Non-photorealistic Renders (NPR)
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... double post
It's great to see you sticking with NPR, expanding your toolset, and developing your own style. I know you're eager to learn and don't automatically shy away from technical stuff, so if I could be so bold as to make a workflow suggestion:
1. Keep all of the render passes that you render out for each of your NPR scenes so that you can go back and re-process them in new ways (or add even more passes, etc.) without having to re-render them all.
2. Script as much as possible, both rendering in DS and your processing in GIMP. That way, you can run your various processing routines easily/consistently on your sets of render passes.
These sorts of practices have been absolutely key to the evolution of my own NPR work. I literally have terrabytes of archived render passes and intermediate files representing all sorts of different types of scenes and content.
I don't use Gimp, but I assume it has some sort of scripting capability similar to Photoshop (I use a combination of VB scripting to automate file I/O via the OS, VB scripting to automate Photoshop itself, and the built in actions (think macros) that can be recorded directly in Photoshop.
As far as the DS scripting goes, if you are interested, I could help introduce you to setting parameters via script and rendering via script if you wish.
- Greg
It's great to see you sticking with NPR, expanding your toolset, and developing your own style. I know you're eager to learn and don't automatically shy away from technical stuff, so if I could be so bold as to make a workflow suggestion:
1. Keep all of the render passes that you render out for each of your NPR scenes so that you can go back and re-process them in new ways (or add even more passes, etc.) without having to re-render them all.
That I've managed to do with backups. :) I have all of the original render outputs stored in case I want to go back and use them differently. One thing I like about Gimp is that when you load a picture into it, it copies the image and never works with the original file. I have a Gimp project file saved with all of my render outputs from LineRender9000 in a Gimp project file and have that saved as my original as well. I load that up and copy it and save it with a new name and work with the new file in its own session so I can delete anything I don't use if I wish or just keep them hidden so that I know what I used for that particular image session. One thing I wish Gimp had was an easy way of making notes and attaching them to the different layers so I know what I did to each layer. Currently I make do with giving each layer a title giving an indication of what kind of process I used on it. If Gimp has this feature already, I haven't found it yet. I sometimes add a white layer with a text box for more notes if needed.
Scripting, I haven't done a lot of. I can script a little in Linux when needed using the Shell commands. I've had to learn how to do a little bit of scripting in Python, not by choice, but necessity. Gimp does have scripting. It uses Script-Fu and Python. Of the two, I know more of the Python as I had to modify a couple of scripts to work with how I had the Google NIK Collection set up in my Linux drive which was different than what the script expected. I needed to make changes so that everything worked so I could use the NIK stuff in Linux with Wine.
I have not done any scripting in DS yet! I understand that it has it's origins in Qt and, believe it or not, I have actually programmed in Qt once upon a time. Not that I was any good at it, but at least I'm familiar with the Qt language although I'm sure it has changed a lot since the last time I looked at it. I'm not sure what DAZ uses for it's scripting language. I haven't researched it yet. I'm sure I will get there at some point. Somehow, everything I do always ends up going back to forcing me to script. :)
As for VB scripting, I have not done anything with Visual Basic in years. I'm sure I could pick it up again fairly quickly. I will let you know when I'm ready to dive into scripting. I'm sure I will need all of the help I can get. :) I most definitely appreciate the offer of help. Thanks, Greg! :)
One more experiment. I finished the postwork on this one this morning. I thought it turned out pretty cool.
Gallery Link
VERY nice work. I like the contrast between the two panels. But... (with me there's always a "but") have you tried to see how it would look by adding more yellow to the "No Trespassing" sign, which might add some symetry between the top and bottom panels? I don't know that it would work, but it would be interesting to look at. Looking forward to seeing more of this soon (and I may actually get to sit down and finally read the first two issues of The Locksmith -- I'm very much looking forward to it).
