January 2018 New User 3D Art Challenge - Composition

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Comments

  • ChameoChameo Posts: 306
    Chameo said:

    @harrybroomhall - I'm sorry that wasn't helpful. Can I ask what snow globe it is? It looks like one I use all the time, so I made a couple of assumptions about being able to change the base and glass surfaces separately. (Also, I love snow globes  and use them all the time, so if that's one I haven't got... :) )

    The one I am using was a Christmas freebie mid December just gone.

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/216346/snowglobe

    daybird has kindly explained above how to look at the individual parts of the snowglobe, so I feel I have now advanced a bit!

    And now I've checked - I see you commented on it so I presume you have this!

    Harry.

     

    It is a steep learning curve for everyone and we don't all learn the same way.  For some videos are a good option and others prefer written tutorials.  From experience I know that giving instructions isn't as easy as one might think.  Unless I am actually performing the actions myself I often forget steps that just come naturally to me but to someone who hasn't done something before can make the difference between being able to do something and getting totally lost.

     

    Yup, that one is one of my favorites. I'm happy to see Daybird pointed you to the Windows menu to find the Surfaces tab and explain how to use it. I thought of it after, but hadn't got back to the computer yet to mention it. Just like Kismet noted, I've had my Daz Studio set up a particular way that I forget it's not the default setup.

  • harrybroomhallharrybroomhall Posts: 31
    edited January 2018

    I am uploading an update to my effort.  

    Thanks to everyone who has assisted me so far - you have been a lot of help!  In particular, a beginning pointer to surfaces and shaders.

     

    Main changes are 1) pose adjustment - it wasn't obvious that this uses a snowglobe so the left foot appeared to be cut.

    And 2) change to the base of the snowglobe to make it look more like the base was built-in.  I haven't found out how to use the same material as the 'Alcove' yet, but I did find a 'white marble' effect which goes some way towards this.

     

    Harry.

    haeb_first_2.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 369K
    Post edited by harrybroomhall on
  • GeffeGeffe Posts: 63
    edited January 2018

    Title : Chase

    Software: Daz Studio, no postwork

    I added some dof (rather hard to notice with all the darkness), changed the aspect ratio and shifted the right figure more towards the edge of the frame (taking Tynkere's advice about it giving the figure more acceleration), and also added an extra rim light to pick out the right figure a bit more clearly. Slight changes to the posing of the monster.

    Chase 2.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 674K
    Post edited by Geffe on
  • daybirddaybird Posts: 655
    Geffe said:

    Title : Chase

    Software: Daz Studio, no postwork

    I added some dof (rather hard to notice with all the darkness), changed the aspect ratio and shifted the right figure more towards the edge of the frame (taking Tynkere's advice about it giving the figure more acceleration), and also added an extra rim light to pick out the right figure a bit more clearly. Slight changes to the posing of the monster.

    That looks much better now! 

    Even when the changes on the first sight may seem small, but alone the movement from the two persons feels now correct. Now there is a interaction between them and the light  around the mainchar looks great.

    I still find the left side a little to dark and empty, but that is more a personal taste thing. ;)

     

  • daybirddaybird Posts: 655

    I am uploading an update to my effort.  

    Thanks to everyone who has assisted me so far - you have been a lot of help!  In particular, a beginning pointer to surfaces and shaders.

     

    Main changes are 1) pose adjustment - it wasn't obvious that this uses a snowglobe so the left foot appeared to be cut.

    And 2) change to the base of the snowglobe to make it look more like the base was built-in.  I haven't found out how to use the same material as the 'Alcove' yet, but I did find a 'white marble' effect which goes some way towards this.

     

    Harry.

    That is a fine work for a beginner! You did it much better than I as I started with DAZ. yes 

    My first tries all look so horrible and the first picture I ever posted was not even rendered.

    A member then tells me, how I must activate the render. Funny and shameful when I think back to it. laugh

  • daybird said:
    That is a fine work for a beginner! You did it much better than I as I started with DAZ. yes 

    My first tries all look so horrible and the first picture I ever posted was not even rendered.

