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A visitor in the Court of the King
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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.
A visitor in the Court of the King // Image Gallery
Post by W!ZARD // Mar 5, 2007, 10:34pm
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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This is a slightly modified version of the image I entered in the recent Caligallery.
I thought I'd post it here so anyone who wishes to comment can do so.
A visitor from the North Eastern woodlands is granted audience by the King of Inthandonia. The messenger brings grave tidings from afar. A strange darkness haunts the land of the forest dwellers....
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Everything rendered in tS 6.6. After rendering a version with no volumetrics I then painted everything black and rendered a version with volumetrics on. These layers were then combined in The GIMP. I could have done it all in tS but using The GIMP layers gives precise control over the volumetric effect.
For light relief I've posted a close up of the texture I made for the tapestry in the corner - note the recycled fairy wings :D :D |
Post by Nez // Mar 6, 2007, 2:21am
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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Very cool, some nice stuff going on in this one. Quite reminiscent of a cathedral interior I did some time ago.
I particularly like your burning torches... can't see much of your visiting messenger, but the guard in the background looks like he might have been recycled from that earlier picture of a guard outside a city wall?
I'm always a sucker for voumetric lighting! Hadn't thought about rendering it separately and combining it post-process but will have to try that sometime. Don't know how you find the time to produce so much work! I'm doing well to find an hour or 2 to try for the speed-modelling contest...:( |
Post by Nez // Mar 6, 2007, 2:23am
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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PS - one thing I find slightly peculiar is a square rose window... unusual, but interesting... |
Post by Steinie // Mar 6, 2007, 2:59am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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A nice piece W!zard but I can see where it would still need work. The weakness in this rendering (and there aren't many) is the focal point. Your leading the viewer's eye in multiple areas which subconsciously could be distractive. First the main characters are slightly right and down from center but nothing in the architecture draws the eye to them. Instead you have a large glowing window drawing attention, and a banner to the left (serpent) and part of the perspective leads the eye there.
The W!zards face looks too pale.
The architecture is amazing but doesn't lead the eye, nor (first time I ever used this word!) does the visible light.
These are the points I believe would have helped this very nice rendering. |
Post by W!ZARD // Mar 6, 2007, 4:18am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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That's interesting! Thanks gentlemen.
@Nez; yes well spotted, that is indeed my guard from the city gate picture (the guy with the infamous moobs!). His name is Tubone and he is the captain of the City Guard. Somewhere along the line are one or two other pictures that tie the story together and explain why Tubone is both guarding the city gate and is also in the Throne Hall.
True, you can't see much of the messenger but I think you probably will in later pictures though she is really a secondary character.
Yeah I love volumetrics too. The technique I described before gives very precise control over the strength of the effect so it's worth doing IMHO.
I find the time to produce so much because 3d is my greatest passion. It's something that I love and I've time enough to indulge myself.
@Steinie, some interesting points here. I have this pic set as the wallpaper on my dual monitors. At that size and resolution there is lots for the eye to explore - and it doesn't work as well in the smaller sizes we have here in this forum. Personally I like the way the eye is lead to multiple places in the picture. My hometown of Rochester in Kent, England has a great cathedral and I've spent much time in there. A real cathedral does this thing to the eye too - it has multiple focal points.
The Wizard character is placed in the tradition third position and has the greatest number of lightsources on him. from the candles above and before him plus from the other Rose Window off screen to the left - the pattern from which can be seen on the floor to the womans right.
The strong diagonal volumetric light tends to block imediate visual access to the scene, inviting the view to look past the characters (who are a little lost in this big space). The more we make ourselves look past the volumetrics we are rewarded with little patches of colour and plays of light amoung the columns and arches.
Personally I'm very pleased with this picture (I'm not always ;) ) and I like the warm inviting light. Hopefully the eye is tempted to linger and explore the details fully - at least that's the theory!
In some ways this could still be a work in progress as I may well add extra characters later on. I like the idea of modelling a suit of armour which would look right at home in this pic. |
Post by Chester Desmond // Mar 6, 2007, 6:19am
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Chester Desmond
Total Posts: 323
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I like this picture a lot. It's done in your identifiable style, of which one of the features is "busy". I find this with a lot of your images..there is a lot going on and the main subject (if there really is one - I usually go by the title) is not as apparent as in most other artists' work. Your works often seem more like frames from a movie than a still image. You manage to avoid that "default perspective" look that many images have and actually create a story rather than a still life study of a certain object. Plus you keep getting better and better at it! |
Post by W!ZARD // Mar 7, 2007, 3:41am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Gee thanks Chester. I appreciate the feedback. I find it interesting when other folk comment on my 'style' as I don't really see it as a 'style' it's just the outcome of the balance between what I see in my minds eye and what I'm capable of getting trueSpace to portray!
Your comment about 'frames from a movie' is spot on as there is always a background story being served by the picture in ways that are not necessarily obvious.
My photographic background factors heavily in my 3d work and I've always tended to go with photos of places which capture a mood more so than snaps of people doing things. A lot of my interest in photography hinges on the play of light on various surfaces - which is probably why texturing is one of my favourite parts of the process.
As for 'getting better at it' - thanks for that. The contributions and encouragement of the good folk on these forums have had a major role to play in that - given that I can't afford even Caligari's cheapest tutorials I've had to learn as I go and it's taken a while but I'm slowly getting to where I want to be as an artist.....slowly, slowly....:D |
Post by Alien // Mar 7, 2007, 8:44am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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given that I can't afford even Caligari's cheapest tutorials I've had to learn as I go and it's taken a while but I'm slowly getting to where I want to be as an artist.....slowly, slowly....:D
That's why I said to try & win the monthly before 7.5 is released - aside from getting 7.5, you'd also get all of the video courses. |
Post by Shike // Mar 7, 2007, 11:34pm
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Shike
Total Posts: 511
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Great work ! :D
I'm not skilled in the "art of making people look at a specific thingy", and it took me a long time to at least understand that the camera shouldn't always center on the primary subject. :o
Though, I personally prefer images like this, with a LOT of details and interesting things to see and discover! Love it ! :D |
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