Water ripples

[Zoid]

I just wanted to follow up on answering a question that DeeVee had about making water. I'm starting this as a new topic so that maybe other people could add tips that they also have about water effects. Here's mine about making ripples.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011215828pyl.jpg
In the Transform panel under Modifiers there is a graph which lets you change the profile of the brush shape. The right side of the graph is the center and the left side is the outer edge. I have modified the graph here to simulate a ripple shape. Below the graph is a slider for noise. A slight amount of noise will enhance the watery look. Use the Transform > Move mode to press down into a plane with the gel shader material on it. After making some ripples turn the noise off and set the draw shape back to its smooth curve, and then you can push and pull the surface to model some wavyness into the water.
Another big factor in getting a watery look is lighting, but that's a whole subject in itself. Something for another thread perhaps. I hope you find this useful. :)

[robotalk]

I Need This--Thanks I'll be studying this alot..Much appreciated :)

[levius]

GREAT tutorial !!!! :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:

what about that lighting? :D

[buzzwizard]

ok, this is creepy. I was about to post a question about how to do water :) I see you used a deformed cube instead of a plane, that might be part of my problem. I used radial coverage to create my ripples in the below picture, and was not completely satisfied with them. I'll try your idea. Also, I really need to know about lighting. In my picture, i can't get anything except the one spot on the water to light up, but i want the light the way it is on the guy.
He's supposed to have come up out of the water and will still have water dripping off of him. The back model is not finished, btw.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011218349qvy.jpg

Please, anyone's help would be greatly appreciated.

Daniel

[Stonecutter]

Thanks for a clear explanation, and a great technical example, Zoid...! :tu: :tu: :tu:
Maybe this will encourage people to stretch a bit...Yes, you can use PSP, put a 'generic' water effect into your image, but with a tool as powerful, and as flexible as ZBrush, why bother?
Good one, Josh!! :cool: :cool: :cool:

[Stonecutter]

I think you'll have an answer on the water pretty soon, Daniel, but I just wanted to compliment you on some nice modelling...That's a great job you've done on the back! :tu: :cool: :tu:
My only suggestion might be that it's a little too symmetrical...a little assymetry will make for more 'life' and realism, so you don't end up with a 'statue' of a human but a natural looking body...
Fantastico start, though! :)

[Zoid]

Wow Daniel, That is a strange coincidence. I think your ripples are great and I'm not sure what you mean by "radial coverage" to create your ripples and I would like to know more about how you did them. You're in luck about the lighting because you can use two layers and adjust the lights independantly for the torso and the water. I'm on my way home right now and I will post a way to answer your lighting problem this evening.

BTW, the modeling of that torso is fantastic :tu:

[rhom]

Wow what a thread-nice tip zoid and great modeling Buzzwizard.

[Stonecutter]

I had a further thought as to your lighting, which Zoid has already partly answered...
In my 'troll King' image which I'm working on, I intend to have a figure of an aged troll in the foreground left...The problem is that I want him 'rim-lit', and I don't want the rest of the scene altered in lighting...My solution?

I will do everything except the 'Vizier' in the foreground...Then I render it, create a new document the same size, import the image I just rendered, and under Layers -> Modifiers, select 'Fill'...This fills the layer with my image. Then I create another layer, place the old troll into it, adjust the light to get my 'rim-lighting' effect. This way, I end up with control over the lighting. I could also render this combo, import and fill, and add yet again more objects, controlling the lighting for each seperately...
In your case, as Zoid suggests, different layers will enable different lighting. The only thing to remember is to create your new doc the same size, so your 'texture' fill will match, and won't be distorted.
Hope this gives you some ideas!

