Inspired by this thread:
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,22718.0.html
I started to build a set of six different sand grains. I used edited versions of my own (fake-) subsurface scattering shader in my materials thread and placed the population on a small hill, which is actually a very very small Mt. St. Helens .ter file. :)
The insect models are from http://www.cadnav.com/
I had to edit them a lot and worked on the textures as well. The whole image is almost real world scale, maybe double the size, but not more, which makes working quite uncomfortable in this case, because there is some kind of camera clipping in the viewport. I can't see things that are very close to the camera. Maybe I missed something, but I can't remember a workaround for that.
Mt. St. Helens .ter file? cool! ;D
Could you increase the radius of the "platform" so that the legs of the bee touch the the ground a bit mor accurate? Then I'd see it as perfect.
But anyway good work!
Hi Hannes, this looks nice.
Clipping:
Have you tried the [ ] keys?
These are the keyboard shortcuts for far and near clipping.
Cheers, Klaus
Thanks, guys!!
Nils, you're definitely right. I somehow thought, wasps would stand on their legs like this. I'm working on it atm.
Klaus, yes, I just found this way to move the clipping plane, but it doesn't seem to work ... :(
I'm using the german keyboard layout. The [] keys are Alt Gr 8 and 9, right? Even if I switch to english, there's no effect.
Hannes, with all the english programs I am working with I have only english layout keyboards in use...but
I think you are klicking the ROUND brackets (AltGr 8+9). Try the keys next to the letter P.
You need the SQUARE brackets for this. AltGr u-Umlaut and the ! key with AltGr.
Hope that helps.
On the other hand if you are working in such a small scale (just a few millimeters actually) perhaps
clipping can`t go down this far?
Cheers, Klaus
ps: this is a swiss-german keyboard layout where the square brackets are next to "P"
I don`t know if that differs from a german-german keyboard layout...
Great stuff!!! :)
Didn't work... :(
Below you see a part of the german keyboard layout. I tried all keys together with Alt Gr. No effect at all.
The square brackets are on the 8 and 9 keys. I can write them together with Alt Gr, but in TG nothing happens...
Nonetheless I adjusted Mt. St. Helens, and placed the insects newly, which is a pain in the ass at the moment, but finally I got it. :)
Rendering at the moment. Will take 3 and a half hours.
This IS different from the swiss-german keyboard layout. I had no idea ???
Perhaps you can try to assign another keyboard shortcut for clip distance to get rid of the AltGr?
Maybe that helps?
Cheers, Klaus
Finally I found the solution! I found FrankB's advice here:
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,8802.msg94665.html#msg94665
So I checked it and found that I had to press "ß" on my keyboard to decrease the clipping plane distance. It's working now. Thanks anyway, Klaus!!!!
Good, you got it working!
And, this letter is not even to be found on the swiss-german keyboard layout.
I`ll store the solution in my database of useful tricks`n tips.
Cheers, Klaus
Love it!
Hannes, please look!
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,22729.msg229488.html#msg229488
Cool!!!! :) :) :)
Looks nice Hannes.
I just knew you would try to get these sand grains nailed, and you got really far. Good stuff, Hannes!
Thanks! ;D ;D ;D
Here is the updated version.
Perfect!
Ja, kein scharfes S bei den Schweizern... ;D
Hannes, this is really cool. At this scale it's got to be tough to work in. Came out great.
Looks even better :)
Hah! When I read that article on Piper there was a little part of me that was thinking "Heck, we've been doing zillions of tiny rocks for sand and beaches for years now in Terragen!" :D Granted the Pixar version has more accurate shading, and simulation of the grain movements, but for a still image what you have put together here is remarkably close! Well done indeed. Maybe you share your close-up sand setup? :)
- Oshyan
the update is absolutely fantastic!! 2 thumbs up man 8)
Hannes Hannes Hannes, you along with Ulco never fail to astound me. BRILLIANT! *****
Cool 8)
(Holy Mackerel I just hit 1000 posts !)
Wow, guys, thanks, you make my day!!!!!! Of course I'll share this stuff! Give me some time....
The sand is fantastic and the scene as a whole looks great.
This is excelent ... of course I am now making lots of little grains of sand ... there is a technique to this which I have yet to master ... well done :)
That is great! Really fun to look at. I agree with DocCharly that a slight replacement of the legs would seal the 'Perfect', for me as well.
Wow - impressive!
Fantastic. Amazing work.
Love this Hannes,
Glad that post added some inspiration!
I knew someone would give it a go... you beat me to it!
Five star render!
Jason
Thanks again!!!! Once again I found that trying to imitate reference images is a good way to success, just to see how DOF looks best for example. Especially DOF is sometimes used just because it's such a cool feature, but when used incorrectly it can destroy the whole image.
Yes, and it can be used to make a bad render look okay :P
Sure, but a bad render with incorrect settings looks even worse. :P
:P
Absolutely perfect now with the bigger plateau for the wasp (it's not a bee - right?)
And absolutely agreement with the DoF ;D
Right! And thank you. :)