    A member then tells me, how I must activate the render. Funny and shameful when I think back to it. laugh

    Many thanks for your comments which gave me a nice boost!  It is always nice to look back on our beginners errors with a wry smile.  <grin>

     

    I have now got the 'alcove' texture onto my build, but it is now too late, I believe, for me to do a render run and post the result.

    Harry.

     

  • Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    landofgiants2.jpg
    2000 x 1125 - 3M
  • cathan01_wwg1wgacathan01_wwg1wga Posts: 361
    edited January 2018
    Edit: Sorry for the double post. Opera browser went weird and i assumed my comment was lost so i post via IE just in case.
    Post edited by cathan01_wwg1wga on
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252

    I am uploading an update to my effort.  

    Thanks to everyone who has assisted me so far - you have been a lot of help!  In particular, a beginning pointer to surfaces and shaders.

     

    Main changes are 1) pose adjustment - it wasn't obvious that this uses a snowglobe so the left foot appeared to be cut.

    And 2) change to the base of the snowglobe to make it look more like the base was built-in.  I haven't found out how to use the same material as the 'Alcove' yet, but I did find a 'white marble' effect which goes some way towards this.

     

    Harry.

    Although each month we have a "theme" for that month you will get pointers on anything in the scene.

    You have done a great job.  As Daybird said I cringe when I think of my initial efforts, but it is all part of the learning process.

     

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    Geffe said:

    Title : Chase

    Software: Daz Studio, no postwork

    I added some dof (rather hard to notice with all the darkness), changed the aspect ratio and shifted the right figure more towards the edge of the frame (taking Tynkere's advice about it giving the figure more acceleration), and also added an extra rim light to pick out the right figure a bit more clearly. Slight changes to the posing of the monster.

    Subtle changes can make such a huge difference and dark scenes are diffinitely a challenge.  Nicely done.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited January 2018

    Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I love the concept of this image.  When I read your description, before seeing the image, I had a human mother and children with Ogres or something as the "giants".  Just goes to show the preconceptions we can have.  Then when I saw the image of a Cat with her kittens and the "giants" where horses it made me smile. 

    It is all in the perspective.

    Post edited by Kismet2012 on
  • cathan01_wwg1wgacathan01_wwg1wga Posts: 361
    edited January 2018
    Thanks Kismet2012. I like creating fun stories with animals. Its nice imagining what the world looks like from their point of view. Speaking of perspective, i was wondering if maybe i should have lowered the camera to focus more on the cats so they're not lost in the busy background and horses. And do the cat's textures blend in too much with the environment - especially the little one running from the passing horse?

    Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I love the concept of this image.  When I read your description, before seeing the image, I had a human mother and children with Ogres or something as the "giants".  Just goes to show the preconceptions we can have.  Then when I saw the image of a Cat with her kittens and the "giants" where horses it made me smile. 

    It is all in the perspective.

    Post edited by cathan01_wwg1wga on
  • Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I think that it's a cute scene that you have here. As for saving over your previous versions, I'd recomend that you use a naming convention for your scene files, maybe something along the lines of month-year-alphanumaric(if there's more then one project that your working on, make sure to tell them apart. I do so by adding -project number between the year and alphanumaric parts). Example for my last image posted this month jan2018-4b, in otherwords january, 2018, project 4, version b.

  • HighElfHighElf Posts: 366

    Again dabbling with the lights. And I think, this could be the last one for this month. With my freetime tomorrow I would have time for a very last. Any big issues with this one, I have overlooked here?

     

    Jan2018_WiP.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 581K
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    Thanks Kismet2012. I like creating fun stories with animals. Its nice imagining what the world looks like from their point of view. Speaking of perspective, i was wondering if maybe i should have lowered the camera to focus more on the cats so they're not lost in the busy background and horses. And do the cat's textures blend in too much with the environment - especially the little one running from the passing horse?

    Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I love the concept of this image.  When I read your description, before seeing the image, I had a human mother and children with Ogres or something as the "giants".  Just goes to show the preconceptions we can have.  Then when I saw the image of a Cat with her kittens and the "giants" where horses it made me smile. 

