New User Contest - July 2014 (WIP thread)

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Comments

  • MilosGulanMilosGulan Posts: 1,958
    edited December 1969

    Here it is, i have widened smoke area and render time increased to 5+ hours even on draft setting, probably will have to return it to a bit smaller in order to save time. At least ground looks much better.

    Highland_Warrior_02.jpg
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  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    The ground does look a lot better.

    Finding the balance between render times and what you want to do is a challenge.

    Nice work gulan7.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    Title: Sandstorm

    Had to take a break from this and work on other stuff. I tend to get impatient and/or frustrated if I work on something too long and I am not achieving the look I want.

    This is closer to Googled images of sandstorms I was using for reference.

    NUC_Entry_One_July,_2014_44.jpg
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  • deleted userdeleted user Posts: 1,204
    edited December 1969

    gulan7 said:
    Here it is, i have widened smoke area and render time increased to 5+ hours even on draft setting, probably will have to return it to a bit smaller in order to save time. At least ground looks much better.

    Ground looks great. but I think the glow in the background is overwhelming the picture.

  • deleted userdeleted user Posts: 1,204
    edited December 1969

    Title: Sandstorm

    Had to take a break from this and work on other stuff. I tend to get impatient and/or frustrated if I work on something too long and I am not achieving the look I want.

    This is closer to Googled images of sandstorms I was using for reference.

    Looks great man. I love it.

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    I tend to get impatient and/or frustrated if I work on something too long and I am not achieving the look I want.

    I understand only too well! If I get too frustrated, I try to do something easier or relaxing for a while; or I just let the project sit for a time. That usually helps :)

    Your sandstorm is pretty cool. I don't whether it's possible - or desirable - to get some grainier sand parts in the wind...

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    danwat801 said:
    Title: Sandstorm

    Had to take a break from this and work on other stuff. I tend to get impatient and/or frustrated if I work on something too long and I am not achieving the look I want.

    This is closer to Googled images of sandstorms I was using for reference.

    Looks great man. I love it.

    Thank you.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    TobiasG said:
    I tend to get impatient and/or frustrated if I work on something too long and I am not achieving the look I want.

    I understand only too well! If I get too frustrated, I try to do something easier or relaxing for a while; or I just let the project sit for a time. That usually helps :)

    Your sandstorm is pretty cool. I don't whether it's possible - or desirable - to get some grainier sand parts in the wind...

    Thanks Tobias.

    Not sure if it is possible to make it grainier...and the reference pictures I have been using do not show that type of thing.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    Title: Barn Cat

    My 2nd entry for this month's contest. I added a couple of props as the barn loft looked a little empty.

    Barn_Cat_27.jpg
    800 x 800 - 326K
  • spmwcspmwc Posts: 124
    edited December 1969

    Here is my first attempt at using GODRAYS. I hope this fits the challenge this month. any critiques are more than welcom

    Ritual.jpg
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  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    It certainly looks like it fits this month's challenge.

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    Title: Barn Cat

    My 2nd entry for this month's contest. I added a couple of props as the barn loft looked a little empty.

    Could you perhaps rotate the cat, so that it's head is visible more clearly? It didn't immediately get that it's a cat, curled up like that :) That quibble aside, I think the render is already pretty good. I like the light rays a clot.

  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    spmwc said:
    Here is my first attempt at using GODRAYS. I hope this fits the challenge this month. any critiques are more than welcom

    Two things: Overall, the render is very dark. Some more light, especially on the figure, might be a good idea. Second, the woman's clothing doesn't look as if she were lying down - the ruffles or however you call that lower part look as if she was standing. I realize this is a problem with the prop, and I don't have a good solution.

  • MilosGulanMilosGulan Posts: 1,958
    edited December 1969

    @Kismet2012 I like both pictures, first one is really nicely done

    Here is my another try.

    Highland_Warrior_03.jpg
    1000 x 1000 - 720K
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    gulan7 said:
    @Kismet2012 I like both pictures, first one is really nicely done

    Here is my another try.

    Thank you gulan7.

    This is much better.

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    Kismet2012: Sandstorm - This is looking really good, very realistic. It has a very stark, empty feel...almost seems as if something was missing. But perhaps "stark and empty" is exactly the mood you wish to convey (it's certainly an appropriate choice), and if so, I'd think about calling this one done.
    Barn Cat - I was going to say the same thing as TobiasG...rotate the cat so that it looks more like a cat. Aside from that I have nothing to suggest...the lighting and volume look great.

    spmwc: I like the contrasting bands of light and dark. You could try turning up the intensity of the light a little and see how that looks. The rays themselves look good. The dress does look oddly stiff in that position...could be challenging to fix that.

    gulan7: I think your latest one is your best yet! I think it's fine as is, though making the ambient light (UberEnvironment, if that's what you used) a little stronger might look good too.

  • halfmast88halfmast88 Posts: 63
    edited December 1969

    I have been using Daz for a couple months now but haven't finished very many renders, so maybe i needed a contest to motivate me. I used AOA lights and atmospheric effects. I hope this render fits the contest requirements because I didn't use fog just volume lights but I dont know how to do both at the same time. I'm looking for constructive criticism and i'm not sensitive so don't hold back

    Area_19_4.jpg
    800 x 533 - 219K
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited July 2014

    I have been using Daz for a couple months now but haven't finished very many renders, so maybe i needed a contest to motivate me. I used AOA lights and atmospheric effects. I hope this render fits the contest requirements because I didn't use fog just volume lights but I don't know how to do both at the same time. I'm looking for constructive criticism and i'm not sensitive so don't hold back

    Welcome to the New Users Forums halfmast88. I find contests very helpful to complete renders. I am often at a loss of what to create and contests provide me with a focus.

