Out Of The Darkness

[Kathy]

Experimenting with lights and FX stuff.

ZBrush render build (40% monster, torch, and flame mesh, lights, partial FX.

Texture Master and my seamless gels made the skins. ;)

I played doctor Frankendstein with a poser guy, then radically changed him in Z. So for honesty's sake I must say it's about 60%.

Photoshop for the tweaked flamage and my sig.


http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1014398159gog.jpg


Version 2.0 (updated with jibberish's and aurick's suggestions)


http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1014404800ber.jpg

[jibberish]

very cool picture, Kathy. great job with that torch. and you morphed that Poser guy up so much, he looks nothing like the original figure. great detail on this pic...the creature's really well done. great pose, too. the torch really looks like it's lighting the picture.

the only thing i would suggest is that if you want people to see the detail on your image, you might want to lighten the picture up a tad...it's hard to tell there's water behind him. but it all depends on what look you want. again, awesome work...

josh

[aurick]

He's bad, and he knows it! I really like this, Kathy -- it's a great use of several programs working together. My own suggestion for the lighting would be to put a fairly strong sun casting shadows right about where the torch flame is. As things are right now, it doesn't look like a whole lot of light is coming off the torch, other than those awesome eye reflections.

[The Saint]

Cool lookin' Flames! err., I mean HOT!

Good piece Kat!

[DeeVee]

Nice work Kat. It is nice to see you got a break to do this really good image. The additional light adds to the overall quality of the picture.

[LWTB]

Very scary! Looks graet Kathy!!!!!
I really like how you work Poser imports into Zbrush and make images that are so wonderful.

[drjjwow]

oh kathy this is awesome .. the update looks alot better.. and can you email me on how you did the flame for you sign..thanks..

[Digits]

I like the second one as well, makes him look more like he is lit up with the torch light. Awesome imagery!

[The Namek]

Very nice picture , I love the torch (did you use photoshop and eyecandy 4000 ?)
I you are still going to update the picture , I would suggest to add some lighting on his right arm. It's a bit dark and it's closest to the flame.
Love the eyes too...

[Downwrdspiral]

Very interesting, a little dark still if you ask me. With the flame that close to his body I would think he would be a bit more lit up. The flames would probably look better if they were done in Z too I think, right now its obvious that you just used a PS plugin to create them. When I first looked at this I thought it was all Z except for the flames, I would never have guessed a poser was used. Good Job.

[Kathy]

Thank you Thank you Thank you :D

Answers for:
Namek- Photoshop and EC4000 were part of the process. There's actually an underlying mesh with the shape containing 3 different materials from Pix's material pack.

As far as the right arm, the flame is farthest from his right arm. I was trying to make the tip of the torch the first object in the line of view as though he were using it to see his way forward. So lighting that arm, would further detract from my goal (obviously not done strongly enough anyway ;)

Downwrdspiral: As stated to Namek, I was actually trying to create a scene with the torch arms length away and in front of him.

As far as Flames in Z. I wasn't able to get nice looking flames going. (glow material etc, highlight brush etc..) I messed with it for an hour and just couldn't get it. Now if you can make Zflames that look THAT good in less than 5 minutes, I'd love to see how ya did it! Cause I failed miserably.

I'd also like to add my thoughts to statements of "just used a PS plugin". "just" implies a trivial attempt here. My attempts are never trivial. I work hard to get the cleanest result in an acceptable amount of time. Eyecandy programmers would probably be a bit bummed to think your opinion of their plugin is "just". ;)

If we are to use that line of thinking, then next time someone modifies, or runs a routine in a build using Zscripts, we should also say, "oh, you JUST used a Zscript. It's obvious."

Drjj, I'll email you tonight on the flamingsig.

;)

Thanks everyone for the kind words, and excellent suggestions!

[Downwrdspiral]

I can see your point, Kathy, but the eyecandy flame plugin really just doesnt do any justice.....for anything. Its option settings arent all that great and you can ALWAYS tell when its used, thats all I was sayin.

[Kathy]

That's cool Downward. :D
I completely understand, and I'm sure not taking it personal.

And again, I throw guantlet and ask if anyone can produce flames.

:D

[Ron Harris]

aint much left to add Kat, other than I like the dark feel to this one...sometimes it is the part in the darkness that is the scariest...I wish I could remember some of the old old old artists that used to use the shadows in their work...the images would almost completely be hidden but it made you try to look deeper into the image...I feel so artistically illiterate at this second...hmmm..but I rather enjoy allowing my imagination to visually paint the hidden part of an image that may only be showing a couple of well defined eyes, or a fin with a shadowy gargantuan shadowy outline in the water..and well I guess this leads into my comment...dont know how many ppl actually have been in the woods or out camping..and have a little fire going...but that light source usually throws crazy lights and shadows everywhere and you cant always see alot of detail of things right outside that miniscule light source...caves are another great instance of that as well...the darkness just seems to suck up the light at times....anyhooooos...great image Kat... :tu: :tu: :tu:

[juandel]

perfect Frankensteining, Kathy! yup, 2nd version comes out much better!!! as for the flames... hmm, not owning this version of eye-candy i’ll have to come up with a way to do them in z sooner or later - i’ll let you know ;) my only suggestion would be to change the texture on the shaft of the torch... i think the straight lines at the lower part (and the abrupt change in sharpness below the ring) do somewhat distract off the otherwise excellento composition.

- juandel

[Kathy]

Thanks Digits and Ron! :D :tu:

Thanks too, Juandel!

I agree on the torch material/lines. It seems a tad sharp and "unreal". ;)

You've got such a great eye. :D :D :tu: