Spectacular 3D Entry: Sónia Saúde

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1126289844_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1126289844_large.jpg)

After spending this last days doodling stuff away, I finally decided to enter the challenge.
This (hehe) spectacular mess is a fuzzy representation of what I mean to become a monumental building with hive based architecture standing in the middle(?) of a zero gravity water garden.
It will probably be interesting - if I ever manage to get it done! :P

PS - Almost forgot: Good luck everyone!!

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1126291505_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1126291505_large.jpg)

More of my messy doodles (I so envy the clean, clear lines of pros *sigh*)...
Until I figure out the story behind the building I wont be able to clarify the details, I guess...
The dominant colors will probably be gray and green. Im envisioning stone walls with wooden inlays, some ivy, some glass and, of course, water.

[elmasfeo]

Olá Sonia!!

zero gravity water garden... :eek: wow, very original idea... I wonder how will it turn up, I'm curious about the story...who lives there and that kind of things....

happy 3D'ing! good luck! ;)

[Micro26]

Hi SoniaNotRed, your idea is very interesting go on go on:bounce:

[ace4016]

Very interesting idea. Would be cool to see floating water balls and all. Can't wait to see the enviroment. Good luck:thumbsup:

[coCoKNIght]

That's gonna be a wonderful shiny dreamlike world. I'm looking forward to it! Good start :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

Thanks guys, for visiting and support! :)

I hope I can pull this one off!
I'll be posting more skecthes as soon as I can.

[Mordalles]

looks really interesting concept! good luck on the challenge!

of course you can pull it off!:thumbsup:

your doing the 3d this time?

[DrFx]

Olá, e bem-vinda ao Challenge!
Interesting and ambitious concept! What will the inhabitants of this be like? Aquatic bees? I'm really curious about it, it seems such an unusual idea!
Boa sorte e bom trabalho!

[SoniaNotRed]

Sorry, still no updates. :cry:

Sketches are piling up on the floor and the building keeps shape-shifting in my mind. I think I've finaly nailed the basic outline but I have yet to figure out the details.
Anyway, I had stuff scheduled to be done this month and that's keeping me away from the computer.

Mordalles - Thanks! Yup, 3d! I may not be an expert at it but I sure know more about modeling than I do of painting! :D

DrFx - 'Brigada! That's a cool idea but I don't think I'll have any characters on this one. Still, I suppose they'd be very human-like, since the building would be plausible in our world, made with doors, windows and stairways.
Making buildings for alien life-foms is a pain! :D I know, I've tried it!

[Squibbit]

Good luck Sonia, have fun!




.

[xric7]

hi,
wondering u enter 3d.
interesting idea.will turn to see next step.good luck.:thumbsup:

[calisto-lynn]

yaaay! sonia this will be great! cant wait to see it all! it will be beautifull! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[DrFx]

Atão e esses updates? Lol, off topic, fui ver o ranking dos posts por causa doutro thread e tamos bem perto um do outro e do Kazuya Mochu, mod do gamedev-pt! Portugal tá forte na página 24 do ranking! Lol!
Agora, toca a trabalhar!:thumbsup:

[suk-grigorij]

Zero gravity water garden!? Hm... Very, very original. I'f even say unic.

Good luck.

[LadyMedusa]

Intresting concept :)
Hope to see some updates soon

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127414550_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127414550_large.jpg)

OK, so laugh! ;P
I had to post something...
This is sort of a mock-up stage of the garden. The brown thing (is hard to tell now) is a row of wooden boards.
The sphere on the ground is a lake. The water is held in place by force fields generated by those arm-like thingies that, btw, are NOT going to look like that!
I'm currently modeling some plants, so I should post something a bit more serious soon. :)

[SoniaNotRed]

DrFx - LOL! Vamos ver se é desta que isto anda! Tenho que ver se ganho mais visitas! :D

suk-grigorij - Hi! Thanks for dropping by!

Lady Medusa - You're in luck! New update - just for you! :)

[xric7]

cool concept.look interesting model.will back to see how it turn out.cheers.:thumbsup:

[Lemog]

mmmh... It smell here a different feeling... and certainly an original style ? :)


Your concept is very interesting, I'm so curious to discover the next steps of your creation, best wishes for your challenge :wavey:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127469319_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127469319_large.jpg)

Well, I guess it's kind of silly modeling a whole flower instead of faking one since we're not going to see much of it anyway, but... It just that I don't think I've ever done it before and I thought it was about time, so there!
I'll have a few of these floating on the lake.
Cool, huh? ;D

[SoniaNotRed]

:blush: Sorry, guys, I missed some of your posts yesterday.


Squibbit - Thanks! :)

calisto - Yeah, I'm kind of curious about, too. :p I hope we all get to find out. :D

xric7 - Thank you! I'll start to make things a little more interesting now.

Lemog - Merci! And thank you for visiting. :)

[Junpei]

very interesting concept, thinking of zero gravity water garden, beautiful :)

[coCoKNIght]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127414550_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1127414550_large.jpg)

OK, so laugh! ;P
I had to post something...
This is sort of a mock-up stage of the garden. The brown thing (is hard to tell now) is a row of wooden boards.
The sphere on the ground is a lake. The water is held in place by force fields generated by those arm-like thingies that, btw, are NOT going to look like that!
I'm currently modeling some plants, so I should post something a bit more serious soon. :)

hehe, that was funny to read :scream: but the pic is actually good, gives us an idea of what's to come.
I like the level of detail on that flower! :thumbsup:

[elmasfeo]

hmm... if there is a ground, why is it zero gravity? or maybe those grey arms are creating the zero gravity in the lake?

I think I already said this, but...it's a veeery original and good concept, hehe, good job with that flower

[Falcorr]

Here you are!
No wonder i didnt see you at all. Youve switched to 3D and i dont check them out as often i do with 2D. Good luck with your concept!! :thumbsup:

[agou]

Hehe, good work and nice concept too. Still, petals of the flower seems a bit too straight, even for nenuphar. Just move some vertex and that will do, petals are affected by gravity too (even if this scene will be at zero gravity).

Good luck!:thumbsup:

[xric7]

nice modeling.beautiful flower.:thumbsup:

[LadyMedusa]

Looks pretty good so far :)
Keep it up

[SoniaNotRed]

Junpei - Thanks! :) I'll be checking on your entry in a sec.

coCoKNIght - I'm glad it's funny! It means not all is lost! :D I intend for the next post to be the textured flower but I don't think I'll do it before October. I won't be around for next few days.

elmasfeo - Well... In my mind I have this impression of a dome - I can't see it but it's there somehow (Man...That sounded weird... :rolleyes:). Inside it there are two areas: a central one with a building where you can go around in normal Earth gravity and, around the building, the garden area, where there's no gravity at all. That means, of course, that the water pouring from the fountains is floating around. The water in the lake would float as well but those things prevent that from happening, keeping that huge bubble floating in place. It's like having a baloon under a net or something.

Falcor_ - *runs around in panic* Oh, no! He found me!!
LOL!
Welcome to the 3D Zone! :)
Thanks!
agou - Hey, good to see another 3d girl around! :bounce:
I used these pics as reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nelumbo_lutea_blossom.jpeg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nymphaea_alba.jpg

I haven't seen a real one in years but it's seems most flowers of this kind do look pretty stiff. The leaf, on the other hand, is looking kind of fake and I intend to change that later.
Anyway, I'll try puting on the textures first to see what happens. Thanks for the tip.:thumbsup:


xric7 - Thank you!

Lady Medusa - Thanks!


I don't expect to post any updates this week but hopefuly next month I'll really start working on this. See ya!

