Welcome to the March Freebie Challenge: "March Madness Mix-Up"

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Comments

  • DanaTADanaTA Posts: 13,063
    edited December 1969

    DanaTA said:
    Look in the cockpit windows. :) :)

    When it's done, I'll be putting a bigger version on my DA page.

    OK, I see the guy who's smiling, and I see the guy with his hands up in the air. What am I missing?

    Dana


    Better view.
    NAE.

    Anyway, I get it that they're about to crash. As I said, that would ruin the mood. They almost remind me of a movie that was pretty funny, I think it had marionettes. I could be wrong.

    Dana

  • Gloomy007Gloomy007 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Dollygirl said:
    Zawarkal said:
    question... my image is so large that I am forced to render it as two separate layers that I will then have to combine using psp... I know the rule says no postwork so the image layers will definitely be simply overlaid at 100% Normal... my question is, you know how rendering a png creates the white artefacts around the layered foreground items, am I allowed to soften those edges or do I have to submit the image leaving those artefacts? also, do you require me to show the two original renders or is just the final image enough?

    Zawarkal, What I learned to do and it works really well is to set the background to black and render to a tif file. When you bring the tif into the image program select the scene portion by using the alpha channel.

    Rendering over black fixes a lot of issues. It is really good suggestion :)

  • Gloomy007Gloomy007 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Sorry that one under another. Here is my entry to the minicontest:

    In The Meadow

    GreenPin.jpg
    1200 x 900 - 709K
  • BWSmanBWSman Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Changing the background colour is a good idea. As I mentioned earlier; changing the colour to that similar to what your background image will be means a lot less work. Ttry rendering with a black background and com-positing it over a light coloured image & you still have issues with the anti-aliasing artifacts.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    Dollygirl said:
    Zawarkal said:
    question... my image is so large that I am forced to render it as two separate layers that I will then have to combine using psp... I know the rule says no postwork so the image layers will definitely be simply overlaid at 100% Normal... my question is, you know how rendering a png creates the white artefacts around the layered foreground items, am I allowed to soften those edges or do I have to submit the image leaving those artefacts? also, do you require me to show the two original renders or is just the final image enough?

    Zawarkal, What I learned to do and it works really well is to set the background to black and render to a tif file. When you bring the tif into the image program select the scene portion by using the alpha channel.

    not sure what the alpha channel is... have seen it mentioned but never looked for tutorials for understanding

    I recently got luxus and when it rendered a layer the background was black by default. I tried to create a mask to erase out the black bg, but found I still had that same haze of artefacts even with the black (won't be using Luxus in this image as I have not gotten lighting technique down yet and only way I have been able to use so far is to blend the two images using 30-40% Multiply -- and I have a feeling this would be considered postwork as it is changing the lighting through a paint program -- though if someone could verify this as the case or not as to being allowed to use the multiply being considered postwork, I can keep it in mind for future use or not)

    also, I'm not able to set a bg in the foreground as it would overwrite the bg in the actual image

    so I'm not really sure I understand how to apply the suggestions being given.
    for now I will do as I always have and just soften in the two layers... I will then go ahead and post smaller versions of the two original renders to show everyone what I mean about the bg use so I can be sure I'm understanding what you are telling me to try

    believe me I was hoping there was an easier way of doing the composite blendings... this can be quite time consuming... really do appreciate all help being offered!!!

  • Gloomy007Gloomy007 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Other thing that you can do is to render first layer, and then use it as a background for the second render. Just a thought for minimizing postwork :)

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Yes, as Krissy says. This image http://www.daz3d.com/forums/index.php?&ACT=50&fid=3&aid=56488_tDGv40x2M3qgN3ic4062&board_id=1 is actually composited from about 4 or 5 different layers, because I just could not render it all in one go. But each render has some part of the main environment in it, so the shadows match as well as the background.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:

    |:| The Rat Race |:|

    I once read an article where the writer expressed the idea that people ignore the obvious. When the rat is running in the maze, why doesn't he just look up and climb out.?.

    I hope I was successful in representing the street as a lab technician's rat maze. Kind of hard to do in a closeup.

    image created and rendered in ds4.5pro using psp xi to put it together

    no count items:

    daz's genesis
    boudicca36's mask for genesis - was on sharecg but no longer avail - she cleaned house
    lab technician uses genesis and wilmap's riding outfit jacket (below)


    free count items:

    pulled:

    01 - McGyver's Sylon Spray Paint *
    02 - ratty mouse by marco *
    03 - nobiax's money * & ***

    addt'l free items:

    04 - wilmap's riding outfit for genesis *
    05 - rainbow rat textures colors by alymac *
    06 - graffiti wall
    07 - mirye's slim toons *

    free shaders: (used for genesis skins, masks, and ratty mouse)

