Little elf's stump

#1

A pretty simple image, but I’d like to have your thoughts on the background and the framing.
Is the 2nd background better ? anyway I don’t think I have the right to use a screenshot from the witcher.

[img]http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/540902Souche1.jpg[/img]

Link to the background :
http://stockdrops.com/milkyway-stars-night-tree-sky-tree-forest-lake/


Link to the background :
http://nivelul2.lab501.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/The_Witcher_3_Screen_01.jpg

Should I use a better background ?

#2

I feel like you miss fog on the ground. I say so just because your volume light cast visible volume and I thing that should come with low level fog.

#3

Well there is a gradient fog coming from the ground (combined with 3D noise), otherwise the dark parts would be plain black. But I’ll increase its density at the bottom.
Also I made the moon light blue which makes the fog blue, and by seeing your reference I realize it should be almost white.
I also think I should add a sihouette inside the stump to cast a shadow and make beams in the volumetric light (it would also add a living presence in the image).
And maybe the light coming from the window should be pointing more upwards.

But can you tell me which kind of background you prefer ? (inside the forest or with a clear sky)

#4

I will say: Forest

A trunk in the middle of nowhere doesnt sell a story of a home for elves.

#5

True. I have no clue what the first one is telling. And I can’t let it that simple. Even in the forest it doesn’t sell it. F*** ! You can’t quickly add some shit to your portfolio like that !
I’m gonna take some inspiration from this :

       [img]http://hqwallbase.pw/images/bigest/1920x1080_deep_fantasy_forest-1539418.jpg[/img][img]http://hqwallbase.pw/images/bigest/1920x1200_deep_fantasy_forest-1539418.jpg[/img][img]http://hqwallbase.pw/images/bigest/1600x900_deep_fantasy_forest-1539418.jpg[/img][img]http://digital-art-gallery.com/oid/1/1600x726_858_Forest_Matte_2d_fantasy_forest_creatures_picture_image_digital_art.jpg[/img]
       [img]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X26sBc7HLxM/maxresdefault.jpg[/img]
       [img]http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/425140ATTENTIONDREAMSTIMEMARKSREMOVEDcasadellalberonellaforestamagica38945897.jpg[/img]
       
       At least I need some objects to show it's a house.
     
    My question is : Does the smooth cracked bark at the top of my stump bother you as much as me ?
#6

I put it in a 3D environment I made (with some dowloaded free models).
What do you think ? Is the fog too noisy or dense ? Any other remarks ?

 [img]http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/409526Rendu2.png[/img]
 
 Here it is without the fog
 
 [img]http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/408016Rendu1.png[/img]

I feel like the fog flattens the image a lot but I don't know if that can be fixed.
#7

I think the fog may be too high. You could try a fog that is hovering closer to the ground, (maybe half as high as now?) to preserve some of that depth and contrast on the trees and bushes.
And yes, the bark could use little more depth detail (geometry or displacement). Fog + displacement may be hell to render, though.

But the image is coming along nicely, it already has a lot of mood & atmosphere!

#8

Good advice. Here’s my update :
- twice the resolution
- the fog stops lower
- increased the bump on the bark
- moved the moon to make the lighting a bit more consistent
- added a little silhouette of a faun creature (planning on putting a 3D model)
- other minor changes

        so what now ?
#9

Did you test the link… because I cant access it: Forum folder doesnt exist

#10

Sorry, I edited the post. Just created an Imgur account. Should’ve done that ages ago. The size limit is the biggest I know.

#11

Update :

  • The direction of the Moonlight is now consistent, which makes the image darker and unfortunately didn’t make a rim light on the stump, but I’m affraid it would look too cheated if I added a light exclusively on it.
  • I flattened the stream to make it look less small scale, which makes me wonder why I made a liquid simulation if a simple turbulence would give the same result, but still it looks bigger.

Advice and critiques are still welcome.

#12

This may just be a design preference of mine, but I feel like the image isn’t telling enough of a story or conveying enough of an emotion. If you look at other popular renders or pieces of art, they either tell a story or convey a strong emotion or feeling to the viewer. While I really like your render and how you have set it all up, I feel that it is missing that one aspect or factor that would give it more purpose to the viewer and really make it pop. As of right now, the story seems to be “there are creatures living in a stump in the woods”, but if there was something else to add to that story, the image itself might have a new “wow factor”.

#13

Personally I prefer the earlier version, especially the fog and the lighting was really nice. The latest version makes the image appear flat and less mysterious.

You could simply delete the moon from the sky in the earlier version and the lighting would be consistent again (since no one could tell exactly where the source is). It looks a bit fake among the stars anyway ( it should make the stars around it dissappear due to its brightness). Just my opinion, though.

As for the river, maybe try to flatten or smooth the first one (along the z-axis) to have less exaggerated waves but still more variation than a generic turbulence?

#14

Thanks. You’re right I will remove the moon and make the lighting I want.
For the stream, I actually flattened it by scaling it down by 0.5 on Z and then curving it so that it stays on the ground, but I’ll try higher scale values.

#15

Alright so here’s an update :

  • Creatures
  • More trees and other plants
  • More global illum.
  • Background change

I kept the moon in the frame because I actually like what this lighting does to the grass, and I made the sky look less fake.

I would also like to make a shot like this to add to my demoreel :

//youtu.be/-76CQzGZTPI

Kind of like what Reynante martinez did in his Material Vault trailer.

I know it’s a very simple shot but before I send the job to a renderfarm I’d like to know if it looks wrong to you. I didn’t get the camera too close to the creature and the stump because the stump is not hi-res enough for a closeup, but is it bothering you ?

Thanks !

#16

How about bioluminescent plankton ?

#17

What is the focus point?

Is it the trunk or the gnome?

I find the compositing a bit off with the river pointing other direction

#18

Hi Caetano

I like the latest version for the hut shape, and the gnome, it feels very homely.

Other than that, I wonder if you haven’t lost your way a little?
These latest version feel a little like you are putting in stuff you think should be in there, rather than just creating an image.

In terms of pure value, I liked the very first image you put up. Since then you’ve added a brighter sky, a light background, brighter fog, now a glowing river. To me, none of these things have improved the image - but that is MY opinion, other opinions are available!

I wonder what would happen if you stripped everything back to the simplicity of the original sketch. You have spent a lot of time composing with your head, now forget all that and go back to composing from the heart.

Don’t be afraid of an image which is mostly darkness. Caravaggio was a master of this - keep the dark alive, but you don’t have to fill every space with something.

In the words of my art teacher …“It looks like you are trying to paint like somebody else”.