Hi friends! I was doing some hard thinking and now would like to know for what our beloved Bryce is actually capable of? Yes I have seen stunning Bryce art here and done something nice looking images myself too but I mean in a bigger scale. Does someone do domething with Bryce for their full time job? Where is Bryce used in a very professional way? I have heard that Bryce playd some part when doing Lord of the Rings - movie trilogy.. is that true? Where's the demand for Bryce talents? Who is interested? Where can master Brycer use his/her skills in a lucrative way? I've played with Bryce only a year now and when I was wondering these questions in my own mind I found that I don't have any answers... Thanks for replies and take care! Antti

I personally don't know anyone that has reached the level of LOTR, but there are a handful of Brycers here that have made money in the Real World using Bryce.
Agentsmith, Pidgy, Rochr, and I'm sure a few others will chime in if they see this. These are the artists to get pointers from. My personal suggestion would be to learn as much about Bryce as possible, but also in conjunction with that, Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, maybe some basic modeling, etc. Most of all ask tons of questions and never give up.

Good Luck

**Does someone do domething with Bryce for their full time job?
**
Yeah. I have to pretty much say that now, lol. I've taken a handful of months off from my real world job to take a serious stab at doing my Freelance Graphic work fulltime. Part of that will be working for clients like I have in the past, and part will be entering the online Marketplaces here at Renderosity and over at DAZ.

But, as far as the past couple years have gone....I have signed more than a few NDA contracts, so I can't mention a lot in detail, but I have gotten paying work directly from using Bryce on a couple of (independent) musical CD's, graphical freelance work for DAZ, articles for 3D World Magazine (about Bryce), and my main stock of work has been for various Companies/Corporations. For them I may start from scratch helping them to create their logo's and branding graphics for their employees business cards, letterheads, mailers, magazine ads, calendars, etc. (basically, whatever can be printed on)

Beyond using just Bryce; I will also do some light photography, sometimes that is also used in conjuntion with Bryce. (i.e; using a sky or company backdrop as a background in the rendering or afterwards in post compositing.)

I also have to work together with (large) printing houses to make sure what images I have made for a client look like what is actually being printed out, as they use CMYK, and we all use RGB. That conversion part is usually a bit of a pain. It's been a eye-opener, lol. But, if your piece is being printed out oh say 30,000 times....you want to make sure its right before they do a final run.  ;o)

I remeber reading about that Bryce-LOTR rumor, lol. 

Basically because the LOTR Trilogy had so many mountain landscapes going on, "someone" said that Bryce had probably been used to create some quickie mountains with its presets and then exported out low-poly style to be finished off in whatever high-end program they were using.

Who knows for sure.

Bryce could pump those out faster than someone could sculpt out some basic distant mountains.

Trust me....professionals working in top CGI production houses all know the name of Bryce, lol. I have been able to talk to a few now and once the subject of what I "do" comes up, I always see a fond smile as they then mention how they their feet wet in 3D with "good old Bryce".

Good replies... very informative ones. Many thanks! I haven't really dreamed of making any real money with my Bryce art, but you'll never know what years of training will do:) I have to admit that recently the idea of being poker pro than professional artist has been much more interesting and fascinating idea:) Damn was the LOTR part just a rumor... our animation course teacher who introduced Bryce for the first time was pretty convincing when telling that:) I can't recall was it just about those mountains... but he said there are 3 programs that had really blown his mind off and those were Excel, Flash and Bryce:D Good point that basically whatever can be printed out:) I think the key point is that you should have a lot of contacts and if you don't... all the time try making such. For example here in Finland it seems to be quite rare that someone even finds your Bryce works so you just have to be initiative yourself.

Whether or not Bryce (or even Vue) was used for making some terrains for LOTR, we'll probably never know for sure. I do like to think some modeler slipped some in, lol.

Bryce has literally had some influence at some point to millions of people worldwide.

Yeah, as far as contacts go, I have that strong enough for me to keep me (partially) knee deep in graphic work. I'm really aiming for that stay-at-home job, lol. We'll see.

ICM has the best suggestion as to also learn Photoshop. It's just the industry standard, period. Almost nobody even in the 3D world who doesn't use it to some extent. And, now I am also learning traditional 3D modeling with Hexagon. (and organic modleing with ZBrush).

But, money doesn't have to spent for someone to learn that stuff There is freeware like Wings3D, Blender, etc, etc, etc.  ;o)

There is SO much "generic" knowledge to go along with creating 3D/2D work, Bryce is just a part of it. Learn as much as you can, from absolutely wherever you can.

Online tutorials have always been my best resource. Always.

Attached Link: http://www.nationalspacesymposium.org/

I occasionally get commissions in which Bryce has a major role. I recently designed a real kitchen in Bryce. The client was over the moon (understandable when you consider that I live on Mars) but the architect was a tosser who tried to denigrate the whole idea of CGD until I told him where to get off. Hey! I got paid and the kitchen got built to my designs.

