Enchanted Forest - Environment - sAm

[samartin]

Oh dear, never realised wot a slow process it would b just adding a simple stream and not even getting anywhere near completion.

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise7.jpg

There is going 2 b a waterfall in the background and there is a problem just in front of it which needs rectifying, and the stream needs widening... This image is going 2 b a slow going 1, a the only time I have is in the evenings. hhmpphhhh....

[AJ]

Can't believe there's not been a reply to this...

It looks lovely - very warm and already quite a beautiful image.

The only thing that nags at my eye when I look at it - is the 'uphill' part of the stream near the back - seems a bit too steep/sudden.

But hot damn you're off to a good start!

Eagerly awaiting more :D

[lude]

Looks really good!

Where will you put the trees? Will you see the horizon through the forest...?

lude

[Koma]

really good start ,i keep on eye on this thread

[ZrO-1]

Awesome terrain. Just a note: You don't get much grass in a forrest ;) :p
I figure the grass is there more for the test stuff, but just to be sure you knew I figured I'd throw that one in. Changing the grass to short ferns would be sweet...IMO

Keep up the great work.

[samartin]

Hi all...

Thanx 4 the feedback

AJ_23 - the uphill stream is gonna b covered by a waterfall l8r on in this challenge
ZrO-1 - I do plan 2 tone down the grass at some point

I plan 2 have the foreground clear of grass with an old rickety bridge, and the distance will have a splattering of bluebells... also gonna have a handfull of trees (1 being extremely rooty so the DOF can b used) in the FG but I don't want 2 put 2 many in as I don't want 2 spoil the skyline and sunrise, then again who knows wot will unfold ???

I am planning on introducing some wildlife in2 the scene time permitting of course as I only get a couple of hours a day 2 play... I am thinking of a fairy being introduced but in the style of the manga... big eyes, pointy nose, v-shaped jawline, soft skin and along with the obligitary space dust twinkling from the sunlight...

[leigh]

Yeah, as everyone has already said, great work so far :thumbsup:
Really cool!! :applause:
Heheheh that uphill stream bothers me too. I'm not sure if covering it with a waterfall would work, because the way you have done it, it would have to flow up the other side to get there in the first place :surprised
But ummmm I'm not entirely sure if that's what AJ_23 meant. Or maybe I'm too tired :p My brain is a bit soft today - not enough sleep....
Is the sun just a background image?? It would be cool to have some volumetric lights pouring out over the hilltops!

:scream: I'm looking forward to seeing more!!! :bounce:

[samartin]

Another update but this time with widened stream... I have added a waterfall which needs a lot of tweaking.

Leigh u r right about the waterfall, mmmm prob introduce a mountain scene behind the hills on the left ???

I am gonna leave the base scene 4 now and think about modelling the trees as I seem 2 b 4getting that it is a forest ?!?!

If there are any LW'ers out there do u have any hints & tips on emulating a leaf effect ??? I was thinking of using particles along with alpha clips ???

anyways new image :-

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise9.jpg

oh BTW :- I do plan 2 use volumetric lighting when I get some trees built as I think also that would set the piccie off 2.

[leigh]

Hey looking better! :thumbsup:
But still - where is the water that is falling down the waterfall come from?? It would only work if there was a huge lake at the top of that hill :surprised Because right now it still looks as though the water has flowed up the backside of it... Sorry, I guess I'm being a bit picky but it just bothers me.

Ummmm you should try adding more drooping to your sasquatch setting for the grass, so that you get some of the blades around the river banks to droop over and into the water. Just a thought ;)

As for leaves - yeah that's a tough one. Too much geometry is certainly going to bog down your system resources. Personally, I've never tried using particles for leaves. Can you use alpha on particles??
I guess I actually would be a diehard and just make loads of rectangular polys with clip maps, and double-sided surfaces, with some tranlsucency maps on them for leaves... But I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to things like that. I'm sure my computer hates me for making it suffer like that too :p

[samartin]

Hey Leigh...

Thanx 4 the input... I notice that u have been busy giving out sound advice 2 many of the threads here (haven't read them as they take ages 2 load up 56k). Do u actually get time 2 model u'reself at all ???

Yes that waterfall certainly does look outta place, the next update will include a new improved waterfall and actually resemble a waterfall a little more than it does now.

U're leaf tip sounds like a top idea (the system can work it's butt off 4 a change), the idea of using translucent leaves certainly appeals :buttrock:.

cheers once again 4 u're input :bounce:

Oh BTW I just checked my LW7 manual and u can use the FX_Linker to apply an alpha clip 2 u're particle emitter.

