Jack and the Beanstalk

[scott8933]

This is from an aborted project; figured I'd post the image since all the NDA's and such have been now thrown away. The top half of the full-res version took over 450 hours before I pulled the plug! (Full res was 2400x3000)

Bottom half is made from earlier passes, and some hand work to make the Poser kid halfway convincing. I can never get Poser figures to look real, but I don't think I'm alone there.

Hope you enjoy!

Hope I can figure out how to link images!


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[rcallicotte]

Great imagination.  This is really loaded.  Cool  project.

[Oshyan]

I love how the detail that you can't really see on the stalk in the distance is revealed by the shadow in the foreground. Very cool! This is one example where realism actually may not serve the purpose as a realistic shadow would probably be a lot softer and thus show less detail. I think I prefer it this way.

- Oshyan

[lightning]

hey that should be me up there! (my name is jack )

great render realy cool atmo

[scott8933]

You're right on the money; I didn't intend that going into it, but did discover along the way that the hard shadow helped define the beanstalk better. It actually has a lot of detail up close, made of quite a few pieces of Onyx Trees with various twist deforms put on them. But in the end, the silhouette ambiguity worked just fine.

There were versions that changed the placement to the reverse of what we see - so the kid was facing camera instead, etc.

Glad everyone seems to like it!

I love how the detail that you can't really see on the stalk in the distance is revealed by the shadow in the foreground. Very cool! This is one example where realism actually may not serve the purpose as a realistic shadow would probably be a lot softer and thus show less detail. I think I prefer it this way.

- Oshyan

[Harvey Birdman]

This one is a trip, for sure.   

...
The top half of the full-res version took over 450 hours before I pulled the plug!
...

450 hours! Man, I bet there was some conflict involved in the decision to kill that one!   

[efflux]

Nice work. I think the poser figure spoils it a bit though. It would have worked without it.

[scott8933]

I agree somewhat, but it was for a 1-sheet mockup. The kid was pivotal to the story, so he had to be included. I was never satisfied with how he came out - unconvincing I think, which is the main problem I have with him being there. But as Jack's (the kid) story, it made sense to include him. After all, he'd discovered the beanstalk and giant handprint -

He had the fear! So without the kid, we lose our source of tension.

I'd have much rather used a real actor, but didn't really have the time or inclination to set up a shoot. You know, I'd have to find a ladder and what not.

As far as pulling the plug at 450 hours, I wasn't too sad about it. I needed my laptop back, it needed a reboot really bad.

[Mohawk20]

About poser figures... textures really help a lot.

Try to find bodytextures with bumpmaps! And the strand hair dosn't really work with TG2 as far as I've experienced, so I use transmaps. Though grayscaletransparency isn't really supported either...

I made some shots with poser figures.. I'll upload them here in another thread it you like.

[Marcos Silveira]

Ok, i missed this one. What the heck is a beanstalk and who is Jack?? Is it a fairytale or something???

[Mohawk20]

Ok, i missed this one. What the heck is a beanstalk and who is Jack?? Is it a fairytale or something???

Are you serious?

It's a fairytale about a poor boy that lives alone with his mother. He goes out to sell their only cow, to get some money for food. But he meets someone who buys the cow from him for 3 magic beans.
After planting those, the beanstalk grows in one night. It reaches up into the clouds.
He climbs into it and ends up above the clouds, where he finds solid ground, and a giant castle. In the castle lives a giant, with his treasures. Some of wich are the goose with the golden eggs and a singing harp.

Eventually he is able to steal thes treasures, and climb down the beanstalk. The giant finds out and follws him down. Jack notices and cuts down the stalk, causing the giant to fall from great height to his death. From that point on, Jack is rich and a famous giant slayer, so for him it's a happy ending.


There is a movie about 'the real story of jack and the beanstalk' in wich the giant is friendly and the giants judge the offspring of Jack guilty of murder... pretty funny movie.

[lightning]

Ok, i missed this one. What the heck is a beanstalk and who is Jack?? Is it a fairytale or something???

i this guy joking!