[Muvlo]

Thanks for showing your method Zoid! I love it, simple and effective. :)

[banez]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011226160xid.jpg
ok who Left The Water on in the SINK? thank
Zoid

[Ron Harris]

EZ..when i saw the thumbnail on the main page, I thought it was like a white alter or something...lol...ponder something about eithe rI have eaten too many cheesy poofs or I need glasses... :eek: :eek: :eek: ;)

[AxE]

Muwhaha, I'll have to try this when I know ZBrush more ;)

[DeeVee]

Thanks Zoid I really appreciate your efforts in replying to my request. I will give it a try. I am not ungrateful but I personally prefer the sky clouds type of tutorial a lot more. That way I can go over it ad-infinitum until I get it right. This way I have to go on line to this thread, internet services are still expensive in the islands. I tried using the cloud sky tutorial and this is what I came up with. I am sure that with a little more time, another more suitable brush could be found. I continued playing, and got one that I could live with, using Zoids clouds method.
ocean.txt (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-1011232115xvx.txt)
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011232854lud.jpg
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011233846zkk.jpg
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011235046kfj.jpg
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011236218bwx.jpg
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011238284gaf.jpg

[drjjwow]

thanks for showing us how to do perfect water... way to go...

[Stonecutter]

First, thanx Zoid for starting such an interesting and informative thread. :tu:

Now, DeeVee, I would like to say that, although deep in 'Troll-Land' at the present time, I fully intend to check out your script...The variety of water effects you have here displayed, is intriguing enough to guarantee my interest! :tu: :cool: :tu:

[Zoid]

Such interesting responses to this topic,

EZ, your shot is hilarious. I thought I heard water dripping....

DeeVee, your watery sketches are delightful. What other program could you possibly do this with? ;)

Stonecutter, some very interesting and even provocative comments (making waves?) If you export and import a lot to "split" the lighting then this next tip's for you.

Buzz, I found a torso model I made a while ago for this lighting diagram, not as good as yours though.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011247419jvx.jpg
Put the object that you want to light one way on its own layer. Then create another layer for the water. Make sure the "FlattenLayers" button in the render panel is off. Set the lights for the figure first, BestRender it and then "bake" the layer.Switch over to the water layer and change the light(s) to backlight mode. To get an interesting highlight on the water surface you want the light behind the water so it can bounce off the surface into your view. A sun light becomes a backlight when you click on the preview square without moving it. You must work in BestRender mode and make small movements of the light position square to see changes in the reflection on the surface, but these changes won't affect the previously "baked" figure on the other layer. This all might be very confusing and I'm going to try and make a script that might explain it better.

[Pixolator]

Hi :)
Zoid: Thank you for starting this excellent thread!

Here is my (fun) addition to this thread…
It is a 2.5D method for simulating water ripples.
A simple method with high feedback/interactivity factor.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011268459igd.jpg
:b3: Click here to download the Water Ripples Tutorial (only 4kb in size) (http://pixologic.com/counters/increment-zscripts.cgi/pointfromto.zip?1tutes/WaterRipples.zip) :b3:

-Pixolator

[DeeVee]

Zoid, thanks for the tips on lighting. Thank you Pix for contributing to this thread, as usual your script will be put to good use.

[Nikko]

Pix, I tried to open your water ripples zip, but am getting errors, saying it's missing 18 bits of info. I also tried re-downloading it, but the same thing happened. Can you check to see if it's ok?

[rhom]

I got the same error when I tried
to unzip it.

[DeeVee]

For a while I thought it was only me. I sent an E-Mail to Pix on the error message so I am sure he is aware of the problem now.

[Pixolator]

I have re-uploaded the file. I hope that it will work fine this time.
You can download the file from the original post or from here...Water Ripples Tutorial (http://pixologic.com/counters/increment-zscripts.cgi/pointfromto.zip?1tutes/WaterRipples.zip)


-Pixolator

P.S. This goes to show that even 18 bits can make a big difference :)

[LWTB]

heres a pic i did a couple days ago with water (first water pic)but now that i know how to make ripples it will look much better. Thanks for the great tuts!! http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011300892ajq.jpg
How can i make it seem like there are water droplets on the creature?? Help would be greatly appreciated.

[DeeVee]

Pix I just downloaded the ripples script and this time it works perfectly. I will give it a try and see what I can come up with to reinforce the methodology. Thank you so very much. I like this method of doing tutorials, as it gives you a chance to concentrate on what is being done. I also picked up a few tips like setting the angle of the canvas, and the shape of the brush.

