Monday Night Challenge #8- Jewelry

[Wayne Hoyt]

The Monday night Zbrush IRC chat group has decided that this week's challenge will be to create an image of any kind of jewelry. It could be a necklace, diamond ring, tiara, etc..
Any style, tools, and techniques can be used. The only requirement is that it be done entirely in ZBrush. The deadline for submissions is Sunday night (January 19th) at midnight. Have fun, everyone!

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043831258zul.jpg (http://www.pixolator.com/MNC/8/index.html)
Click to view the gallery (http://www.pixolator.com/MNC/8/index.html)

[MrBraun]

Hello to all zbrusher !!! :D
This is my contributions :

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042543776uof.jpg

[Gallery Entry]

Hope that u like this !!! ;)

[Mentat7]

My first go at it...........a necklace.......and yes.........as it has been pointed out.........it has no clasp.......I did that on purpose.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042550123new.jpg

[Mik]

Really great images guys!
:tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :)

[juandel]

wow, guys! wonderful designs! here is a bracelet that would probably rip all softer textiles it comes in touch with - but then, its a 4 minutes design and incl. mucho material/light fiddlings (all failed) and render didnt take more than half an hour only - that shows :D

http://www.cyber-webs.com/zbrush/juandel/bracelet.jpg
[gallery entry]

- juandel

[Frenchy Pilou]

Cascadings Riviera of spiraloid diamonds :)

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042667592iyg.jpg
[gallery entry]
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042667644oit.jpg

And the X-ray view for detect the false :D
Pilou :cool:

[Northstarr]

Very nice images so far, quite creative.

And here is my first. I love this topic so I will probably work on another one before Monday night. I created the opal material that I used for the stones. I was trying to create a sort of antique or old feel to it. Hope I suceeded.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042702610nxh.jpg

[gallery entry] (if we are still going to have the gallery)

[DM]

Nice work everbody, particularly intrigued with the blue on Juandels bangle, it looks like it has an internal glow. The opal worked well Northstarr. :tu: :tu: :tu:
Dave

[Jaycephus]

Great images, everyone :tu:

:qu: :qu: :qu: :qu: :qu: :qu:

Could someone post the link in this thread to the .dxf gem site where you can obtain different cuts of gems?

:tu: Thanks Juandel, Northstarr
:b3: 3D Lapidary (http://www.3dlapidary.com/Home.htm)

And could some one post a good platinum material or a tutorial for good, reflective platinum/white gold?

EDIT: I have just emerged from my ZAlchemy laboratory, where I have just turned lead into platinum, or platinum into gold... or actually leather into gold! This is my leather material, with a few modifications:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043042613jmq.jpg
[Gallery Entry]

The leather texture, at the right scale and in AA Half mode, gives the material the look of metal with a fine patina of scratches by breaking up the smooth specular highlights and reflections. Give the object a base color of yellowish-orange (255,157,0 in the picture) for gold, and pure white for platinum. Of course, you can decrease ColorBump for smooth metal. Texture 01 was used for the reflection, and if a more or less saturated texture is used, you'll probably want to adjust reflection down or up. You could also obtain a good HDRI-type picture, and use Environmental Reflection in the material with the texture selected in RENDER:ENVIRONMENT. Below are examples of Environmental Reflection. The more your reflection texture looks like the actual material of the metal, the better the result:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043050668ous.jpg
[Gallery Entry]

The texture I used on the gold rings was not ideal, but the top right platinum was, therefore the results are better.

In the interests of improving the future creations of our ZJewelers, I will give away gold and platinum to anyone who wants some. (I can make more in my laboratory any time I want. :) )

jlmPlatinum.zip (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-1043042706xvj.zip)

[JOHNVQ3]

:) very cool rock mr.Braun, cool stuff everyone :tu: :tu:

[The Namek]

ok first time I have an entry for a monday night challenge :)
Some beautiful peaces have been posted :tu: :tu: :tu:
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042740320nxu.jpg [GalleryEntry]

forgot the tag :)

[juandel]

supercool designs everyone and a true mine, Pilou :)

Jay, did you think about the 3dlapidary (http://www.3dlapidary.com/Home.htm)? just found it the googleway and thought that would match :)

- juandel

[Mahlikus The Black]

These are all great images everyone!
job well done!

I hope I get some free time to make something..I barely have enought time to write this post...

:(

[Northstarr]

Hi Jay:
I just posted a great link on my second last postPrincess (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009654)

I think only 4 people saw it but this is the link is on this page. May be the same one 3D Lapidary?? Anyhow :)

[DeeVee]

Very nice images all around.
I thought I would stay out of this one, but then decided I would do a quickie. This is a matt finished gold pendant, with a carbachon emerald gypsy set in gold.
I hope to do a few more before Monday but thought I would get this one in early.
DeeVee.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042755037skc.jpg
[Gallery Entry]

[Northstarr]

I said this was one of my favorite topics, so I have another little entry here. This is a Heart Pin, with diamonds of course.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042774774clx.jpg
[GalleryEntry]

I am having a ball with this!! And I am also enjoying looking at everyone elses contributions as well. They are all so unique!

