I got expected results. You may need to click the Flip X or Flip Y if it looks backwards.

Also attached is a render of each tiled on a flat plane.

Edited to add:  Set Blue light to 100%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headwax

great stuff thanks so much @ DesertDude

looked at your site the other day - the paintings are inspiring

DesertDude

Thanks Headwax, and thank you for the kind words regarding my paintings.

Thanks for doing another great job hosting. Magical theme that produced another round of awesome works in Carrara!

Dartanbeck

I just re-read this again and just started balling, it's such a beautiful sentence!

Life … being able to feel the wind in your hair, to hold a child in your arms, to smell a flower, to walk on a beach, to be aware of the curve of the Earth, to run our fingernails over a rock older than the beginning of  time  –  all of these things, are Magical in one way or another.

Diomede

DesertDude said:

Here is a quick technqiue to make your own normal maps inside Carrara - no plugins needed (but there are a few caveats, of course).

I was watching a tutorial on making stylized clouds and in the tutorial the author made a normal map using metaball spheres. I made a similar blob of metaballs and thought I could use the Baker plugin, but I think it requires a UV mapped object - it just crashes Carrara. Converting to a vertex object made a disaster mesh. After a bit of googling around I found this:

http://www.bencloward.com/tutorials_normal_maps11.shtml

Skipping down to the part where it says "Creating A Normal Map Right In Your 3D App":
"Did you know that you can create a normal map in ANY 3D program? You don't need any special plug-ins or exporters or extra tools at all when you create a normal map with this technique! I'll explain how to do it, but first there are a few limitations:

• Your low res model must be a flat plain.
• The low res model must have a planar UV projection (flat texture coordinates).
• You can't use this for characters that have specific unwrapped texture coordinates.

This technique is really good for environment normal maps like bumpy ground, rock walls, bricks, metal panels, etc."

Because this technique uses an Isometric Camera, any geometry that is hidden, or undercut from the POV of the camera, won't be rendered and your results won't look right.

I attached an empty scene with the Lighting set up.

And here's how:

Add a Distant Light, Name it 'Green Positive' (or whatever), set to 50%, set color to R=0, G=255, B=0, Turn off Cast Shadows. I changed the Rotation Controller to 'Angles' under Motion Tab > Motion > Rotation Controller. This light is pointing straight down in the scene with X=0 Y=0  Z=0 degrees of rotation.

Duplicate the light, name it 'Green Negative', and check the Negative checkbox. Leave all other settings the same. Set the rotation to X = 180 so the light is pointing straight up.
Duplicate the light, name it 'Red Positive',  and uncheck the Negative checkbox. Change the color to R=255, G=0 B=0. Set the rotation to X = -90 Y = 0  Z = 90.
Duplicate the light, name it 'Red Negative' and check the Negative check box. Set the rotation to X= 90, Y=0  Z = 90.
Duplicate the light one more time, name it 'Blue'  set it to 100% and uncheck the Negative checkbox. Set the color to R=0 G=0 B=255. Set the rotation to -90.

Create a new Multi Channel Shader, name it 'White Shader' (or whatever) and set all channels to none. In the Color Channel add a pure white color. In the Glow Channel add a value 0-100% slider and set to 50%.
Change your object shading to this White Shader.
Make sure all other lights are off, including Ambient light in your scene.

Add an Isometric camera and fill your frame however your like.
If your object doesn't completely fill your frame set the Backdrop to a neutral gray R=128 G=128 B=128

In the Render room change the Rendering Camera to 'Isometric'
Render and save in your preferred filed format.

Now you can use this Normal Map in the Bump Channel of a shader under Bump > Normal Map.
With this set up I got expected results. You may need to click the Flip X or Flip Y if it looks backwards.

Also attached is a render of each tiled on a flat plane.

Edited to add:  Set Blue light to 100%

Thank you for this tutorial.  I would never have thought to try something like this.  Great tool to add to the toolbox.

And thank you DesertDude and Headwax for the nice comments.

Headwax

Dartanbeck said:

I just re-read this again and just started balling, it's such a beautiful sentence!

Life … being able to feel the wind in your hair, to hold a child in your arms, to smell a flower, to walk on a beach, to be aware of the curve of the Earth, to run our fingernails over a rock older than the beginning of  time  –  all of these things, are Magical in one way or another.

thank you Dart - and it's all too true 

Dartanbeck

Agreed!

UnifiedBrain

Sorry I stopped posting towards the end.  Life kind of got in the way.

Thanks to everyone for the comments about my Caduceus render.  And thanks to Stezza for explaining the process he used in creating the monopoly board.

Great hosting, HW!

DesertDude

Thank you for this tutorial.  I would never have thought to try something like this.  Great tool to add to the toolbox.

Cool!