TerrasJ's Avatars, Banners, and Pics

[terrasj]

Here's something I just whipped up early this morning... Well, ok, took a couple days to put together and polish it up...

Avatars:
Former:

New:


Banners:




I can also toss up a blank one, or do a custom size... Right now they're just sitting on my personal ISP provided webspace.

I'll be putting the TSCC one on my deviant front page, in the new/blog top right panel...

I'm working on a full screen sized version 1680x1050. I do have a work in progress one, but i've corrected some stuff within it. As it is, it looks pretty sweet. But theres still some kinks I gotta finish up yet thats not showing in the cropped banner.

I've also got a couple Cameron ones i'm still working on.

Enjoy.

[Erika]

Those are cool! Did you create the exoskeleton in a 3D rendering program?

[allergygal]

That is cool. You actually drew that endo? IMpressive.

[terrasj]

First of all, thankyou both. It means alot

Yes, those are 3d renders, and i'm still learning about setting up the scene properly, as well as getting the little but important things like lighting and shadows looking realistic, or at least proper. I've got more 3d renders in my deviant art gallery, which I set my homepage to in my profile and via the little homepage icon below the avatar. Feel free to look

(just ignore my little journal rant I have on the front page there. Its either my stuff bites that bad that nobody comments on it, or they'll add it to their fav's list but just can't be bothered to say anything nice, let alone at all. Thats just what deviant art community is for you)

In all honesty, I didn't model the endoskeleton, nor the city backdrop. The cityblocks are free model sets, and I purchased the Endo.

Though, what I did do to make the render, is the pose, camera angle, setting up the scene and lighting & shadows, and camera focus (the focus & field of depth lens effect). Also the model came with a default texture that looked dull grey like Cromartie's endo in the episode where he took a bath for a new skingrowth. I often usually prefer to make my own textures or replace the textures with "shaders" such as the chrome-like brushed metal that it has now. I've also did the same thing for the eyes, and I've also went in and modified / altered the original model so I could set the teeth to a different color than the skull. After that, its a 99% pure 3d render, no photoshop manipulation, save for slightly cropping the height from 375 to 300 pixels, and adding in the text in T2 font.

I can toss up a screenshot of this scene from within the program.

If you gals like, I can make a slightly bigger one, of 700 or 800 width and without text or do a different camera angle if you want to add your own magic photo-manip to it. The biggest limitation I have with this pic is my system only has 2gb or ram, so the reflective brushed chrome as well as the building windows give me out of memory errors when I try 1024 width or larger. (keeping to a 1.60 aspect ratio for my 22" 1680x1050 widescreen monitor).

Now, the interesting part is its not tough (or expensive) to get into this 3d rendering hobby. I got into it since years ago I enjoyed doing image editing and photo-manips also, from sheer lack of ability to be able to draw anything but stick figures. I just don't have the eye or hand for it. But 3d stuff like this is kinda like playing with Legos and posing GI Joes at the same time.

To start out with, theres a free 3d program (and easy to use) called Daz Studio - www.daz3d.com/i/software/studio?_m=d

It comes with a basic starter package to start playing with. You can load, cloth and pose models. The one thing you need is to either play with the camera angle with the free sets that lack skies, or use background pictures for your scenes (or add them in photoshop). It honestly dosn't cost you anything to play with it, and theres tons of free and quality content available for it.

Signing up to Daz3d is also free. Theres free weekly stuff they give out. As well as theres a free archive of slightly older stuff.

The particular endoskeleton model, is affordable, bought over here: XCC-900 Cyborg: www.daz3d.com/i/software/studio?_m=d

On my wishlist to buy next, is this other endoskeleton: CA800 Cyber Assassin: www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/index.php?ViewProduct=58688

(theres also a free one kicking around somewheres)

Now, the program I use is Carrara, which I bought. Also made by Daz3d, Studio's bigger brother. It allows me to make full scenes such as skies, clouds, terrain, water, etc, without needing backdrop pics. But thats not an issue if your able to make awesome photo-manips like the sites banners and signatures here.

