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Artwork => Anim8or Challenges => Topic started by: Kubajzz on October 15, 2009, 06:40:35 am

Title: [ COMPLETE ] Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on October 15, 2009, 06:40:35 am
Take a photo

The goal of this challenge is quite simple - take a photo and then recreate the scene in Anim8or. It may not be as difficult as it seems...

Step 1: Take a photo
That's the first thing you have to do. It can be a photo of anything (as long as it doesn't violate any law or the forum rules, of course). It doesn't necessarily have to be a new one, if you have an older photo you like, feel free to use it. It is not forbidden to use a photo taken by somebody else, but you should take your own one if you can. If you use a photo taken by somebody else, don't forget to give credits to the author.

Step 2: Get modeling
Once you take the photo, you have to re-create the scene in Anim8or. Try to get all the shapes, materials and the light setup as accurate as you can so your final render and your photo are almost indistinguishable!

You don't have to set the position of all objects and the angle of camera exactly the same, more important thing is to make all the materials and the lighting look real.

How complex?
Do not choose a complex scene. In fact it's recommended to choose a very simple one (for example a pencil and a spoon lying on a table), because the goal is to make your render look real, no matter how complex it is.

Your entry
Your final entry will consist of 2 images - the photo and the rendered image. Both images must have the resolution of at least 640x480 pixels.
The image has to be rendered in Anim8or. Minor post-production editing of the final image is allowed (for example adding a DOF blur in Photoshop).

Deadline
This competition ends on Sunday, November 1st

Voting
Voting will be based on the level of realism in your final render. As mentioned above, the complexity of the scene is not important!


Alright, that's probably all you need to know. You can ask questions and post your WIP renders and final entries in this topic. Good luck!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Pincho on October 15, 2009, 09:30:09 am
Sounds like a good idea to me.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: 3D Joe Wiltshire on October 15, 2009, 02:23:28 pm
I second that!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Tof on October 16, 2009, 02:12:31 pm
One of the things I'd like to be able to do with Anim8or, I'll try to join this one...
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Raxx on October 16, 2009, 04:11:34 pm
It's pretty easy to find things in the office to model...just gotta choose which one to do!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: 3D Joe Wiltshire on October 17, 2009, 12:33:45 pm
That's an awesome camera you have there Raxx!! Great angles and depth, do you do this professionaly??? :P
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: $imon on October 17, 2009, 02:58:08 pm
I'll be the first one to post a WIP image than...
I wanted to do something with a flash-lighted photo, so I made a photo of a key i had lying around.. Nothing too special, but I don't have much time I'm afraid.
I'm sorry the quality of the photo isn't like Raxx' pictures.. I wish I had a good camera, but since this 8 year old digital one is all i have, this will have to do (it's actually a good camera, spilled chocolate milk over it once, let the whole thing dry, and it still works!)
This poor quality actually gives a bit of a challenge as to recreating the image, with the imperfections it will be a bit harder..

On the attached image there is the Photo - Model - Wireframe

The model is almost done, the key just needs some depth in some places.. then it's on to texturing/materials and lighting.

(don't worry, the actual photo is a bit bigger than this, it will fit the 640x480 requirement!)
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: hihosilver on October 17, 2009, 06:08:05 pm
Great stuff guys!  Raxx, I like the first or third photo, I do like the first most though.
Simon, good looking stuff as always, and we know you're a master at rendering so I'm expecting phenomenal things!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on October 19, 2009, 04:19:01 am
Great photos Raxx! I can't wait to see your final entry!

Good job so far, Simon. It will be difficult to set up the lighting and materials for this one... But I'm sure you are gonna make it!

Here is the start of my entry... The scene is not very original, I call it "locked pen".
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: $imon on October 19, 2009, 07:31:14 am
Really nice start, kubajzz. It will be quite a challenge to get the transparent parts and the rubber look realistic, but I'm sure you can pull it off, good luck!



Here is the final entry for me, I don't have much time so I had to do the entry a bit quickly.
Attached are:
- anim8or render
- final entry after photoshop adjustments
  (color correction, highlights added, minor noise/blur)
- photo reference
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on October 19, 2009, 08:10:27 am
Amazing job Simon!

