Hi Everybody Had this crazy idea of an underwater scene featuring a 'pot of gold' at the end of the rainbow and that 'pot' being Davey Jones's Locker, full of gold of course. Well this crazy idea is driving ME crazy, so, for therapeutic relief, I would like to hear some comments from the forum as to how I am progressing. For instance I am having all sorts of problems getting the caustics just as I want them without degrading the colours in the rainbow which, in turn, is dependant on the sun for it's ambience. Is over 100 fish too many? I would like to improve the atmosphere of the picture, after all, the viewer should be in awe and wonderment at such a sight. Just a basic AA render (4 hours) at the moment with no post work done yet. If you have the time any comments or suggestions would be very useful to me. Thank you, Dennis.

Maybe smooth out the fishes. It looks good, a little bit more haze/blurry, maybe.

The lighting on the fishes is a little strong, but te rainbow is excellent.

The fish are just right in number, not too crowded but not at all sparse. Maybe volumetric lightrays to pierce the surface? Rainbow's very good. For murkiness, you can try to use a Distance Render Mask and use it as a transparent layer in postwork. I've just discovered this trick and for me worked just fine. S.

That rainbow is excellent. I am no good with caustics and would be of no help to you on that detail. I agree with what has been said above... - make the water a little more murky - the light source is quite strong especially on the fish and the rocks. - the population of fish is not too many. It looks good with that many fish. You wouldn't want to add too many more if any. You have an excellent pic going here. I am anxious to see how this turns out. ~ Swade ~

My GI-addiction (read long-render addiction) makes me want to see what it looks like when you make a grescale GI-render and composite it with a softer lighted version of this image. You could make lightrays in postwork, it's much faster then bryceian volumes.

And, technically, Davy Jones' locker is not a chest. Davy Jones's locker Pronunciation: "dA-vE-"jOnz(-&z)- Function: noun Date: circa 1777 : the bottom of the ocean

How is the caustic generated. I use a parallel light with a pict gel.

Thank you very much for your comments, I've taken them all on board especially about the lighting which is well founded. @ jasonmit. Yes, I know Mr.Jones's Locker is not a chest, I also know there is no gold at the end of the rainbow and that rainbows are pretty rare underwater. Still, if it gets finished and into the gallery I'll make certain it goes in the fantasy section. Davy Jones' Locker:- The bottom of the sea; the resting place of drowned seamen. Davy Jones is the evil spirit of the sea. There are various possible sources of the phrase. Jones may be a corruption of name of the biblical seaman Jonah. Alternatively, DJ may have been a real character - a 16th century publican who owned a locker much feared by sailors. Lastly, DJ may have taken his surname from Jonah but first name from Saint David, the patron saint of Wales and guardian of Welsh sailors. @ Groingrinder. So do I (but I haven't got the execution down to a fine art just yet, will keep persevering though). @ Doublecrash. Will try the light rays you suggest. Not quite sure what a Distance Rander Mask is but will look it up in the Help files and inwardly digest. Thanks. @ Swade, Rayraz, Slakker. Thank you for you comments. Dennis

As an ex-seaman I always equated DJ's Locker to HELL for bad guy sailors...whereas if you were a good-guy you went to live with Neptune in his palace under the waves.... Moving on....Sailors were gold earrings...for several posible reasons....if you drowned, Neptune would take you to his palace, dragging you along by the gold earring. In fact, if you died in a foriegn land, you would be given a decent burial paid for by the gold in your ear...and yes, for years I wore a solid gold earring...