[samartin]

Hi all

I wasn't gonna post this update as not alot has been done but at least u can c progress...

The stream is bugging me at the mo' but I fix something then something else goes wrong :annoyed: !!! cr@p...

Oh well I am gonna leave the landscape 4 now, need 2 start building new objects and fairies... I need 2 spend time on the bridge textures especially some sort of rope texture :hmm:...
The tree needs grass roots around it and I plan 2 introduce blue bells at some point 2 break up the grass environment... oh and trees after all it is meant 2 b a forest, I seem 2 4get that bit...

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise11.jpg

please feel free 2 crit...

cheers :beer:

[samartin]

been fairly busy 2day, nice 2 model instead of tweeking the landscape ( and magic bevel wot a god send)...

anyways a new update but with focus being on the tree maybe DOF will work better when more trees r thrown in...

the plant is going 2 b surrounding the current tree and a swing will creep in2 the scene l8r...

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise12.jpg
http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/king.jpg

PS. the stream can wait and old stumpy aswell...

[hypercube]

Damn, missed this one altogether, too. It's too impossible to see everything this month! Great stuff! :thumbsup:

DOF may be making everything look a bit small, but that could be a cool look, has a charm to it..have to see once you get everything in there too, that'll change a lot. Really nice feel otherwise, I like the sun breaking through the tree branches.

Flower is looking cool too, nice style.

Visually, liked the earlier waterfall..but it is right in that it needs something to be falling from..maybe either make it more sheer or more gentle of a slope? You're kind of hinting at the surroundings of the lake up top but it's still not reading..maybe if it was the small step kind, or just enough gap before the fall to see the lake? Tough to do from that angle.

Look forward to the rest of it..


P.S. Manga style faeries, oh no..I'm on too close of a wavelength to this, even if I'm aiming more Bruce Timm, the description fits. :hmm: Hopefully I'm off on some other tangent otherwise, though..maybe I can change more to keep it different. :sad:

[ZrO-1]

You're definetly on the right track.
I agree with 'cube about the DOF...not sure I like it. DOF works best when you're in a smaller enviroment and focusing on a character. I guess it could work for the deep woods where the focus is on a narrow plane, but for a more open scene I wouldn't use it (or rather, haven't seen it used effectively).
I really like your flower, only crit would be that the leaves look a lot like the petals...maybe I'd make them a bit more different.

Cool stuff so far! I look forward to seeing more.

[samartin]

This is a test image, only took about 2.5 secs 2 render which is nice... basically this tree is going 2 bow 2 the main tree in the image along with many others (still need more branches & needs twigs)... The colour is a bit brash but then again it is a test, just wanted some kinda feedback really as I reckon I might go with it (hard 2 tell till I get it in the scene).

Anyway it is a fully transparent Box which is then meta-nurbed so I can increase the iterations on it and noise if I so wish, I just thought it might b good 4 distant trees and using Leighs rectangular polys with clip maps for close up trees ???

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/tree.jpg

[hypercube]

hmm, still looking a bit more hair than leaves..would have to get it far away and then see? Maybe increase the hue vary and up the coarseness..of course then it starts looking like grass.

Actually with the curly bits and even the colour it'd make a perfect Dr. Seuss tree :) If you keep getting more stylized that could fit in there really cool.

I'd say drop it in and see how it reads from a distance..maybe thin out the hair and have it a little more related to the branches.

[samartin]

and yet another (after a beer fueled evening)... last of the landscape stuff until' the deadline I think...

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise14.jpg

thanx 4 the input 4 tho's who have (much appreciated)...

I think the trees on the far left sort of work but look uniform so I think I'll try a displacement map. The tree going in2 the river is meant 2 b a weeping willow but that does look hairy (oh well next time)...

[hypercube]

Pretty cool, I like the high grass growing up around the stuff.

Trees in back definitely need a little something more..the weeping willow sorta works from back here, maybe if it had closer to the same density as the other trees, or a little less puff-like shape, ie the same stuff hanging off branches rather than a form.

Also, don't let Howard fool you, you do realize the deadline is JUNE 30th, right? You have quite a lot of time to tinker, unless you're going on vacation or plan to spend a month on critters :D

[OZ]

Pretty original look!.....and i can say this........"Rvery enchanting!" i love the mood of this image.....It give me a good feeling.....(spaghetti english):p

[Kulu_Kulu]

i lov the ambiance !!:applause:
bravo !

kulu

[ACFred]

Hey, I like the look you're going after. One thing I'd say needs attention is the grass. Not so much the look of the grass but it's density. It's a little too uniform in height and density and I think you need a path running through it to your cool little bridge. Even if it's a path that hadn't been used for a long time, some sort of coloration difference in the ground underneath, maybe the angle of the grass along the path, as if it had been walked on or through recently. Anyway, you get the point.

