Alley2

[MJV]

Looks good. Just a minor comment. Outdoor shadows always take on the color of the sky (because that's their main illuminator), so I think your scene would look alot more realistic with blue shadows.

[kiwi]

Thanks :thumbsup:


Doh!! of course dark blue shadows,that makes a lot more sense then black :)


Stu.

[AdamT]

Generally it looks real good, but I'm confused about the shadows. It looks like the the big can is casting a shadow to the left, while the rest of the shadows are falling to the right.

[kiwi]

Ah ya thats a cube I put in front of the light to try and simulate a box or boxes sitting in front of the other boxes :) ...might need tweaking some,or to be removed :)



Stu.

[Per-Anders]

it's much better stu. keep the warm shadow underneath the fire escape, but get the shadows from the articles in the street bluer.

[slouchcorp]

nice one stu,

looking better all the time, if you want i can host a higher rez version for you.

mike.

[kiwi]

Thanks guys :thumbsup:


Ya I dont what I was thinking using black shadows for a warm environment there :D ...must have been one of those moments where you could drive a large truck throught the middle of my synapses :scream:



That would be cool Mike,thanks :thumbsup:



This time I used a slightly yellow distant light with hard shadows of 1500 x 1500 at 100 - 130 I believe,an area light of blue for the sky at around 20 - 30 I think with soft shadows,another area light for the floor of a light grey color of about 20 I think with linear falloff,one more for the brown wall of a warm brown color at about 20 and hard shadows {think it was hard shadows} again of 1500 x 1500,a brown omni fill of 30 - 40 with no shadow at an opposite angle to the key light or distant light and set it off to the right.I then found I had a hole in the warmth of the daylight effect I was trying to introduce so I added another yellowish omni in further then the distant or key light to warm it up just a bit more with shadow set to soft and around 30 I think.The reason I added the cube was to give the effect that the shadow being generated form off screen was like another part of the alley which connected to the part which could be seen.I also tried some light gels to get more of the effect but it didnt work properly in this instance,so I added a box :)


If anyone wants to know anything else just fire away and I will try and remember :)



Stu.

[slouchcorp]

here is the higher rez version.

http://www.slouchcorp.batcave.net/stus%20allie.jpg

[CosmicBear]

great job on the lightning and texturing! http://www.cosmicbear.de/icons/yes.gif does the graphiti have a meaning?

the DOF-effect let the picture look a bit like a miniature-scene because it increases so fast. and the cans seem a bit too shiny for being this old and rusty

[AdamT]

With the larger pic: the stairs look light they don't go anywhere and the chicken wire object is penetrating the cardboard box and the ground.

[derwolpertinger]

hey kiwi the new lighting looks pretty good but i don't like the dof that much in that last pic cause of the reasons mentioned before. but i'd also try to add some dark blue fil lights to simulate the illuminating sky.

[kiwi]

Arrrgggh...damn I hate these server busy messages,it just ate my reply again :annoyed


Stu.

[flingster]

this is fantastic work bud...really like what you have done since the earlier posts to the forum.

I have one or two really picky things to say about it though...so don't take this the wrong way cos overall I really like it. I do think you can improve it though...the textures on the left side of the image need work....WHY....i hear you cry....they took me hours ya git....well....because the left wall column is far two uniform..sure you got dirt and some smudges at the top...but overall its to uniform...ya need more scuffing/dirt at the bottom and possibly smoother areas on the left edge where people have touched it, or scrapped past it etc. Secondly the stairs need more wear on them in the middle....possibly smoother and worn down more (dunno maybe chipped)...more rounded off at edges etc. I also think the texture here is to uniform.....but....like i said....these are being picky cos it really ROCKS....:buttrock:

[randyrives]

I think maybe its time to throw CGTalk's server in your Alley :eek:

Good job Stu. The lighting in this one is much better

[kiwi]

Thanks guys :thumbsup:


Cosmic Bear - Thanks. No the graffiti has no meaning its just that with the airbrush in Photoshop I was swiping an airbrush around and lifting at the ends to create a sprayed type of effect,so I just went with the type of letters that came out. Yep the DOF sucks,it took me about 5 minutes in Photoshop and I didnt pay enough attention to what I was doing :)


Adam - I think the DOF is the culprit for the stairs.The mesh and boxes I wanted an effect of them being kicked around some then kicked into a pile,but it does need tweaking :)



derwolpertinger - If I add blue fuill lights its going to remove the warm sunny type of effect that I wanted.:)



flingster - Thanks dude.Yep I agree about the column as well it needs more of something alright.The steps have a truckload of grime already and chips etc I found though that lighting is good at washing it out sometimes,might have to try displacement instead :)



Hi Randy - This time I have copied my reply to the clip board :D



Stu.

[kiwi]

Here it is with improvments :)



Seems to be a glitch of some kind with uploading images so I just zipped it again.



Stu.

[flingster]

kiwi: yup its a tough one....i thought maybe i was a bit harsh on you the other day. So i have enclosed a pic for you to look at to try and better get across what the hell i was talking about....yeah i know the perspective is wrong and the texture was quickly borrowed from splinemonkey....but it shows what i mean by to uniform.....the steps and columns can really finish this piece off...because your eyes at the moment are drawn to the left of the image...up the stairs. These areas need dampening down colour wise...darker etc and less highlighted, more understated.

Of course i'm being critical....but I like this image....and this really could crack the composition as otherwise the scene becomes to busy with noise.

As always this is a IMO...very humble opinion i might add....cos i know i wouldn't have got even close to this....but i am trying to help bud. Good luck.

ps. sorry for the blatant abuse of an excellent image....:cool:

[kiwi]

Ah now I got ya :)


A column...hmmmm,ok I might try that.The main problem I can now see is that the steps are not right,there are to many for the amount of altitude per step in keeping with the scale of everything around them.