    It is all in the perspective.

     

    A slightly upward angle to the camera would emphasize the height of the horses to the cats.  Maybe a darker texture on the rock to offer some contrast between Momma Cat and the rock she is leaning on but not so dark you lose the horse's legs...maybe a medium grey.

    I love that the Roan has his ears perked towards the kitten running away.

    If you are making tweaks maybe adjust the ears on the Appaloosa so they are rotated in different directions.  One to the side perhaps and one listening behind.

    These are just suggestions and getting really nitpicky.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    HighElf said:

    Again dabbling with the lights. And I think, this could be the last one for this month. With my freetime tomorrow I would have time for a very last. Any big issues with this one, I have overlooked here?

     

    I cannot see any issues.

  • GallowsGallows Posts: 95

    "My Hero"

    Still working on the sky.  I have it too pixely.

    My Hero.jpg
    1000 x 769 - 458K
  • cathan01_wwg1wgacathan01_wwg1wga Posts: 361
    edited January 2018

    Took your advice, Kismet2012. Angled the camera up; I think I darkened the rock (maybe could be a little darker); and modified the Appaloosa's ears. I also zoomed in on the kitties a bit - hope it doesn't change the overall feel. Thank you for the kind support and critique - and you are being helpful, not nitpicky.

     

    Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I think that it's a cute scene that you have here. As for saving over your previous versions, I'd recomend that you use a naming convention for your scene files, maybe something along the lines of month-year-alphanumaric(if there's more then one project that your working on, make sure to tell them apart. I do so by adding -project number between the year and alphanumaric parts). Example for my last image posted this month jan2018-4b, in otherwords january, 2018, project 4, version b.

    Thank you Shinji Ikari 9th, especially for the helpful advice. I'm afraid the problem is more of a bad habit of mine. After working on this project for a long while, I started on a totally unrelated project. Went to save, brain automatically selected landofgiants, went to bed, woke up next day, opened up landofgiants, bloodcurddling screams ensued. Luckily I had an earlier backup that needed a lot of tweaking to get back on track. I'm hopeless.

    landofgiants2.jpg
    2000 x 1125 - 3M
    Post edited by cathan01_wwg1wga on
  • k410k410 Posts: 78
    edited January 2018

    Title: Guy at the Dock

    Software:  Daz Studio, plus Paintshop Pro to reduce image size by 50% (I had rendered at 1600x1600).

    EDIT:  Reuploaded as JPG instead of PNG.

    I'll stick with this Intermediate OpenGL render as my first entry, because it's lighted the way I want.  I have a lot to learn about lighting and render settings before I could match that lighting in iRay.  Also, that crate and shadow by his right shoulder have to go.

    30Jan2018 dock iogl 800.jpg
    800 x 800 - 461K
    Post edited by k410 on
  • GallowsGallows Posts: 95

    Forgot the ball.

    My Hero.jpg
    1000 x 769 - 466K
  • HighElfHighElf Posts: 366
    edited January 2018

    Title: Zutiefst Verbunden

    Software used:

    DAZ 3D: Basic Renders (IRay), Basic Lighting, dForce Simulation

    GIMP: Error removal (Fireflys, Clipping, etc.), Finetuning Lighting (Facial Fill Light)

    Jan2018_WiP.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 581K
    Post edited by HighElf on
  • k410k410 Posts: 78
    edited January 2018

    Second entry (nearly the same view as the first one but the lighting and mood are different)

    Title: Guy at the Dock at First Light 

    Software:  Daz Studio, plus Paintshop Pro to convert PNG to JPG.  Rendered using iRay.

    At daybreak, he didn't seem so surly.  Still serious, though.  I wonder what has captured his attention.

    I had picked the dock setting* randomly just to have some kind of background. At first I meant to pose him in the archway, but that didn't work out, so I posed him against the corner, as seen here.  (Before that, I had only loaded a character into an empty scene to check an idea I had about morph settings.  I didn't really expect to have anything in time for this month's contest.)