Keep up the good work.

[ACFred]

Oh, and maybe a touch of depth-of-field in the final render. Not much, but the infinite clarity takes away the depth on what looks like an image with a lot of potential for depth.

Also, it's kinda tough to tell what's going on with that rope on the tree. Plus it looks too low-poly.

OK, ONE more thing. I think that you might benefit from a hand-painted water texture on your stream. The image is leaning towards the painterly feel anyway and adding the proper variation in it's color through a painted texture might do the trick. Throw some pebbles visible on the stream bed and some rocks sticking out of it and along the edges of the stream and you're in business.

That's it....really!

[samartin]

Hi once again...

ACFred - I love the idea of the handpainted stream (going back 2 the amiga days the colour cycling waterfall from ermmmm Shadow of the Beast 2)... I think it might work ??? The rope as u point out is low poly (:surprised oops)...

I think I might miss out the path 2 the bridge, as I intend on creating a living tree with arms and legs at some point who is going 2 b laying in the grass in the FG holding is palm out while Manga babe is dancing on it...
ermmmm god I am sounding really soft here... :eek: :eek:, maybe I'll do a porno version l8r 2 redeem my manly status !!!!

I started my Manga Fairy at lunch at long last and thought I'd share wot I have done so far... I have so far spent about an hour on this and I think it is going OK, 2nd character I've ever done and I didn't finish the 1st 1... anyway here it is

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/manga1.jpg

I'd like 2 say that if it wasn't 4 this challenge I would have given up by now but I am learning a lot from this and pushing my limits big time...

[ACFred]

Digging the Manga babe. Make sure you muss up the hair on one side since it's obviously symmetrical as it is.

I won't challenge your manliness Sam. It takes a true man to admit he's going soft. A naked Manga chick fairy wouldn't be out of line either....

Good to hear you're learning and that the challenge is helping to push you farther that you'd normally go.

[hypronost]

Let me gues, you work with Lightwave ,...:) :)
Nice job with the splines on that character:applause: :applause:

[samartin]

oh dear...

I have started modelling something else now, I left my Manga fairy at work and 4got 2 e-mail it 2 my PC at home as I can't upload from work (wot a chump)...

So this has been started, this is the tree which is gonna allow the fairy 2 dance on his palm, I am not sure but maybe his arms should move lower down ???

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/livetree.jpg

please feel free 2 slate, I am not 100% with this ?????

[samartin]

well my manga fairy is now full steam ahead, the tree was a big mistake I am dropping it and it is quite close 2 some1 elses tree in this challenge and no-where near as good... goodbye 2 dead wood !!!!

I would like some crits on how this is going as I wanna work on her big time (muahahaha)... Please don't mention the hair it's just a stop gap until I get round 2 sorting that out 4 real, she kinda looks weird without the hair !!!

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/manga2.jpg

cheers in advance

[ZrO-1]

She looks pretty good. I like the texturing on the eyes. She definetly looks Manga. One thing I'd suggest is to change the shape of her upper eyelids. Right now she seems to have a worried expression to her face. Other than that it's a fantastic start. (no comments on the hair ;) )
:D

[samartin]

new update, hard modelling without side reference... however I now have come across some...

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/manga3.jpg

changed the lips a bit 2 give a sly smile... and eyes have been modified...

w/end is here so maybe put her 2 rest til' next week now

[samartin]

This is the new angle I am going 4, I am going 2 update the trees but that is all the time I will have... Having been extremely busy I haven't really been in the mood 2 carry out the extra modelling and texturing :annoyed:...

I guess the latest update will have 2 go up on the 30th ???

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise15.jpg

I think the DOF needs 2 exclude the bridge a lil' more than it does already, the addition of a branch may appear in the FG ???

TTFN

[ZrO-1]

The DOF definetly need some work but the pic looks nice otherwise. And the new Manga chick looks awesome. I like your tweaks.

[MikaelPersson]

Nice, happy/light feeling in the image. But you have to lessen the DOF. It feels like a really small minature right now. You could try making a an extreme tele shoot instead (I am not sure of the correct term in english). Like you would get if you were using a 300 mm camera lens.
How would it look if you moved your aim (of the camera) slightly to the right. And the eye slightly to the left. (Did I get that correct?).

