July 2016 New User 3D Art Contest “Portrait Rendering” – WIP Thread

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  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    OK, this render is just an adjustment to the iRay Render intensity from 1.0 to 0.1. It looks like nightime now but I will need to see how much light the simulated neon lights will give off and add also 3 - 6 week spotlights of different colors to try & get the effect I'm after. Load up the Ferris wheel or another ride, maybe both although only a glimpse of a part of them in the background will be visible. And maybe add in some other carnival things inside the kiosk the carnival barker is tending to.

    Can't wait to see how this comes out!  You can turn almost anything emissive in Iray just pick and choose wisely so he is the main focus.  There are also some gobo and effects lighting available in the shop that might give you the effects that you are looking for. https://www.daz3d.com/downloader/customer/files#prod_22434 ; That's just an idea of what's available if you can't get what you want manually.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232

    Hee, I am super nervous. I've never participated in one of these before. Figured I could use the motivation, as I am pretty weak on both expression and lighting.

    About the 6th attempt at rendering, as I try to teach myself about skin shaders and lighting. Iray is a wonderful yet baffling thing. o.O the boob light was unexpected and makes me giggle like a 12 year-old. I have fiddled with this image so much that I am losing perspective on it, and wouldn't mind some pointers on changes required.


    I'd have to say that is a fantastic way to start! One way to avoid the lit boob that everyone is mentioning is to simply zoom your camera in closer to crop it out. (I'd zoom, i.e. increase focal length, rather than move the camera closer. You don't want a wide angle view which distorts her features and makes her nose look big.) I'm always a fan of the close crop anyway, so I may be biased here, but you wouldn't have to change your very effective lighting setup. Her asymmetry is fascinating. You are doing great, so don't be the least bit timid about joining in the contest.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944

    OK, this render is just an adjustment to the iRay Render intensity from 1.0 to 0.1. It looks like nightime now but I will need to see how much light the simulated neon lights will give off and add also 3 - 6 week spotlights of different colors to try & get the effect I'm after. Load up the Ferris wheel or another ride, maybe both although only a glimpse of a part of them in the background will be visible. And maybe add in some other carnival things inside the kiosk the carnival barker is tending to.

    Can't wait to see how this comes out!  You can turn almost anything emissive in Iray just pick and choose wisely so he is the main focus.  There are also some gobo and effects lighting available in the shop that might give you the effects that you are looking for. https://www.daz3d.com/downloader/customer/files#prod_22434 ; That's just an idea of what's available if you can't get what you want manually.

    Thanks. I was trying to add more people but my computer won't let me. :-( 

    I did manage to add the Big Top Tent & Ferris Wheel and light them up though it looks out without more people. Ah, well, maybe it's closing time. LOL, I remember our excitement closing time at the restaurants and stores I worked at as a teenager.

  • KnittingmommyKnittingmommy Posts: 8,191

    I've been gone all day and it looks like everyone else was out enjoying their Saturday, too.  Here is my wip with the light I was talking about that I thought was too much, but I can't seem to get exactly what I was wanting.  I think first version (LucreZia16) is just a little too bright for the moodiness that I was shooting for and there is too much of the blue light on her shoulder.  The second one (LucreZia17) is closer to what I was trying to achieve, but I think it might still be a little too bright. 

    Other than my 3 point light setup, I have a Point light with a fairly quick drop off rate.  The color is set to a light blue which I thought would work out great with the black hair and I do like the blue highlights the hair gets.  I tried a spotlight, but couldn't seem to get it to work quite like I expected for a kind of hair light.  It seems to go right through the girl and hits the floor.  I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

    I'll take whatever advice I can get because I just don't understand how the lighting works very well in 3Delight.

     

    Not sure if this is the problem Knittingmommy but I have found I need the spotlight to be back quite a ways from the figure it is lighting for the light to actually hit the figure.  If too close it seems to go right past.

    I'll try that out and see if it makes a difference.  Thanks!

  • RafmerRafmer Posts: 564
    ewcarman said:

    She's very pretty. A couple of things to try - the hand in the lower right doesn't seem quite right. Either too much visible or not enough. Strikes me as floating fingers. 

