Sequel to snowshader: sandshader

[Tangled-Universe]

Here's some first work of my new sandshader I'm working on.
It still needs some work on the ripples.

Also I want to work more on the "creeping" effect of the sand.
As you can see in the bottom picture I encircled some areas in red where you can see that the sand crawls up the stones.
I want to emphasize this effect more, but it's quite hard to find the right settings.

The camera is at 1.75m above the surface, so what you see here is my first attempt at kinda real world scales.
Further I'd like to make some variations of this like desert, beach, wet, whatever...sand. Any ideas on variations would be greatly appreciated!
Any comments and ideas in general too of course

Martin

[Henry Blewer]

I have been using a Surface layer for my main sand distributions. I set the slope constraint with it. Then I add child surface layers for the color/displacement and fine control of the distribution of that layer. Doing this method and them adding my Grasses surface layer on top of it, I can get some great 'flow' onto the rock layers I start with.

[Tangled-Universe]

I have been using a Surface layer for my main sand distributions. I set the slope constraint with it. Then I add child surface layers for the color/displacement and fine control of the distribution of that layer. Doing this method and them adding my Grasses surface layer on top of it, I can get some great 'flow' onto the rock layers I start with.

I appreciate your thoughts on this However, I'm working quite differently.
I don't use multiple surfacelayers, actually it's just one and it also has no contrictions for slope or height. There will probably ring a bell now in your head
The grain consists of 3 different colored fake stone layers on top of the base sand layer.

[Henry Blewer]

Ahh. Nope no bells.
I'm still doing things fairly rudimentarily. (speeling?) Looking forward to more insight on your method as you progress.

[MacGyver]

This image already looks good for itself, although it was just intended as a tech demo... ah well, the red circles annoy somewhat

So you used really small fake stones? How small are they?

[Tangled-Universe]

This image already looks good for itself, although it was just intended as a tech demo... ah well, the red circles annoy somewhat

Thanks, it's indeed just a demo. About the red circles: you must be kidding me

So you used really small fake stones? How small are they?

Very small!

[moodflow]

Wow, very nice work!  Its the detail that makes the image.

[deepdish]

This is incredible. The sand looks ultra-realistic! Please share your secrets to creating this sometime haha

[inkydigit]

very realistic, so far!....this looks excellent!

[domdib]

I'm guessing that this will end up in a Tech Pack - if so, the variants you suggested would be helpful, especially a nice light yellowish desert sand, plus guidance on how to achieve simple colour variations -e.g. that incredible red sand they have in the centre of Australia, the black sand of some of the Canary Isles, etc.. It does look pretty good already.

[Tangled-Universe]

I'm guessing that this will end up in a Tech Pack - if so, the variants you suggested would be helpful, especially a nice light yellowish desert sand, plus guidance on how to achieve simple colour variations -e.g. that incredible red sand they have in the centre of Australia, the black sand of some of the Canary Isles, etc.. It does look pretty good already.

I'm not sure if it will end up in a tech-pack...if not I will share it here entirely.
The ripples are a bit hard to implement into existing scenes and I have to find a way to make it work, anytime. If I can't I will probably share it.
To adjust colors you only need to change the colors of 4 nodes so far, so that's not too bad imo

I have a good idea which colors you're referring too, but if you could post some specific examples here of what you really would like to see then please post them here

Martin

[mesocyclone]

Share! Share! Share! 

[EoinArmstrong]

This looks superb!

[Phylloxera]

Good job on the sand, very realistic !

[Hetzen]

Stunning!

How long does it take to render this?