[agou]

You know sometimes, even if you do some realistic 3d (or 2d), that doesn't mean you won't have to exaggerate details to make them more life to something - it's paradoxical I know.In fact, that is the petals tips who are too sharp-pointed ; but it doesn't matter depending your way of texturing.
In fact, if you don't know them, I can advice you this tutorial on petal flower texturing : http://67.15.36.49/team/Tutorials/flower_bug/flowerbug01.asp .
So keep it up!

[nemirc]

Interesting concept. I am very keen to see your progress ;)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1128551704_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1128551704_large.jpg)

Back in business at last!

I have to start by thanking DrFx.
I had no story when I started on this project, just the idea of a building meant for humans or humanoids in general. Then this weekend, out of the blue, I remembered your question about aquatic wasps and that moment it all fell into place.
I just thought "Aqua-Wasps!" and suddenly I knew who lived in this place and why and how it needs to be like.
Thank you!!! :)

One problem I often face with buildings I create is that I make them so damn weird I don't know how to put them in 2d! ^^;
After spending a few more days trying to sketch the thing, I finally realized was wasn't getting anywhere. Something kept going wrong and I couldn't figure out what it was.
So I went 3d.
This is more or less how the basic shape should look like, although there's still something...
Oh, and this the composition and the colors I have in mind.
Yep, green sky!

[SoniaNotRed]

This thread is a mess - concept, modeling, concept... :p

agou - Ah, I see what you mean and I think I know what happened - I lowered the steps on the patch after I modeled because the flower is going to be tiny in the final pic. Originaly the tips were a bit rounder. I'll post that version later with the textures on.
Thanks for link! :thumbsup: Although I know a bit of that stuff I can always use an extra tut. Plus I had totaly forgotten about that site. Getting old... :D

nemirc - Hi! Thanks for visiting! :)

[ihamid]

a very nice and unique idea and concept Sonia !:thumbsup: and im sure the water and other stuff will turn out as cool !
already nice progress and cheers!

[DrFx]

Thank you!!! :)


You're welcome!:thumbsup:
This is looking good, I like the mixture of the modern foundation with the cool organic shapes above! Lighting also improved from your earlier models.
Some insects in our own planet can go underwater. This is a larva of some kind:
http://www.kentuckyawake.org/files/images/plantsWildlife/hellgrammite.jpg

This is a lovely aquatic arachnid. It carries a bubble of air outside its belly to breathe:
http://www.makalapa.k12.hi.us/Makalapa_Folder/HTML/adapt&survive/ep/waterspider2.gif
All hail the swimming tarantula! Remember those when you go out for a swim!
http://www.evidencesofcreation.com/images_spider/118.jpg
And this little nasty is a water bug!
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/EntWeb/galleries/galleryimages/GiantWaterBug.jpg

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1128735030_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1128735030_large.jpg)

Aaaarrgh!
I've been away from 3d for too long!
I keep forgeting tools and plugins... "Hmmm... What's this one for?"
CRASH!!
It takes me the longest time to get things done properly!

Anyway, here's a lil' fountain.
We'll have to wait for the water - it's 3 a.m. and metaballs crash the computer too!
*sigh*

[SoniaNotRed]

yunisirees - Thank you! :)
Going back to work, work, work! The clock keeps ticking!

DrFx - EEWWW! BUGS! :argh:

LOL!
You scared me there for a second with the all those little legs crawling on my screen! :D
Brrrr! Tarantulas!
I did some research too. Several kinds of bugs start their lives in the water (breathing through guills!) and then emerge and fly off somewhere! Also found this very cool site on bees:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/hive.html


I'm currently chipping off bits ands pieces of the building. I don't want it to look as bulky as the test model.
I'm also trying not to think about the lighting - I'm working with Max 2.5 (!) so it's bound to be a nightmare! :cry:


I'll post the story later on. You've given me a new world that hopefuly one day will join many others in my stories.
Once again, thank you! :thumbsup:

[nemirc]

I'm currently chipping off bits ands pieces of the building. I don't want it to look as bulky as the test model.
I'm also trying not to think about the lighting - I'm working with Max 2.5 (!) so it's bound to be a nightmare! :cry:

It's the artist, not the tools :beer:
:thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Yep, but it's a whole lot of trouble too! :D

[coCoKNIght]

looking great, I like the texture, looking forward to the water :)

[LadyMedusa]

It's coming around pretty nicely :)

[DrFx]

I'm also trying not to think about the lighting - I'm working with Max 2.5 (!) so it's bound to be a nightmare! :cry:

Yikes! I dare not even ask what computer you're doing this on!:eek: You better not over-detail, or render elements separately, it'll help manage the damage!!! :D:banghead:
Pretty fountain, by the way!

[nemirc]

Yikes! I dare not even ask what computer you're doing this on!:eek: You better not over-detail, or render elements separately, it'll help manage the damage!!! :D:banghead:
Pretty fountain, by the way!

In that case I will ask for you! :beer:

[SoniaNotRed]

Pentium 4
1 Ghz
3 Gb RAM
160 Gb HD
MS-7028 ATX Mainboard
ATI Radeon X600 Pro

http://nekoi.no.sapo.pt/Asai/Comp%201.jpg


And somebody else's old one, I'm currently using to test a printer:

http://nekoi.no.sapo.pt/Asai/Comp%202.jpg

Computers aren't a problem. They come a lot cheaper than apps! :D
If I find an extra board, I might even get myself a little render farm here.

[DrFx]

Erm... is that a pen drive in your USB or are you just happy to see me? :twisted: j/k!!!
The bottom one is one of the biggest PCs I've seen!:eek:
Yours is pretty cool, though! Nice amount of RAM.

[Lemog]

nice PC :scream:

but you're right... computer is not all... if you see my antic one :D hahahaha :banghead: (a real shame...)


Always no water for your fountain ? :eek:

[SoniaNotRed]

DrFx - LOL!
Yep, that big one is one noisy monster (hate those old SCSI HDs!! :argh: ). Mine was supposed to be "the ultimate" graphics oriented computer, so... Loads of RAM! Plus I'm guessing I won't be able to upgrade in the next few decades...
I remember a time when I had to wait about 16 minutes for a PSD file to load... And another 25 to save... :scream:

Lemog - Thank you!
I see. "Old technology", huh? :D
I just dumped a ZX Spectrum last week!


I've been mostly busy trying to figure out a way of getting the computer to do decent grass! After trying every trick in the book I finaly managed a basic lawn that has yet to undergo a lot of fixing, faking and cheating! :D
Hopefuly, I'll be doing that water today. I don't know when I'll post again but when I do it's gonna be a whole bunch of pics! :) *crosses fingers*


PS - Wanna know the stupidest thing about loads of RAM? Former Curious Labs apps (Poser 3,4 (?), Painter Classic...) won't run on anything with 1 GB or more! :eek:

[nemirc]

Erm... is that a pen drive in your USB or are you just happy to see me? :twisted: j/k!!!
The bottom one is one of the biggest PCs I've seen!:eek:
Yours is pretty cool, though! Nice amount of RAM.

Actually one time I saw a computer around 3 times taller than that one :drool:

[Lemog]

I see. "Old technology", huh? :D

:shrug: :cry: :banghead: hahahahaha

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129202753_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129202753_large.jpg)

As promised, here's the his-res model of the flower with textures.
I also put on a prettier light. :P
I know there are no shadows on the leaf. Don't ask...

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - That wouldn't fit under my table... :wise:

Lemog - Poor Lemog! :) I hope you get to solve your technology problems one of these days.

[Lemog]

Lemog - Poor Lemog! :) I hope you get to solve your technology problems one of these days.
I'm waiting the death of my computer... I beleive that... :scream:

Nice update of your flower Sonia... and I doesn't ask anything about shadows... promised :thumbsup: haha

That remember me the most beautiful water lily I saw in Thaïland... :)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129232113_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129232113_large.jpg)

The low-res fountain with the final texture but NOT the final water.
I just can't get the #:$-%+&* thing to look right!
Aaaarrrggggghhh!

