Rendering Workshop - Studio - still life

dermotcoll

Cheers Solo

As you can see from my earlier post I tried the still life using twilight with preset Medium +. I have watched the Twilight tutorials and have gone through the manual and I understand that you apply materials and that you adjust the properties of those materials to get different reflections, shine etc.

What I do not get is the terminology and how things work. I downloaded the studio set up you kindly posted into the still life model and it took me 10 - 15 mins to finds the bloody plate because the studio was so big!!! Are you getting some idea of how far down the food chain I am here!!

When HDRi comes into it - how do I put that into the mix - how do I place that into the model to give of light - do I apply it as a texture to a face that I create in the model?

These are the really dumb ass questions I need to ask??

solo

I forgot about that, yeah the studio is large, purposely also, see how small the place setting is in my version.

Al Hart

@dermotcoll said:

Cheers Solo

These are the really dumb ass questions I need to ask??

Don't be put off. These are the questions the Workshop was designed for.

We want to let you see what others are doing. And we want to help you learn to do it yourself.

You might back up a bit, and start with Solo's first example.

Add the reflection properties needed to your model.
(Most renderers can grab colors, textures and transparency directly from SketchUp. But you need to add reflective properties yourself - since there are no reflective settings in SketchUp.
Then try solo's suggestions of shining 3 lights at the place setting.

Don't worry about much else yet. If you are just starting out, you want to see how various things work - not just try for the best rendering right away. You can achieve some very good studio effects with this model and three lights.

Gaieus

Hi Dermot,

You just save your hdri (or any spherical or hemispherical) images into a convenient folder (not to "far" from your SU projects for easier browsing).

Now open the Twilight light editor (left of the material sampler button) and change the physical sky under the last tab (sun/sky) > and the top left pulldown menu is background / sky type. Now set the background image type and then below, browse to the folder you keep these images and select the one you want to use.

Edit - also notice that I disabled the sun so that only the image would light the scene. This can be both good or bad - depending on what you want.

solo

Attached is a .hdri for you to test, it's the same one I used for the Buddha on previous page.
Unzip and put in a place you will find (best make a folder for all your future .hdri's)
Then in the Twilight light editor set up like below.

select sky probe
navigate to the hdri
uncheck the sun and shadows

Now do a test render and from there you can play with the rotation, textures, etc.

edit... beaten by Csaba.

tl setup.jpg

HDRI

dermotcoll

Thanks guys

Did that and I didnt see the hdri image anywhere in the model - should I have seen it and if so why didnt I?

I just did a quick render and there is something showing behind the studio set up - I take it I should have deleted the studio setup if Im using HDRi?

solo

The studio is there to block the HDR image and only allow the reflections and illumination of the HDRI, you should be able to see the reflections on any shiny surface now.

dermotcoll

Hi SOlo

If the studio is there to BLOCKthe HDRi image - how can reflections and iluminations from the HDRi actually effect / affect the model. I am cooking an image in Twilight on Medium now and when its is finished I will post it - if you could point out what you mean on it I would appreciate it. Slainte.

edit - what a d**khead - I deleted the studio on this one so I am seeing the HDRi image now all around the still life model. I will cook another when its finished and compare and contrast!!

still life1.jpg

Gaieus

Ah yes, the studio is only needed to

have something "underneath" (otherwise you won't have shadosw cast anywhere) and
to have something that - by reflecting the light coming from anywhere - gives a nice, global illumination to the scene.

Gaieus

That's not fair, Chris. If I had been told that I can have too apples, maybe I'de've joined, too!

dermotcoll

Just to make me feel better Chris!! - you go and get more apples and a drink - I hope thats vodka in that glass cos I'm ready for it right about now!!!!

kwistenbiebel

Thanks for the improved model Solo.
A 'render tip of the week' could be: no good renders without good models.

Here's my entry:

Skindigo:

dermotcoll

Okay - here is the second one with the studio back in - let me have it!!

Edit - just spotted the dark shadow to the bottom left of the placemat - there are not lights except for the HDRi image so I was wondering what was causing this?

still life2.jpg

Gaieus

Why is that black stain in the lower left corner of the napkin?

Otherwise, as you can see, when there is only the image background is giving light, there are no shadows at all. Yes, I suggested before to disable sunlight but maybe a little bit (just for some subtle shadows) is not bad. You can turn it down to 1-2 from the default 5. Like here (obviously I have polished the apple too much a bit but my mom told me to always carefully wash fruits before eating - also, the glass should not cast that crazy shadow)

Rich O Brien

Hi Dermot,

Have you set the place mat with a reflective surface?

I feel your pain on the 'Learning to Render' front. It's breaking my liathroidi

dermotcoll

Cheers Gaieus

I havent a clue what that dark patch is - I thought it might be something to do with the still life sitting on the sudio set up but the 1st image doesnt have the studio and yet it is still there.

I am moving out of the dark already on this subject already thanks to you guys (pardon the pun) I must go away and practice with some simple modwls now just to see how they are affected by lights, positioning etc.

Thanks again

kwistenbiebel

@dermotcoll said:

Just to make me feel better Chris!! - you go and get more apples and a drink - I hope thats vodka in that glass cos I'm ready for it right about now!!!!

Not sure about the wodka, but here you go.

Bon appetit!

Skindigo:

Al Hart

@kwistenbiebel said:

Thanks for the improved model Solo.
A 'render tip of the week' could be: no good renders without good models.

Here's my entry:

Wow! good work.

You were probably kidding about the rendering tip.

Actually, some of the tips are about how to make good renderings without good models.

We are assuming that sometimes you are given the model by someone else in the firm, and have to do the best you can with it. I suppose you could always modify it, to replace single face glass window with double face windows. But perhaps not.

dermotcoll

Hi Rich

I dont think so - it is generic soft. Will play about with it and see what I can come up with - as for my liathroidi - they are totally deflated by now. I'm off to me bed to dream of apples and vodka - now theres an idea for a drink!!!!

solo

Nice renders Chris, more apples more fun.