ALIENWARE Challenge Entry: Simon Barton

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1070549316_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1070549316_large.jpg)

The alien world is 'generated' by a central 'brain'. A semi-organic processor that generates other worlds, each held within a pod or cradle.

As you look out across the landscape you can see the 'brain'. Plants/flowers in the forground will be organic cables/fibre optics and the whole world will be underwater.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1070564048_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1070564048_large.jpg)

very early model of the pods/cradle hanger.

Each pod will have its own eco-system. at least that the plan at this stage.

[chadtheartist]

This is pretty neat. I like the idea of each pod having it's own ecosystem. Will that reflect on the way that they will appear, like will one be green for a forest like ecosystem, and one red for like a desert ecosystem? That would definitely be cool.

Good work, bud!

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071168867_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071168867_large.jpg)

this is where I am at the moment. starting to develope the model and think about texturing.

I still need to work on the overall environment though.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071689627_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071689627_large.jpg)

just started working on the basic textures and finalising the composition.

Any comments would be greatfully received.

[Big Man]

I like the progress. It looks like them pods are each shooting out a fireball. R U using special FX or materilas to create the fire?

[cobalt1410]

the 'fireballs' are made using three lights of various sizes with varying amounts of tubulence for each of the alpha channels and the trails are the result of a reflective ceiling with a bump map and a little blur in the reflection.

Its all done in 3d with no special effects/post production.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071937732_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1071937732_large.jpg)

Starting to work on the 'environment' within the pods and also work on the textures/materials.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[rickycox]

Nice work, lots of great creative output happening here. Love the overall feel.

[TheFirstAngel]

looking good, even if the geometry is technnicalbased and very simple, your fx skills are very high and the alloverfeel makes this a great and very interesting work. Go on makun is WOW!
keep rockin' man!:buttrock:

[cobalt1410]

thanks for the positive comments. :thumbsup:

I wanted to try and model something that was relativley simple and could be either 'man' made or organic and to really let the materials/textures be the complexed elements in the image.

[TheFirstAngel]

your material and fx are stunning, and when this is your target, you're on the best way! Noone gives *.?@ if the result looks good, and your fx are one of the strongest here at all, besides, I love that "painting with light", always got this in memory what my teacher @ skool of art used 2 say: Light is the essence of all visual art, so flash us, make us fall of our chairs and keep rockin' man!!!

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072162148_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072162148_large.jpg)

Started working on the lighting for the main structure.

[swadepgh]

I really like the effects you are getting with the lighting and materials. Are you planning to add a backdrop later?

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072630020_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072630020_large.jpg)

I have started working on the ground element of the image but the further I get the less sure I am about the composition.

Im happy with the individual elements but the compositions not really working is it?

Any feedback would be really appreciated.

[formoso]

i like what uve got but the lighting bothers me. it seems i cannot determine exactly where it is coming from maybe cuz u have ambient light, if u do u should kill that.

[vrf]

I agree that you should kill any ambient light, if you have it. Most of your lights should cast shadows, if possible, with the exception of fill lights.

You might consider researching ways to add more depth to the scene. Maybe place that creepy-looking machine off into the distance a bit, with some other elements in the scene to give perspective. Like you could have some big alien rocks in the foreground, with the rocks getting smaller as they get closer to that machine in the distance. That might add some punch. Or you could have several of those machines off in the distance, with one up front as the main subject. Of course, you'd want a touch of fog then to mimic atmospheric perspective.

[tr1cky]

Hmm, I agree. Non-ambient light will provide much greater depth. You might want to get rid of the black background, that also flattens the image slightly and provides less 'stuff' for the eye to look around at.

If you want a better composition, maybe you should try tilting the camera, to make it a little more dynamic? Or other elements, that criss-cross the image, perhaps. Those all help.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072892983_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1072892983_large.jpg)

I decided that my image was a pretty weak composition so I have started work on modeling a tunnel through which 'the outside world' will be viewed.

The plan is to use very organic textures on the tunnel elements.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073123289_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073123289_large.jpg)

Started work on texturing the tunnel elements

[eska]

BEAUTIFUL:bowdown:

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073506435_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073506435_large.jpg)

First rendering of the final compostion with all the basic elements in place.

Rendered at full size and it seemed to take forever. Now to start rendering some seperate passes.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073852844_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1073852844_large.jpg)

Aftre hours and hours of playing about with the original composition I had to admit that it just wasn't working so I have changed quite a bit.

Any comments and crits would be very welcome.

[TheFirstAngel]

Hi Simon,
actually and finally found time to get back on your track. I am not exactly sure, if this is the right direction you head now into, as yout superobject migth be simple in geometry, but as standalone is absolute eyecandy and has a phenomenal presence. Sometimes less is more, the composition now gets very very busy and things are fighting for attention each other.
also, the big fireball in the background overruns the beautifull cobaltblue and takes away the depht, as yellow is anyways the most dominat color and warm colors always push to the foreground. I love your FX, and I think it would help to reduce th composition on the essencial elements and build a very very decent, dark environment, so the blue comes to mainattention again.

Feel free to ignore this comment, as I am sure you have your own personal vision of your final Composition.
Best luck and keep on rockin'!:buttrock:

[cobalt1410]

Thanks for your comments Angel.

Looking at the image again with fresh eyes I can see that your right. It is getting overly cluttered and complicated so Im going to try removing some of the structures and getting rid of the orange fireball in the background.

At least I feel like im moving in the right direction now because for a while I just seemed to be wondering about in the dark.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074107397_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074107397_large.jpg)

Well, this is going to have to be the final composition because of the time it takes to render I've not got time to change anything and still meet the deadline.

Actually, I'm really happy with it now and I don't think Im going to do very much post processing because most of the environment and 'effects' have already been created through the materials used.

As always, let me know what you think please.

[eska]

If I can say, beautiful staff going here on.
I cannot wait to see the final image.
Best luck:bounce: :love:

[TheFirstAngel]

It's really beautifull and I loved your materialstyle from the beginning! Best luck, and keep on rockin'!:buttrock: :beer: :thumbsup:

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074350779_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074350779_large.jpg)

Im doing very little in the way of post processing because I want my image to be a close to a pure 3d as possible which has forced me to learn a huge amount about using materials/shaders and environments.

The only things I have adjusted are the 3 pods at the front (Trees, Mountain and Moss) all the rest of the image will be the straight render.

[cobalt1410]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074357968_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/3/1329/1329_1074357968_large.jpg)

Well, this is it. My final image.

After a lot of frustration and (over 70 hours rendertime) I finally got there and Im actually quite pleased with the results even if I don't stand a hope against some of the amazing talent in this competition.

I have really enjoyed taking part and I hope the CGNetworks runs another competition like this in the near future because I think I have got the bug.

Thanks also to everyone for the comments and opinions and good luck.

[Cullen]

c0ngrats... it looks great..
yeah... i hate it when I play with composition and camera angles and stuff... getting nowhere.... going insane.
I just wish the insanity would pass already.
no... joke. I do like muchly that the fire ball is now blue. it seems like there is a huge amount of electrical energy and power bulding up. good luck.

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