Placing model in a background

Jsketch · 12 May 2011, 08:08

Looking through the competition gallery I came across the attached photo (props to KiraNL), where a SU model is placed in a background which is an actual photograph. It's a really cool effect I would like to learn how to do. I didn't want to hijack the other thread, so if someone could point me in the right direction, maybe there's a tutorial floating out there somewhere, that'd be awesome. I suspect the model would be integrated with the backgroud in a rendering program rather than SU (maybe not?) , and I'll be using kerkythea.

Gaieus · 12 May 2011, 09:23

You can insert a background image in SU as well (styles y watermark settings). Certainly it will never be as "life-like" as with a rendering program that can use spherical backgrounds as well (which is probably the case here) as SU can only have one, planar background and most of the time that is good for only a single view from which the perspectives and such are exactly matched (this is what PhotoMatch is good for in SU).

With many rendering apps the problem is that the background image is (again), not "part" of the model therefore it is hard to position the camera to have a good view (but you can have more views as well) finally one of the most critical problems generally are that objects cannot cast shadow on a background image - at least not in every rendering programs. I know Thea can do this for sure and I think Hyperhot as well (but of course, there may be others that I have never used so anyone please, chime in here).

If you also model some foreground and mid-background elements, it is of course easier with anything to have a realistic background image which "blends somewhere behind the fence and the bushes".

alvis · 12 May 2011, 10:21

this should help http://www.kerkythea.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=82151#82151

Gaieus · 12 May 2011, 11:22

Yes, there are definitely (good) workarounds with renderers that does not support this function built in (yet).

Jean Lemire · 12 May 2011, 23:59

Hi folks.

With all the new plugins that can bend geometry, it becomes easy to bend a flat picture so it becomes more or less cylindrical ans thus can be used as a background to show a relatively good effect from many angles.

Just ideas.

Gaieus · 13 May 2011, 06:54

Indeed. Oli even shared a whole bunch of tree-line backgrounds here:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=27540

Humpmetwice · 15 May 2011, 02:32

Could anyone point me to some helpful tutorials for adding images as the background. I would like to do something like alvis did with the car or whats in the first post but with a image of a kitchen or living room then add the model to it but every time I've tried it seems wrong. Just wish there were some good tutorials that I could find! I've used Oli's backgrounds with some of my building renders but have the same problem with the ground. Nothing seems to be working out with this rendering thing, maybe should leave it to the pros!

Gaieus · 15 May 2011, 07:20

I do not think it would work well with an interior shot as background and furniture (especially kitchen - on and near the walls). You would only have a single viewport where it looks realistic perspectively. Now try to find that point without seeing the background in a renderer (surely there are some with interactive rendering options). Otherwise it is just eyeballing - or you make a PhotoMatch scene in SU - but that's again, only or a single viewport.