    It wasn't until the lighter iRay renders that I noticed how conveniently the beams in the walls acted as leading lines.  Plus the posts echo the stance of the character, and the posts and beams seem to suggest his strength as well.  Wood, water, stone, flesh -- what more could one ask for?  I tried to place the figure at one of the thirds.  Later I noticed the ABCB fourths pattern at the bottom of the figure.  Happy little accidents.  

    I spent a little time niggling over the contours of the figure and how they overlapped or fit within the background elements.  I'm happy that I seem to have set the depth of field as I intended (using his head as the reference).

    * The setting is Fantasy Loading Dock (which I had picked up when it was free): https://www.daz3d.com/fantasy-loading-dock

    31Jan2018 guy at dock at first light iray 800.jpg
    800 x 800 - 397K
    Post edited by k410 on
  • k410k410 Posts: 78
    edited January 2018

    @ HighElf -- yours started off great and it was interesting to follow the refinements

    @ Gallows -- cute concept, and nicely balanced

    @ cathon01 -- the framing looks better now -- nice concept!

    @ shinji -- thanks for the tip re: project naming -- cool concepts in your images -- I like how you frame your characters

    @ harrybroomhall -- cool concept and I think your symmetrical composition is just right for that kind of pose

    @ daybird -- I like how your puddles turned out.  Also, that latest render looks really well balanced to me.

    @ Chameo -- nice concept, having the shrine (?) emphasized

    @ Noswen -- it has been cool to watch the development of your renders -- great concept

    @ Tynkere -- really nice scene -- I like the back and forth between characters.  Also, I appreciated your tips about imaginary triangles, and fast getaway vs room to move.

    @ shaneseymour -- nice echoes (parallels) throughout, e.g., falling guy's right foot, vampire's right side, sword arm in foreground

    @ Geffe -- that was a good idea to move the runner more to the right to suggest "fast getaway"

    Sorry for coming in so late and leaving such scanty comments.  Hope I didn't miss anyone!

     

     

     

    Post edited by k410 on
  • daybirddaybird Posts: 655
    k410 said:

    Second entry (nearly the same view as the first one but the lighting and mood are different)

    Title: Guy at the Dock at First Light 

    Software:  Daz Studio, plus Paintshop Pro to convert PNG to JPG.  Rendered using iRay.

    At daybreak, he didn't seem so surly.  Still serious, though.  I wonder what has captured his attention.

    I had picked the dock setting* randomly just to have some kind of background. At first I meant to pose him in the archway, but that didn't work out, so I posed him against the corner, as seen here.

    It wasn't until the lighter iRay renders that I noticed how conveniently the beams in the walls acted as leading lines.  Plus the posts echo the stance of the character, and the posts and beams seem to suggest his strength as well.  Wood, water, stone, flesh -- what more could one ask for?  I tried to place the figure at one of the thirds.  Later I noticed the ABCB fourths pattern at the bottom of the figure.  Happy little accidents.  

    I spent a little time niggling over the contours of the figure and how they overlapped or fit within the background elements.  I'm happy that I seem to have set the depth of field as I intended (using his head as the reference).

    *Fantasy Loading Dock (which I had picked up when it was free): https://www.daz3d.com/fantasy-loading-dock

    Hi K410 (sounds like a droid *hrhr*)

    I find it a great challenge to render with 3Delight. As you pointed out, to get the light do what you want is nearly impossible, but I find your first try very interesting. The light and shadows are very good and sculpture his body very fine. I think with a little adjustment it will turn out great. 

    On the other hand, the DoF in your second render is a fine touch. A mix between this two renders would look great I think. But thats also one of this things thats easy say and hard to do. Often I have ideas about how somthing should look and I don't know how I could get it to work.

  • HighElfHighElf Posts: 366

    Hey k410,

    I definitly like the second attempt. I prefere the "photograhpic" route most of the time. I think you gave him more character here, he looks like serious business. 

  • k410k410 Posts: 78

    Thanks, daybird and HighElf!

    Now I see that all of the New User Challenges have tutorial links etc. on their first pages -- very handy!