[DrFx]

Olá, Sónia! The stone texture looks very realistic! Maybe the problem with the water is that it is too regular, and too transparent. It probably would absorb some light, so perhaps you could add a little color (green to blue?) and opacity to it. Nice background color, too!
Tá frio aqui em Lisboa e já são horas de eu tar na cama... até amanhã e bom trabalho!

[nemirc]

Water... can't help there :cry:

[Lemog]

With some stone as marble... you can also have a little bit of reflection... that enriched a lot the aspect...

That appear a little flat, certainly because the focal length (cause the upper part of your subject is already very geometric, that increase the disturbing sight) and very clear and sharp shadows ... usually (in real life), when we have clear shadow, their edges are really soft... as in the north of my country...
...or you can have hard edge shadow... but these shadows are very dark and black... as under the sun of your country :beer:

And for droplet... that appear a little poor cause you don't have a real environment of reflection... that's all... (also, we don't have the deformed vision of the background by transparency...) you can try a blurred map of reflection (in the color style of your final way of scenery, and blurred to don't have a disturbing reflection because it differency with your actual background), before the real reflection of your environment... but a last council, that give you more lattitude of setup if you fake these reflections, and after, in your final scene, it's easier to manage a good contrast between these little elements and other part or background.

my 2cents or my 2escusdos :scream:

[SoniaNotRed]

DrFx - Obrigada! :)
I think I've tried I little of all that (and I'm sure I'll be trying a lot more :D )... Maybe I've just been killing one parameter with another :p.
I was watching a real drop and the thing that stands out the most (as being wrong) is the reflexions - the real drop has these very sharp reflexions along the edges and I couldn't reproduce that. Not even with masks.
I'm thinking of going outside today to an open space where the water won't catch any reflexions from ground objects and take a few pics.

nemirc - There, there... It's allright... :D

Lemog - Marble - I think I made a reflexion masked with noise (or was that the Shininess map? I can't remember anymore! La honte! :blush: ) to simulate those little cristallyne points of the marble. I'll check that, maybe increase the value, and see what happens.
Water - That poor big bubble isn't helping much floating in the middle of nowhere but there's a little bubble below that shows how the reflexion and refraction is at this point. I tried a few reflexions maps already (that didn't work) but I can try again. I've change the parameters so many times I might get a different result now.


About the lights - I haven't started on that yet. This is the rough version of the kind of light I have in mind (yes, Lemog, Lisbon light, hehe! ;)) so I can see if the textures are OK.
If you'll notice, right now I'm even getting little "dragon head" shadows on the fountain and there's no reason why that should happen... :rolleyes:

Thank you all so much for your tips! :thumbsup:

[Lemog]

another council... I know it's not your final lighting... it's normal at this point of creation...

but if you have a yet good result... and setup easily your shaders and textures... you must have some light and reder setup a little near to this one you imagine and you want for your final scenery...
Imagine at the end you have a lighting very different... you're not sure that all your shaders are always okay, no ?

If you take a look of my thread... my lighting is not the final one... but light and render setup is more simple but have the same goal than the final one. By exemple, the body wip of the angel have exactly the same lighting and render setup thant the rendering of the texturing dunjeon...

Abraços :wavey:

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Yah, I see your point. Thanks! :thumbsup:
I just got back from the water photo shoot - got all the pretty reflexions! And got water all over my jeans - it's windy out there! :D
I'm now going to model the lake and then set up the basic lighting in the general file.


Exercising your portuguese, eh? :) I so need to exercise my french. It's terrible!
Je oublie toujours les mots. Et les verbes auxiliaires. Et le genre de les paroles... :blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#):blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#):blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
One of the cool thing about Challenges is that we get to learn more about each other's languages, too. :cool: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

[Lemog]

Lemog - Yah, I see your point. Thanks! :thumbsup:
I just got back from the water photo shoot - got all the pretty reflexions! And got water all over my jeans - it's windy out there! :D
I'm now going to model the lake and then set up the basic lighting in the general file.


Exercising your portuguese, eh? :) I so need to exercise my french. It's terrible!
Je oublie toujours les mots. Et les verbes auxiliaires. Et le genre de les paroles... :blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#):blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#):blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
One of the cool thing about Challenges is that we get to learn more about each other's languages, too. :cool: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
No, your french seem yet very good... certainly better than my english... but sorry... I don't speak Portuguese... just I have family near portuguese frontier... and friends of mine leaves near Porto... that's all :)

Good luck for you lake... and for your jeans :scream:

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Still, you speak more portuguese than most french. :)

Hehe! :D
Thanks.

[ihamid]

hiya SoniaNotRed
nice progress as for the water droplet here is what i did .. i kinda used a greenish map with a white big spot( for the sun in this case) mapped to a big cylinder encompassing the whole scene . then rendered but the cylinder itself is exlcuded from render just shows up in the reflections only! .. then was taken to photoshop to composite! hope this helps !
cheers! keep em coming!

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129589297_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129589297_large.jpg)

This is the final lake model (remember my first 3d post?).
The mapping is a little off, I think. The marble is a bit more reflective now. Still haven't fixed the light, though. :P
And still no water...

[SoniaNotRed]

yunisirees - In that pic the water was reflecting a hemisphere with the map of the sky and reflecting the "sun" light directly (although there will also be a physical sun later on for fx). But I tried fake reflexions too - the kind Lemog suggested - without much success...
I don't get it... :shrug:
I'll try again tomorrow, this time within the final enviroment. I have a plan... :twisted:

Thank you for your help. :)

[Digital_Rebellion]

Hi Sonia, just dropping by to say 'Hello' and wish u all the best. Nice work with the concept and modeling so far. U're already getting 'professional crits' from Lemog, yunisirees and others, so I couldn't offer anything better than that lol :shrug: Great to see you in this challenge and :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129685956_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1129685956_large.jpg)

Finally some water!
As it turned out it was my choice of material that was messing that up.
It is NOT my doing, however, that is messing up the shadow casting! Stupid app!
No caustics either but since the marble isn't getting any shadows there's not much point in faking that now, right?
I've set up the basic lighting and fixed the marble texture. Still need some touching up.

Oh, and don't mind the background - the grass isn't ready yet so I used some cheap carpet. ;)

Thanks everyone for your tips!

[Lemog]

! Stupid app!
Hahahahaha... very funny :thumbsup: :scream:


Seriously... latest update appear very good and interesting... I like the idea of sphere-lake... and materials appear yet better :bounce:

[DrFx]

Hey, girl, this is looking much better with the new water material! How big will this lake appear in the final picture? You could have a frog or something jumping out of the water and fishes swimming inside, making it even more unique! The marble texture looks a little "stretched", don't you think?

[SoniaNotRed]

Digital_Rebellion - Hi! Thank you for your visit and comments. :)

Lemog - Heh! :D If you think this shadow casting bug is ridiculous you should see what happened with one of the first models I ever made, many, many years ago! :argh: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) :banghead: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

I'm glad you like it! :) Thanks!

DrFx - You're totally right about the marble. I've been changing the mapping but it's still weird.
I don't know about the frog - I probably couldn't model one and, come to think of it, in null grav it would only jump right into orbit! :scream:
I like the idea of little fishes, though. Originally, I had thought about havind algae and lil' alien creatures trapped in the bubbles. With all the water thing going on it completely slipped my mind.

How big will this lake appear in the final picture?

