A new Tornado approach

[nbk2]

I had a look at Old Blaggards Tornado and thought I start a new approach. Just so my mind doesn't fall asleep.

I simulated the Tornado vortex via an expanded very dense helix with a slight sine wobble. (See image tbasics) which is again the helixed to a slight degree

Biggest problem is that the density of the helix fizzles out at lower cloud densities see 1 and 2 and lighting the thing is a nightmare.

30 mins on making the nodes. 3 days lighting..

But a nice rope tornado and not one of the big ones maybe got a step closer.

In the moment the basic shape comes from a circle image and the ground thing is a doughnut.

I haven't tried yet to make the warper eat instead of the image Mr Lampposts reverse cone.

I tried that but couldn't displace it and went back to my approach.

[dandelO]

Nice job, Nbk2! The first image looks great.

[nbk2]

Nice job, Nbk2! The first image looks great.

Thanks a lot. 

[Kadri]

Looks good 

[nbk2]

Looks good 

Thanks a lot Kadri!

[Oshyan]

Very promising!

- Oshyan

[mhaze]

Took the words out of my mouth Oshyan! Keep at it this could be good!

[nbk2]

update

Still to clean .. but well  ..

There is now an inner funnel and and outer one and a feeder cloud .. 

[Dune]

This is looking dramatically good, much better than the warped simple shape I used once.

[elipsis1]

Stunning! 

[nbk2]

Thanks a lot

[Kadri]

Looks very good ! I like the layered look 

[dandelO]

I like the dust kick-up and the inner/outer funnel gives a nice effect, too. Great work on a tricky subject.

[nbk2]

I think it's ok if you look at what I was aiming at.

http://www.markdmckinney.com/images/Tornado2.jpg
http://www.uvm.edu/~inquiryb/webquest/sp08/pmontgom/Tornado.jpg
http://www.weatherstock.com/slides/Tornado%203-RF-CD.JPG

I have roughed it up since then a bit  but couldn't help myself introducing the next level ...

as an idea from this image
http://noticeablyfat.com/gallery2/d/2289-2/Tornado+Lightning.jpg

I used one of cyphyrs lightnings which become to broad. In the moment I use a lightning that isn't visible to the camera at 100 luminosity and one visible at 1. I think I need to exchange the model with a plane and a real lightning to get thinner lines.

At least a lecture in light propagation and clouds.

The next two weeks I have a lot of other work todo so can't donate too much time to this but I hope I can pick up afterwards.

[cyphyr]

Cool nice image
I've not seen that lightening model in a while Surprises me that its come up so fat. I remember it being thinner. What AA are you using? Also I wouldn't try to use the model to light the scene with its luminosity. Use standard lights for that. One at the cloud base and one near the ground where the lightening strikes.  Leave the model with a luminosity of 1, just so it self illuminates. Of course you'll get a much better bolt from a image but in that case why not just comp it in afterwards?
Cheers
Richard