Thanks very much again everyone. Brodie - No, this was just something to explore. I do a lot of drudgery SketchUp at work. I wanted to try and do some organic shapes and see if I could manage it. It can really get complicated trying to move, rotate and basically stay oriented with a myriad of obscure surfaces from every perspective when in close. Also - wow! thanks EarthMover for the extra nice compliment and taking the image and giving it another artistic angle. I have more normal or realistic wings that I may work into the model. When experimenting with the wings, I really liked the semi-transparent 'black onyx' surface and went with it. I DO realize it shifts the insect more into the fantasy realm. Here's another detail. This close in you can begin to see the facets of the compound eyes are not small enough and not rounded hexigonal I did try for the correct shape and size of the cells or facets, but again, it brings my hardware and/or the software to its knees and locks up during rendering. [image: detail1a.jpg]

[image: Nl1u_kbi8.jpg] [image: d2iR_kbi8r.jpg] [image: YjRF_kbi8su.jpg]

@velvia said: good job! have you use PS to the picture? Yes, PS was for pp. NewOne, quite original result and imho your snow material is a bit better than mine

oh thanks a lot love itt

fymoro that is truly exceptional. would you mind a brief tutorial on your technique?

Mate this is very similar style to the first image of yours I ever saw posted - I LOVE IT!! No sucking up - Seriously one of the better styles I've ever seen! They really do grab my attention!

@dermotcoll said: Ist image is somewhat confusing due to the viewpoint - wasnt sure what I was looking at with the handles for the shower enclosure seemingly in mid air. Everything else looks good. Thanks for your reply. The view is taken from the shower encloser. I was having lot of reflection on the enclosure glass earlier and was not able to see the washbasin unit clearly. Hence tried to lower the reflection in glass material. But you are right. The handles do seem in mid air. I have to find the right value of IOR for this rendering.

Cherry Dice [image: file.php?id=2175]

Hey these are pretty swell for the first go around. The first image needs more reflection, sit in your living room and just look at things, all the little things that reflect and are shiny, thats a good way to get into it. I would take the material off the door glass and get some sun streaming in there. Also, increase the pattern on the wall, or get rid of it, I dont think its helping the scene. We all start somewhere, I started with a great render then after that it seemed to crash for a while, must have been beginners luck, but with a lot of reading through these forums and practice you'll get there. Good job man!

Is this better?

@sheik said: SU+Realflow4+Maxwell That is amazing! ...some color would make it perfect

Love 'em

thanks for the compliments guys, i appreciate it! heres an attempt again on a PR render...but it just doesnt seem right and i cant figure out why??? for starters i noticed the materials are off and need some bump and stuff....what is that secret ingredient i am missing? [image: oJ5o_livingPR5.jpg]

Mate we have a timber here Turpentine that lasts decades in the water! Actually it's from the tree that makes the now world heritage area - The Blue Mountains west of Sydney actually blue from a distance due to the turpentinian vapour that fills the air and due to scattering of blue light resulting!

oops wrong LED thread

thank you!!!

I redid this adding the gnome. He just seemed to belong. Plus I threw in some other mislaid game pieces. (mr. Green is floating in the air. .. . ) [image: nf7l_toys.jpg]

Ok, good to see what we can do with SU...

Nice renders, but a bit too colorish in my sight. and were are the edge lines (in my tip, they are present )

@unknownuser said: Nice Joe, welcome. Can we see more close up shots of your ship? Maybe some wire frames? If you ever do find them post them up as it looks like an interesting shape!