The other program out there is called "Poser" , currently version 7. I've tried the earlier versions, and it drives me up the wall for user friendliness. And its basically on par with Daz Studio for features and limitations, but also commands a high price tag. I can't discredit Poser too much, since it started all this 'posing' 3d model & mannequins a rough 10 years ago. So continuing on with the legacy, most of the 3d content out there is called 'Poser content' . (Daz3d originally began making additional content for Poser, and couple years ago made their own alternative poser programs called Daz Studio and acquired Carrara)

I'll have to toss up the 2 Cameron scenes i'm working on. I could use a bit of input and constructive criticism on them

I'll bring up photoshop again for a quick moment. Alot of people use any one of those 3 mentioned 3d programs, do their basic posing and render, then bring it into photoshop to finish 'painting' it like an artist would. Thats called postwork. People can do some beautiful stuff that way if they're artistically / naturally talented.

If anyone's interested, I can fire up a new thread with the specifics on how and where to get started. I have to head out again shortly, though I'll see what I can do about uploading the 2 cameron scenes. I acquired a fee Summer Glau face for the Victoria 4 female model (fan made)

[terrasj]

Ok, i've uploaded the screenshots to my personal webspace. Each of the pics are between 2048x1536 (4:3 square aspect ratio) to 1680x1050 (widescreen 16:10 aspect ratio). 3 of the pics are around 200kb file size, and one is just shy of 500kb.

Banner - Carrara workspace screenshots:

Screen 1, Screen 2


These two below, i'm still working on. Need to keep working on the lighting, shadows, etc. See if you can't recognize the character in the pictures

The street pic was before I purchased the XCC-900, so I used another model I had on hand, a male model with ripped and burnt flesh. And the Back Alley pic is the more newer of the 2, i'm still adding stuff to the scene, debating on putting a hand infront of the camera, like a first-person perspective of someone laying or stumbled on the ground...

Back_Alley_City_1f


street_test_1c

Comments, feedback, opinions and critique welcomed.

[allergygal]

Oct 29, 2008 20:35:14 GMT -5 terrasj said:

These two below, i'm still working on. Need to keep working on the lighting, shadows, etc. See if you can't recognize the character in the pictures

The street pic was before I purchased the XCC-900, so I used another model I had on hand, a male model with ripped and burnt flesh. And the Back Alley pic is the more newer of the 2, i'm still adding stuff to the scene, debating on putting a hand infront of the camera, like a first-person perspective of someone laying or stumbled on the ground...

Back_Alley_City_1f


street_test_1c

Comments, feedback, opinions and critique welcomed.

Wow, that was a lot of great info. I have no doubt it takes great skill to make a good texture like that. I don't know when I might find time to play with a 3d modeling app, but it's something I've always had a little curiosity about, so I'm downloading that DAZ Studio. Thanks for that link and I look forward to seeing more of your TSCC related renderings.

Those last 2 links to your works in progress didn't work.

[terrasj]

Oct 30, 2008 2:35:00 GMT -5 allergygal said:

Oct 29, 2008 20:35:14 GMT -5 terrasj said:

These two below, i'm still working on. Need to keep working on the lighting, shadows, etc. See if you can't recognize the character in the pictures

The street pic was before I purchased the XCC-900, so I used another model I had on hand, a male model with ripped and burnt flesh. And the Back Alley pic is the more newer of the 2, i'm still adding stuff to the scene, debating on putting a hand infront of the camera, like a first-person perspective of someone laying or stumbled on the ground...

Back_Alley_City_1f


street_test_1c

Comments, feedback, opinions and critique welcomed.

Wow, that was a lot of great info. I have no doubt it takes great skill to make a good texture like that. I don't know when I might find time to play with a 3d modeling app, but it's something I've always had a little curiosity about, so I'm downloading that DAZ Studio. Thanks for that link and I look forward to seeing more of your TSCC related renderings.

Those last 2 links to your works in progress didn't work.

