new landscape

[Hutch]

That looks awesome Mark.

[Eric2575]

Depth map? How, what, where, when? How'd you do that?

[PurpleDingo]

Wow! That is really amazing.

 

The depth map makes it look like a miniature set.....something you'd see on a supermarionation show like Captain Scarlet or Thunderbirds.

 

Really awesome!

 

[steve392]

Thats looking great Mark but I have the same question as Eric

[mtpeak2]

I made some adjustments and rerender the depth map.

 

I'm using a spherical material effector with a double gradient, with black and white attributes with ambiance intensity set to 100%. I remove most of the images and materials from the models (need hair images for the leave and foliage). I place the effector where I want it in focus and aim it at the camera. Remove all the lights and render. Then I use gimp with the focus blur plugin and use it as a depth map on the colored image. Here's the depth map and a new render.

[Darkwing]

so the depth map bit is something done post render, like you're not bringing this depth map into AM are you?

[mtpeak2]

I'm rendering the map in A:M, but applying it in post.

[Darkwing]

ah, I see, interesting. I suppose if someone had a program like after effects, they could apply a similar method for doing animations and controlling DOF in a different way than just directly in AM

[Ganthofer]

I like that idea of a spherical material effector and the double gradient. I experimented with a simple double graient material applied to all objects . never quite worked right.

 

I'll have to try this method.

[Eric2575]

Spherical effector with a double gradient? Is there a tutorial for this somewhere or did you think this up yourself? Talk about thinking outside the box, wow!

 

Eric

[mtpeak2]

No tuts, just an idea I had after reading about using fog.

[mtpeak2]

Here I translated and oriented the effector like the camera, bringing the focal point to the foreground.

[Paul Forwood]

That's brilliant, Mark!

It sounds good enough for a feature request. It would be a good alternative to A:M's DOF if this technique could be selected as an optional render pass. A:M's depth of field limits could probably be used to calculate where the effector would be.

[mtpeak2]

I have the effector setup in a model, translating it to an object sets the focus distance and scaling it basicly sets the near and far focus.

[Darkwing]

geez, I can just imagine a tank from Terrahawks or something going through there and then something blows up as is customary with Terrahawks!

[largento]

It was already a very impressive image, Mark. Very awesome!

[robcat2075]

That's brilliant, Mark!

It sound good enough for a feature request. It would be a good alternative to A:M's DOF if this technique could be selected as an optional render pass. A:M's depth of field limits could probably be used to calculate where the effector would be.

 

If A:Ms current regular render DOF effect could be allowed to produce a greater blur it would probably be quite good, it's already being driven by the depth map A:M uses internally.

[Paul Forwood]

If A:Ms current regular render DOF effect could be allowed to produce a greater blur it would probably be quite good, it's already being driven by the depth map A:M uses internally.

 

Interesting.

[mtpeak2]

Thanks guys.

 

A:M has a blur post effect, I wonder if it could be modified to use a grayscale/depth map for the DOF.

[mtpeak2]

Just playing around some more.

[Animus]

It looks Great!

 

Michel

[mtpeak2]

Thanks Michel. I guess you're the only one who likes the new render.

 

I made some changes to the set textures, hopefully for the better. I changed the hair image for the foreground pine, retextured the rocks and repositioned the foliage hair to cover the harsh line of the closest rock to the ground. I'll post the new renders when they finish, it's going to take awhile.

[Hutch]

I think that last one looks great too Mark!

[Shelton]

I love the new render. I am having to do some of my web browsing via my Palm Pre as my machines are down. But this looks great. Keep bringing it.

 

Steve

[itsjustme]

Every version has been great, Mark!

[Paul Forwood]

Yes, they all look great, Mark. That last one is roughly what you would get by using fog, isn't it?

[steve392]

I think thats the best one yet ,Now all you need is an Avator in there Mark.That has a lot of atmosphere

[mtpeak2]

Here's the latest render.

[Paul Forwood]

Nice DOF, Mark!

The one thing that bothers me a little is the hard line of the river's edge along the river bank.

If you add a little transparency to the water it might help the transition between water and the right bank. You could add some delicate greenery and flowering plants trailing into the water to break up that edge a bit.

Otherwise very nice indeedy!