    08 - Art of Mind Sample Shaders * & ** (black pearl color)
    09 - Art of Mind Shaders * & ** (all other colors)

    paid items:

    daz's PWsurface2

    * requires site registration
    ** requires PWsurface2 (paid item)
    *** requires free 7-zip installer

    theRatRace.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 371K
  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    okay, now for your help!!!

    here are the two rendered images at 50%. the foreround with translucency is in png to keep the translucency for this discussion.

    how would I have rendered the fg with a background color and still been able to overlay?
    how best to render the fg being able to remove the artefacts and avoid the need to figure out how best to blend the two layers?
    appreciate all help!!! critiques welcome as well... I want to learn

    raceQueueSM.png
    960 x 540 - 140K
    racerSM.jpg
    960 x 540 - 86K
  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    chohole said:
    Yes, as Krissy says. This image http://www.daz3d.com/forums/index.php?&ACT=50&fid=3&aid=56488_tDGv40x2M3qgN3ic4062&board_id=1 is actually composited from about 4 or 5 different layers, because I just could not render it all in one go. But each render has some part of the main environment in it, so the shadows match as well as the background.

    that did blend well and very lovely image
    I'm afraid I still need a step by step though using my examples

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Problem is AS you may have noticed form the rendered in logo, I use Bryce, so a different tecnique to how you would need to do it.

  • DollyGirlDollyGirl Posts: 2,645
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:
    Dollygirl said:
    Zawarkal said:
    question... my image is so large that I am forced to render it as two separate layers that I will then have to combine using psp... I know the rule says no postwork so the image layers will definitely be simply overlaid at 100% Normal... my question is, you know how rendering a png creates the white artefacts around the layered foreground items, am I allowed to soften those edges or do I have to submit the image leaving those artefacts? also, do you require me to show the two original renders or is just the final image enough?

    Zawarkal, What I learned to do and it works really well is to set the background to black and render to a tif file. When you bring the tif into the image program select the scene portion by using the alpha channel.

    not sure what the alpha channel is... have seen it mentioned but never looked for tutorials for understanding

    I recently got luxus and when it rendered a layer the background was black by default. I tried to create a mask to erase out the black bg, but found I still had that same haze of artefacts even with the black (won't be using Luxus in this image as I have not gotten lighting technique down yet and only way I have been able to use so far is to blend the two images using 30-40% Multiply -- and I have a feeling this would be considered postwork as it is changing the lighting through a paint program -- though if someone could verify this as the case or not as to being allowed to use the multiply being considered postwork, I can keep it in mind for future use or not)

    also, I'm not able to set a bg in the foreground as it would overwrite the bg in the actual image

    so I'm not really sure I understand how to apply the suggestions being given.
    for now I will do as I always have and just soften in the two layers... I will then go ahead and post smaller versions of the two original renders to show everyone what I mean about the bg use so I can be sure I'm understanding what you are telling me to try

    believe me I was hoping there was an easier way of doing the composite blendings... this can be quite time consuming... really do appreciate all help being offered!!!

    Ok Zawarkal, First we need to understand what channels are.
    Image files are actually instruction files telling the computer what to put where. So the what is colors and the where is the organizationor placement of those colors to make a picture. The image files, jpg, tif, png, bmp, etc. have a structure to them so that the computer can read them. We humans call the structure, channels. These channels define a specific attribute of the image like where all the reds go, or where tranperancy (ie no color) should go. So there are RGB channels, HSL channels, CMYK channels, and Alpha channels. Not all image file types have all of these channels. For example a jpg file does not contain the alpha channel.

    A tif image has the alpha channel. Why is this important, because it tells the computer where objects in the picture are and where objects in the picture are not, in a very simple and exact way. If we were to view the alpha channel we would see dots (pixels) in the image as either black (no object is here) or white (object is here). This is handy because now you can tell the computer that all you want out of the picture is the object (white pixels) and nothing else. So the computer has this very detailed map (channel) that tells it what to select and what to ignore. You don't need to guess where the object ends and the background begins.

    Most graphics programs use the alpha channel in their masking operations. You use masking when you are selecting something out of the picture. So if you go to your selections tool options you should see something about selection or loading by using the alpha channel.
    Using a tif file you will have greater control over the anti-aliancing that you are currently experiencing. If you want more help just PM me and we can get into greater detail of the hows and whys of this technique.

  • DanaTADanaTA Posts: 13,063
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:

    |:| The Rat Race |:|

    I once read an article where the writer expressed the idea that people ignore the obvious. When the rat is running in the maze, why doesn't he just look up and climb out.?.

    I hope I was successful in representing the street as a lab technician's rat maze. Kind of hard to do in a closeup.

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/index.php?&ACT=50&fid=41&aid=58303_LMIW0SIUsFAdRM1O5weE&thumb=1&board_id=1

    This is maddening! Rat race indeed! Good job. I see the one that looked up. I feel like him. Trying to get up and just knocked back down.