[samartin]

OK my penultitmate update now (medium AA render @ 5mins) :-

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise16.jpg

Thanx 4 the feedback

Mikael P - I have lessened the DOF but I do not have any photography experience so lenses do not mean alot 2 me, I did change the aperture and that had an affect ?!?!?!

ZRO-1 - pleased u like the manga chick but I haven't had the patience 2 crack on with it, work deadlines and all that haven't really put me in the right frame of mind... I will finish her and include her in this scene at some point, but it will be post challenge :annoyed:...

the final image I will sort out them bleeding ropes on the bridge as they r pretty minging, more flowers will be included and leaves on the right hand side will come in2 affect...

BTW :- I created an endomorph 4 the swing as I wanted some motion blur going on as a quick and easy method, but it don't work (as any1 any ideas) ???

[MikaelPersson]

So cute. I like it.
I haven´t followed your whole thread, but a swing sounds like a nice idea. To add some life to your picture you could make the swing be in its extreme position to the right. Just after the manga girl has jumped of the swing. Then we could see her foot, just before she exits the picture to the right.
oh, the DOF looks better now.

[samartin]

OK I have now decided 2 trash the DOF... A few tweaks r now required but that can wait until 2morrow morning now, I assume the 30th is the latest we can upload our latest work ???

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise17.jpg

[LucentDreams]

I have been keeping an eye on this one but haven't be commenting Sorry, since we are so close here, last day or so, I just wan tot point one or two things out that should be relatively easy to fix but just add that little extra oopmh IMO.

First of all love the last render and you use of colour, very pleasing to the eye, but there are some intersections that nee to be dealt with. I have circled them here:

http://www.cgi.third-era.com/~kaiskai/sunrise17.jpg

the other issue with the plants down at the bottom is the good ol rule of odds, when doing nature, make sure things are represented in odd numbers to make them seem more random. add a tiny mushroom a little distant from the others perhaps.

again though great image

[samartin]

woohoo my last update :-

http://www.samartin.co.uk/jpg's/sunrise18.jpg

thanx kaiskai, u're name is familiar I wanted 2 check u're website but it's down :shrug: hmpphhhh

I have taken the tips on board and I gotta say I have never looked at things like that so now I'll b extra careful from now on...

thanx 2 all the other guys & gals who have crit'd and all that, now I must go back 2 my mundane job and crack on with 2d stuff (not quite as interesting as 3D stuff but it pays the bills)...

good luck 2 all

[LucentDreams]

Originally posted by samartin
woohoo my last update :-



thanx kaiskai, u're name is familiar I wanted 2 check u're website but it's down :shrug: hmpphhhh

I have taken the tips on board and I gotta say I have never looked at things like that so now I'll b extra careful from now on...

thanx 2 all the other guys & gals who have crit'd and all that, now I must go back 2 my mundane job and crack on with 2d stuff (not quite as interesting as 3D stuff but it pays the bills)...

good luck 2 all

Yeah the site is down as the old server was popping up inecusable poor content adverts, I hate pop ups as it is but these were bad popups, Never use freewebsites.com is what I say. Anyways I have a new host and have started designing the website but it will be ages. You may know me from 3Dark, or if you have been to any C4D XL forums. Also I post a lot around here (I found out I have no life, made it into the top ten posters, and I'm not a moderator like most of the others in the top ten list)

Ironically for me before I started school again, it was the 3D that paid and 2D in my spare time.

Love the new image hope you do well in the voting, cya around

[AJ]

Your final piccy is looking very cool indeed!

Love the grass (lots), the little bridge is quite frankly genius and I really like the overall tone you have (I'm a sucker for orange!)

Bouncy smilies all round :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[LucentDreams]

never asked how you did the grass, and I am sad to see the flowers totally gon, couldn't you senak them in somewhere? perhaps right behind the further bridge pol on the bottom right to give a slpash of colour in that aera?> would help the colour composition a bit too, causing the eye to keep looking around the image rather than stopping there as it is the only area without some warmewr colour (well ts wamr but no orange or anithing warmer)

[samartin]

thanx all 4 u're conrtibutions and all that, the flowers have gone 2 the living side but I must admit they are not the visible maybe I need 2 compress the JPG again as it's low quality at the mo'...

I decided to put the plants around the living forest as u can see the right hand side is alive and the left being dead, the sprites r working their tiny lil' butt's off trying 2 rejuvinate the left side...

anyways thanx again, roll on next challenge... :beer:

[LucentDreams]

Right gotcha, can see them in the distance, yeah the jpeg is harshly compressed (darn 50 K limit)

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