Mountain Lenticulars *V3 - Huge*

[RArcher]

Playing around with some mountains and clouds testing out some alternate rendering settings.  This render was done at 0.5 detail, AA 4, GI 1/2 with Ray Trace Everything on.  Other than the appallingly long time it took to calculate the populations, the actual render only took a little over an hour at 1920 x 1080.

*V2 on bottom of page 1:  http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=12177.msg123028#msg123028

*V3 on page 2: http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=12177.msg123128#msg123128

*V3 huge version on my website here:  http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=digital-art/terragen-2&image=mountain-lenticulars-v3-large.jpg

[RArcher]

Here is an alternate black and white conversion of the same render.  I really love the shading on the lenticular clouds in black and white.

[Oshyan]

Nice. I especially like the black and white version. The clouds overall (not just the lenticulars) seem a bit too soft and "insubstantial", if that makes sense, but it's a subtle thing. I guess I'd say in a sense they look like post work because they appear softer than the rest of the scene and somehow not "integrated". But again it's not a jarring thing, more of a dreamy effect.

- Oshyan

[Kadri]

I like the black and white version , Ryan .
I would like this without the lenticular clouds maybe more .

[jbest]

Looks really cool, I do agree on the clouds though. They do look a bit soft. Both pictures look like they're old photographs - just the quality of the image. (that's a compliment )

[Redwolf]

i like them mountains and the thicker snow cover going down just to the right, a less denser cloud on top of the peak and a bit whispier perhaps?

[RArcher]

Thanks for the comments,  working on a bit of an update now.  Will redo the background clouds for sure.  The lenticulars I am trying to get a bit more lens shaped with the outside edges bent downward, but I definitely want to keep them on the slightly odd side.  When you see them in nature, they always lead to a bit of a double take because they are so unexpectedly strange and not really normal.

[max_thehitman]

The first image posted is really stunning. Love that whole mountain scene.
As for the cloud effects, it looks really cool too. I´ve seen quite a few photographs around the internet with such
a natural phenomenen, so your creation is very well created and its spot on.
One of the photographs that comes to my mind everytime I see these types of clouds is this
real-life scene...
http://amazingdata.com/mediadata6/Image/amazing_fun_featured_2183851340103830173S600x600Q85_200907231420561295.jpg
Check out the main website for some really extraordinairy photos and something that might give you some
new ideas... http://amazingdata.com/30-creepiest-clouds-on-earth/

Your second image posted is also very good too, but I personally like the first one created. That´s a winner!
Congratulations on all the hard work!

[Tangled-Universe]

Max, that lenticular cloud you just posted is much easier to do now with the relatively new cloud control parameters.

Here's my idea on how to do it.

Basically you generate a heightfield from your terrain and convert that to a greyscale image.
Make a cloud layer at the altitude of the top of the mountain and set depth to 50% of mountain height (so 25% above and below mountain top).
Localize the cloud layer and set the radius to the desired disc size of the lenticular cloud.
Squeeze/flatten the cloud by feeding the "centre 0...1" with a value of ~0.2 (using a constant colour node) + set "centre 0...1" to something like 0.8 (the flattened cloud will be lifted up to 80% of the max height possible, determinded by cloud altitude/depth settings) and use that greyscale image as altitude offset function and enter as value the altitude of the mountain peak + the amount of metres you'd like it to have float above your mountain.

Test this setup with a constant colour @ 1 as cloud density shader for optimal control.

You can find more about this in my tutorial available here:
http://www.planetside.co.uk/content/view/61/99/

From this topic:
http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=11219

Cheers,
Martin

[Seth]

the black and white version is great, nice postwork on it Ryan !

[RArcher]

Thanks Franck.  I've got a second render going right now and I think the clouds/lighting should be better, but if it doesn't work out I'll definitely be using your method next Martin.

[Seth]

waiting for the next one.
I found the lighting already very nice on this one.

[Tangled-Universe]

I've made a quicky, not perfect, but not too bad either and pretty easy way of setting up...

[RArcher]

That looks pretty damn nice Martin.  The version I have rendering right now is a little more UFO shaped. 

[RArcher]

Version 2.  Much happier with the clouds this time, far more lens shaped and certainly very odd! Still going to play around with Martins "Proper" way to do things instead of just stuffing the cloud on top of the mountain.