[Stonecutter]

Thanks for the further information Zoid...
The reason I suppose I do it the way I do is that I think of myself as a painter, and prefer to add things to the rendered image, but I see your point about the layer lighting deal... :tu: :cool: :tu:

[Muvlo]

Interesting method Pix. Here is a quick test with Fish12. :)

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011310127veh.jpg

[AxE]

fish12 kicks ass! :tu:

[drjjwow]

some how i think i missed this tut.. thanks pix.. excellent image guys...

[Zoid]

There are so many interesting ways to make watery effects!
DeeVee, your script shows a great example. I like the jellybean water/fluid.
Stonecutter, I think that approaching projects as a painter with this program is a very smart thing to do.
LWTB, There is a very good method to making water droplets in this (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000142) thread, especially Winged One's example on the bottom.
Muvlo, Beautiful Koi fish pond. How did you get them under the water?
And thankyou to Pixolator for this cool new technique. You really know how to make a splash ;)
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011380508dnq.jpg

[DeeVee]

I think that you can see the reflection of ripples on a sandy bottom. However, they are usually larger than those on the surface due to the fact that the water acts as a magnifier. That is if the water is as clear as it is in the Cayman Islands. Too many ripples however tend to give an artificial effect, at least that is how I see it.

[WingedOne]

Cool tutorial Pixolator. I didn't realize you could get that kind of effect with the snakehook tool until now.

I don't know why I haven't noticed this thread until just now. :confused:

[filament9]

Amazing thread! Sometime ago, I was going to post a question concerning this very topic! :D :tu: :D
So, now that I don't need to do this, thank you Zoid! Great info, clearly stated.

[Nikko]

I can't seem to be able to download Pix's tutorial. :confused: Can anyone who got it please post it or send it to me?

Thanks!

[ztevie-rae]

Great little tut ziod and u also got pix 2 give up another secret!



;) :tu:

[DeeVee]

LWTB asked about water drops on his image. I was doodling around and did this short ZScript, I hope it helps, If not,I think that Pix has a tutorial on droplets. http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1011468364jjb.jpg

[DeeVee]

Sorry I thought that the script was attached to the image.water droplets trial.txt (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-1011618981kus.txt)

[Muvlo]

Just watched the script... good idea!

That Gel material has a lot of possibilities. :)

[DeeVee]

Thanks for looking at the script Muvlo.
the fact that you took the time is appreciated.

[DeeVee]

I have continued to try different methods of painting the sea, and water in particular. This is my latest effort. Comments pro/con would be welcomed. http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1012086695jpu.jpg

[Stonecutter]

DeeVee, I think turning up your brush size, and turning down your ZIntensity might be profitable.... :tu:

[DeeVee]

Thank you SC. I intend to work with it until I am satisfied. I get the colour I want but the effects on the water still presents a bit of a problem. I will try your suggestions and report back to you.

[Kevin]

I tried to make the ripples as in the example by Zoid, but I'm not understanding something because I didn't get ripples although I did get something that looked like water. In the picture, it looks like Zoid started with a cube, so that's what I did. Then I adjusted the graph to match his and added noise. But I didn't get any ripple, however when I use the move tool and distort the cube it starts to look like water. It does come to a point though in the middle and I can't seem to eliminate that. So what am I missing? I'll bet Zoid didn't use a cube. Thanks.

Kevin

[Zoid]

Hi Kevin,

I'm sorry if my example gave you problems, and you're right, I didn't really mean to use a cube. I did use one for my graphic because I liked the way it looked like a big slice of Jell-O, but using a plane is fine. There are a few inconsistencies in my tut. that I'd like to take the opportunity to clear up. First, you can start with a plane and increase the H-div and V-div to the max for best results. Secondly, this is a modeling technique so you should be in edit mode. Also, my graphic shows the object in edit>draw mode, when it should be in move mode. Here is a more appropriate visual image.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1014183099xfb.jpg
If you are getting sharp peaks in the middle it's probably because the right side of your transform graph is too high. If you post an image I could probably help more and I'd also like to see what you're doing. Thanks for being so observant :)