It looks like we all will have to try really hard to beat you!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Jehovahenker on October 20, 2009, 12:18:02 pm
I think I'm going to give this well a try, hope I can finish most of it this week (vacation)!

Note: I'll probably leave out the grass: or just a texture, or stone ground instead, is that oké?!

Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Pincho on October 20, 2009, 07:05:31 pm
Quote
How complex?
Do not choose a complex scene. In fact it's recommended to choose a very simple one (for example a pencil and a spoon lying on a table), because the goal is to make your render look real, no matter how complex it is.
I think I'm going to give this well a try, hope I can finish most of it this week (vacation)!

Note: I'll probably leave out the grass: or just a texture, or stone ground instead, is that oké?!



I guess you shouldn't choose something that you can't make.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: menamarco on October 20, 2009, 10:22:14 pm
i am going to give this challange one a shot with this photo
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: baxter on October 24, 2009, 07:27:20 pm
this looks fun, i haven't even touched anim8or in a few months, maybe I should get back into it.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Raxx on October 24, 2009, 11:42:28 pm
Kubajzz, great job with the pen so far, looks pretty accurate!

Nice and simple, $imon, looks pretty realistic to me.

Good luck to everyone else that enters, got a little more than a week left eh?

Here's something I've started today. Rendering in ART takes so long that I ended up working on another photo while waiting for the other one to finish. I almost started on another while waiting for the second photo to finish :P. Still have quite a bit left to work on, but it's a start.

Oh, by the way, the pictures I took were with a regular Sony camera, I'm no professional ;)
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: baxter on October 25, 2009, 12:35:14 am
wow Raxx, if it weren't for the soft shadows, I never would've realized those were 3d models. Very nice job.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: $imon on October 25, 2009, 04:20:31 am
Yes very nice Raxx!

The metal materials didn't come out too well though. But it can serve as a plastic I imagine.
Is the material on the button dielectric? That took a long time to render probably.

Overall they are really nice renders, but lack a bit of realism; everything is a bit too clean and neat.

Awesome work though!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: TheBlackHole on October 25, 2009, 03:49:48 pm
Could you use a NASA Voyager photograph?
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: hihosilver on October 25, 2009, 05:10:27 pm
Great images!  They're definitely getting close to realism.  My recommendations for the first image is that it's too clean and sharp.  For example, the edge of the table has a perfectly sharp edge with no imperfections.  I think the sticky notes could use a little toying with as well, as they're pretty exact.
The bottom image looks great as well, I'd just recommend a bit less perfection on the metal base.  It's too clean and could use some scratches/blemishes.

Otherwise great mate, quality stuff!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: baxter on October 25, 2009, 05:36:14 pm
Heres what I'm going to attempt(emphasis on attempt)

Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on October 25, 2009, 06:25:04 pm
Great work Raxx so far!

I agree with hihosilver, adding some scratches and imperfections would make the images look much better. But you said it's just a start so I'm expecting amazing results!


Hey baxter, you picked a difficult one! Good luck with that!

Could you use a NASA Voyager photograph?

Yes. It is recommended to use your own photo, but if you really want to use a photo by NASA, it is not forbidden... Good luck!
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Tof on October 26, 2009, 01:43:23 am
Wow,
There are some great works here...
Here is what I try to make (a photo and my first render)
I hope to have time for a new render (with ART Ray Tracer this time) to adjust UV Map, materials and lights :-\

Moderator edit: Photo removed
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Tof on October 26, 2009, 01:46:51 am
Oups sorry, the photo is very too big... is it possible to remove it?
Here are better one.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: menamarco on October 26, 2009, 02:34:17 am
getting there every one, mine is nearly completed just got to add some finishing touches to it. thaught to stick it here to show my progress
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Raxx on October 26, 2009, 08:52:30 am
Thanks for the crits guys. Yeah it's an early start, probably could have submitted those renders for a speed modeling challenge :P I don't know how realistic I want to go since it takes so long to render and see the final results, so I probably will give up on a bit of realism just to keep it less frustrating.

menamarco, great job, looks pretty accurate! There's some obvious low poly-ness going on and the cube doesn't look as tight-knit, but the angle of the camera and lighting are pretty good along with everything else. Don't forget to soften the shadows just a tiny bit.