Very good point, Mike. There was something that I never quite liked about the layout of this page as I started working on the next one. I ended up combining the two pages and completely changing the layout so there was more continuity with color.... And yes indeed! I did add a little bit of that sunset wash to the sign to help with flow.
-- T
Here's the wip page as it is now - note the non-sketched character with no background yet in lower right as she rendered out from daz.
I thought I would share this. I thought it turned out really nice. All postwork was strictly in Gimp 2.8 with no outside filters used.
Willow - Gallery Link
Here are two versions of pinups (with the original render) I've done for The Locksmith's upcoming kickstarter for issue #3. These were both iray renders with heavy photoshop post.
She looks fantastic! Gotta love 3D Universe's stuff.
Great concept, Terrance. Went browsing on your personal site, too. Couldn't help but think about how I've always considered NPR to be an extreme form of HDR while looking at the more aggressive processing you've done on some of your photography.
- Greg
Thanks for having a look, Greg. Yes, I see what you mean about the HDR. I went a little crazy with it when I first discovered it.
And one more for today - very quick OpenGL renders out of DAZ with photoshop post. This is a promo postcard for The Locksmith.
all PS
An attempt at a painted look.
Post work in Photoshop. :)
Awesome!
- Greg
What filter addon did you use (i.e., Filterforge, Topaz, etc.) or did you do it all by hand? Just curious. Awesome effect!
Beautiful!
Majorly awesome renders one and all!!!!
Thank you! :D
I used Photoshop's "Oil Paint" filter and Nik Collection's "Color Efex Pro 4". :)
Thank you for the sweet comments, guys! I'm really glad you like it! You guys really made my day - I can't stop smiling now! :)
Happy New Year, everyone! :D
This is great!
Thank you. :)
Awww Thank you! :D That's sweet of you to say!
I think one of the things that makes it work so well is the red/blue lighting. I'm not sure that standard lighting that produced a full range of colors on the surfaces (with the same post) would have worked as well.
- Greg
I like it. Very simple, and very effective. I'm looking forward to the next issue, by the way.
I was searching my work folder, and found these WIPs of the "Rex" character. Kinda cool effects, but I won't be using them in my next book.
Rendered in Daz Studio 4.8, and post work in Photoshop with Flaming Pear's India Ink filter.
Yeah, I think you're right. The colored lighting makes a big difference, I think, in creating a more dynamic image. I originally rendered it with a strong purple light but ended up changing the colors in post as I figured the red would work better as a contrast to the blue.
I created a rim light rig by parenting 7 spotlights around the edges of a large torus primitive and then saved it as a scene subset. I can then drag the rig into any scene, tell the spotlights to "point at" figure, and it gives a really nice rim lighting effect when positioned behind the figure. Maybe it's my work with comic book art, but I really love rim lighting. lol It's an "old trick" but there is a reason it's used fairly often, as it can be pretty effective, imo. :)
That looks good - the character looks really personable. He looks like an "old timer coal miner" that doesn't take guff from anyone! hehe :)
Thanks! That's definitely the look I'm going for -- a crotchety old miner. This was originally a chracter study for a comic book story I was working on, but I've decided this is not the visual approach I want to use for it. I am going to redo the character in a different style. At least someday.
And I liked reading your comment about the rim light effect. I agree -- it's a GREAT "old trick" that still works quite well. If you go back and look at my noir comic pages earlier in this discussion, you'll see I use that technique quite a bit myself.
Mike
Hello everyone,
This is a 3Delight render processed using the Gimp; I used a combination of ovelayed edge detection layers and unsharp masking. I'm not trying to imitate another medium but rather to give this picture its own, hopefully suitable and appropriate, look. What do people think?
Nat
@nattaruk, Very nice. That really pops. :)
The output effect is very nice. The colors are sharp and nicely defined. Technique-wise, this is attractive. It still has a 3D look, which is not a bad thing. Great start -- I'm looking forward to seeing what else you can do with this process.