Hehe... That's the funny part. Depends on the final perspective but most likely very little. :blush: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Now, how silly is that? :D

[Lemog]

If you think this shadow casting bug is ridiculous you should see what happened with one of the first models I ever made, many, many years ago! :argh: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) :banghead: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Ridiculous ? of course no girl... but I'm okay to see your first models :scream: :thumbsup:

[nemirc]

I see a very big bubble :eek:

[elmasfeo]

hey, I think that the water looks very good.... perhaps too clean?
about the marble I think you could break it into different marble bricks...it would be difficult (physically) to carve all that piece out of a single marble stone... but if it's going to be little at the end...who cares... do the important things first!:scream: ...hehehe

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Not much to see, I never finished it (hummm... that's got me thinking...).
The "ridiculous" event then was:
A wall with 2 windows + a light that was supposed to go through the windows = the open windows cast shadows, the light went through the solid wall.
Go figure! :rolleyes:
I was never so mad! :scream:

nemirc - That's a good sign - it means your eyes are OK! :) It has 6 metres in diameter.

elmasfeo - I was unsure wether to have some dirt in suspension or not (the bottom of the lake is dirt because of the plants). About the marble, I didn't go for slabs 'cause I was thinking of it more like a carving than something assembled. I might split the "steps", though... give each different mapping coordinates.

I just finished the "blueprints" of the building. I got a lot more space inside than I thought! :eek:
Next stop is making the walls.
Yay!!:bounce:

[Facepunch]

i like the idea, keep it up!

[Falcorr]

Hows it hanging? :)

Hurry and finish this up so i can see you in the 2D side!

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130161528_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130161528_large.jpg)

Not much to see yet (I've been lazy :P), just a bunch of instanced modules for the tower so I can see what works and what doesn't. Already I can see that at least 3 minor things are gonna change...
I meant to post this yesterday but, for some unknown reason, I can't get online from my computer. Grrrrr! :(
I'm hijacking someone else's PC but this means I only have a few minutes to post this and won't be able to visit anyone for a while. :(

[SoniaNotRed]

I'm back! :bounce:

(I wonder for how long...)


Sorry for not replying sooner, guys.

facepunch.net - Thank you. Glad to see you here. :)

Falcor_ - LOL!
I sometimes go there to see what's up but this Challenge seems to be going much slower and quieter than the last one. I wonder if things will get more lively now that the last month is coming.

[Lemog]

I'm back! :bounce:
hahaha... yeah... the good news of the day then... :scream:

I just hope to see soon more of your tower... update girl... update :thumbsup:

[DrFx]

Hiya, girl!:thumbsup:

Nice update, good to see you're getting the architecture core going! I don't think I'd worry too much about the floors if they don't appear in the final pic, or are they just helpers? You gotta put more updates on, so we can see the shape of the building, lady! :)
Cheers, and good luck!

[nemirc]

Personally I would like smaller patterns on those walls :blush:

[Digital_Rebellion]

Hi Sonia, good to see the tower modules, friend. Thanks for visiting & inspiring me. Good luck for the challenge! :thumbsup:

[daWinky]

I really like your idea and your modeling so far:thumbsup: . Hopefully you'll find some time to keep the good work on. I want to see more!:bounce:

-sabrina

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130329201_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130329201_large.jpg)

Alright... I wasn't going to post this but...
This is how things looked like last night when I went to sleep! *shiver*
The walls are all twisted but they will look more like the original modules - even if the computer seems to think otherwise!
And sorry about the colors, I forgot to change them to something more pleasing to the stomach! :P

I hope I manage to make something out of this model yet 'cause, quite honestly, of all the buildings I've designed so far this is probably the only one I don't like. It still looks so... ungraceful... :(

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Updating, updating... :wip: :wip:

DrFx - Thanks! :)
For now the floors are mostly (great) helpers - I use them to align all sorts of things, from vertices to full groups of objects. I'm also planing ahead because I intend to model the inside as well after the Challenge.
I'll try to post more often now. I have to hurry up anyway or I won't be able to finish. :D

nemirc - Hehe! In my sketches those patterns are actually bigger! :D The reason I made them that large its because the "rooms" in that tower need a lot of light (that green stuff behind is glass).
Still, the way things are going I might yet change that too!

Digital_Rebelion - Thanks! :)

daWinky - Thank you! I'll do my best to make things interesting! :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130340484_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130340484_large.jpg)

Fixed the walls.
For now that's how they'll look like (except maybe for the dark deco thingies on the hexagons).
Have no idea what I'll do next so I guess I'll just surprise us all! :)

[xric7]

beautiful architecture.the design of the lake is realy awesome.ur work is coming along well done.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
i will look forward to see whole pic.keep up the good work.cheers.
thanks for checking my thread..and my lilith.ha.:D

[Lemog]

Surprising stuff... for sure... and with originality... lots :thumbsup: I must acknowledge to be very curious to discover next steps...

I'm just a little bit disappointed to don't understand well the scale of these tower... can you add precision ? or a little dummy guy... at the tower feet...

[SoniaNotRed]

xric7 - Thank you!
And you're welcome! :)

Lemog - Thanks. :)
The tower walls are 15 m high in that pic (I just discovered yesterday they were at least a meter short! :rolleyes: ). On the pic before that you can see them from the perspective of a human about 1,70m. I'll post another update in a while with a lil' something for scale reference.

Last night I had an idea for another building for this same topic (I only have good ideas between 1 and 5 am! :D ). I'll be trying out a basic model and sketches to see if it works out better than this one.

[nemirc]

So you solved your internet problem then? :beer:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130520085_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130520085_large.jpg)

I seem to have found a balance for the building. That's the good news.
The bad news is that it now looks far too buthanese and I didn't want that to happen! Grrrrrrr!
Apart from that - the tower roof is still huge. I originally used that to visualize my idea but I'll have to make it a bit more "humble" for the final version.

I hope the lil' sofas work as scale reference. I'll post another view if they don't.

I also did some new sketches for a different building but after testing a first 3d model I find that it might be a bit too complex to solve in a month... It's a shame. Things born of inspiration are usually far more "spectacular". :)

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Yep. For now at least. I get this problem every now and then. :shrug:

[ace4016]

Nice updates Sonia. You've done lots since i've been away. I like that wasp lake, makes every other lake look so.....bounded by gravity:D . Keep up the good work:thumbsup: .

[nemirc]

What's that big thing on top of the building? :D

[SoniaNotRed]

ace4016 - LOL! Thank you! Nice to see you back. :)

nemirc - That would be the... ahem... *puts on dramatic male voice* ..."Gigantic Tower Roof"!

:D

[claudiojordao]

Hello Sonia, I'm so sorry for not coming to your thread sonner, but I've been so buzy that I haven't been able to work on my own image.

I'm so happy to find a portuguese in this challenge, are there any others?
I'm even more happy and surprised to know that you are a girl, cause it's not so comum! I guess!

Well, you've been doing a very very interesting job here, and I hope to have time to come and see your great updates.

Onde é q aprendeste 3d? Pareces estar à vontade com modelação!
Boa sorte Sonia.

[SoniaNotRed]

claudio_jordao - As far as I know the others are andreasrocha, DrFx, carlos_couto, Malanjo and renderwhite. There might be more in 2d but I haven't been to that side so much lately.

Yep, girls are unusual in 3d but there are quite a few more entering this Challenge than there were the last time, I think. Yay! :D
I was always curious to see what the feminin vision would bring to this art.

Quanto à aprendizagem foi em casa! :p (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Quando comecei não havia outra opção. Comprei uns livrinhos que me custaram uma pipa mas que têm valido mais que muito curso manhoso (e caro) que se tem feito por aí ao longo dos anos. :)
Não sou nenhuma "pro" mas vai dando para um concurso ou outro! ;) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Obrigada pela visita e boa sorte para ti também! :thumbsup:

[nemirc]

Quanto à aprendizagem foi em casa! :p (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Quando comecei não havia outra opção. Comprei uns livrinhos que me custaram uma pipa mas que têm valido mais que muito curso manhoso (e caro) que se tem feito por aí ao longo dos anos. :)
Não sou nenhuma "pro" mas vai dando para um concurso ou outro! ;) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Obrigada pela visita e boa sorte para ti também! :thumbsup:



I understood that :beer:

[Gunilla]

Hi! Shame on me - first time I see this :blush:
Great idea - I love the thought of Water Wasps and green sky... the building and the pond is really cool, very original! :thumbsup:
What software are you using?

