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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: RArcher on September 27, 2009, 12:48:53 PM

Title: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: RArcher on September 27, 2009, 12:48:53 PM
Just some atmospheric messing about.  Inspired by a couple photos I took recently and some of the great rays and forest renders around here recently.  Walli's trees, bushes and grasses as usual.


*Update September 30, 2009*

I have added a comprehensive making of tutorial for this image.  It goes step by step from start to finish and even includes the postwork steps I used to make this image.

You can find it either at NWDA here:  http://www.nwdanet.com/tech-articles/38-making-of-golden-forest (http://www.nwdanet.com/tech-articles/38-making-of-golden-forest)

or in the tutorial section on my website http://www.archer-designs.com (http://www.archer-designs.com)

I hope that you find it useful!
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: cyphyr on September 27, 2009, 12:51:49 PM
Ohh la la !! Lovely, now turn on Raytrace shadows in the fog layer ;) its not like your doing anything ...
Great image
Richard
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Seth on September 27, 2009, 12:54:40 PM
good job
Ray traced shadows on the fog is a very good idea (and it will permit me to hit the "stop" rendering button right now) ^^
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: RArcher on September 27, 2009, 12:55:55 PM
Hah!  I considered it, but I've been down that road before...  If I am going to be away for a weekend I might give it a try.
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Seth on September 27, 2009, 12:58:10 PM
how long did it take to render ?
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: RArcher on September 27, 2009, 12:59:22 PM
Just over 7 hours at Detail 0.9, AA 7, GI 2/4, 84 Atmosphere samples
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Seth on September 27, 2009, 01:08:16 PM
thanks
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on September 27, 2009, 01:24:57 PM
Fantastic. I have to admit being jealous of your speedier render times :o ::)
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: choronr on September 27, 2009, 02:14:53 PM
Just absolutely beautiful Ryan!
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: domdib on September 27, 2009, 03:24:35 PM
Gorgeous.
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: pfrancke on September 27, 2009, 06:20:15 PM
wish I could do that!  But I'm gonna try - you inspire.
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: old_blaggard on September 27, 2009, 09:01:07 PM
Great work!
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: FrankB on September 27, 2009, 11:24:51 PM
no way, Ryan, this is amazing. The colors are fantastic, pure eye candy to me.
I must admit I'm also curious of how it would look with ray traced shadows on, but I understand if you don't want to do it.

Frank
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Rhalph on September 28, 2009, 01:45:35 AM
<3  :o :o :o
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Oshyan on September 28, 2009, 03:43:17 AM
I'll render it with RT shadows on if you won't. ;)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: schmeerlap on September 28, 2009, 05:15:52 AM
The early morning mist soaked in sunshine
Colonizes the forest, licking its tangled limbs,
It whispers, "you are mine".
I delight in this golden humidity
Its gentle fingers washing through my hair,
I stand perfectly still, close my eyes,
And hear myself say, "take me too".

That was your fault, Ryan.

Very inspirational image; very dodgy (not to say yucky) verse.

John
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on September 28, 2009, 05:17:39 AM
Your Miss Doughtybottom (teacher) would be proud. ;D
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: inkydigit on September 28, 2009, 05:21:42 AM
super scene...rays , oh yes please!
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: MacGyver on September 28, 2009, 09:24:55 AM
I'm also interested in how it would look like with rays... and don't mind me saying that your machine is indeed very fast, I guess it wouldn't go much over 20 hours whereas I had 70h renders with raytracing on in only 800x600 ;) So let's go for it :P
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: littlecannon on September 28, 2009, 10:51:49 AM
Raytrace it..... (just jumping on the bandwagon now).  Seriously though Ryan, this is an amazing image. I'm with FrankB "The colors are fantastic, pure eye candy to me."
Cheers, Simon.
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: cyphyr on September 28, 2009, 11:38:40 AM
Sorry for making the suggestion lol now everybody's on your back. I'm sure it would look great RT'd but your right, maybe next time your away ... do you still have your 30hour free render time at the render farm?
Richard
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Zairyn Arsyn on September 28, 2009, 11:44:56 AM
wonderful scene, wonderful render.
:)
for me, the arrangement/distribution of the populations is what makes me like it.
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Gannaingh on September 28, 2009, 01:05:09 PM
Beautiful image, and with only 7 hours of render time! Your computer is indeed a speedy beast. If you don't mind my asking; what processor do you have?
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Seth on September 28, 2009, 01:06:48 PM
I guess something as fast as a i486DX50
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: RArcher on September 28, 2009, 01:24:40 PM
Thanks everyone.  I can clearly see the masses have spoken.  ;D  I'll do my best to render it with the raytracing on.  My system is reasonably decent but is really only half as fast as Frank's newer system.