I've done magazine covers too - got paid in-kind.

My last project was to take a blue print that odinary peps were having a problem with and used it to create a 3d scene. This involved an Information 'kiosk' to be built of white oak and placed in a church carpark. The drawings were not very detailed so I built it in Bryce and set it against a photograph of the carpark. (Mixed media work, folks!)  Everyone got the idea straightaway and I got put on retainer by the project design team.

But my next project really excites me! I've been commisioned by a guy in the USA to do something in Bryce. It will probably take a year and the rewards are uncertain, but I'm optomistic.

I think Bryce can make you money. I've made a few bucks from entering Galleries and other stuff with my Bryce work so I'm sticking with it. Beside, I wouldn't be a Cardinal otherwise!

Orbital: Buzz Aldrin was on the AL MURREY show on Saturday. He was brilliant! (And so was Al.)

Yeh we saw that, most excellent!

to Orbital: well you're definetely the right choice to that "space" thing:) You're one of the very bests!!! Quite an adventure ahead of you especially when thinking from where it all have begun: from a computer program:) By the way how they chose you? I know you have quite a reputation but was there some sort of contest or through some magazine or how? I'm just curious:) And please tell us then how was it:)

I think they just surfed the web looking for the image they wanted. Didn't know it at the time but it fits in for the theme this year, which will be all to do with the new missions to the moon and subsequent moon base. Funnily enough alot of offers I get are from posting on 3dlinks for some reason.

My wife pays me for doing work in bryce..she says its the best way of keeping me out of trouble :biggrin:

LuckyDawg.

It was funny how my wife used to get annoyed at the amount of time I spent using Bryce and not doing mundane chores. All that changed however when I got my first commission and took her to Venice, now I get no complaints lol.

AS taking notes....

Well, i have used bryce from time to time during my full-time job, but havent used bryce for the entire time i work there. I use it for quick 3d logo renders and stuff like that, the terrain editor works great for quick extrusion jobs etc. nothing real professional or such... but occationally it's of some use

speaking as one who has made a considerable amount of cash with Bryce (and other 3d apps)...I'd say that animation has the best monetary reward.  Ive done stills for dvds, cds, mags, and others...but nothing pays like tv commercials or web animations.

I do recommend learning Photoshop..but even moreso..an app like AfterEffects, which is kinda the equivalent of Photoshop for movies...it can also do stills and many use it instead of Photoshop.

and tho bryster will get the pitchfork out for this (heresy he'll say)...learn more than one 3d app.  Bryce is great to get the basics and to get some powerful imagery...but a combination of it and other apps (modeling apps primarily...like Amapi or similar) in combination are the way to go.  When you are talking "cash"..time = money.  If you can make it in Bryce in 1 day or Amapi in 30 minute--its an easy choice.

computers are now definately catching up with Bryce.  Quad core machines will allow brycers to do things now that in the past just wasnt practical.

luck in making cash with 3d...its out there.

BT

and tho bryster will get the pitchfork out for this (heresy he'll say)...learn more than one 3d app. 

No way! Go learn another app - just as long as it's Poser, SILO, DAZ/Studio, PS or PSP !!!! :lol:

Quote - and tho bryster will get the pitchfork out for this (heresy he'll say)...learn more than one 3d app. 

No way! Go learn another app - just as long as it's Poser, SILO, DAZ/Studio, PS or PSP !!!! :lol:

Or Carrara..

Time i hid from Bryster.

I've defenitely made much more with 3dsmax then with bryce... hehe. It can be done as some say, its just that the rendertimes simply aren't practical in most cases! (even with a quad-core)

Quote - My wife pays me for doing work in bryce..she says its the best way of keeping me out of trouble :biggrin:

ROTFL, My wife keeps threatening to buy sexy underwear for the PC, as it's my 'mistress'

Attached Link: http://www.debugmode.com/wax/

If you can't afford after effects, play with wax to get a basic idea of what BT is talking about...... 

It like 3d animation, many of the compositing basic ideas transfer from package to package (ducks before Bryster screams Heresy! )

Could any of you guys post images here or links showing any samples of your commercially successful works? Some may not be as 'exciting' or as 'exotic' as the usual fare for this site but it would definately be educational and inspiring to us novices.

My 1st commision. I used Bryce 3 and Poser.

Wow!

A stereotypical/good example that I could show everything on is an job I did for my brother, a real estate agent.

He wanted to create company branding revolving around the image/logo of a Lamppost. As we worked on the various aspects of it, the name of his company became "Daybreak", which I could easily include that as a visual part of the logo. (Light rays behind a lamppost)

From a quikie sketch of a lamppost, came the basic blocking out of the form in Bryce. Because of those Bryce renders, it was decided that the Lamppost would not only be part of the graphics and logo of the company, but would be manufactured into a real, physical Lamppost that would be used as a "For Sale/Sold" sign in clients yards.