Oh my bad! (I'd do the embarrassed emote if I the emotes list would pop-up... ahh well)

Yeah I was just heading out when i typed that post, and I did edit the filenames with underscores on the webspace for simplicity of linking them, but for some reason they didn't take when I did them. I just went back and made those changes. The last 2 works now.

Give those a try now

I also totally forgot to mention I've been working on some alternative Terminator characters, using that same endoskeleton.

Doing textures aren't that tough, its almost identical to like making a tiled webpage background graphic, at least the way I do it - trial and error. At the very least, the image wraps itself around the area.

But it looks like i'll be starting up a new thread, with posting some tutorials how to get into the program the easy way. The bulk of it I've already typed and sent via email to a few friends already so its just a matter of putting it into thread form.

(I'll also have a full length page worth of free content sites to post as well)

[Erika]

To start out with, theres a free 3d program (and easy to use) called Daz Studio - www.daz3d.com/i/software/studio?_m=d

OMG - Daz is FREE? I ran across their store eons ago thinking that you had to buy stuff to use for Poser.

I've been dying to get my hands on some sort of 3-D rendering software, got a stripped down trial of Poser and it frustrated me to no end. I'll have to see if I've got the space on my computer to load DAZ, I LOVE the environments, clothes, etc that they offer!

These two below, i'm still working on. Need to keep working on the lighting, shadows, etc. See if you can't recognize the character in the pictures

The street pic was before I purchased the XCC-900, so I used another model I had on hand, a male model with ripped and burnt flesh. And the Back Alley pic is the more newer of the 2, i'm still adding stuff to the scene, debating on putting a hand infront of the camera, like a first-person perspective of someone laying or stumbled on the ground...

Back_Alley_City_1f


street_test_1c

Comments, feedback, opinions and critique welcomed.

Those are looking great as starter pieces. There's another program out there that allows you to utilize really great looking 3D background objects but I can't think of the name of it off of the top of my head, I'll have to try to find it for you - maybe you can use it to help make your backgrounds look a bit more realistic but I like where you're going with both of your Cameron pieces The poses of the characters are nice and natural looking.

[terrasj]

OMG - Daz is FREE? I ran across their store eons ago thinking that you had to buy stuff to use for Poser.

Yeppers! and I like Daz's approach to it. By making their entry software free, anyone can try it, use it if the like it. I suppose it also helps their sales merchandising too, since it really does open up a wider target of consumers. But aside from that one detail, your not limited to by exclusively from Daz3d, and theres literally tons of quality free content available now for use.

Thats exactly what got me back into it last fall. Years ago as I mentioned above, I got to try an earlier version of Poser. There was a serious lack of actual sci-fi usable stuff (save for cheesy / corny 50's B-movie type props). Poser's interface outright drove me up the wall, for the way its tools worked to pose the figures. And ontop of that, it was very pricey just like it is today in the $249.99 price range. So it sparked an interest within me, but one that I had to resign to let it go, and wait to see if one day there'd be better alternatives than Poser.

I already started on typing up a tutorial walkthrough style guide for Daz Studio, now that Halloween's over, i'll be able to finish writing it up with included screenshots. It'll help you get right into Daz. Its an easy program to start with, though theres lots of little tips and tricks that'll make getting into it an hour's lesson vs a several day learning curve. I've helped friends over YIM and MSN get started into Daz within an hour's timeframe. Then I'll also do another couple tutorial threads, getting into other aspects of the program, like 'downloaded content management' and a huge list of freebies sources. It'll be a compilation of stuff I've learnt since last fall. The provided user's manual covers some stuff, but it doesn't cover some of the more important stuff. The threads will also be good for any questions.

Those are looking great as starter pieces. There's another program out there that allows you to utilize really great looking 3D background objects but I can't think of the name of it off of the top of my head, I'll have to try to find it for you - maybe you can use it to help make your backgrounds look a bit more realistic but I like where you're going with both of your Cameron pieces The poses of the characters are nice and natural looking.

Thanks for the feedback, its helpful hearing I'm doing something right as well as points where I still need to improve on. I'll continue working on them.