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - And I understand spanish! :beer:

Gunilla - Hello! I don't post much so I tend to go unnoticed. :) Serves me right for being lazy! :p
I'm using Max... 2.5! :scream:
Thank you for your visit and comments! :)

[Falcorr]

MAX 2.5 ! :scream:

Well its better than nothing aint it? :thumbsup:

Good luck with your challenge SoniaNotRed!!

[ArtisticVisions]

I'm using Max... 2.5! :scream:
Wow, that's really OLD :eek: (kidding, kidding :D )

If it was Max 1.0, on the other hand... :argh:

All the best, Sonia. :)

[SoniaNotRed]

Falcor_ - I'm not exactly complaining. It's rather amusing in a way. Everybody is shorting their brains out trying to get their SSS and HDRI to look right and I don't even have Oren-Nayer! :D
LOL!
It's one of the reasons why I'm mostly keeping my mouth shut in 3d threads - something that, come to think of it, is probably not that bad either! :twisted:

Thanks! :thumbsup:


ArtisticVisions - Thank you! :)
My first 3d graphic ever was done in POV, meaning, I couldn't even see what I was doing! :scream: "Set sphere radius 7 at x30, y50, z40; color 3"... :scream: :scream: :scream:
That thing just wasn't made for artists!
The only thing I remember about Max 1 is that the new interface drove me crazy! :D I was used to old 3ds4 and it took me ages to get used to having rollout parameters popping all over the place!

Man, I am old! :p

[nemirc]

nemirc - And I understand spanish! :beer:

Don't test my, girl :beer:

[Lemog]

Ahahahaha Sonia... very good memories with POV... just yesterday, not ? :scream: hahaha... and that remain me lot of personal old uggly pictures... :banghead:

[Gunilla]

Gunilla - Hello! I don't post much so I tend to go unnoticed. :) Serves me right for being lazy! :p
I'm using Max... 2.5! :scream:
Thank you for your visit and comments! :)

Max 2,5 - then I understand your frustration with the metablobs for the water... it takes for ages to get right. So, I have a hard tim to believe that your lazy :D

And you're right - it doesn't matter how sophisticated the software is if you can't have it do what you want to...
I'm old too - started with Imagine on Amiga, ah those where the days!

[Lemog]

I'm old too - started with Imagine on Amiga, ah those where the days!
tsss tsss tsss... nobody is old here :twisted:


:scream: hahahahaha

[ThierryS]

Hi Sonia, just discovered your thread! cool concept, that will be a beautiful building, the idea of the hive design should work well. Will be back to see how it becomes. Good luck.:wavey: :cool:

[SoniaNotRed]

Max 2,5 - then I understand your frustration with the metablobs for the water... it takes for ages to get right.

Actually, mine just crash max! I have to collapse them and save them running before they go away! :D
The plugin is probably still a beta...

I'm old too - started with Imagine on Amiga, ah those where the days!

*dreamy* Full 8 color graphics in BASIC... LOL! I was blown away when I got my hands on this lil' app called Tempra - it had a gorgeous pallete of 256 colors and could make gradients! :D
Unfortunatly, I soon found out that even that wasn't enough... Hah!


Lemog - What? Old, me?....Hehehehe!

thierry2005 - Hi! Thank you! :)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130804585_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130804585_large.jpg)

Just a minor update. :(
I've been busy trying out diferent versions of stuff I made up while sketching and the details are bound to change a number of times until the model is finished, so don't be scared by the amount of "frou-frous". As a general rule, I tend to keep things simple. :)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130805876_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130805876_large.jpg)

OK....
Something went wrong there...

[nemirc]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130804585_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1130804585_large.jpg)

Just a minor update. :(
I've been busy trying out diferent versions of stuff I made up while sketching and the details are bound to change a number of times until the model is finished, so don't be scared by the amount of "frou-frous". As a general rule, I tend to keep things simple. :)

Wow this is so cool! a gray image :D :cool:

Sorry, I just HAD to say that :wip:

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Er... Well, I did tell you guys I was thinking of having grey in this pic... :twisted:

[agou]

3ds Max 2.5 ? Waow, you are courageous... but it's a better version than 3ds Max 2, isn't it? :) ... I didn't know you worked with such an old version.
Btw, your work is going on well, nothing to crit...
So, go, go,go !!!:wip:

[nemirc]

nemirc - Er... Well, I did tell you guys I was thinking of having grey in this pic... :twisted:

Spectacularly gray :beer:

[Facepunch]

nice work around the windows.. keep it up!

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131127947_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131127947_large.jpg)

This is the final model for the tower roof (I hope!...). The texture however will most likely change - 'cause this one looks like chocolate!!!
AAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!
And after all the work I had putting it together! *sniff*
I will now try a white, marble-like covering with darker bands of gray or beige... *sigh*
I've been working hard on this project the past few days - testing, modeling and remodeling stuff - I hope I can start posting results soon...

[SoniaNotRed]

agou - Thank you! :) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) Actually there little difference between v2 and 2.5, I think. Only a few extra details.

nemirc - Ahhh! Spectacularity at last! :D (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

facepunch.net - Thanks! :) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

[ArtisticVisions]

This is the final model for the tower roof (I hope!...). The texture however will most likely change - 'cause this one looks like chocolate!!!
Mmmm... chocolate. :drool:

Keep on trucking, Sonia. :)

[Gunilla]

Roof looks good, Sonia! Perhaps you could just make it a bit more yellow so it looks more like wax and less like chocolate?
The shape is really beautiful - keep the spirits up :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

ArtisticVisions - LOL! It wouldn't be so bad if I could eat it! :p

Gunilla - Ah, there, you see my problem - it was supposed to look like polished wood... ^^;;
All the little hexagons are bits of different types of wood. Termite chocolate... :scream: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

Thanks for your encouragement, guys! :love: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131148268_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131148268_large.jpg)

I finally remembered how one is supposed to make wood in 3d... ^^;
Man, I am so rusty! :P
Here are the two possible versions of the roof - "Wooden" (needs to be less red) or "Stony" (the pattern is still not finished but you get the idea).
The building walls will be limestone - I hope... ;)

[Gunilla]

Gunilla - Ah, there, you see my problem - it was supposed to look like polished wood... ^^;;
All the little hexagons are bits of different types of wood. Termite chocolate... :scream: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)


Arrrghh, sorry! :banghead:

Perhaps you could try making the wood worn and grey? As in old shingle roofs? The new stone texture looks good too, but it all has to do with what general mood you're going for ... a wooden roof will probably be softer and more warm for the scene.

Either way, happy tweaking :thumbsup:

[elmasfeo]

...I thought it looked like a 3-floor giant mushroom, not like chocolate... and I liked it...

I think that making it white or brown could depend on how would it look compositionally in the whole image...(think 2D!;)) ...but both look very good, maybe just what gunilla says, making the wood more grey, its a good idea IMO...

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131325919_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131325919_large.jpg)

The models for the standard windows and double doors.

[SoniaNotRed]

Gunilla - No need to apologize - is not your fault I'm not getting my textures right! :) :p
I had thought about that worn out wood thing since I'm having a lot of wooden pieces out in open but, ironically, the one place where I can't picture it is the roof... :rolleyes:
Still, the effect I had in mind was more of a highly varnished (or painted) and cracked wood (the kind you'd find in asian buildings) rather than the washed out shingle effect you mentioned.
I'm definitely taking your advice on the greyer color though.
Thank you! :)

elmasfeo - LOL! If nothing else, I think I'll end up with a tasty pic! :D Thanks!

