WIP thread New Users Contest - July 2013

1235»

Comments

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    I'm not seeing a picture there... :)

  • cecilia.robinsoncecilia.robinson Posts: 2,208
    edited July 2013

    I'm not seeing a picture there... :)

    That's right, it's the tenth time in this minute the forum kicks me out when I attach the image :( . If I cannot link, could you be so kind and give me any kind of advice please? I spent a lot of time preparing the entry and now I cannot post it.

    EDIT:

    Wow, DAZ got scared and let me posted the picture! :P

    Post edited by cecilia.robinson on
  • keshkesh Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    cecilia.robinson: Hi there, i have but a few comments and suggestions for your post. Please keep in mind that what i am going to say is only intended to help improving, and in no way is meant to criticize just for the sake of it.

    By what i see, the only rendered things in your work are the mermaids and the hippo (cool hippo ^^) while all the rest look like 2D clipart stuck on top of the scene. That might even work, but some basic additions are needed to make the image look less flat: first and most noticeable: the glass does not match the perspective of the scene, and that makes it look just like a sticker. If it is a clipart then there is nothing you can do to alter its look, so you should instead modify the camera angle, lowering it to get a better matching view. To achieve a good point of view you can add a primitive to your scene, a cylinder with the base equal to the glass base and his height reduced to a thin poker chip (so to be more or less high as the glass base). Now position that 'chip' right next to the glass, on the table. Now move your camera up and down until you see the chip base with the same curved shape of the glass. This will be your point of view from which your glass will look as a 3d part of the scene. To get even a better match you should create another chip the diameter of the rim of your glass, and suspend it on top of the other one at the height of the glass. At that point you can modify your zoom and camera lens (FOV) to match also that shape with the glass rim, because the perspective look in an image varies also depending on those values.

    I would discard the other clips (cookies, dessert dish and boxes), because you could not match also their perspectives at the same time.

    Focus on what you have: increase the size of your true 3d models and make em be the main subjects of your composition. Finally turn on shadows in your lightsource (raytraced shadows with a 15% softness would do fine), remove the chips from the scene and render it ;)

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    I imagine you're all pretty much fed up with this render by now - but I have added a tree with shadows, which - imo - gives a better sense of perspective.

    Thoughts?

    WIT-Tree.jpg
    799 x 532 - 458K
  • keshkesh Posts: 0
    edited July 2013

    yay, t.gohr - that's a great add-on imo and it enhances your scene dramatically. Great idea!

    PS: soften up a bit the shadows, as most characters' eyes have become barely visible though.

    PPS (trying to look innocent for the post editing spree) the blue fill light you are using is imo too blue... you might want to lower its saturation by a 50%

    Post edited by kesh on
  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    kesh said:
    yay, t.gohr - that's a great add-on imo and it enhances your scene dramatically. Great idea!

    Thanks! (I guess I should have used another username - piuty it can't be changed)

    PS: soften up a bit the shadows, as most characters' eyes have become barely visible though.

    I think that's mostly because the key light (sun) comes from pretty far up, so it shines straight down. I did soften the shadows a bit, and increased the bounce light; the eyes are better visible now.

    PPS (trying to look innocent for the post editing spree) the blue fill light you are using is imo too blue... you might want to lower its saturation by a 50%

    Yeah, that's what my wife was criticizing, too. Changed it to a lighter blue.

    Can I switch the entry in the Contest thread for a newer version of my render, or is that no-no?

    WIT-Tree2.jpg
    799 x 532 - 460K
  • keshkesh Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    If you don't mind me calling you t.gohr then i guess all is fine with your username 8)

    I seem to remember in recent contests final submissions could be edited and replaced with other versions, so i guess you should be allowed to replace yours too ;)

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    I don't mind at all, but it looks a bit... unexpected :)

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited July 2013

    Thanks! (I guess I should have used another username - piuty it can't be changed)

    It can be changed for you. At the moment usernames are assigned by default, but if you PM either Richard Haseltine or adamr001 giving them the username you would prefer for the forums- maybe a couple of variations in case the preferred one was already in use- they can change it for you.

    Post edited by Chohole on
  • cecilia.robinsoncecilia.robinson Posts: 2,208
    edited December 1969

    kesh said:
    cecilia.robinson: Hi there, i have but a few comments and suggestions for your post. Please keep in mind that what i am going to say is only intended to help improving, and in no way is meant to criticize just for the sake of it.

    By what i see, the only rendered things in your work are the mermaids and the hippo (cool hippo ^^) while all the rest look like 2D clipart stuck on top of the scene. That might even work, but some basic additions are needed to make the image look less flat: first and most noticeable: the glass does not match the perspective of the scene, and that makes it look just like a sticker. If it is a clipart then there is nothing you can do to alter its look, so you should instead modify the camera angle, lowering it to get a better matching view. To achieve a good point of view you can add a primitive to your scene, a cylinder with the base equal to the glass base and his height reduced to a thin poker chip (so to be more or less high as the glass base). Now position that 'chip' right next to the glass, on the table. Now move your camera up and down until you see the chip base with the same curved shape of the glass. This will be your point of view from which your glass will look as a 3d part of the scene. To get even a better match you should create another chip the diameter of the rim of your glass, and suspend it on top of the other one at the height of the glass. At that point you can modify your zoom and camera lens (FOV) to match also that shape with the glass rim, because the perspective look in an image varies also depending on those values.