    Dana

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Dollygirl for the indepth reply.

    When I first began using DS I did my renders as TIF. The first time I had to render in layers I switched to PNG as I did not know about the alpha channel. So by your information I rendered the image layer again as a TIF file. I did a search on the load selection using alpha channel and I tried it out. But, as you can see from the cropped image I still have the white artefacts showing along the layer.

    step by step
    pasted new TIF version on top of bg PNG layer (from original render)
    loaded selection layer by alpha channel using new TIF file
    promoted selection to layer
    turned off TIF layer

    Did I do something wrong? Or, is this normal? I would still want to blend as I see these results. I am using PaintShopPro XI.

    testTif.jpg
    840 x 588 - 112K
  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    DanaTA said:
    Zawarkal said:

    |:| The Rat Race |:|

    I once read an article where the writer expressed the idea that people ignore the obvious. When the rat is running in the maze, why doesn't he just look up and climb out.?.

    I hope I was successful in representing the street as a lab technician's rat maze. Kind of hard to do in a closeup.

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/index.php?&ACT=50&fid=41&aid=58303_LMIW0SIUsFAdRM1O5weE&thumb=1&board_id=1

    This is maddening! Rat race indeed! Good job. I see the one that looked up. I feel like him. Trying to get up and just knocked back down.

    Dana

    Thank you for your comments. Yeah, they just want us to stay in line and forget about trying to get ahead. I for one have jumped out of line. Of course though, I'm also not trying to get ahead so I guess that's why they leave me alone.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    chohole said:
    Problem is AS you may have noticed form the rendered in logo, I use Bryce, so a different tecnique to how you would need to do it.

    Yes, I did notice the Bryce logo. I popped into the Bryce challenge awhile back. I even got the program installed after seeing the thread. I just haven't had a break in my schedule to take the time to peruse the tutorials provided. Like this contest, it's another item on my todo list. But as they say, admitting you have a problem is the first step... so putting it on my todo list means one day I will get my round tuit.

  • BWSmanBWSman Posts: 0
    edited March 2013

    Do you know how to change the background colour in DS?
    Load your foreground scene. In the camera controls; click on the top right icon (the one with the lines) and select "Change Bachground Color...". Pick a colour that closely matches what your background is goind to be (in your case a dark red). Select OK Render.

    Your problem is that you are using a light Blue(?) colour as your background colour and so you will have the light artifacts showing up.

    Image2.jpg
    499 x 371 - 85K
    Image1.jpg
    424 x 494 - 69K
    Post edited by BWSman on
  • DollyGirlDollyGirl Posts: 2,645
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:
    Thanks Dollygirl for the indepth reply.

    When I first began using DS I did my renders as TIF. The first time I had to render in layers I switched to PNG as I did not know about the alpha channel. So by your information I rendered the image layer again as a TIF file. I did a search on the load selection using alpha channel and I tried it out. But, as you can see from the cropped image I still have the white artefacts showing along the layer.

    step by step
    pasted new TIF version on top of bg PNG layer (from original render)
    loaded selection layer by alpha channel using new TIF file
    promoted selection to layer
    turned off TIF layer

    Did I do something wrong? Or, is this normal? I would still want to blend as I see these results. I am using PaintShopPro XI.

    Yeah what he said. BWSman said it before me. Dark Grey to Black are the best choices.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    Oh, now I understand what you meant about the background. I did not know that. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! That worked!!! You have all saved me some future headaches. :)

  • BWSmanBWSman Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Ok, the mini-contest is now "officially" closed. I'll announce the winner shortly.

  • BWSmanBWSman Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    DRUMROLL PLEASE

    ... and the winner if the mini-contest is Chohole's NotQuite Your Usual Leprechaun.

    I wll send you a PM with the Gift Card code.

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Oh WOW, now that I did not expect. Thankyou.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    chohole said:
    Oh WOW, now that I did not expect. Thankyou.

    I did. That is a great image! Congratulations.

  • jeeperzjeeperz Posts: 1,102
    edited December 1969

    everyone did a great job on their renders, but I agree with Zawarkal, you still got it cho...

  • Gloomy007Gloomy007 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Congratulations chohole!! Very deserved :D

  • DollyGirlDollyGirl Posts: 2,645
    edited December 1969

    Yes indeedie. A render worth the win. Congrats!

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Thankyou all for the nice comments :red:

  • BWSmanBWSman Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    chohole said:
    Thankyou all for the nice comments :red:

    OK, you won; you can put the club down now. :-)
  • skipper25skipper25 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Well done, Cho. Lovely pic. The club is called a shillelagh, isn't it? Or perhaps it's different in Wales.

  • DanaTADanaTA Posts: 13,063
    edited December 1969

    BWSman said:
    chohole said:
    Thankyou all for the nice comments :red:

    OK, you won; you can put the club down now. :-)

    :lol:

    Dana

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