[Facepunch]

looking good. keep it going!

[nemirc]

damn slow server...

anyway... u____u


I like the silver roof, it looks like a solar panel :)

[Lemog]

And why not a christmas tree then :scream: hahaha sorry... I can't resist to that... I like the chocoltate version.. but with more contrats between roof and ground... but finally, I prefer the stony version... which seem more architectural...

I like your door and windows... good interesting design... very sci-fi... good :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

I've been away for a while and been a bad girl with my posting. :p (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) Lately I'm just stopping by long enough to check on everybody's updates and feast my eyes on all these many great entries.

facepunch.net - Thank you! :)

nemirc - :surprised (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) Solar panel?!
HAHAHAHA!
And I had thought the mushroom idea was funny!! :D


I like the chocoltate version..

Lemog - I knew you were gonna say that... :D
Yep, I kind of like the second one, too. And after testing it with the rest of the stuff it does look a lot better.
The windows on the other hand look a bit funny once they're stuck on the wall - they remind me of one of those old ship... er... what's the name of that thing?... Helms? You'll see what mean.
Thank you! :)


I promise to post another update soon although I'm not so sure I'm gonna finish this pic, 'cause... quite honestly... The Thing is Boring Me to Death!!! :scream: :cry: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

Still... I'll keep trying...

[nemirc]

I promise to post another update soon although I'm not so sure I'm gonna finish this pic, 'cause... quite honestly... The Thing is Boring Me to Death!!! :scream: :cry: (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

Still... I'll keep trying...

:surprised

Giving up already? :twisted:

[Facepunch]

hey Sonya not Red. very nice detail on the windows. thanks for your help too, i figured out maya paint. seems to work nicely. looking forward to seeing more of your hall.

[Gunilla]

I promise to post another update soon although I'm not so sure I'm gonna finish this pic, 'cause... quite honestly... The Thing is Boring Me to Death!!! :scream: :cry: (misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

Oh no - giving up beacuse of boredome is no good excuse :deal:

I know exacly the feel, but if you just get past that uphill it will be so much more fun later, so go on! This piece is to good to be abandoned :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131927306_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1131927306_large.jpg)

A textured window.
The plan was to handpaint the bump map for the inner part but for now is going to stay with this pattern. I might paint it after I'm through with the rest.

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Not just yet... You won't be rid of me that easy! :twisted:

facepunch.net - Good news, then! :bounce: I'm glad I could be of help. :) Thanks!

Gunilla - HiHi! That's not exactly the excuse I'm worried about - I just keep remembering I "have" other things to do so I won't have to touch the computer! :p
To think there was a time when you'd have to use a crowbar to pry me loose from Max! :D
Anyway, I mean to keep at it until the the last minute, I just don't know if it will be finished by then...
Thanks for the cheering! :)

[Lemog]

Nice texturing for the window... always very different, always very original, always very Sonia :thumbsup:

[nemirc]

Nice texturing for the window... always very different, always very original, always very Sonia :thumbsup:

And always very red :beer:

[ThierryS]

Yeah nice work on that window Sonia, can't wait to see more of that building and of the whole scene! :thumbsup: :)

[Gunilla]

Yes - nice window, Sonia! The texture is also definitly more wood than choclate :D

I really like the style you use for this - some kind of moorish behive? Very nice - so keep them updates coming :buttrock:

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Hehe! Thank you! :) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)
Original is a must for me! Next best thing to spectacular! ;) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

nemirc - Actually, it's a little greyer now. Again. :D

thierry2005 - Thank you! :) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

Gunilla - Heh! A little harder to bite, eh? :D
The style is what happens when you start with paper wasp nests and then add a bit of a Rajasthan palace, some Katmandu woodwork, a buthanese silhouete and a little of old Cairo - all of this while totally uninspired! LOL! :p
And, for you, a 'lil update on the way. :) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132150348_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132150348_large.jpg)

Another close - this time on the balcony.
Don't mind the walls - the final texture is being finished, so I'm using this to get a sense of color balance. And, speaking of wich, I'm still not happy about the lighter wood color - it's a bit too pink for my taste. I'll tweak it along with the lights later on.
I was hoping most of the walls would be done by now but, thanks to my "peculiar" way of doing architecture I am as usual having trouble making things work in 3d!
Heaven forbid I'd use straight walls and ordinary doors!
So - model, remodel, tweak, change, start over....

[Lemog]

Always interesting design... that remain me a little the "moucharabier"... practicle to survey... and I survey you now... :D hahaha

About the wood... yes, it's really "maroon"... you can certainly find something more original... there a lot of possibilité on earth... and on my website, there's hundreds of different wood turpentines, that could help you perhaps... or for inspiration...
You can also used some different wood... different for different parts... to manage better the contrast between each parts...

[nemirc]

Can we see the full building including that last update?

[shemosus]

good wood art work on the balcony ,good concept ,let us see more.:applause:

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog - Hehehe! Hmmmmm.... :twisted: Thanks!
I've been to your site a few times - takes a while to see all that stuff! :) You have one impressive colection! :eek: There are as many textures as branches in a forest! :D Hehehe!
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
I have a few wood textures around here too and I have done some mixing - but it really doesn't show much... :blush: Aaaarrggghhh!! I'm just out patience for this! :scream:

nemirc - Er....... No? :p Hehe! I've been wanting to post that but the whole modeling process has been so chaotic that I would feel kind of embarassed posting the pic as it looks now... :blush: :blush:
I'll try to post it tomorrow...

shemosus - Hi! Thank you for your visit and comments! :)

[Lemog]

I will be patient girl... but not since the last day then... :twisted:

Just an information, I will open soon a new part in my website, with much textures in 1600x1200, only for the registered user... I will do a news for that...

Have a nice day Sonia :wavey:

[LadyMedusa]

Nice job on the windows :)
Looking forward to final :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

Ei, "Nekoi", 'tou-te a ver! :twisted:


Aaaarrrrggghhh! Stupid slugish conection....!


Lemog - Oh-oh...! :eek:
I'll be waiting. :)

Lady Medusa - Thank you! I hope I'll get that far...

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132534438_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132534438_large.jpg)

This is how things are at the moment. Still one big mess but it's at least starting to look like something.
As it turned out, I still have to change a lot of the models - doors and windows mostly - and, of course, I have to fix the mapping.
As it also turned out, stupid me was making a wall texture when I had a folder full of the stuff! Of course I had a folder full of the stuff - I took a couple of days back in October to go out and photograph it!!!
It must be wonderful to have a brain that actually works!

Anyway, I'm posting this as "lighting" since you can see the basic light setup I'm using.

Oh, I almost forgot - I'm probably changing the composition, too. Since the building looks nothing like I was expecting it might not make sense to keep the old one.
Maybe...

[Lemog]

I don't think that your brain doesn't works... the only thing, that it works certainly very differently :scream: hahahaha

Seriously now... I'm very happy to discover the entire design of your building... and with some minors fixing... that will work perfectly...
...and now, of course, I'm very curious to see the new composition...

In any case... this design is very different, very original, then, very spectacular... doon't forget the other elements then... :beer:

[ihamid]

very cool the design of the building :thumbsup: :thumbsup: !

[Gunilla]

I agree - that is a real funky house :thumbsup:
Looks to me as you're closing in... almost finished - no reason not to, right?
So, good luck with the last steps now!

[SoniaNotRed]

Lemog, yunisirees, Gunilla - Thanks, guys! :love:
I hope I manage to finish it. If I can get only half of what I'm picturing done, it should look real nice.