Full computer profile can be found on the Benchmark site here (http://www.3dspeedmachine.com/?system=445 (http://www.3dspeedmachine.com/?system=445)
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on September 28, 2009, 05:23:16 PM
Thanks for the speed and processor info. I've been looking for something affordable. Usually I go to Dell and start customizing. It does not take long to spend $6,000. :o
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: otakar on September 28, 2009, 07:22:08 PM
So nice! Full of atmosphere :)
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: ra on September 29, 2009, 01:09:31 PM
Very nice atmospheric render!  I love it!
Title: Re: Golden Forest and Tutorial
Post by: RArcher on September 30, 2009, 10:01:36 AM
Two developments so far with this project... One not so good and one very good.

First off the bad news.  Simply adding the raytracing in the fog layer is not enough to keep the same feeling and add rays unfortunately.  It will take quite a bit of customization and alteration for this image to get any rays going on.

The good news is that I put together a comprehensive step by step tutorial, from beginning to end (including postwork) of exactly how the image was built!

You can find it either at NWDA here:  http://www.nwdanet.com/tech-articles/38-making-of-golden-forest (http://www.nwdanet.com/tech-articles/38-making-of-golden-forest)

or in the tutorial section on my website http://www.archer-designs.com (http://www.archer-designs.com)

Hopefully you all find it useful!
Title: Re: Golden Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on September 30, 2009, 10:03:53 AM
That is very good of you. Thank you, I keep looking for more 'how to's' at NWDA.

Just looked at the tutorial. You have answered some questions I had for a render I am about to start. I read through it quickly, but I thought it was very good. Thanks again!
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: domdib on September 30, 2009, 10:38:19 AM
Thanks for sharing this in such a thorough step-by-step manner - it really helps to understand how such a scene is constructed.
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: Seth on September 30, 2009, 10:58:44 AM
good tutorial Ryan :)
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: Walli on September 30, 2009, 11:18:23 AM
Quotesurfacing for the ground was left in the capable hands of the default Base Colours node.

great one ;-)

Very nice making of!
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: pfrancke on October 02, 2009, 09:58:58 PM
Thank you Ryan.  I got (am getting) a lot out of it.  Using the cloud to get better lighting.  Getting the fog density fractal right.  Had to experiment to get to the cloud level at the right elevation.  Got good understanding of what near and far distance means.  It never worked right for me (in my mind), but now I know that before near = nothing, between near and far is something, and after far is everything.  (I always used to thing that it was just between near and far - and had nothing but trouble with it).  The Photoshop stuff was very useful also, I had no idea that the soft light could impact an image so much.  You have no idea how useful what you put together is for me!!!  Thanks again.

Piet
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: RArcher on October 02, 2009, 10:44:39 PM
Hi Piet,

I am very, very glad to hear that it was a useful tutorial for you!  Please let us all see what you come up with when it is finished too.
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: choronr on October 02, 2009, 11:27:04 PM
Ryan, I've just begun working with the tutorial; and, find so many useful procedures that I can use in other images. I've learned a lot from this lesson and am grateful you made it available to us. Hopefully, my next image will show the results.

Bob
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: reck on October 03, 2009, 04:40:49 AM
Thanks a lor for the tut RArcher, having all the screenshots and the detailed descriptions really helps with the understanding.
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: kaisersuzuki on October 07, 2009, 10:18:39 PM
Been away from the site for a long time.  That is an awesome image, and the best tut I have seen for terragen.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: inkydigit on October 08, 2009, 03:29:37 AM
thanks Ryan...love the image and the tutorial is really helpful....cheers
Jason
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: rcallicotte on October 15, 2009, 05:40:04 PM
Thanks Ryan.  I can't wait to try this.
Title: Re: Golden Forest now with Tutorial!
Post by: MacGyver on October 15, 2009, 05:47:32 PM
I think this could well be the most often used tutorial in quite some time... great! :)