    Otherwise, I would encourage you to experiment with the background a little. Or perhaps you can squeeze in a rim light. Her hair sort of disappears into the background. If you can lighten up the background a bit or accent her hair with a rim light or two, you might be able to get a bit of separation that could make a world of difference.

    Her expression seems to be the neutral one, but with her looking at you slightly askance I'm thinking there's more going on. Perhaps a slight smile, maybe of the mischievious variety? Very slight.

    Just suggestions. You've done a great job so far.

    Thanks for your suggestions, the dark backgroung was kind of deliberate as I didn't like the top shape of the hairdo and tried to hide it a bit. I will work on her expression and pose to something more elaborate.

  • sueyasueya Posts: 826

    I have altered the pose on my male figure to show off his tattoo and adjusted the lighting a little.

     

    SeatedManG2.jpg
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  • RafmerRafmer Posts: 564

    Here is my next attempt. Almost a new complete image; I tried to add the various suggestions I received. Thanks for your help.

     

    lethalb.jpg
    834 x 1080 - 296K
  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944
    edited July 2016
    Rafmer said:

    Here is my next attempt. Almost a new complete image; I tried to add the various suggestions I received. Thanks for your help.

     

    You managed to get one fixing her hair. It could be Martha Davis, for the few of you that might of heard of her. I really like it.

    Post edited by nonesuch00 on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232
    Rafmer said:

    Here is my next attempt. Almost a new complete image; I tried to add the various suggestions I received. Thanks for your help.

     

    That's nice. You did a good job on that black hair. Black hair can be hard to render. Is her expression showing that she was caught off guard? That is kind of what I got from it. I think you could take the expression a little farther. It still looks a little bland, to me. I think you've done a nice job on the lighting, too.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944
    sueya said:

    I have altered the pose on my male figure to show off his tattoo and adjusted the lighting a little.

     

    Nice tattoo. Oddly, I can see his face better in the icon then on the big picture. I'm not sure if that's a property of my monitor or what or if you adding a another lightsource, like a point light acting as lamp to light his face from the side would then make too much light.

    I am struggling myself between have the picture I'm trying to render too dark or too light. 

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232
    sueya said:

    I have altered the pose on my male figure to show off his tattoo and adjusted the lighting a little.

    Dark skin can be tough to light and to render. Good for you for working on that challenge! The image needs longer render time to clear up the noise to evaluate it fully.

    This month's portrait competition is emphasizing lighting and expression, so I will comment on those aspects. The lighting is looking pretty harsh and flat right now. I think you can still work on the lighting some more, to highlight his features. What type of lighting are you using? There are some links in the first post in this thread to give you some new lighting ideas to try.

    His expression is a little bland right now, leaving me wondering where he is looking and what he is feeling. Do you have a story in mind that you can tell through his expression? Maybe try a few different expression dials or presets and see if one of them seems right to you.

  • dracorndracorn Posts: 2,333
    edited July 2016

    I need an opinion here.  I made two renders, one close up, and one full scene to include the cauldron and various props with a little post work to add the green magic and a little more luminescence to the candles.  The close up was rendered with Victoria 6's HD, and the full scale does not have it.  I didn't add the green magic to the close up, because without the cauldron, it would have been strange to give her a green glowing elbow.  Both files are close to 2 MB so you can zoom in if you open the thumbnails.

    These are both rendered in 3Delight.  I'm pretty proud of the glass.  I used AoA's metalized glass shaders to achieve the realistic look that the Iray version of Perfect Potions had.

    Which should I use for this contest?

    Portrait:

    Full Scene:

    She'll Never Suspect Portrait.jpg
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    She'll Never Suspect Full Size 68.jpg
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    Post edited by dracorn on
  • dracorn said:

    I need an opinion here.  I made two renders, one close up, and one full scene to include the cauldron and various props with a little post work to add the green magic and a little more luminescence to the candles.  The close up was rendered with Victoria 6's HD, and the full scale does not have it.  I didn't add the green magic to the close up, because without the cauldron, it would have been strange to give her a green glowing elbow.  Both files are close to 2 MB so you can zoom in if you open the thumbnails.