[agou]

Nice work and nice building ! Go on, go on!!!:bounce:

[nemirc]

Lemog, yunisirees, Gunilla - Thanks, guys! :love:
I hope I manage to finish it. If I can get only half of what I'm picturing done, it should look real nice.

but if you can get two halves of what you are picturing it should look extremely nice :D

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132705840_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1132705840_large.jpg)

I've been fixing minor details so there are no major diferences since the last post.
My "Forgotten Folders" keep proving better textures then the previous ones. It was about time all my photographing and scanning finally paid off! Could have been sooner, though...
Cool clouds, eh?

The lighing is the same as before but with the raytrace on. A world of diference in that! But still needs tweaking.

[SoniaNotRed]

agou - Thank you! :bounce:

nemirc - It never looks that nice, but I can always dream! :D

[Gunilla]

Yay! I love the green sky! :thumbsup:

Just keep going - this is turning out really cool!

[Lemog]

I like too this idea of green sky (I use too a green sky in my project, even if it's not really visible :scream: ...), but you certainly must have to greenish more the shadows in your clouds... not blueish like that... or with another tone in better accordance with the green... soft yellow-orange-grey as the buildings mood...

[ThierryS]

Yep nice building Sonia, what will you put around it. Green sky is a bit strange but why not. Will wait to see what comes next. :thumbsup: :)

[claudiojordao]

Olá Sonia, what a fantastic progress on your image ah!?
I love the level of detail on your doors, windows and balcony... and your clouds look great too.
Very good job girl. Estou impressionado :)
Bora lá acabar isto, tá quase no fim.
Boa sorte.

[elmasfeo]

:wise: the building looks really nice! it's full of details...:applause:

what about the rest of the ground? are you going to keep it that green? I think it could look better in some other color, or just something less saturated... I know it's not done yet, just talking about colors... now...where's that spheric pool? ;)

keep it up Sónia! I hope you can finish this one!:thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

I've been having a hard time getting this page loaded lately! I hope I don't loose the conection on the last minute! :argh:

Gunilla - *puff, puff, puff* *working, working, working* :) Thank you!

Lemog - Yep, you're right - I killed the blues but forgot about the cyans! It's fixed now and there's and optional warmer version if need arises. Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup:
Oh, btw, the "Christmas Tree" is now winning 2 to 1! :D

thierry2005 - If all goes as planned there should be a spheric lake, a few wasp nest fountains a quite a bit of water floating around... Me hopes...

claudio_jordao - Obrigada! Mais um esforço... :)

elmasfeo - Thank you! :) That's my Cheap Carpet Material. :D I already changed it, but it's supposed to be covered with grass anyway so you'll probably never see much of it.


This past few days I've been finding more and more details to fix... *sigh* ...and spending a lot of time photoshoping and mapping, matching the textures of a bezillion faces!!
Anyways, I'm (finally) starting to put the pieces together and "arranging the furniture" so I can start testing renderings. I hope to post later on today.

[LadyMedusa]

Nice job :D

The foreground looks a little empty now though, but it looks quite promesing

[makaron]

this is starting to look really impressive... cool building :p

you go girl, make the finish line :bounce:

[SoniaNotRed]

I'm waiting for the stupid lake to render so I can post the pic...
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
What have I gotten myself into?
And still all that water to render... :argh:

Lady Medusa - Thanks! :)

makaron - Hi! Thanks for coming and for cheering! :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133062516_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133062516_large.jpg)

This is a render with raytrace on and reflexions off.
It took almost 3 hours!!
Why does it take so long with the reflexions off? And why is it still reflecting?
I'll have to composite all the water (and the marble...) or I'm in deep trouble...

Done:
- Replaced all the wood textures.
- Matched all the stones and wooden reliefs on the walls. *the horror*
- The sky is all green now. ;)
- The Cheap Carpet is off.
- Adjusted the lights for the underside of the roofs.
- Shrunk the lake to half its original size.

Next:
- Put an extra lamp just for the whites.
- Spread the grass.
- Plant some warm colored flowers to break the green.
- Scatter water bubbles around.

The stuff on the horizon isn't a mountain range (although that's not a bad idea) - it's the ground intersecting with the hemisphere. It will be covered by foreground objects.
The fountains and lake are still doing funny things to the shadows...Beats the hell out of me why that happens!
I foresee a lot of photoshoping...
By the way, how do you like the moon?

[xric7]

realy cool architecture design.nice progress.the moon look awsome.because I'm not a 3d-guy so I have no constructive 3d technique.will look forwars to see next step.cheers.:buttrock: :thumbsup:

[nemirc]

nice brown lake! :twisted:


haha, I am back woman :D

[Lemog]

Of course, without reflection... water stuff can be only strange... :scream: hahaha... I'm waiting impatiently your addition... I think that will be better to have a higher mountain in the backgrounf... mountain or relief... for the moment, we doesn't know what is it really... not enough visible...
...courage Sonia... :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133210335_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133210335_large.jpg)

Just a quick update to show all the stuff (minus flowers) put together.
Textures, shadows and reflexions off, of course.
Next I start rendering for the compositing.

That should be pretty quick... You see, I already knew I couldn't render over 72 dpi (app dates back to Guttenberg - no funny stuff back then) but I thought "Hey, I'll just it make REAL big."
Yeah, right...! I can't render over 4000px either!
*thud*
Should I even bother to upload the finished pic?
Maybe I'll wait for the next Elemental call for entries - let Autodesk\Discreet take the heat for it!!
MUAHAHAHA!!!

[Mordalles]

looks amazing, sonia! 1st time i checked in here since i last posted here, and im really impressed! that grass looks great. i just did a bg for a game im doing in which i had to render grass, and my pc continually ran out of memory. haha. so, i know what ure going through with rendering!

and i love the planet in the sky! overall, i love it! :thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Ah, you see, this mermaid came to visit the other day and lifted all the silt from the bottom with her tale wagging when she saw the pretty flowers! :D Lake flowers! :twisted:
Welcome back! ;)

Lemog - I 've added real mountains. :) The other thing was a bug with the ground texture. I had never used Max (2.5!) for high-res graphics before - I didn't know it could be this much fun! :rolleyes:

[SoniaNotRed]

Oooops! Missed a couple of posts here... :blush: Sorry, guys.

xric7 - Any comment is welcome! Thank you! :)

Mordalles - Hey, you're back! I've been checking on you but you were just gone!
I'm having less trouble with the grass than I expected, actually. This set of 4 scatters and a bit of photoshoping should give me a nice lawn.
Thanks for coming! :)

[nemirc]

nemirc - Ah, you see, this mermaid came to visit the other day and lifted all the silt from the bottom with her tale wagging when she saw the pretty flowers! :D Lake flowers! :twisted:

I will send my mermaids to take away all those pretty lake flowers!:twisted::twisted::twisted:

[elmasfeo]

hey Sónia!
your image looks very close to the final... hurry up, there's just 1.5 days to go... :bounce: :wip:

It's impressive what you're doing with all that software limitations...

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133724648_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133724648_large.jpg)

Good old fashioned 3d lighting! :)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133725008_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133725008_large.jpg)

A brief description of my compositing.

All praise to Photoshop - the most reliable software I've ever known - once again saving the day after others apps screw up! :P

[nemirc]

All praise to Photoshop - the most reliable software I've ever known - once again saving the day after others apps screw up! :P

I use combustion;)

[SoniaNotRed]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133727346_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/11/8623/8623_1133727346_large.jpg)

Well, it's nowhere near spectacular and not all that near to what I had pictured but it's looking fairly decent, I guess.
I had meant to make a monumental, temple-like building and I ended up with a small palace, more like the kind of thing you'd find in Sintra (google it up - you'll see what I mean). I'll post a better version of it in the gallery if I ever get around to do it properly, since I can't submit a HiRes anyway.
On the bright side, it was good to know I still know my way around 3d - even if I don't always remember it ^^;.

