Storm Brewing

RichTwo · January 24, 2019, 10:46:45 PM

Just trying out a cloud experiment. Somehow I still get anvil tops without the Flatter Base checked, only reduced base wispiness.

Dune · January 25, 2019, 02:28:04 AM

The overall shape of the clouds look pretty good, but the thick banding at the top is a bit strange. Isn't the profile inverted? What happens if you raise cloud height?

RichTwo · January 25, 2019, 01:31:18 PM

Quote from: Dune on January 25, 2019, 02:28:04 AM
The overall shape of the clouds look pretty good, but the thick banding at the top is a bit strange. Isn't the profile inverted? What happens if you raise cloud height?

The original height was set at 1500. I cranked it up to 5000, and as I said - unchecked Flatter Base and reduced Base Wispiness - oh and the Base Softness. Other than that, I left everything as-is. I expected to have puffy cloud tops with a flat base, but got those strange bands instead. The camera was located outside the cloud radius. Clip is free for the examination.

Dune · January 26, 2019, 03:02:42 AM

Ah, now I see. Taper top and base has been unchecked. That's why it's so abruptly cut of at the top. If you want to keep that, you could mask it by a height mask with a soft edge, and thus manipulate the tops' softness.

DocCharly65 · January 26, 2019, 05:14:07 PM

Nice render... but now waiting for a version with taper top and base checked...

RichTwo · January 27, 2019, 03:21:18 PM

The first of these two has the same settings as before, just a different PF seed. I was going for flat cloud bases and pillowy tops, which is what I got. The second is the same except has "Taper top and base checked". Note that the cloud height has been substantially reduced, and bases are less flattened.

DocCharly65 · January 27, 2019, 08:47:13 PM

In my eyes the last one (light2) is the best so far. I couldn't see a difference to a photography.

Dune · January 28, 2019, 04:09:54 AM

Yes, last one is fine render!

sboerner · January 28, 2019, 11:59:55 AM

QuoteIn my eyes the last one (light2) is the best so far. I couldn't see a difference to a photography.

Agreed. Very nice sky on that last rendering!

QuoteIf you want to keep that, you could mask it by a height mask with a soft edge, and thus manipulate the tops' softness.

Ulco, I searched for "height mask" and came up empty-handed. I don't mean to intrude on Rich's thread, but can you explain what you mean by this or point to an example? Curious about this.

Dune · January 29, 2019, 03:33:44 AM

Well, just anything that takes a height and can be adjusted, such as a distribution or surface shader, or perhaps even get altitude and a smooth step function, where you can input the heights preferred.
If you have a cloud that goes to 5000m high, but with unchecked taper top and base, you can cut it off smoothly at say 4500m with such a distribution shader with fuzzy zone. And thus keep the total underside of that cloud, because tapering is unchecked.

sboerner · January 29, 2019, 10:20:53 AM

Thanks for explaining. So far I've avoided doing much with clouds, so this gives me a few things to try. The cloud library here also has many good examples and ideas. Time to start playing . . . .