I would like to model my own trees, plants and flowers to import into my Vue and Worldbuilder scenes. Does anyone know if there are any tutorials on how to model things like trees? Obviously you can't model every single leaf and branch on a tree, so there has to be some other way to do this. I know there are free models available, but I'd like to create some of my own.

Hi Fuzzoom, There are many ways to model plants. If you'd like to make plants similar to the kinds already in Vue, the best thing to do is import one into Carrara fro Vue and look at how it was created. Vue uses muliple, basic flat vertex shapes that have been texture mapped to look like there are multiple leaves when it's actually just a simple shape. An alpha/transparency map hides the vertex shape. In Carrara you create the same type of vegitation as Vue using the same methods. Also, you can use Carrara as a "starter" for original trees where all the leaves are modelled. The plant generator allows you to import custom leaves while using the trunk and branches created automatically in Carrara. There are some excellent trees created by Naniwa in the Carrara Free Stuff section here that will give you a wonderful head start on the process. So there are really two ways to create your own plants: the Vue method and the Carrara method - they both take time but the Carrara method, using the existing plant modeller, will actually be the fastest once you get the hang of it. Of course, you can always get XFrog and create your own but that's another subject. Now, to answer your question, I'm not aware of any plant building tutorials although I think one is being created by another user I know that does a brilliant job with plants. Mark

Mark, thanks for all the information. I will try to make some trees with Carrara. For small plants and flowers, I think I could just model them in Carrara, like any other object. With Vue, I thought you couldn't export Vue plants because they are in the .vob format. Not sure about this though. I think eventually I will get XFrog, but for now I will be making my own plants. Fuzzoom

Vue 5 Infinite allows allows for export - regular Vue does not so you may not be able to do the export thing. :-P

WB makes plants also. There is also plantstudio which is free. http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com/PlantStudio/index.htm.

Thanks ren_mem, I forgot about that one!

I downloaded PlantStudio. It's a neat little program. You can only make flowers and small plants, and they aren't as realistic looking as Xfrog or Vue plants, but still, it's a fun program. I just recently got WB 3.6, I didn't know it had a plant editor.

I picked up the free copy of WB 3.6 that was included with 3D World Mag. This is a great deal, as WB (certainly WB 4) is pretty much on par, or better than Vue Infinite.

You can do pretty good trees in Carrara, but the stock ones really don't demonstrate Carraras ability. I've created (modified) some C5Pro pines that look better close-up than Vue trees. One thing that is excellent is adding the translucency channel to C5 trees -- makes for some fantastic lighting effects, especially with dusk or dawn scenes.

Don't forget to checkout Onyx Computing for plant creation. They have plant/tree creation software that is pretty much on par with XFrog, but (I understand) is much easier to use. You can also create wind simulation with their plants.

http://www.onyxtree.com/

LCBoliou, I got WB 3.6 from 3D World too! Great program. I did check out the Onyx software...a bit too expensive. I think eventually I will get Xfrog Lite. I will try to learn more about Carrara's tree editor. I wasn't impressed with the stock Carrara trees, but I didn't know you could improve them so much. I think the worst tree editor is Bryce 5's Tree Lab...totally unrealistic-looking trees, and even though there were about 60 different species, they all looked pretty much the same!

I did too! :D (Couldn't resist saying that) The forum here is really dead tho. Some life on their forum. The poser plugin also looked interesting. The removed plant library would be nice to have tho. The daz models were also nice to get.I admit this is an area which has been a bit frustrating...so need to spend some time w/ it.I looked at xfrog, but I swear that program is too expensive for such a narrow area.

Message edited on: 02/11/2006 22:53

Here is a sample of the plants I have created in Carrara. The leaves are created by taking a simple leaf photo into the vertex modeler, outlining it with a polygon shape, and using the same photo in the uv mapper. No alpha channels and all are put in the plant editor so there can be random variations on the arrrangement of the branches/leaves. Once you get the system down, you can churn out quite a few in a relatively short time. Patrick

Patrick, I don't love the carrara uv mapper...not that I am a wiz at uv mapping. However, you seem to have a handle on it. Got any tutorials? I am sure many would love to get some help here. Have to say...seems like roots get really over looked every where on trees tho.

Message edited on: 02/11/2006 22:56

I know about andrews tuts on uvmapping...they are very helpful, but this particular process I think many would love to see.

I think I can work one up, give me a little time.

Now I'm starting to get interested in making plants.

Yeah, I also see I had the price on onyxtree wrong. That 195 was for one library. It's $495.

Thanks Patrick. Hey, we got plenty of time...right we deal w/ 3D ? :) Hi, Shonner. (Hey OT, btw. I played w/ SSS on seperate shaders and domains and was able to get different results on the same model.)

Thanks. you meant "with" going to directional forces list, right? I wondered about that...when I saw it. Can you animate that to approximate wind at all...maybe combined w/ something else? Gotta get something close to that billowy look.

No, without is correct. Just pretty simple stuff done in the Plant workings.