    These are both rendered in 3Delight.  I'm pretty proud of the glass.  I used AoA's metalized glass shaders to achieve the realistic look that the Iray version of Perfect Potions had.

    Which should I use for this contest?

    Portrait:

    Full Scene:

    Wow! Really great work. I would use the close up -- the wider shot certainly offers more for the "story," but there is almost too much to look at.

  • dracorndracorn Posts: 2,333

    Thanks, tubbyfalls1, I was thinking the same thing, but wanted to see what other people thought.  I'll keep the wide shot as my gallery pic.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232

    For a portrait, definitely the closeup.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I agree I love the both but for the contest I would go for the closeup.  They are both really really well done!

    dracorn said:

    Thanks, tubbyfalls1, I was thinking the same thing, but wanted to see what other people thought.  I'll keep the wide shot as my gallery pic.

     

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944

    I like the closeup better too.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    sueya said:

    I have altered the pose on my male figure to show off his tattoo and adjusted the lighting a little.

     

    The tatoo definitely ads some visual interest to this.  I would crop a little bit off the left (my left) to bring him a just a bit closer as well.

    Rafmer said:

    Here is my next attempt. Almost a new complete image; I tried to add the various suggestions I received. Thanks for your help.

     

    This is a great pose. I think her expression is just a tiny bit too neutral, maybe just a small secret smile or a tiny bit more concentration or a small frown.  Nothing major just a really minor tweak depending on what you are going for. 

  • Darth Tyranus

    Unless anyone has a better sugestion then what I have listed...

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232

    Darth Tyranus

    Unless anyone has a better sugestion then what I have listed...

    I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark...ANYWHERE!

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944
    edited July 2016

    Darth Tyranus

    Unless anyone has a better sugestion then what I have listed...

    He reminds me of the Vision the way his face looks but from the Light Sabre and the name i think this is Star Wars. Anyway, It is very good done. If it is possible with the textures maybe add some shininess to the face and the clothing reflecting back the light sabre light.

    Post edited by nonesuch00 on
  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    barbult said:

    Darth Tyranus

    Unless anyone has a better sugestion then what I have listed...

    I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark...ANYWHERE!

    Me neither!

  • Darth Tyranus

    Unless anyone has a better sugestion then what I have listed...

    Here's version k, though personaly I'm partial to j

    july2016k.jpg
    533 x 864 - 314K
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,232

    I'd go with j. I think that is the one you first labeled Darth Tyranus, right? Don't forget to post your final image in the entries thread for judging. Are you going to squeeze in a second portrait before the end of the month?

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944

    I like j better too.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252

    Definitely J for me.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    J for me too...

  • evilded777evilded777 Posts: 2,444
    dracorn said:

    I need an opinion here.  I made two renders, one close up, and one full scene to include the cauldron and various props with a little post work to add the green magic and a little more luminescence to the candles.  The close up was rendered with Victoria 6's HD, and the full scale does not have it.  I didn't add the green magic to the close up, because without the cauldron, it would have been strange to give her a green glowing elbow.  Both files are close to 2 MB so you can zoom in if you open the thumbnails.

    These are both rendered in 3Delight.  I'm pretty proud of the glass.  I used AoA's metalized glass shaders to achieve the realistic look that the Iray version of Perfect Potions had.

    Which should I use for this contest?

    Portrait:

    Full Scene:

    Gonna go against the grain and say use the big one.

    Why? Exactly because it tells more story.  She is still the focus, my eyes are immediately drawn to here before I see the rest of it.

    I like that one better and I think it still functions as a portrait, even if it is a little busy. My two cents.

  • dracorndracorn Posts: 2,333
    The larger one is my favorite, too, evilded777. Now I have to think about it. There is still time to switch them in the entry thread...
  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 17,944
    edited July 2016
    dracorn said:
    The larger one is my favorite, too, evilded777. Now I have to think about it. There is still time to switch them in the entry thread...

    Well the zoomed out one is definitely the better picture and still a portrait after reconsidering. Without the context of what's on the table the zoomed in portrait looks sort of boring, despite it's non-typical looks.

    I know it's getting close to contest deadline but I would laugh if you had that lady biting into that apple while demurely looking away from the camera.

    Post edited by nonesuch00 on
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