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252

    Took your advice, Kismet2012. Angled the camera up; I think I darkened the rock (maybe could be a little darker); and modified the Appaloosa's ears. I also zoomed in on the kitties a bit - hope it doesn't change the overall feel. Thank you for the kind support and critique - and you are being helpful, not nitpicky.

     

    Hi. Been playing with DAZ Studio for a little over a year and finally brave enough to post something. Iray and I don't get along too well, so I'm not very happy with this image... but, my New Years Resolution was to grow a backbone and post my art. Next time I'll try to post earlier to get more feedback, but lighting issues, fuzzy shadows, slow rendering, saving over my initial work... Arghhh! 

    Title: Mom and Kits In the Land of Giants

    Programs: DAZ studio and GIMP

    Special thanks to SickleYield's and Think, Draw, Art!'s tutorials on how to use Iray. Thanks to them, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Image kinda inspired by Erin Hunter's Warriors novels.

     

    I think that it's a cute scene that you have here. As for saving over your previous versions, I'd recomend that you use a naming convention for your scene files, maybe something along the lines of month-year-alphanumaric(if there's more then one project that your working on, make sure to tell them apart. I do so by adding -project number between the year and alphanumaric parts). Example for my last image posted this month jan2018-4b, in otherwords january, 2018, project 4, version b.

    Thank you Shinji Ikari 9th, especially for the helpful advice. I'm afraid the problem is more of a bad habit of mine. After working on this project for a long while, I started on a totally unrelated project. Went to save, brain automatically selected landofgiants, went to bed, woke up next day, opened up landofgiants, bloodcurddling screams ensued. Luckily I had an earlier backup that needed a lot of tweaking to get back on track. I'm hopeless.

    Those big black legs look really menacing now.  And, to me at least, the rock is dark enough to offer some contract between the cat, the horse's legs and the rock itself.

     

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    k410 said:

    Second entry (nearly the same view as the first one but the lighting and mood are different)

    Title: Guy at the Dock at First Light 

    Software:  Daz Studio, plus Paintshop Pro to convert PNG to JPG.  Rendered using iRay.

    At daybreak, he didn't seem so surly.  Still serious, though.  I wonder what has captured his attention.

    I had picked the dock setting* randomly just to have some kind of background. At first I meant to pose him in the archway, but that didn't work out, so I posed him against the corner, as seen here.  (Before that, I had only loaded a character into an empty scene to check an idea I had about morph settings.  I didn't really expect to have anything in time for this month's contest.)

    It wasn't until the lighter iRay renders that I noticed how conveniently the beams in the walls acted as leading lines.  Plus the posts echo the stance of the character, and the posts and beams seem to suggest his strength as well.  Wood, water, stone, flesh -- what more could one ask for?  I tried to place the figure at one of the thirds.  Later I noticed the ABCB fourths pattern at the bottom of the figure.  Happy little accidents.  

    I spent a little time niggling over the contours of the figure and how they overlapped or fit within the background elements.  I'm happy that I seem to have set the depth of field as I intended (using his head as the reference).

    * The setting is Fantasy Loading Dock (which I had picked up when it was free): https://www.daz3d.com/fantasy-loading-dock

    You have some interesting shadows in the first version but the 2nd allows me to see details. 

    I love Happy Accidents.  Some images just seem to come together and others will fight you every step of the way.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    Gallows said:

    Forgot the ball.

    Glad to see you got the sky fixed. 

    Were you half way through the render when you notice the missing ball?  That seems to happen to me all the time.

  • k410k410 Posts: 78
    edited February 2018

    Speaking of Happy Accidents, I was searching YouTube for Hexagon intro tutes, and saw this video on the side:

    "How to create dramatic lights in DAZ Studio (Iray)"     

    In half an hour, he covers how to achieve dramatic side-lighting in iRay (just what I was hoping to achieve) and explains a lot of generally important related items re: cameras, parametric lights, environmental lighting, as well as how to aim the eyes at the camera.

    Sometime soon (not tonight) I will follow up with a better render of "Guy at the Dock" (the one with the dramatic light and shadows).  I also need to figure out why the water is so flat, because it does have bump and displacement maps active in the settings.

    Post edited by k410 on
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