    I would discard the other clips (cookies, dessert dish and boxes), because you could not match also their perspectives at the same time.

    Focus on what you have: increase the size of your true 3d models and make em be the main subjects of your composition. Finally turn on shadows in your lightsource (raytraced shadows with a 15% softness would do fine), remove the chips from the scene and render it ;)

    Dear Kesh, thank you so much for your suggestions! They're very helpful. the worst thing is that I lacked the drink prop. Do you know a good free counterpart somewhere please? Should I have a nice drink, there would be no need for the boxes (originally I wanted to leave only the timber texture, my rendered plate with pancakes, the mermaids, the hippo and the background (the ship and that island plus the plants, because the scene is "framed" by them). However, to do so, I need a really holiday-looking drink. I couldn't find something suitable. Could you be so kind and suggest me a proper freebie please? Thank you so much in advance!

    PS To speed up rendering times, I needed to render each mermaid, the hippo and plate with the pancakes separately. The rest was grouped in MS PowerPoint if you're curious.

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,331
    edited December 1969

    Cecilia, I just noticed these yesterday in Renderosity free stuff. Haven't tried them and not sure whether they'll suit your needs, but thought I'd send a link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/details.php?item_id=71933

  • cecilia.robinsoncecilia.robinson Posts: 2,208
    edited December 1969

    Cecilia, I just noticed these yesterday in Renderosity free stuff. Haven't tried them and not sure whether they'll suit your needs, but thought I'd send a link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/details.php?item_id=71933

    Scott, you're an angel, aren't you? :P That's exactly what I need, if I only manage to connect soon enough, I'll use them! Unfortunately, I'm in the Central European time zone, so it's UTC/GMT + 2 hours (summer time now, normally it's UTC/GMT + 1 hour). DAZ is in Buffalo, so it's currently UTC/GMT - 4 hours (normally UTC/GMT - 5 hours). I'm not sure if I manage to have it all done. Thanks anyway!!!

  • keshkesh Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Cecilia, sorry i can't point to any available drink prop, but i see that Scott gave you a link (can't get there... i have no renderosity subscription).

    Hope you manage to post your new version before the deadline. Maybe having reduced the number of objects in the scene you'll manage to render all together, so all the shadows and light effects will look better. Other than tedious, recomposing a scene in power point (*cringes*) won't give you many options to tweak subtle details ;)

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited July 2013

    JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE........the countdown has begun...............CONTEST CLOSES IN...................10½ hours

    Make sure you have transferred your images into the entry thread http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/24997/

    Post edited by Chohole on
  • cecilia.robinsoncecilia.robinson Posts: 2,208
    edited July 2013

    chohole said:
    JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE........the countdown has begun...............CONTEST CLOSES IN...................10½ hours

    Make sure you have transferred your images into the entry thread http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/24997/

    Sorry, but there's a problem. I'm in Central European Timezone (GMT + 2 hours, because it's summer time) and the entry thread is constantly kicking me out when I'm submitting my entry. Can somebody take a look please???

    If a moderator agrees to move my second entry into the proper thread, I'd be very grateful!

    Post edited by cecilia.robinson on
  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    I don't understand why you are having a problem I am on GMT+1 and I have been posting images all evening with no problem.

    what exactly is happening when you try to post it.

    We only need the image and the title in the entry thread, not the whole explanation.

  • keshkesh Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Cecilia, much better now ;) - glad you could have your drink (hehe ok, just a little pun).

    About powerpoint, well... yeah you can do some things, i've been using it sporadically since the early 90's as since 1994 i've been using photoshop, and for me using powerpoint for graphic editing is like using a screwdriver for drilling holes in solid rock :D - it can be done, but it'd be much better with another tool. Photoshop is quite expensive (i only use it thanks to my work), but Gimp is an impressive free alternative that allows many similar operations... if you haven't tried it i warmly suggest you give it a try. If you can achieve what you posted (yeah i peeked at other renders you posted in the forums) with powerpoint, well i definitely think you'll do magic with Gimp :)

    http://www.gimp.org/

    (PS apologies for the off-topic stroll, moderators...)

  • SerjSerj Posts: 12
    edited December 1969

    Thanks everybody for comments and for contest! It was really interesting! Thank you very much! :)

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    CONTEST NOW CLOSED

    Good luck everyone

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,040
    edited December 1969

    Good luck to all those that entered!

    I would have liked to follow this better, but for some strange reason I wasn't getting notifications for this thread. Strangely, the Carrara Discussion threads I'm subscribed to worked as far as receiving notifications for new replies.

  • cecilia.robinsoncecilia.robinson Posts: 2,208
    edited December 1969

    chohole said:
    I don't understand why you are having a problem I am on GMT+1 and I have been posting images all evening with no problem.

    what exactly is happening when you try to post it.

    We only need the image and the title in the entry thread, not the whole explanation.

    I too think it's strange (I have been experiencing sudden kickouts to dashboard when posting since the summer time came along, sometimes I only get the post to show up after several attempts, no ideas, why). However, I am very grateful for that kind moderator for moving my entry into the proper thread. Good luck everyone!

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    WINNERS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

    In the contest thread

Sign In or Register to comment.