Stu.

[flingster]

Mmmm never even noticed until you mentioned it.
I agree that the steps needed a "bit" of work, i think that side of the image, needs tweaking really. The door column area and that wall at the back attached to it. the steps and the walkway/path they are attached to. Need different textures/material to distinguish there areas. The brick column was just as an example to get the brain firing, sometimes you have to go away and come back to artwork after a bit with a fresh approach as you look at it to hard.

Where does the entrance go? Where does the path/passageway go? How often are they used? When were they built? What sort of neighbourhood is it? Where do you get weathering, what sort of wear and tear have they had during the years? you get the idea....how does this influence the textures/materials youre using.

Have fun bud....sorry couldn't be of more help really...this image is still class....its about tweaking until youre happy....not me or this forum bud....stick with your ideas and develop until youre satisfied.

[say-g]

whats your lighting setup stu ?

[kiwi]

Say g page {1} down near the bottom of the thread I have written out how I did the lighting bud :) ,if you want to know more I will try and answer your questions.


Man this the third time today I have tried to get into the forum.



Ok I ditched the back wall,and I think it looks much better :)



flingster thanks for the input dude :thumbsup:


The image is optimized at med in Photoshop.

Stu.

[CosmicBear]

the image is getting better and better :thumbsup:

i would suggest to put something between the stairs and the wall. it looks a bit confusing right now.

where do these stairs lead to? i can go upstairs and then? jump in the sky? :cool:

[kiwi]

Ya I know what you mean about the sky :D ...but believe it or not there is actually a path that is around 50m wide beyond the steps and before the hand rail.My idea was you climb up the steps walk along the path and go down another set of steps which are hidden from view :) ....hmmmm more tweaking I feel.


Stu.

[derwolpertinger]

hey kiwi-the image is almost perfect now!:thumbsup:
just one tiny little thing that bothers me a bit. plz make the sky a bit brighter at the bottom to give it more depth. that's all.:D

[flingster]

you've gotta have some patience bud....you gotta admire that!
top result....liking lots.
:applause:

[kiwi]

Thanks guys :thumbsup:


I will lighten the sky there good idea dw :)



I know what the problem is now I will fix it and re post........I will see if can find the original which is about 7 or 8 months old as well if ya like?


Stu.

[say-g]

thanks stu :thumbsup: i must of missed it

and man this server is busy thing is really starting to piss me off, i reply and it just does nada D:

[kiwi]

Ya I am having trouble even getting onto the site now at times :hmm:


Ok heres a new incarnation with some new tweaks :)


Stu.


Windows gamma and Mac gamma :D

[kiwi]

Anyone have any ideas on how to create realistic heat waves at all? :) I have tried a number of things in Photoshop but all looked crap or were not defined enough.

[CosmicBear]

fantastic! great work!

now do one with rain, dark sky, water dripping from everything, etc. etc, etc... :surprised http://www.cosmicbear.de/icons/cheerful.gif http://www.cosmicbear.de/icons/cheeky.gif http://www.cosmicbear.de/icons/grin.gif

[AdamT]

You can make realistic heatwaves by creating a material with 100% transparency, a high refraction index, and animated noise in the bump channel. Apply the material to a plane in front of the camera. Restrict the effect to the lower portion of the image either with a gradient mask/fusion or with falloff.

Here's a pretty lame example I whipped up a while back:
http://members.directvinternet.com/amtberg/heat_haze.avi
Obviously the noise is going too fast and the plane doesn't extend far enough, but you get the idea.

There's also a great tutorial on creating this effect at dvGarage.

[derwolpertinger]

that last image just roxx kiwi! :D
but think about cosmicbears idea to let it rain and stuff. i think that would be cool to see the image in different weather situations.

[flingster]

Heat haze huh.....man this forum is cool....i just keep picking stuff up out of the blue which i've been mulling over for a while....then someone comes along and posts a how-2-do-dat....nice touch AdamT....

kiwi: image rocks bud....its really taken off.....I know its harsh bud and a real git on the workload....but i also like cosmicbears idea about different weather conditions.....but i appreciate this may not be the track you wanted to go down.:wip:
Having fun watching where this thread goes...

[kiwi]

Thanks :thumbsup:


Adam cheers for that :D



Yep I am going to try a night scene....but driving rain dripping off objects how the hell do you do that...I mean I suppose particles right,but how? :hmm:



Stu.

[say-g]

i like the details u added to the scene, like the ball and the bit of metal with holes oh and the paper in the bin :thumbsup:

[kiwi]

I sent a friend a copy the pic and it was quickly pointed out my camera was on a hell of an angle.As it turned out 10 degrees......I missed that totally,and the wall is definitely on an angle,so here is the fixed one :)


Stu.

[Erik Heyninck]

I noticed this too, Stu, but imo, it made it more realistic as a wide angle lens that's not centrered on the horizon always gives this kind of vertical deformation. Now it's too much "Paul Klee" (horuzontals and verticals). My idea.

[CosmicBear]

i wasn't serious about the rain-scene!!!!!!!!!!

but okay, how would i do it... if it's not going to be animated, i probably would use textures for the wet walls, etc. and maybe some metaball-modelling as if find this easer to controll then particles... i would use particles 'only' for the real raindrops

[kiwi]

Ya youre right Erik it does look to uniform/mechanical eh,I am gonna titl the camera again I think :)



Cosmic Bear I know you were not serious I was just curious as to how to do it.....:D



I am almost finished another scene I have also been working on so when I finish it I will try a night scene :thumbsup:



Stu.

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