Self-Inflicted Challenge

Self-Inflicted Challenge

There was another discussion at the SketchUp forum asking the eternal question, "What is the best renderer for SketchUp?"

I've read that about 100 times, so I thought I'd try a little self-inflicted challenge to produce an image similar to one posted at the SketchUp Forum.

http://www.sketchup.com/forum/download.php/3,7024/bagno.jpg

The object image was done by Valerio using V-Ray. His work is outstanding, so I'm using it as a goal image. There is also a lot of talk about the Maxwell. I believe Cheetah3D has the potential to get similar results as both of these programs.

The image I've posted is the first phase approximating lighting conditions and general model info. Next I will try to build the right textures and model the sink, shower and other components using Cheetah and SketchUp. This may take a couple weeks as my schedule allows.

I do this to learn more about Cheetah's capabilities and show others it's potential. I think there is a school of thought that buying a high-powered and expensive rendering software is the only way to get high-end results.

If anyone has any input or advice I'd be glad to hear what you have to say. Could be a fun project.[/url]
 

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If any one can do it with C3d... you can.... :mrgreen:

and it looks like you are definitely getting somewhere with it as the basic modelling and rendering that you have done so far is pretty damn good if you ask me...

this is sure to be one heck of a good thread to follow... for if you also post your tips and tricks as you usually do Jake we will all be C3d pros in no time at all... well maybe not for a week or so when you get it done...

Back to work Jake... we are all wating here... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

cheers and all the best with it...
Trevor
 
Re: Self-Inflicted Challenge

Jake said:
I do this to learn more about Cheetah's capabilities and show others it's potential. I think there is a school of thought that buying a high-powered and expensive rendering software is the only way to get high-end results.

Cheetah is a high-powered rendering program.
 
Re: Self-Inflicted Challenge

lavardera said:
Jake said:
I do this to learn more about Cheetah's capabilities and show others it's potential. I think there is a school of thought that buying a high-powered and expensive rendering software is the only way to get high-end results.

Cheetah is a high-powered rendering program.

Oh, you know what I meant Greg! :wink:
 
Jake,
With what I have seen from you on various forums, there is no question at all that you can get there with Cheetah3D. The beginning is already impressive !!
 
Well, at the risk of sounding like the Mutual Admiration Society I think I can safely give credit to Martin for providing an easy to use, yet powerful 3d program.

I need help making a realistic towel that hangs from a bar! I doesn't hang that well. What would be the best technique Martin-or anyone.
 

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Jake - how about using an image of a hanging towel and making a greatly exagerated bump map of the image?

Ahh - I just looked at it again, its just a little wavy and not very wrinkled.
 
I''l use a bump to texture it, but there is a bit of a wave. Making that look natural is tough for me.

I was trying to use the relief object. I made a towel in sketchUp and brought it into Cheetah, added subdivisions and tugging at it with the magnet, but it wasn't pulling both side of the towel. It was adding thickness.

I'm not to good at the organic stuff.
 
Here is maybe another way. Just a quick test to show feasability. It seems to me that with a little more tweaking of the displacement and subdiv parameters you could get there. I think also that a larger gradient should also be used for the displacement map. The taper is there just in case you want to shrink a little the top part
 

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That was my next step Francois, but I have been using the relief object to do the same thing. I'll airbrush a b&w image in Photoshop and drop onto a relief object. That's how I've been doing my contours.

Your way to make the towell is the way I need to learn. I could really use some training when it comes to modeling-especially the soft, organic shapes.

What process would you recommend get the towell to drape over the towell rod in a realistic fashion. How do you get the towell to bend around the bar?
 
Heres a shot with a few accessories added. I still need to work on the sink at the corners, but it's getting close. There isn't enough shadow under the radiator by the window, but I think I can fix that by moving my fill light forward a bit.

I'm going to get that towel done today using Francois's suggestions.
 

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Really shaping up Jake.

That's exactly what I was thinking for the towel - if you airbrush the wrinkles it might look better and more flowing. I would do this - create a rectangular image with a gradient from light to dark to light, and then use a deformation tool to neck down the middle or edges so you get a much more broad flowing wave to the bump map.

I'm guessing the wall texture is just a place holder? The bump map is a bit soft and the texture image looks more like stucco where it should be like cast concrete with fairly sharp voids for the bump map.
 
lavardera said:
Really shaping up Jake.

That's exactly what I was thinking for the towel - if you airbrush the wrinkles it might look better and more flowing. I would do this - create a rectangular image with a gradient from light to dark to light, and then use a deformation tool to neck down the middle or edges so you get a much more broad flowing wave to the bump map.

I'm guessing the wall texture is just a place holder? The bump map is a bit soft and the texture image looks more like stucco where it should be like cast concrete with fairly sharp voids for the bump map.

Yea, I'm proceeding with the towel as outlined by you and Francois.

I still need to do the final wall texture. The one I'm using now is a little soft and plastery. That could be a good lunchtime project. I agrre it needs to be sharper.
 
I combined these two images to get a blended gradient. I did it very quickly and not very carefully - it needs to be pure white at the top to meet the bar - but you see where I'm going with it. This is a way to make a smooth wavy gradient for a bump map.
 

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I'm sure that would work Greg. Thanks. Looks like Op Art.

My question though is how would you make the actual towel. Would it have a thickness and how would the gradient affect an object with thickness? I think it would only affect the outside surface of the towel.

This seem like a dumb question doesn't it.
 
Jake

it is really starting to look good... obviously lots of little tweaking to go on still but definietly coming together as a challenger to the V-Ray render...

Out of curiosity... at this point are you doing much work in SU and exporting it out each time to test it or are you using the editing within C3d to continue with what was started in SU...

How many lights are you putting into the scene to develop all of the intricacies of light play that would be occuring in such a real scene...?

cheers... you are doing a great job... and teaching us all a lot of the technicalities and possibilities of C3d... our great little but not so little app

Trevor
 
Jake said:
I'm sure that would work Greg. Thanks. Looks like Op Art.

My question though is how would you make the actual towel. Would it have a thickness and how would the gradient affect an object with thickness? I think it would only affect the outside surface of the towel.

This seem like a dumb question doesn't it.

The towel would definitely have a thickness... maybe actually pull a thickness into it... put your texture onto it... then use a bump map to assist in the modelling of the folds... may have to actually take a photo of a towel on a rail to get the idea of how it sits on the top as it wraps over the rail and how that affects the fall of the towel...

cheers
Trevor
 
Thanks Trevor,

Here's a wireframe showing the lights. Just two lights counting the HDRI for the sky image-an area light from the window and a point light just inside the window with shadows off to bounce light around the room. I'll be glad to send the file to anyone who wants them. Might be a little big, but if you can handle it, I can send it!

Vray, Maxwell, etc. are great renderers, but I think they are needlessly complex. The object of this exercise is get comparable results with Cheetah. There is no question in my mind that it can be done, but I'm still pretty new to this type of thing.

And with the improvements that Martin is planning, it is only going to get better and easier to get great results.

I'm off to Gary, Indiana to photograph a building. For those of you familiar with Gary, wish me luck!
 

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Jake said:
I'm off to Gary, Indiana to photograph a building. For those of you familiar with Gary, wish me luck!

I work with a Gary... he can be a bit thick at times but not quite like a building though... :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have no idea about Gary, Indiana... have fun tho'

You can send me the zipped file at some stage... no hurry tho' as you are obviously somewhat busy with this... work... and family...

thanx
trevor
 
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