Here's the story:
Aqua-Wasps are humanoid beings with dominant insect characteristics and a bit of fish thrown in!
The building is the royal nursery of their people. It's considered a sacred place.
Females of noble blood come here to lay their eggs in small cells of water in the tower and then leave. The eggs and newborns - who live in water - are looked after by the priestesses. These feed the infants with honey they make themselves from polen collected in the imense water garden. They use the floating water bubbles to carry the polen, either picking them up in air if they're already saturated or dragging them over the big flowers to get it. They fly up in null grav on their fin-like wings and then glide in full gravity down to the left side of the building and drop the water through a hole on the ceiling. The polen is filtered to a deposit on the top floor (the "kitchen") and the water drizzles down an artificial stalactite into a pool on the ground floor.



Thaks everyone for your tips and support and best of luck to you all spectacular chanllengers!

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Take away my flowers?! :eek: You evil man, you!!
:D
I never tried Combustion, have no idea of how it works. :sad:


elmasfeo - Hehe! I'm here, I'm here! :D
Thanks! :) But you don't know the half of it!


Let me tell you guys what's been happening:

After a lot of arguing, I managed to convince Max to render in 8000px, but 4 renders later the thing decided it wasn't gonna do it anymore!
Or even 4000px for that matter!
Later on it ocurred to me I might get around it by using the blowup render but then Max decided it wasn't gonna load the roof and twin windows' textures.
I told it to go take a flying leap and fixed the roof in PS, after wich, of course, Max promptly remembered to load the textures again. But then I needed to render the bubbles so it refused to load the reflexions map...! "Photoshop this!"
It probably realized I would too, so it gave up after a while and I rendered the water.

Bottom line - my final render is only 1000x667 px in 72 dpi and I'm not making the FTP upload. :sad:

Ah, well, maybe next time... :)

[makaron]

that´s sad that you couldn´t render it...:cry:

but happy to see it here anyway... I like it... :bounce:

[ArtisticVisions]

Wow, sorry to hear that Sonia. :sad: It did turn out real nice, though. :)

See you at the next Challenge. :thumbsup:

[Facepunch]

Great Job & nice detail. You followed thru nice from concept to finish. Look forward to seeing you in the next one! take care.

[SoniaNotRed]

makaron - I probably wouldn't have made it anyway - I had never done anything big in 3d and didn't know the problems I'd face and the time it would take.
Thank you! :)

ArtisticVisions - I'm glad you like it! Thanks. :)
My turn this time, it seems. Lets hope I'll be more inspired next Challenge. And a bit luckier, too.

facepunch.net - Hihi! I just came from your thread! :p (http://forums.cgsociety.org/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=0#) Good to see another happy ending! :)
Thanks for puting up with me! :D

Good luck to you all!

[nemirc]

Not able to render a highrez? That sucks.

See? you should be using Maya, not MAX :scream:


Ok, now the serious part of the post. I am really sorry to hear that. Hopefuly next time it will work. Maybe try to find out what happened to it so you know how to solve that problem in the future ;)

[Lemog]

CONGRATULATIONS Sonia... really well designed... lot of originality in your creation. I really like your final image... you can be proud of you girl... maybe that need to be more red... but green is great anyway :scream: hahahaha...

:bounce: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :bounce:

[Gunilla]

Great job with your final, Sonia! And to bad you couldn't make the big render - make sure to post this in the gallery!

Looking forward to see future work from you! :thumbsup:

[elmasfeo]

:applause: congratulations! :applause: It looks great...

sorry about the resolution thing, maybe next challenge... but the image looks good and I think that's more important... see you around! :thumbsup:

[GonzaloGolpe]

Hi neighbour!!:) An interesting and original image, good luck to you!:thumbsup:

[SoniaNotRed]

nemirc - Hehe! Maybe I should get Maya - before Autodesk triples the price! :D
I don't think I can solve this problem. It must have something to do with the fact that is an old app working on a modern computer with an updated Windows. I've been sticking to Win2000 mostly because of Max but... Or maybe the thing never did work but I just didn't know! :D

Lemog - *ahem* Merci! Hey, c'est pas rouge mais c'est "vert chaud"! Hehe!
(Ouep, j'ai trouvé mon vieux dictionnaire de français!) :p

Gunilla - Thank you! :)
I'll have to try the blowup render to see if it works. I was very surprised to see the amount of detail I got in my 8000px building even at 72 dpi. I could see all the things I still have to fix, hehehe! :D
I'm not sure about posting this version on that gallery... I really need it to look good - otherwise I'll just feel like an absolute noob in the middle of all the incredible pics I usually see there. :blush:

elmasfeo - Thanks!
I hope you're luckier too next time round. I'll be checking for that WIP thread.
Time to back to the DSG - I'll see you there! :wavey:

Gonzalo Golpe - Holla! Thank you! :)


Thank you all for coming :love: and good luck!

[ihamid]

hi SoniaNotRed .. sorry for not being around lately. . :bounce:congratulations:bounce: on finishing this cool image!:thumbsup:cheers!

[xric7]

congratzzzzzzzzzz:beer: You did the great job mate.wonderful image.:thumbsup: :applause: :wip: :buttrock:
good luck to you and see you around.cheers.:bounce:

[Zapan]

OOOOh :love: , really nice picture !! I just love the mood !:cool:
Congratulations ...
Sad to hear about your rendering problem... this things are nightmares... But cannot you zip it and upload "what you have" by ftp anyway ?
Anyway , really cuttie picture , shame on me to discover it just now.

[SoniaNotRed]

yunisirees - Thank you! :) *getting ready to check finished birdie*

xric7 - Thanks! :)

Zapan - Hi! Thank you!
I thought about it but the pic is so blurry I suppose it wouldn't make much sense. I don't really mind - it's not like I would win anything, anyway! :D

Good luck, guys!

[nemirc]

nemirc - Hehe! Maybe I should get Maya - before Autodesk triples the price! :D

HAHAHA! :scream:
I fear that day... :eek:

[SoniaNotRed]

Let us all switch to XSI! :D
Or Blender...

[ThierryS]

Hello Sonia, congratulations for the picture you've done!! I'ts looking nice the way it is. Sorry to learn you had prob with rendering. I like the designs of the building, I think you have achieved you goal to that respect. Well maybe we'll see another finetuning of it later on. :wavey: :)
See you around!

[SoniaNotRed]

thierry2005 - Thank you! :) Good luck to you and your dolphins!

[nemirc]

Let us all switch to XSI! :D
Or Blender...

Or you could simply get a newer version of MAX :;)

[Digital_Rebellion]

Hey Sonia, so glad to see your final work! Well Done :applause: Hoping to see a bigger render soon. Why not buy Maya! It's cool :)

[LadyMedusa]

Great work :applause:

Too bad you couldn't save a higher resolution...
good luck anyway :)

[shemosus]

high sonia ,i'm sorry for the rendering problems, you deserve more yielding device , very original work you've got there, good luck and i'm waiting for more posts from you..take care:)

[SoniaNotRed]

Aarrgghh!! My internet has been crashing again... :rolleyes:

nemirc - Heh! Buying 3d apps in this country is a pain! There are only a couple of guys selling for each brand (if your lucky!) and the service tends to be rotten!!
Anyway, I'm broke, and even if I wasn't there's no point in spending all that money 'cause I'm not doing 3d for a living.
Now, when I win the loto... :D

Digital_Rebellion - Thank you! :)
I find Maya a bit strange, used as I am to 3ds, but that PaintFx tool always did make go :drool: :drool:
I'm still hoping to see that spaceship of yours in the Gallery.
See you!

Lady Medusa - Thanks. :) I'll try to make a new render for the 3d Gallery. Good luck to Baby Squid!

shemosus - Thank you! :) Good luck with your entry!

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