 

I would like to see that tree in the foreground bent over and then allowed to spring back, like the pine in the first Shreck movie.

[MJL]

That looks great! I am so jealous.

[mtpeak2]

Thanks guys. There's still a few issues that I want to fix, but I'm getting closer.

 

Paul, the water does have some transparency, but the reflections overpower it. I could try raising the transparency, but I don't think it's going to do too much. I didn't really want to add more plants, maybe a few more rocks instead.

 

As for the bending tree, the only thing that animates in this scene is the water, but I don't plan on rendering an animation at 13.5 hrs a frame.

[kwhitaker]

That's, beautiful Mark, it all looks so realistic, so inviting.

[Rodney]

Mark,

I was about to post my usual 'impressive' and press on but I caught something out of the corner of my eye in your last posted image.

Just above the grey rock front/right there is a shadow of a tree that is vertical (with parallel lines). Perhaps there is a plane used in the DOF that is set to accept shadows there? As this shadow is falling on foliage I think something is not right.

 

The image you already know is spectacular.

I need to really study your technique for enhancing DOF.

Its an effect I know I'll need someday someday... and the control... I really like.

[mtpeak2]

Thanks everyone.

 

Rodney, the shadow of the tree was always there, this is one of the issues I want to fix. The problem is the shadow is falling on the hair foliage, which is a flat plane. I could fix it in post, but I'll probably add geometry there, I just don't know what yet.

[Rodney]

Ah, got it Mark.

I probably read that and forgot.

My apologies... press on! press on!

[mtpeak2]

Here's a new update. Fixed the tree shadow by adjusting the angle of the light and added small rocks along the bank.

[steve392]

Nice positioning of the rocks theye look natural and the lighting is very nice aswell

[Shelton]

Mark

 

What has always impressed me about this shot is the layout of the tress which causes your focus to run down the river. I love that tree on the left and the set of branches at the top of the tree. We had a tree out side my window growing up and it reminds me so much of that tree. It looks so real

 

Steve

[Rodney]

Fixed the tree shadow by adjusting the angle of the light and added small rocks along the bank.

 

Great solution. That area looks really nice and natural now.

[mtpeak2]

Thanks.

[itsjustme]

Fantastic work, Mark!

[mtpeak2]

Thanks David.

 

I did some messing around in gimp and upped the contrast. It seems to make the DOF stand out more.

[relser65]

Thanks David.

 

I did some messing around in gimp and upped the contrast. It seems to make the DOF stand out more.

 

This looks great! Is there any chance you could try rendering with toon shader? I have a 2D project coming that will require a dense forrest similar to your scene and I'd like to see how what you've created looks.

 

Thanks!

 

Rob

[fae_alba]

I debated on whether or not I should comment on this shot. It is truly an incredible piece of work, one that I doubt I'll ever come close to duplicate. That said, the one thing that always comes to mind when I see renders like this one, is that it reminds me of a model. I almost expect to see a hand come down with a pair of tweezers and another tree to "plant". I guess it looks almost too perfect for me. My mind keeps wanting to see the film grain.

 

Again this is not a criticism, since my limited skills puts me in no position to offer any. Just a comment.

 

Great job at any rate.

[photoman]

I agree with fae_alba, the DOF is so shallow that it looks like it was shot with a macro lens, or a lens with a shifted focal plane. To achieve a more "accurate" DOF I would have less blur, most landscapes are shot with aperatures like f/32 and f/64 so that it minimzes the DOF and everything is in focus.

 

BTW love he foliage!

 

Photoman

[mtpeak2]

Rob, I don't think this would render well toon rendered. There's too much detail that's not needed for a 2d scene.

 

The DOF and the model look doesn't bother me too much. Though a giant hand coming down, to place something in the scene, could be an interesting idea. I may have to try that.

 

Thanks.

[Darkwing]

clay dinosaur and make it like Ray Harryhausan's hand or something (how you could tell I have no idea)

[MattWBradbury]

Man, that image is looking really awesome. Have you considered rendering with Ambient Occlusion? I remember on the earlier tests of hair and ornate sprites that AO rendered them fabulously.

[mshihrer]

awesome! Just totally awesome!

[mshihrer]

Just playing around some more.

oh, this is just too cool.