Ok, so I have this scene in Bryce 4 how I want it. The sand is great, the jets in the sky are looking good, the sky is perfect. Then we have the Madcat. I'm positive that the Clans would never have made such major strides against Steiner, Davion and the rest if they were equipped with mechs that look like they just came out of a snap-tite model kit box. I want it to look more realistic, but I'm not quite sure how. Suggestions?

The model itself is really great, I don't think you need to do anything more to it modelling-wise. But of course, you need realistic mats - perhaps runnels of rust on dully-relective metal, or scorch-marks here and there. Then there's the overall POV and atmosphere. I'd disagree about the sky being perfect - it's boring - you want brooding, fire-tinted clouds, you need some ACTION in there, movement, missiles screaming overhead, explosions, motion blur! At the moment this guy looks like he's taking a stroll on the beach. This could be an exceptional piece of art if you work on it.

Looking good here. I agree with tuttle - a more dramatic sky would be more...dramatic (think Austin Powers here :). I would also consider some secondary lighting to bring out the shadows a bit - a burning fire out of frame to the bottom left casting a warm orange glow against the bottom of the mech, or a rocket ripping out of the shoulder pack illuminating the side of the cabin, or a bluish laser beam, or whatever. The POV is a dramatic one, and the viewer's attention is called away from the mech by the direction it is pointing and the jets - put something back in the bottom left to balance that and provide a secondary center of interest? But the bottom line for realism (again, what tuttle said) is TEXTURES - the gnarlier the better. Rust, dents, rivets, battle damage, grit, sand, etc. Take some digital photos of the side of an 18-wheeler that has been weatherbeaten and rusted, or visit a local junkyard for some great metal textures, then Photoshop them and make them tile (there are great tutorials around Renderosity about this). This will get you away from the "Bryce" look that I think is what you are wanting to escape. Nice work in progress! May the Force be with you. luke27

Well, thanks for the advice. Mostly following it, this image is what I came up with. Opinions?

Better atmosphere, and the laser is great, but it's too dark. Easy to sort, though - just put a dim blue light (no shadows) on the left of the picture, near to the ground. Blue and red is most excellent (although Eminem don't see what the big deal is) - the combination of red on one side and blue on the opposite for some reason makes most pics look better - it would work on this I think.

One more thing...take the shadows down to 45 percent in the sky lab, and it will show more of the mech in the shadows. Also, maybe make the material a little bit more lighy greyish, but keep the overall red hue.

I'm with tuttle again here (no, we aren't the same person with different id's, lol). Like what you've done thus far a lot! It's such a better, warlike mood...makes for some good dramatic tension in the piece. You could go with the blue light at the bottom left, or as a second consideration (and remember, YOU are the artist, we are just bouncing ideas here!!) use a light colored like the laser to illuminate the shadows. If you bring the shadows up from black to dim (by adding another light, not by adjusting the ambience), the 3D-ness of the image and the mech texture will "pop" better. I can't remember where I heard it but I think photography gurus suggest 3 light sources - one main (your sun), one secondary (the ambient from the sky), and one more (which could be the laser, or an offscreen glow, etc). Some tiny lights or contrails on the jets might make them look more active/moving? Keep it up dude, you are rocking! luke27

Everything luke27 says is totally correct. But we're different people, honest, just like I said. Er... like HE said, I mean. ;)

Cool pic. I like this mech. Add a bit of surface stuff like Luke27 said, and include a hydraulic fluid leak or two near the joints (what military hardware doesn't leak fluid of some sort?) Also a few wisps of windblown sand would look cool. Perhaps some postwork showing a bit of heatwaves shimmering as well to indicate that the powerplants are going and the mech's being driven hard. Also it couldn't hurt to show that this thing's had some recent action by emptying a few missile tubes and adding the appropriate scorch marks on the launcher. Using a green light to fill in the one side would work real good, as it would appear to come from the laser. And since you added the tank wreckage, may as well have it appear to be smoldering. Great work!

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My eyes keep straying to the aircraft. There's something missing up there. Contrails! Those jets look like they're hanging in the air and not flying forward. The contrails don't need to be dramatic, but twin streaks behind each craft would go a long way toward given them motion. The laser is nice. I've never been able to get that effect. Lammoth

And give the poor guy some ambiance! Just my 2 cents....