Because of this we kept the Lamppost less complex than the original sketch I hade made.

So, literally from some head-on renders I did of the Lamppost mesh, an all steel (150lb) prototype was created. Once that was assembled and tested (its light actually activates at night via a photosensor), a run of about a dozen metal Lampposts were created and they are now up and around in the yards of my brothers clients.  ;o)

Also, there is the large amount of Bryce renderings I created of the Lamppost and they are used everyday in a large multitude of various printed materials.

Orbital when you are in Colorado Springs you have to rent a car and drive up on Cheyenne mountain after dark and check out the lights of the front range.  Cheyenne drive into Cheyenne canyon is a good drive in the daytime too.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1266934

Superior organic modeling in Wings!

I got my first commission yesterday and it totally surprised me! Some Finnish group have been doing a serious mod to Pc roleplaying game Neverwinter Nights and they asked me to join their artist team:) There's no money involved but I'm nevertheless very excited about this... so interesting fantasy subject. Very interesting and versatile works you have done. Those really shows that only your own imagination is the limit:)

Is Norad still under that mountain, thought I could reinact wargames. I'm not sure if I'll have that much free time, as the schedule is pretty full. I might see if we can stay a couple more days to have a look round, be ashame as the scenery looks so beautiful.

**Yes, NORAD is still under Cheyenne Mountain.  I used to live in a neighborhood that was built on top of all the rubble that came out of the mountain when they were hollowing it out.  I always wanted go see if they had tours so I could turn to my fellow tourists and say "Da Comrad."

Anyways Colorado is probably the most beautiful state that I have been in and I have been all over the west and midwest.  I have not seen the eastern seabord much.  Colorado is a rockhound's paradise.  I used to get gem petrified dinosaur bone, agate, smoky quartz and topaz crystals.

Dann-O that is a fantastic Napolean model!  Holy Waterloo batman!!

Requilme 8 you only have 15 posts and already you are on the trail to Bryce bling.  Imagine how rich you will be when you hit 5,000 posts.**

Thaks that was really the only paying work I had since the 90's. OK I have an airplane for sale at DAZ too. That is about it.  The plane scored me a free copy of hexagon which I never use and about 50 bucks.

**Dann-O what airplane are you selling at DAZ?  Hexagon is great.  I just don't get to use it enough to be familiar with it.  Check out Nates video tuts at Poser Pros Hexagon forum.
**

It is a trimotor for Bryce. I made it quite soem time ago. My vid card does not like Hex. Plus I really am used to wings. I might make more stuff for sale once I get back to the states it is a challenge getting paid here.

For Orbital. 

Original, full-sized jpg of this shot. (2,592 x 1,944 at 2.4Mb)

That's about the best shot I had got of your render that year, thought you might fancy the full thing.

Thanks AS, appreciate this!

No sweat. ;o)

AS: Your brother is olddddddddddddd............Your lampost is great......your obital photo is excellent , but the girl sitting at the desk looks like a demon bitch from hell.......

Orbital: Nice work on the space scene!

I wanna know who the hot alien babe from DAZ is?

**the girl sitting at the desk looks like a demon bitch from hell...
**-Thanks to the red eye my camera gave her, lol.

**I wanna know who the hot alien babe from DAZ is?
**-Yup, she's a cutie, both the DAZ booth girls were. Not sure if they work for them anymore or not. I didn't see them at Siggraph 2005. The blondes name is Melissa and the brunette's name is Alysa. At least, that's what their name tags said.  ;o)

*The blondes name is Melissa and the brunette's name is Alysa.

*But the real BABE is the one in the middle...:lol:

LOL since when do martians like virtual women? Dont they appreciate actual 'touchable' babes more? :tongue1:

Dont they appreciate actual 'touchable' babes more?

I have a machine that does that for me........:lol: (And it's not wot you're thinking)

And while we're on the subject.....I'm alone on this wonderful planet.  Just me and a pile of scrap you lot call 'rovers'.  OK, so Napolean comes over once in a while, and Jimmy Hoffer likes to visit when I've got the still running, then of course there's Sinatra - he's a pia but he can still hold a tune.........Hey! And only last week Marilyn showed up with Janis Joplin - boy you should see them! Now they really know how to give a guy a good time..................... 

Bryce was used to create the scenes for the waterfall scenes of Naboo - but because Bryce could not export models - the whole thing had to be redone in another ap for use in the film - I think that was 3dsMax... not sure though.

They said "Bryce was used for previsualisation" for those scenes.

I'd love to see those scenes...  The Bryce versions I mean.

Thanx for the visual examples guys! These are all great. And as I suspected, inspiring. I like them all from the simple to the complex. I wish on the lamppost productions they had made them rusty looking - I think that would've had more character. Great work all around!