hmm I've never worked on realistic lava, I'll give a try and let you know how to improve your art! cheers Catlin! pidjy

I really want to show the movement of the rocks flying away from the erupting volcano but I'm not sure how to get this effect. Also firey particles would be nice I think, but here again I dunno how best to get this effect in Bryce or should I just add these in post?

Might I suggest two things regarding the lava textures- one, lower the scale on the up close terrains and two, add a noisy texture to it (try a sand or rugged rock) to get some granularity. It is too smooth at the moment. I would also tweak your fog, it is too sharp a transition line. I think the motion blur is best done with appropriate masks in post work. Not everything should be blurred, hence the masking) Lots of promise. Give it another go!

This seems to me to be one of those textures that looks fine from a distance so maybe just use it on the mountain in the distance ( hence making a focal point) and try a different tex in the foreground

IMHO, only use a little of the lava texture and make the rest some other kind of dark rock. Also, more flying rocks in general (ie, small ones flying to the rear of the volcano. To get more ideas for realism, cruise the web for pictures of erupting volcanoes - there are a lot of different kinds with different looking eruptions. Lin

Catlin, I have a tutorial on creating tornado in Bryce. By Alex Aurichio, if it's any help. It's just one jpg of 152 kb. He used "626 2D faces, several tree meshes and a truck, all randomly dispersed and rotated using the edit controls" to create the debris that whirls in the tornado. Maybe you could try with 2d pics of rocks and/or stones, dispersed and scattered trough the controls. Or you might try with Scatter. bantam3d.com. As to the suggestions, I agree with lsstrout. Drop the lava texture on the protrusions and leave it just on the pools below.

Something also to try may be to add some columns of steam rising up out of fissures or particularly hot spots of the area. This will also give a lot more depth and atmosphere to the scene (but will maim the render time probably).

catlin, try using a volumetric spotlight for your explosion.(texture it with something like "clay's fire"). rescale the lava texture - rethink the POV it's close but could be better. make the rocks teardrop shaped - with barely visable smoke trails leading to the source - perhaps a part of a torus for this? motion = blur. looks nice, -TJ

You've got an interesting concept started. If you're trying to model an explosive eruption, like Vesuvius or Mt. Ste. Helens, there's a lot more ash, clouds and grey. IF you're looking at Hawaiian Island style eruptions, the lava fountains out at the vent source, and then acts like a river. The volcano is very low and not very jagged (at least for some types of lava) I think the frequency and noise of some textures do need to be increased, and light should come more from the lava than shining on the lava. You'd never be able to see the moon in the picture because of the intense light and your view being so close to the lava. These are just suggestions to consider to make it more realistic. I hope they inspire something to help you out. I look forward to the outcome of this work.

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Might want to add some dim red lights on the lava. Don't see any light coming off of the patch in the foreground.

Thanks all for your input, I get the feeling I'll have to start another image to incorporate all your great suggestions. I'm away to have a think about everything you've said and will return shortly with my new masterpiece, (he,he), or at least a better version of the above. Thanks again. Catlin

Catlin, A masterpiece is a once in a lifetime work - usually done later in the artist's career. Hopefully, we will see much more of your renderings and share your excitement in creating for a long while yet. "It is the journey, not the destination" - I forget who said that; perhaps I should look it up. - TJ

BTW there was a thread started by big_hoovie a couple of weeks back on a similar subject . . . you might check through the archives for it.

bikermouse, I joke. There are many renderings to come before I even get close. For me it's the fun of creating and learning thats important and I hope to see many years of both. Catlin

Aye to that! Cheers, -TJ