You're welcome !

@leedeetee said:

Would love to know your technique for adding the blacksmith and the lighting.

A lot of photoshop playing with curves, and masks for each one of them.

The original picture :
http://i.imgur.com/ExY3I.jpg

My layer panel :
http://i.imgur.com/6I436.jpg

The complete process :
http://i.imgur.com/dSHno.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lOyXb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/K9C1t.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/pEZhK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LXJI9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/jx6q7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KI3MZ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eOYrf.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/y9Q2K.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZQQeQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZXzrN.jpg

The sparks were added on a separate layer to get proper blending/transparency :
http://i.imgur.com/gzoTl.jpg ("Screen" blending mode)
http://i.imgur.com/thRKI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/FVND2.jpg

Hope this helps

@stefanq said:

Where do you put your specular maps?

In the "Penpendicular" map slot of my TexFresnel reflection, and in the Highlight glossiness and Reflection glossiness.
I think this is the best configuration. It loads the bitmap three times, which can be heavy with big textures, but this is the most realistic I came up with.

Thanks guys for your comments !

As requested, here is some more from the SU viewport.
Keep in mind that only what was visible in the shot was modeled. I had no time for more, as there was a deadline (It was a 3D competition)

@srx said:

Maybe some tips, or even tutorial somewhere on the net? What is the secret of the integrity of your shots. They look like the whole. I guess work, work and more work...Masterful Photoshop?

Well, I don't know what tips to give you. There is nothing really difficult here, only time. I spent almost three months on these.
I think the key is in three main points :

• Detail your model as much as possible to give it credibility
• Great materials. I rarely use a texture as provided. I think that for every project you have to modify your textures, maybe even create your own, to achieve what you really have in mind. And spend time to configure your materials. Everything in real life has some relief (Bump, displacement...) and reflectivity.
• Smooth lighting. The good old Sun&sky is okay for testing, but for a great lighting you need a bit more than that.
  And yeah, a lot of photoshop. Here are the raw renders for comparison

@pbacot said:

{PS the high res is gorgeous. I like that you suggest the farms and settlements on the Pellenor Fields. Something LOTR movie seems to gloss over. The city wasn't in a wasteland.]

You're right. In fact, I showcased the city way before LOTR time, during peace, when it was still called Minas Anor.

Ask me anything if you want more.

Even though I had to render it in 3dsmax because I needed a shitload of vegetation, and VfSU doesn't support fog, everything in these scenes was modeled and textured in Sketchup.

(Click here for hi-res)

(Click here for hi-res)

@solo said:

Looks like arroway materials.

Probably because they're from Arroway

Hi guys.

Here are somme quick light and meterial tests I did with Vray a while ago.

Viewport screenshot

Viewport screenshot

Your stone bump/displacement map seems inverted !