Hi all, after your suggestions and some re-thinking, and thanx to the prorogation given by AgentS, this is my re-worked challenge entry.

I've changed the DOF center to bring out the ants in the foreground and this time rendered it at 64rpp instead of 36 to get rid of some graininess.

Requirements are the same as before:
Metaballs: Major part of the ants, spilled coke liquid.
Photo textures: Floor, coke, camelpack, pizza
Terrain/lattice object: pizza
Imports: TonyLynch's chairs, coke can.
Postwork for slight color correction.

Later I will post a full res (1100x880) version in the gallery.

Thanx a lot again for the suggestions.
Stefano

Ah, AgentS, if you can give me an OK for the substitution I'll be glad. Just to be sure this is the version that will go on the page. Again, S.

this is a great piece of work, doubleC, in both concept and execution. The only possible thing that I could comment on is the fact that the center of the composition -and the clearest part- lacks any sort of movement or content. The eye is inavertedly attracted to it since it's the least blurry section, yet there is nothing there. Perhaps another prop like a child's toy or whatever could have been better. Just my opinion. Great textures, composition, etc. E~

You're right, draculaz. Maybe it would've been enough to put some ants right there... good point, thanx a lot for it. S.

Excellent pic, DC.

This is not my "second childhood". I'm not finished with the first one yet.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather....not screaming in terror like the passengers on his bus." - Jack Handy

Quickly man!! Add some ants center stage, plop render, and composite!!!!! Cool pic

Claymor, I'm already working on the next image :) I have incredibly all the weekend free and I'm Brycing like mad. Plus, I must say that I've never been able to composite successfully different renders... it's a technique I still have to study thoroughly. But, you know, every time I learn something. The suggestions of the other day made me change the DOF and the settings, this one made me think a lot about composition. And this is a nice thing :) Stefano

Compositing is VERY simple if you have an image editor that uses layers like Photoshop. All you'd need do is: 1. Place the new object and start a render. 2. Click on the image and drag the box that appears around the area you want rendered. (Basic plop render, you know this bit.) 3. Once the plop has finished export the entire image. 4. Open your first image, the one you have now, and the second one, the one containing the plop, in your editor. 5. Cut out just the bit you plopped and discard the rest of the second image. 6. Slide the plopped bit around on top of your first image until you get the perfect fit...you'll see it because the lines around the edges of the plopped bit will vanish. This is obviously a composite without changing any effects...but it works wonders for fixing small things in a render that you don't want to take the time to do a full render for. Rather than taking hours to add a couple ants you could have it all done in 15-20 minutes. But then you probably knew all that... :)

Got it, no prob! A great improvement! AgentSmith

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"I want to be what I was when I wanted to be what I am now"

Thanx AgentS! Y'know, it's the first time I enter a challenge, I want to do a good job :) Claymor: in fact, I didn't know the second part of your mini-tut (points 4, 5 and 6), so thanx a whole lot for this. My experience with Photoshop is very small and really recent. Stefano

Great work Doublecrash.

This is so much better stefano, you've done such a great job on the ants and it's good to see them. Well done. Catlin

These ants are getting everywhere...they are running loose in the whole forum!!!!!!! gets out her spray can of Raid

Fractals will always amaze me!

Thanks, honey, I wuz havin' a hard time with 'em critters, ya know. By the way, tjohn, if you read this far, may I ask you where did you get those beautiful cockroaches models I saw in your "Magazine" pic a while ago? S.

Attached Link: http://www.3dcafe.com/asp/anml_pic.asp

DoubleCrash: 3D Cafe...Here's the link. The page is in alphabetical order, the cockroaches are under "r" for "roach".

This is not my "second childhood". I'm not finished with the first one yet.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather....not screaming in terror like the passengers on his bus." - Jack Handy

Thanx a lot!!!