Nice light Tof, can you re-upload a smaller photo for comparison?
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: hihosilver on October 26, 2009, 02:32:29 pm
But Raxx, that's the point of the competition!  I know struggling with the renderer is difficult, but you can always let it sit and come back later.  I think the main differences you need are in the textures now, as the lighting looks great.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Pincho on October 26, 2009, 09:18:08 pm
I like all of the pictures that I have seen on here.

Quote
Voting
Voting will be based on the level of realism in your final render. As mentioned above, the complexity of the scene is not important!



I think that scoring should be on realism, and complexity. Like...menamarco has picked a really difficult subject, and it looks pretty good. Raxx has picked simpler pictures, but they look more photographic. I still couldn't pick between them.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: menamarco on October 27, 2009, 02:36:42 am
thanks for the comments, fixed the low poly computer and mouse. also made the rings on the cube thicker and found the right level of softness in the shadows. so this is my entry
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on October 28, 2009, 04:50:27 pm
Nice job menamarco!

Here is a little bit of my progress. I have to finish the textures and improve the lighting and everything... It took about 3 hours to render the image, faster than I expected...

4 days to deadline btw...
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: 3D Joe Wiltshire on October 28, 2009, 06:55:39 pm
I-I-Improve?! What is there to improve? so realistic!
Well done. :)
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Tof on October 31, 2009, 04:47:17 am
Hello,
Sorry for long time to answer...I was very busy (work!).
Here is the photo for comparison and a new render (not exactly what I hope, but the final one, because my computer is too slow to try another). Congratulations to everybody, very nice works! I especially like RaXX's work, the materials are "too perfect" but so nice, and there is a beautifull depht.
Good luck to all and thank you for this Challenge, it was very interesting.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Jdez on October 31, 2009, 08:51:08 am
That looks amazing tof! I love the little name on the side... It really finishes off the scene.
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Raxx on October 31, 2009, 06:54:16 pm
Very good work guys, there's some quality stuff here :)

I won't be posting any new renders. I'd leave my computer to render for 10 hours to get half an image and discover that the materials or lighting don't look realistic after making major changes, and then I'd adjust it and render again hoping it looks better, and over and over. Took too much time and I can't leave my computer running 24/7 here :(
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on November 01, 2009, 02:29:11 pm
Good job Tof!

Raxx, it's a pity you can't make your images even more perfect...


Here is my final entry.

Original photo, my final image and the rendered images are attached below.

I rendered the AO pass (the upper-right image) separately to have better control over the amount of ambient occlusion and to cut down the render time.

The other 2 images are depth channel (bottom-left) and specularity pass (bottom-right). I rendered the specularity pass separately to add highlights to all reflective materials, but it is almost invisible in the final image :-\...
Title: Re: Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on November 02, 2009, 02:48:34 am
Challenge Closed

The voting has started! Thanks everybody for participating in this challenge, now it's time to choose the winner.

Below is a list of all finished entries:

Title: Re: [ Voting Open ] Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Kubajzz on November 07, 2009, 04:27:24 am
Alright, the voting is over!

And the winner is... the one who didn't deserve it ;) ::)

Thanks everybody for the votes, congratulations to Simon, Raxx, menamarco and Tof for their great entries!

And good luck to all in the next challenge!
Title: Re: [ COMPLETE ] Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: Tof on November 07, 2009, 05:02:09 am
Congratulations everybody (especially Kubajzz, the great winner!), for the wonderfull works.
And thank you that you enjoy my work....I can't believe I take the second place in this challenge with some Stars of Anim8or.
Title: Re: [ COMPLETE ] Challenge #10: Take a photo
Post by: $imon on November 07, 2009, 09:13:03 am
Yea congrats everyone, and kubajzz is the deserved winner, great work!