Some help with this please... 1. how do you make a Bryce tree trunk 'invisible' without loosing the branches too?

1. How do you get the shadows to be gradient under an object, i.e., the urn is deeply ribbed but the shadow color is constant even in the deep portion of the ribbing?

3.On models, like the balustrade, do I need to ungroup everything to get a consistant texture on different shapes (the spindles, caps and rail)I tried all the different mapping options and there was always one thing that looked weird, so far this is mapped 'random' and the spindles look kinda strange...

4.I've been modeling garden urns, all types and sizes, and different kinds of balustrades, would anyone be interested if I put them up in freestuff? In the marketplace?

1. Any suggestions on improving the wip in general are also appreciated, I still have to add some stuff to it, (I finally managed to get the mist right)...

Zhann

BTW, texture is abrecciated marble...the flowers two Bryce trees:)

1. Had this same problem, but I solved it with scaling the trunk until the undesired branch disappeared from "through" my vase. I'm sure you've already tried this. 2. Urk. No help here. In fact, I'll be interested as you are in an answer about gradient shadows. 3. Are you sure you aren't satisfied with the result? The mat seems way good to me. Random mapping is very good to obtain "marble veins". But, if you don't like it (I like it!), in my experience yes, you have to texture the single objects to have an uniform texture. (But maybe someone will correct me on this, so I'll learn another thing :)) 4. I'm in no position to answer correctly, because I don't have money right now, so for me the marketplace is somewhat forbidden access, LOL. But I'd love to have them in the freestuff. 5. No help again here, 'cuz I like the pic a lot. Stefano

Zhann, You might think of this in terms of a variation on the question FWT asked here last month or at least think of a solution along these lines. The wip looks good to me - I'm never satisfied with low wispy clouds in bryce but yours are very good. - TJ

1) See above *for transparent everything*. And then create a lattice or two where you have branches sticking out. Hmm. this gives me an idea. I'll have to check something else. Be back about that. 2) Soft shadows? Plus increasing the size of everything. (Group with camera, increase the size to 500% or so.) You'll get more haze that way, too. 3) a. try World Space mapping; b. save as .obj and map it in UV Mapper; c. unify normals if you have that option in your modelling program; d. boolean everything together and then unify normals. 4) Don't ask *me*. :-) But you can always try for the market place. this balustrade looks pretty good. 5) I'd put more details on the cliff. If that's a forest (it appears it is, but I'm not certain), put a roof or two sticking above the trees. Or a ruined tower or two.

I'm back. :-) This is done so that everybody can follow it. click on Edit for the tree, go to material for Branch/ Trunk. Add a transparency map in an empty channel. I used one of Rochr's light transparencies, but you should experiment with various gradients. (Or even with half-white-half-black image, come to think of it.) Click on Blend Transparency. Ok. Ok. Render. Now you've got a trunk that's either completely transparent or has a transparency gradient. Oh, yeah. Parametric mapping doesn't look good. Object Side, as you see, looks better.

Cool. Never thought of it. Thanx.

as to the rib lighting issue, have you tried a small (big enough to cover the urn and plants though) parallel circular spot of low intensity/soft edges and no shadows set. aim this horizontally at the urn and it should illuminate one edge of the ribbing ever so slightly without interfereing with the sunlight shadows.

For the gradient shadows you'll have to fake GI with a light-dome. The reallife gradient is produced by different amounts of bouncing light getting to different area's of the object. You could also make a grey GI-render to act as an ambient occlusion map and layer it in a 2D-app for more tweakable GI-effects.

Bikermouse, thanks for the link, I'll go take a look... Erlik, hmmm, hadn't thought of that, above I just give the trunk a volumetric cloud and decreased eveything to '0', I'll try your way, on mapping World space looked ok on some parts of the balustrade and wonky on others, and I'll try the size increase on everything for more shadow definition... Incardine, I tried a light in front but didn't think about enclosing the urn in it, duh...thanks Rayraz, hadn't even considered fakeing GI, well yes I did but I don't really 'get it' fully, but I'll experiment...:) Thanks all, think of anything more let me know...:] Zhann

BTW if all else fails to do it in Bryce there's always postwork...:p

If World Space fails, there's definitely something wonky with the model itself. Or with the texture. Try a different texture. Or you can send the model to me and I'll try to check what's wrong. Postwork is so tedious. :-)

Zhann, it looks like you got the rest covered. But for your shadow problem, the solution is pretty straightforward. It's the Ambience levels that are washing the shadows into oblivion. Try putting all of your "stone" textures into their own families, then lower the ambience, or equalize it throughout the scene. As a general rule, try using the exact same Ambience value on EVERY material in the scene. Except glasses, or glowing objects like fire. This alone probably won't fix your problem, the other end of it is tweaking the global shadow color/strength, and then your shadows will be fine! I mean the shadow strength/color that's represented by the second tile from the left in the Sky menu... Between those two, you should be able to pull off your deepening shadows.

Alright, shadowdraginlord, I'll give it a shot...

The problem is, not every material has the same Ambience value. White marble is more visible in the dark than black velvet.

I'll just try tweaking the stone...

Right, I agree Erlik. It's because of shadows (or light, depending on your perspective!) that white is more visible than black. Without light, everything turns to black...

White is the presence of all light, black is the absence of light....

I am Everything. I am Nothing.

Grey stands between the darkness and the light.

But does grey take the best of both? :)

remains to be seen

A B5 fan! Me too!

The truth is a three edged sword!