Blue Marble

JimB · December 17, 2009, 11:10:36 AM

Had a stab at the Earth from space for the first time, using Blue Marble masks for the clouds, and an 8k texture map. A hint of lens flare added in Photoshop.

Full size here: http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l469/jimbowers/TESTS/blue_marble_06_v01.jpg

TheBlackHole · December 17, 2009, 11:12:37 AM

Sweet!!!

I wish Celestia could do that!!!

Tangled-Universe · December 17, 2009, 11:44:42 AM

Very nice work Jim

I wish the clouds had a tad more elevation so that you can see the shadows a bit better and therefore improve the slightly flat look.
Everything else is just fine

Cheers,
Martin

Henry Blewer · December 17, 2009, 06:08:19 PM

It's very Battlestar Galactica. Nice work.

Oshyan · December 17, 2009, 10:27:37 PM

Photorealistic from where I'm sitting. The clouds have just enough shadowing and definition for my eye. Even though the source data is doing a lot of the work, you've done a good job finding a dramatic perspective and working out the masking and whatnot for clouds, water/specular, etc.

- Oshyan

inkydigit · December 18, 2009, 04:37:23 AM

agree with Oshyan...very nice work!

JimB · December 18, 2009, 08:25:07 AM

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I did actually try a version with more pronounced clouds, but it didn't quite feel right.

Here's another, from a different viewpoint and a bit closer.

Full size: http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l469/jimbowers/TESTS/blue_marble_08_v01a.jpg

Henry Blewer · December 18, 2009, 08:47:24 AM

You have done a fantastic job with both images. Nice work.

Kadri · December 18, 2009, 09:07:37 AM

I have nothing to say except that they are very good images , JimB

Kadri.

Zairyn Arsyn · December 18, 2009, 09:28:50 AM

both of these are awesome, though i like the second one the most i think, i can see more of the details in terrain.

pfrancke · December 18, 2009, 12:34:03 PM

These are really cool. I like the second better also because the shore line has more interest. For this type of shot getting the water to land ratio where you have an island or two, and getting a fractal type shoreline with out a bunch of lakes must be a real challenge. Anyway, these are great shots!

Seth · December 18, 2009, 12:36:04 PM

nice space view

Gannaingh · December 18, 2009, 04:24:23 PM

Both renders are awesome!

TheBlackHole · December 18, 2009, 06:45:27 PM

Quote from: pfrancke on December 18, 2009, 12:34:03 PM
These are really cool. I like the second better also because the shore line has more interest. For this type of shot getting the water to land ratio where you have an island or two, and getting a fractal type shoreline with out a bunch of lakes must be a real challenge. Anyway, these are great shots!

I know how to do planetary water: make a sphere at the center of the planet with the same radius. Then apply a Water Shader to the sphere. Tweak the radius until you get what you want.

pfrancke · December 18, 2009, 07:19:06 PM

my hat is off to you guys that do the planetary views. Seems like your taking on a whole set of new problems...