Quick test Renders

Just some quick renders I thought I'd share with, just showing my progress, I'm planning to change the wooden beams to a darker wood, and the table should be finished by tomorrow morning, along with the chairs and then onto the fireplace. The fire place is going to be the hardest thing, might have to rethink that one, make it more oven like rather then so natural.

The nCloth Dynamic

Just a quick update on another Dynamic I now understand. Also understand how useful expressions are, been tweaking that too. Did look into other things but think they were getting to advance for me, so scaled it back and stuck with what I knew and created this:

I may have went overboard with the holes, but with the theme I'm going with it would be torn to shreds, I've also included the Black Spot, just to hail the great book and film Treasure Island. This is also the 1st time using materials, did a quick crash course just to get the basics down.

The Breakfast Scene

I tell you what I have huge respect for those involved with lighting. It is the key element to any 3d subject.

So the Evaluation:

For a 1st time go at making a full scene, I haven't done too badly. The models are how I envisioned them on paper, the materials worked well especially the loaf of bread, that is my favourite element. I am though so happy not to have used V ray or any types of plugins, all the materials have been made completely from scratch. I felt it very important to fully appreciate the capabilities of the 3d software including my own skill. There is no point in cheating using the Arch and Design elements if you don't undertsand them, maybe my scene would have looked more realistic, but I wouldn't have learnt the key basics to make me better. For my next project I will be ready to use the plugin materials. Although maybe not for my Jar, as I'm not sure if it will make the glass any better than what i have created, really really happy I figured out that, especially in the last shot with the shadow it casts.
Now to my arch nemesis, LIGHTING. This is probably the area that has most let me down,  no it was the shadows that were the element that was the hardest for me. Creating a sense of weight is key to any scene and if you havent got the right shadows it looks like its all floating. I have spent hours upon hours tweaking and deleting entire light setups over and over again trying to see what works best. It got to a point where I almost handed in the entire project with no lighting!! But persistance is key, it may not be spot on but I can honestly say this was the best attempt I could make to perfect. I also was admiring other peoples work on the course and I realised many were just using one main light source like a candle or lamp, I feel that i pushed myself further than that, and hopefully this has worked in my favour. Perhaps not now, but in the future. I know now from this project where my weakness is, and where I really need to read up on, perfecting it can only come from practice, I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate the work of the lighting crew in companies like Pixar and Dreamworks, their skill is what brings the film to life.
I am happy that i re made the background to, especially as it again helps give it weight, also the kitchen reflection in the border really helps set the scene. I would have liked to add a few crumbs but when I did, it looked out of place and all wrong, it does look quite clear and clean cut but its like an narrative advert for family breakfast in a sunny kitchen.
Once I've cracked and fully undertsand the use of lighting I think my scenes and designs will truly look realistic and believable. Thats what i wanted from this sequence of shots, a believable narrative, a reflection of my home life, especially when at my mums, the food rapidly dispappeares, its 1st come 1st served or be left with the end crusts.

So it has started....

I have now huge respect for those who are involved with lighting in the industry, hardest thing to accomplish, I think it is going to be my biggest accomplishment once achieved. Still have a while to go yet.

It had to be done

Ok after a lot of tossing and turning last night, I couldnt sleep properly at all and the reason is because of this still life project. I knew I hadnt worked my best, i did at the beginning but slowly I've just gotten more lazy. So today I kicked myself into gear and re done the scene and surroundings, no longer is it just a rubbish picture I took on my phone, it has been completely re modelled:

I've used my own kitchen as a reference, like the surface and side boards. I didnt want to go over the top with the plates and knives as they're just a background feature although while I was modelling I did a quick render and got this cool shot:

I really like the reflection from the steel border, especially as you can see how much detail i've put into the loaf of bread. Anyway I'm gradually becoming more proud of my work again like I was at the beginning, just think I hit a rut at one point, hopefully will pull it back before the deadline.
I still have to sort out the lid and the fact it looks a little lifeless.

Background Inserted

So I've almost sorted the environment, just need to play around with the lighting so it all fits, the background is actually the one at home, changed my mind about the one in France as I didnt have all the shots needed to complete it and I want it more homely than that, what better place but my own home here in Nottingham. Anyway Knife blade needs adjusting along with the glass Jar, I want to avoid Mental ray for the time being until I understand it fully. I think I will wait till tuesday and speak to Roma on how to achieve the best effect. I'm getting there though bit by bit.
I have also begun my big animation project due in April (sounds along way away but is NOT) anyway I have a decent idea for the Silent comedy but I just need to start sketching it out and putting it into practice before it can fully develope.
Anyway this is the background added:

This is just the model setup.

Still Life update

So this the latest, I think today I will also begin on the background aswell as the jar and the two slices of bread, they need some more seeds ontop I think (also a little too light).

OOOHHH and I'm gonna start the jam, i'm just not sure where to begin with it, but the jar needs sorting 1st. Also ignore the lighting it will all change for the final images.

Practicing materials

Thought I'd have a little play around with materials, get some practice in. Its not quite realistic yet, its too clean and precise. I'm going to make the bread more uneven, and the slices different sizes, the jar needs to look sticky and less plastic. I've not really begun on the spoon, knife and chopping board just yet.

I like the lid, its just like the ones my family uses. My next model will be the jam in the jar, thought it would be better to create them seperate giving me more control again when in comes to material sode of things. I kind of like the bread, its just to "clean" bread isn't perfect shaped and thats what i've modelled.
Right I'm done for the evening been working on this all day practically, just messing around. Its nearly 12 here so off to bed, travelling nice and early in the morning. Hopefully I'll remember to take clearer pictures of the kitchen tomorrow.

The Arena

 So here is a quick little arena I made in 3ds max, not sure how to replicate this in After effects. It won't be as glossy or reflective, it will have move of a cartoonish feel. Although I might have the 3d balls from this scene, and add points on them, so the audience knows that each equals points, though not sure how in going to show that these weighted. We'll see!

Above From the start line, below a close up of the 50 point ball.

Update on Materials

So here is a quick render of my scene, I've applied a deep blue raytrace onto the black squares, and now have a wooden table rather than it all be black, which I'm still 50/50 on. It lifts the image a lot, but I'm not sure if it distracts away from it or not, or even takes away the futuristic feel. I might tweek the white pieces, and white checkers too.

Here is the same shot as the one above but the computer has buttons and speakers, also there is shadowing from the hands, making the lighting more realisttic from above. I changed the above omni light to a target light playing with the effects.

progress report: