|
|
Tallinn
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Tallinn // Work in Progress
Post by W!ZARD // Dec 7, 2006, 1:13pm
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
Tallinn is a city in Estonia. I've just been reading Michael Palin's excellent book, "Pole To Pole" which includes a photograph of a street scene in Tallinn. Here is my attempt at modelling this scene.
Now that I have a computer capable of running tS7.11 I've finally been able to experiment a little with HDRI lighting.
The top picture is the scene as rendered with tS 6.6 using a variation on one of the sunlight setups from the Light Library.
The second one is rendered with tS 7.11 using the 'House-outside' HDRI image to drive the lighting.
I've been looking at his scene for so long now that I'm no longer able to 'see' it! Therefore I'm submitting it here for fresh eyes to consider - any suggestions or feedback on what could be improved (and how) would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance
~WZRD~ |
Post by behzad // Dec 7, 2006, 1:37pm
|
behzad
Total Posts: 173
|
I like the top one :banana: |
Post by jamesmc // Dec 7, 2006, 1:53pm
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
I would put the man further toward the center of the scene, perhaps even going into that center archway. I would make the lamps illuminated (the ones in the background.) Perhaps more detail to the stone street.
The job you have done on the buildings is most excellent. Very portrait-like and would give someone something to look at and ponder what is going on in that street.
Forgive me for butchering up your image, just wanted to illustrate some possible ideas... |
Post by Jack Edwards // Dec 7, 2006, 4:31pm
|
Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
|
Hi Wizard,
Both are good images.
That said, I don't think the character fits in with the style of the background though. He seems clay modeled while the background is almost photo realistic.
I think some of the problems have to do with the reflectance settings for the coat, boots, and hat. These should have mapped reflectance, shiny, but dull where scratches, dried mud, and dust are. The skin texture also seems kind of single toned and flat.
The bottom of the guy's pants are a bit too straight, too. You may want to reshape them some.
Also I agree with Jamesmc, repositioning the guy over by the arch really helps a lot too.
Might be cool to turn it into a foggy night scene and make use of the street lamps. Or even a rainy overcast day scene.
-Jack. |
Post by rj0 // Dec 7, 2006, 7:01pm
|
rj0
Total Posts: 167
|
I have to agree with all the above.
I think I also like the top picture lighting better. With the shadows and all it looks like a reasonably lit daylight scene. The bottom picture almost looks like an evening scene, but the shadows suggest daylight. At least that's what I think I'm seeing.
One last note. The guy's ankles seem too thin and look to be perfectly vertical, appropriate for a cartoon character, but not maybe for this scene.
It is coming along nice though.
rj |
Post by prodigy // Dec 8, 2006, 3:22am
|
prodigy
Total Posts: 3029
|
My suggest.. is... Use the HDRI Lighting.. but add a sun light... The hdri.. its like the light from the sky but not from the sun..
Maybe adding a infinite light with a little yellow color be good..
Best Regards... |
Post by splinters // Dec 8, 2006, 5:13am
|
splinters
Total Posts: 4148
|
Wrong HDRI image wizard-I never really liked that for lighting a scene. The top scene is far better presuming you wanted that sunset look. Try a different HDRI image (try lightworks site for some freebies) and use a light for the sun; best of both worlds and make sure HDRI sample is 50-100 (or more) for better GI type shadows...:)
Lovely image though...:D |
Post by W!ZARD // Dec 9, 2006, 12:47am
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
Thanks for the input chaps. Splinters I went and grabbed a few other HDRI's but I found that I liked the second pic shown above more than any of the other HDRI results - I think that you and Prodigy have the right idea though, I'll try it with HDRI and a sun light.
Tallinn is close to the Arctic circle and in summer has days that are almost sunlit for 24 hours which is partly why I wanted a sort of 'sunset look'.
I appreciate the comments about the character - I really like the visual tension between the line of the street leading the eye into the scene whilst this guy is walking out of it - where has he been and where is he going now?
From the comments made it sounds like I need to do a little more work on his textures and ankles too! |
Post by 3dpdk // Dec 9, 2006, 8:29am
|
3dpdk
Total Posts: 212
|
Wow, check your new system for smoke! You seem to be producing stuff at a feverish rate!
I like jamesmc's placement idea; a little more visually balanced. The lit street lamp would be more appropriate in the second render. This one has more of the cooler bluish cast of dawn or post sunset. Some ground fog would really complete the feeling of early morning here.
I like the warmth of the first render but that may be just because it's cold outside. I lean towards contrasts so the shadows in #1 catch my attention.
Nice stone textures.
The character? He is a bit cartoon-ish but I can't say why ... maybe a little too tall or a little too gaunt. and it depends on the type of image you are trying to achieve whether you should worry about it or not.
But I would consider jamesmc's suggestion for balance adjustments. The character's position in the frame tends to bring the viewer's attention back to the right lower corner of the image making it more difficult to explore all the other nooks and craneys in the image.
Edit: You posted while I was writing. So if that's what you were trying to do with the character placement (give it a more dynamic feel) then you may be on the right track. I might slide him back into the image just a tiny bit, but we might be talking personal preference here. |
Post by W!ZARD // Dec 10, 2006, 4:12am
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
No smoke. just a computer that can handle a few polygons without having to thrash the swap file. I'm having way less crashes and it's much easier to do test renders when they only take a few minutes as opposed to a few hours. And to be fair the Venice picture was mostly built on my old machine. The problem I'm having now is that I can turn out so many more versions of the same image with different lighting and then I can't decide which one I like the best!
I'm still working on this one though - I've made a few adjustments to my old man character and put some more work into his textures. I've also repositioned him as suggested. Here's a sample so you can see what you think. Theres no AA at all on this one as it's just a lighting/composition test. It's got one infinite light for the sun and an IBL with a resolution of 12 for the fill. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Dec 10, 2006, 9:08am
|
Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
|
Hi Wizard,
The infinite light + IBL seems a good choice, but there's something odd going on with the lighting and shadows. At first I couldn't figure what was bothering me then I noticed that the pipe and wall next to the guy looked particularly odd. It looks like the wall texture is almost glowing, like it's luminance setting has been set higher than zero. Also it looks like the pipe isn't casting any shadows on the wall either and it's value doesn't change as much as I would expect from lit to shadowed...
Do you have shadowcasting enabled on the IBL? Hmm... now that I look again the light fixtures and and ironwork on the buildings don't seem to be casting any shadows either...but the base of the iron gate does appear to be casting shadows...
Could this be because the key light is directly perpendicular to the facings of the buildings? Maybe you could use an area light for the sun instead of an infinite light...
Anyway hope that all makes sense.
-Jack. |
Post by W!ZARD // Dec 11, 2006, 12:55am
|
W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
|
Hi Jack - yeah it makes sense in the sense that I know what you mean - that pipe and it's lack of shadow have been bugging me for a couple of days now. Good call on the luminance settings, I didn't think to check those although I tend to keep the luminance settings at zero unless I specifically need some glow. I'm currently rendering this scene with shadows enabled on the IBL and it's crawling along, even on my new machine.
I'll check those luminance settings as soon as I can though, at the moment I am reasonably confident that is not the problem. Raytraced shadows show up fine in other test renders but have too hard an edge for what I'm after so I know the pipe is set to cast and receive shadows.
A puzzle indeed and I spent several hours last night trying to resolve it.
Any suggestions most welcome |
|