    I see volume effects on the flashlight and in the doorway. The flashlight effect is a little grainy. Are you using AoA's Easy Volume Camera?

    If you are using AoA’s atmospheric cameras there is a thread on this subject that might be helpful: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/37949/

    AoA himself is great at answering any questions you may have.

    If you have problems with composition (I certainly do) here is a really helpful, free prop you can use: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/17976/

    You have to register on ShareCG to download it but it is worth it.

    Here is a free render settings script: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/

    Something else I simply could not do without.

    Not sure if you need these tools or not but I simply could not live without them. They have made my 3D rendering life a lot easier.

    Post edited by Kismet2012 on
  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited July 2014

    As an aside, we have weird weather - I see awesome godrays almost every day, and have for a week now. Fitting for the contest! :)

    edited to add the view from my kitchen (picture taken with my phone, doesn't really do justice to the sky).

    IMG_0749small.jpg
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    Post edited by TobiasG on
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    TobiasG said:
    As an aside, we have weird weather - I see awesome godrays almost every day, and have for a week now. Fitting for the contest! :)

    No fair...you are getting to see the real thing. ;-P

  • zmortiszmortis Posts: 98
    edited December 1969

    This is a render I did back on July 9, 2014. I thought it was close enough for the contest parameters in terms of volumetric effects (and some color camera effects as well). I like how it came out using a sepia toned fog camera from the atmospheric camera product.

    Bridge Fight

    Rendered in Daz 3D with some of the following products:

    HDR ProSets Yosemite Pack One
    Winter Terrains For DAZ Studio
    Atmospheric Effects Cameras for DAZ Studio
    Michael 6 Pro Bundle
    Micah Hair
    Amon for M6
    Warrior Hair
    Wildenlander HD for Genesis 2 Male(s)
    Viking for Genesis 2 Male(s)

    Bridge_Fight_1.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 1M
  • zmortiszmortis Posts: 98
    edited July 2014

    Viking Funeral

    Though I must say this is still one of my favorite renders to date. A little bit of compositing post work was done in Gimp Shop, but this is two renders just opacity blended for the final effect. Unfortunately I didn't add additional atmospheric effects to the render, so it doesn't qualify for this contest.

    Viking_Funeral_Final_2.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 2M
    Post edited by zmortis on
  • zmortiszmortis Posts: 98
    edited December 1969

    Learning Curve

    Another project favorite is this image using Aiko 6 and some customized IRL globo style lighting. No post work was used.

    Multiverse_-_Pg_10_-_Pn_4.jpg
    937 x 974 - 647K
  • halfmast88halfmast88 Posts: 63
    edited December 1969

    I have been using Daz for a couple months now but haven't finished very many renders, so maybe i needed a contest to motivate me. I used AOA lights and atmospheric effects. I hope this render fits the contest requirements because I didn't use fog just volume lights but I don't know how to do both at the same time. I'm looking for constructive criticism and i'm not sensitive so don't hold back

    Welcome to the New Users Forums halfmast88. I find contests very helpful to complete renders. I am often at a loss of what to create and contests provide me with a focus.

    I see volume effects on the flashlight and in the doorway. The flashlight effect is a little grainy. Are you using AoA's Easy Volume Camera?

    If you are using AoA’s atmospheric cameras there is a thread on this subject that might be helpful: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/37949/

    AoA himself is great at answering any questions you may have.

    If you have problems with composition (I certainly do) here is a really helpful, free prop you can use: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/17976/

    You have to register on ShareCG to download it but it is worth it.

    Here is a free render settings script: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/

    Something else I simply could not do without.

    Not sure if you need these tools or not but I simply could not live without them. They have made my 3D rendering life a lot easier.


    Thanks I didn't know about any of these.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited July 2014

    Barn Cat

    I had rotated the cat the way it was because I didn't like the cat's pose from the front. I have completely changed the pose but I think it still needs tweaking.

    Barn_Cat_28.jpg
    800 x 800 - 327K
    Post edited by Kismet2012 on
  • zmortiszmortis Posts: 98
    edited December 1969

    Holo Sphere

    Rendered Using Daz 3D. No postwork.

    holo_sphere_1.jpg
    800 x 800 - 315K
  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    Really nice renders zmortis. I especially like Viking Funeral.

  • zmortiszmortis Posts: 98
    edited December 1969

    Really nice renders zmortis. I especially like Viking Funeral.

    Thanks Kismet2012. I tend to cheat a little bit. I usually render small representative compositions several times to work out the details (lighting, camera angle, pose, clipping issues, adjustments, etc.) before I commit to the "full scale" render (usually 1920x1080 for screen saver size). I don't like burning 30 minutes to 8 hours (depending on settings) to figure out something wasn't working well in a render, hehe.

    I find it is still a learning curve, but I think my work is coming along enough I'm not completely embarrassed to show it to a 3D art community. I realize there is more room to grow, but I'm happy with my progress so far.

  • Kismet2012Kismet2012 Posts: 4,252
    edited December 1969

    Title: Barn Cat

    I completely redid the cat and pose. I didn't like the previous versions so I started the pose completely from scratch.

    Unless someone sees something glaringly obvious that I have missed I think this one is done as well.

    Barn_Cat_30.jpg
    800 x 800 - 338K
  • TobiasGTobiasG Posts: 447
    edited December 1969

    The barn is looking good. What we can see from the outside looks a bit as if the barn was floating in the sky, but that's nothing a primitive plane won't help with, I guess.

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