Ok here she is....an attempt at professional matte workflow...basically I wanted to create something that matte professional would get from the CG department as a plate or CG plate...

For all example purposes ....from a movie like Pirates of the Carabean.....(to be used as the start of a matte painting)

"Jungle Scenario test":

1. 4,000 pixels by 1500 pixels 16 bit
2. Lighting model: Bisbee (from spectral sun out of the box)
3. Global Illunimation
4. Utlra render (no tweaks)
5. FOG, Haze, dust set to qaulity boost 12 (to prevent grain)

33,724,445,865 polys
800,000 instances
5 different plant types from Ecosystem editor

Render time:40 hours (quad core machine windows xp pro)

Summary:
Im pleased with the over all result....a conrolable landscape with varied tropical vegetation. Variation is good. Haze is good.

Dislikes:

1. There still is a detectable grain in darker areas (I would boost my fog quality up a little) or go to radiosity)

2. There are some anomolies in darker areas (this is not the first time Ive seen this phenomon) Usually you have to kick it up to radiosity....

3. Dealing with professional size mattes means professional size render times. In 40 hours I could easily have painted what I have now.....

For large sizes a render farm is a MUST wether your in a studio or you rent one....

VERY UNHAPPY WITH RENDER TIMES

Lets face it the cool professional render settings are at GI and Radiaosity...

4. Didnt like the sky.....over all you can get a base sky in there....but you can spend days tweaking skys to be less CG....or you can render what you got and just fix the sky and tradionally paint it....(or use photos)

Comments etc....