I'm be curious now which program that might be?

Aside from the Adobe houses, the rest of the buildings are just freely available set pieces. I'll have to buy some others for a bit more variety.


Back_Alley_City_1f - I had to make my own street, pavement and sidewalk since the provided one didn't accommodate mixing the layout around or additional buildings. Thus the street curbs, as well as all of the buildings are individually positionable. Its no trouble to mix them around. I'll show you what I mean - click on the thumbnails for larger item views : Mega City Block 1 & French Village . Those 2 sets I used and re-arranged into a new layout. As you see, theres no pre-made 3d world or any sort of backdrop - thats up to the user to work with the camera angle or use a picture or make their own environment (terrain, sky, clouds etc).

Lighting is a single sunlight. Its been work trying to get that balance of lighting for the back alley since its daylight and directly in the shade between the 2 taller buildings - unless I change the direction of the sun to shine down the back alley. I have to adjust the shadows value to soften them since they're crisp. Theres also a value for the sky's brightness- how bright and light blue to how deep and dark blue they appear in the scene. If a person has enough skill and know how, one can make any scene pretty near photorealistic. But the trick is in achieving it. Props wise - I know I have to add more stuff. everything's too neat, clean and tidy for what should be more like an old part of town or city. I've got some trash bags, newspapers, old cardboard boxes to add. I also see the powerline feed to the brick building needs to be replaced - or removed. I had to stretch and scale it up, and the bends in the line became apparent.


street_test_1c - the older of the 2 pics, I was going for a old west Mexican town feel... I didn't have a 1988 F-250 extended cab truck model, so I improvised with a rusting 50's pickup. I admit i'll need redo the ground, as its just a flat ground plane with a makeshift texture made in photoshop, vs having a flat orange or brown color for the ground. I was using the carved stone walls as a filler to block out the horizon. I was working on a nice set of mountain ranges for the background, but when your focusing on building and setting up a scene first, mountain ranges can chew up rendering time - from a simple 2 minute test render becomes a 15minute wait... I'll have to do that, and see what you think. The Terminator walking through the flames in the background - he's unclothed, but no naughty bits are present. Up close the textures resemble a Terminator with its flesh worse for wear - torn and ripped. This was before I had bought the XCC-900 Terminator model.

[Erika]

Well apparently the program that I was thinking about is a part of the DAZ family - it's BRYCE.

[allergygal]

Oct 30, 2008 3:05:30 GMT -5 terrasj said:

Give those a try now

Yep, those links worked. And wow they're so cool

[terrasj]

Thx, allergygal!

New revision: street_test_1e

Well, I managed to do a bit of updating on the 'street test' pic... the small Mexican village one... Just as you suggested Erika, I didn't have or use Bryce, but Carrara pretty much includes a Bryce-like module for the same purposes... The image size is way smaller this time, even then, took an hour to render... Thats where the scene rendering takes longer - a scenic rocky desert background...

I think I'll have to push that rock terrace farther back into the distance... and possibly some field of depth lens focus / blurring...

I re-sampled the ground texture into a lighter sand color. Also fixed the hard shadows, they're softer by varying degrees. I might need adjust the sky / atmosphere lightness... maybe use a different cloud type also. Theres cirrus, cumulus, etc... I also tried a different texture for the tires, still playing with that one. Even made the sunlight a bit more brighter / intense... The super-bright window light shine is still there when I try a sample of the ground at 2048x1536...

Comments, feedback, opinions and critique welcomed.

[terrasj]

Well, heres a little present I made for myself tonight, in the true fashion of a Cameron shipper...

Enjoy!



Url to slightly better quality 1.mb png - -= here=-

I'm crossing my fingers, hoping a 1680x1050 render of this finishes without crashing out of memory errors...

:edit: and 1680 x 1050 is done, took 27min to render on good to high quality settings which isn't bad actually. Url here.

[speedhunter]

i like em.

[allergygal]

Haha - purple leather jacket. Awesome