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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: RArcher on February 26, 2010, 09:53:36 AM

Title: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on February 26, 2010, 09:53:36 AM
Continuing the African theme.   This is pretty much the same setup as my last image, just with the camera from high above and some elephants for some interest.

The image turned out a little big to post here so you can see it here:

http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=digital-art%2Fterragen-2&image=elephant-march-v2.jpg (http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=digital-art%2Fterragen-2&image=elephant-march-v2.jpg)

Simply click through the image to get the full 1920x1200 size.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Klas on February 26, 2010, 10:08:54 AM
Very nice!!
But:
At least one of the elephants is flying.
Do you have specularity on the elephants? try settings of 0.3-0.5 for the spec. The shadow sides of the objects are too dark.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: dandelO on February 26, 2010, 10:13:49 AM
Very cool! The sandy surface looks great from away up there too. Excellent render! :)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on February 26, 2010, 10:19:50 AM
Thanks, the elephants shouldn't be flying!  They are composed of three populations of various positions set to sit on the ground.  Maybe I need a bit of a dust trail following them.  I will also look into the specularity, as I'm pretty sure I didn't change it at all.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Gannaingh on February 26, 2010, 11:21:04 AM
Looks nice! However, at least to my eyes, there seems to be a bit of a scaling conflict between the elephants and the shrubs which makes the elephants seem oddly small...but not being an expert on African vegetation I don't know if I'm not just seeing things.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Henry Blewer on February 26, 2010, 01:18:04 PM
I like flying elephants. They are easier on the vegetation this way.  :)

Great render.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: choronr on February 26, 2010, 11:18:05 PM
I really like those Acacia trees and this setting ...beautiful work.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MacGyver on March 01, 2010, 02:16:57 PM
Aaah, elephants! Thank you! :)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Redwolf on March 01, 2010, 02:47:28 PM
perhaps a shadow of a plane will help here..... :-\
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: otakar on March 01, 2010, 04:07:58 PM
Beautiful scene, but the elephants are too small. Like this, the trees would have to be true giants :)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MGebhart on March 01, 2010, 04:13:19 PM
Excellent. I saw an image similar to this on The Discovery Channel.

Marc
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on March 01, 2010, 04:25:05 PM
Thanks guys, I should have an updated image coming along soon.  As for the elephants size, I do believe they are quite correct in relation to the trees.  According to wikipedia the trees can grow upwards of 21 metres tall.

Here is an example image:

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-elephant-family-under-umbrella-acacia-image5084537

Maybe it is the overhead angle that is throwing things off?
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MGebhart on March 01, 2010, 08:06:10 PM
Good to see your inspiration has been stimulated.

Marc
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Kadri on March 01, 2010, 08:46:56 PM
Nice image , Ryan .
At first i thought the same . I think you are right about the scale . Then after your sample it looks like the scale is OK .

Kadri.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants V2
Post by: RArcher on March 01, 2010, 09:02:39 PM
Here is an updated version.  No more flying elephants!  Also switched the sun position around and lowered it a bit to get some late afternoon lighting.  Added a few more positions of elephants and a bit of dust.

Full version here:  http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=digital-art%2Fterragen-2&image=elephant-march-v3.jpg (http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=digital-art%2Fterragen-2&image=elephant-march-v3.jpg)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Kadri on March 01, 2010, 09:29:15 PM
Like a photo from National Geographic  :)

Kadri.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Henry Blewer on March 01, 2010, 10:21:48 PM
Awesome image Ryan! Great work. 8)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: choronr on March 01, 2010, 10:44:47 PM
I sure like it Ryan, the scale appears to be right on. And, the lower sun has helped a lot.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: inkydigit on March 02, 2010, 03:53:19 AM
the last version is most excellent Ryan!
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: otakar on March 02, 2010, 02:42:47 PM
After looking at photos, I'd still suggest about doubling the size of the elephants, but what do I know. Here's an example: http://www.thenaturetouch.com/kenya/images/scenephant.jpg
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on March 02, 2010, 08:49:18 PM
One more just for fun.  Exactly the same setup as the top down image, all I did was move the camera near the ground.  The elephant models aren't all that great close up but better than I can make on my own!

http://www.archer-designs.com/temp/elephant/elephants-close-up-v1.jpg (http://www.archer-designs.com/temp/elephant/elephants-close-up-v1.jpg)
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MGebhart on March 02, 2010, 09:15:48 PM
The Pachyderms look fine. If you have an unwrap uv application you can correct the map smearing. Also, I would add some serious displacement once you correct the mapping.

Very cool image.

My two cents.

Marc

Link: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=46664&highlight=elephants

These would work well if you have ZBrush or 3D Coat.

Here is a Rhino model if you want to go nuts.

http://web.me.com/marcgebhart1/Marc_Gebhart/Ryan/Rhino.tgo

The second image is a WIP I started but, never finished.




Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: Henry Blewer on March 02, 2010, 10:19:44 PM
I really like the close up. It's just cool; I like elephants.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on March 03, 2010, 04:48:26 PM
Cool Rhino Marc.  I've been messing about with the Elephant in Daz Studio so it is easy to pose, just not all that easy to really modify fully that I know how to do anyway.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MGebhart on March 03, 2010, 05:12:29 PM
Ryan,

If you want to fire over the Elephant, posed the way you like it, I'll adjust the uv's and use the Elephant alpha maps from the ZBrush forum for the displacement. Adjusting the uv layout will get rid of the image smearing.

Just email me the .obj exported from DAZ Studio. You can include the textures as well. However, if it's a model you bought from DAZ then you shouldn't send it. If it was free model provide me with the download link and I'll grab it. I have the newest version of DAZ Studio so, that would work out great.

Marc
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: RArcher on March 03, 2010, 05:18:24 PM
Here is the link to the Elephant.  It is the free starter set of safari animals so anyone can download it from Daz.  Includes Elephant, Rhino, Zebra, Cheetah and Antelope plus a couple of poses for each.

http://www.daz3d.com/i/shop/itemdetails/?item=8865 (http://www.daz3d.com/i/shop/itemdetails/?item=8865)

The textures aren't terrible but they could certainly be much better.
Title: Re: March of the Elephants
Post by: MGebhart on March 03, 2010, 05:26:11 PM
Sweet. Got it.

I'll mess around with it over the next couple days and apply the new textures and displacement in DAZ then I'll setup a download for you.

Marc