Toon outlines: Rendered or in post?

[fred]

hi!

i can´t really answer your questions but if you´re using maya and want to go for a toon-like look (or combinations with that) you should definitely check out the Inkworks renderer from Cambridge Animation (the guys who make Animo). It is really a mess to work with, but the results are a thousand times better than what you can achieve with mental ray. Check their website (www.cambridgeanimation.com) fur further details. i think there´s also a demo version, but i´m not sure.

hope that helps!

[klingspor]

Hey there fred!

The thing about inkworks is that subdivision surfaces aren't supported, and these are an absolute must in our project. I've played with it some time ago and that was the only thing that made me prefer Mental Ray for my project.
Also, what makes you think that it's more capable than Mental Ray in rendering outlines? I found the results surprisingly good!

Anyway, my main question is stil left unanswered, because using Inkworks equates to using Mental Ray in the terms of my inquiry.

But thanks for your suggestion!

[fred]

well i have to admit my 3d skills end at modelling a cube, so i can just tell from what i´ve seen my colleagues do. but from that point i´d just say that inkworks just looks a lot "toonier". i don´t know about your project, so i can´t tell, it´s just my preferred style.

[jeferichardson]

Hello, I have done a toon look in Compositing before. But in order to do it you have to do a 2 render pass.
1. Diffuse render
2. Light pass.

3 only if you can render a decent z depth

To the diffuse pass use this example to add the lines. Also if you have a Zdepth pass you can use this example also for lines. I prefer useing both of them together.

http://members.aol.com/forrestbro/how_cartoon.html

And then with the light pass crunch the Levels to a nongrade to get the toon light look.

[klingspor]

Hi Geoff,

thanks for your input!

I've already decided on doing it in post, in a manner similiar to the one you pointed out. Only that I'm using a seperate "normal pass", because the normals are excellent in combination with a simple find edges filter!

Cheers,
Stefan

[Jamo3D]

Hi there,

First post here ever, so pardon my lack of dust

Why not try using both? :buttrock:

I don't know anything about Mental Ray's capabilities, but I'm sure it can output in 2D vectors. Do that in layers to separate foreground and background objects and keep the basic rendered images in other layers, as well.

Edit and tweak those vectors in post instead of using a find edge like tool. That way, your comp doesn't have to guess what edge is for what object. Create some nice paintbrush or pencil or whatever strokes along the vector path and you have it.

Just stylise the coloured and textured renders and put that behind the edited vectors. For that inked and painted look. YMMV tho'. And you might want another look altogether. But I think that both ends should be doing the job instead of just the one.

Jamo
+BIL

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