[Digits]

Some beautiful pieces here. I'm afraid I got carried away making rings so here is a piece of impractical jewelery unless you can tell me how to put it on.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042784146thp.jpg
[Galleryentry]

[rose]

ok my work is here..... :)

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042793848fju.jpg

[drjjwow]

heres my entry http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042796235bai.jpg
[galleryentry]

[Mik]

Great images and designs everybody, here's mine:
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042813773got.jpg
[GalleryEntry]

[aurick]

Just a friendly reminder:

I see that the majority of your entries do not include the Gallery Entry tag. If you wish to have your image included in the gallery when it is updated on Monday night, you need to edit your post to include the tag.

To see what the tag looks like, just check out Mik's post above. :) It should be inserted right after the image tag.

Thanks!

[DeeVee]

Another quickie to help build numbers. I really thought that more members would have found this challenge an interesting and easy one to participate in. http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042939468jfk.jpg [Gallery entry]

[Jaycephus]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042942904wnf.jpg

:qu:

How can I get internal reflections to make a gem look more realistic? Can I?

Thanks,

[Jaycephus]

Here is a slightly better diamond. It's a trick! Can you guess how?

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042948856rgp.jpg

Can someone tell me how to make it better? Thanks,

[Jaycephus]

This is the best I could come up with:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042957893yym.jpg

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042964564edo.jpg

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042975777bpw.jpg

[Jaycephus]

Sapphire:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042966250syl.jpg

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi Jay have you see that thread ? http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001234
Pilou

[Northstarr]

Pale Jewel Necklace

Just one more before this challenge closes, I couldn't resist. Sorry if I seem to be hogging space.. :)

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043016737axn.jpg

[Gallery Entry]

:b2: :b2: :b2:

[havran]

well, it's a metal unknown to our science, but here is my entry :)

"plutonian pendant"
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043029748alm.jpg
[GalleryEntry]

[gummie]

Thanks Jaycephus,
though I would really like to know how you got the great effect for the gold on the bottom left. I really like how that one turned out, very nice. :) :tu:

btw, Great images all!

[Jaycephus]

Gummie, I thought my various platinums were the best, followed by the gold material in the first picture, followed by the gold material you are referring to. I thought it just looked too much like a cell shader. It does have a Maya quality to it though.

The material I uploaded will produce the gold and platinum in the top picture as is, except for making sure the base color is correct. I then produced the platinum in the top, right of the bottom picture with the same material, but with a certain texture in the RENDER:ENVIRONMENT section with ENV.REFLECTION in the material set to '100' and REFLECTION in the material set to '0'. I then tried to produce some gold by using ENV.REFLECTION, but I found that this is most easily done if your RENDER:ENVIRONMENT texture looks more like the material you are trying to duplicate. In the case of the platinum material, the texture looked almost exactly like the scene that would be reflected from a polished platinum sphere. I borrowed it from an HDRI site. To do the gold in the bottom left, I started with a base color of yellowish orange, and used the same texture in the RENDER:ENVIRONMENT section, but I used a low setting of about '10' in the ENV.REFLECTION setting of the material, so that the base color would come through. This resulted in what looked like an alloy of platinum and gold. Then I baked the layer with a best render, and used the saturation tool to make it look like it does.

[Jaycephus]

The commemorative Goodbye Mentat7 lapel pin:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043055620wpt.jpg
[Gallery Entry]

Did anyone install Mentat's heartplug yet??? How dare he think about escaping the ZBC!!!!

;)

I just now got my materials worked up to just about good enough to create what I have in mind, and the challenge is over! I'll still do what I had in mind, but I'm not finished with my frog either! Not enough time to play with ZBrush!

[Jaycephus]

<font face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" color="#FF9F23">
Magic Rings
</font>

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043130097fmm.jpg
[Gallery Entry]
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043133439jlg.jpg
[Gallery Entry]

[Evoken]

Sweet :tu:

[Mik]

Very nice indeed Jay.
:tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :)

[gummie]

Jaycephus,
Yes, the reason I liked the gold one so much was not necessarily for realism but that it looked very rich in coloring and I liked the range in softness from the outer rings to the inner. The color was just great.

Thanks for the info, I will try playing around with the file although I'm not too familiar with these options. :)

[Pixolator]

The gallery has been updated...
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043180020ttk.jpg (http://www.pixolator.com/MNC/8/index.html)
Thanks to the initiators and participants of this challenge :)
-Pixolator

[Bonecradle]

Late to the show but here we go.

Thanks Pixolator for sparing me a little more disk space :)

(Originally posted here http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009802 )


Cloak pin and Selene pendant

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043225035zbs.jpg

[Gallery Entry]

[Jaycephus]

Golden Frog Idol

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043332810llp.jpg

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi Jay
2 Challenges in the same time it's a task !And if your frog should can eat a Bug It'should be a super task :cool:
Pilou
Ps if you could re-write my hotchpotch I will be very gratful :)
There are too many Verbs in this phrase and too difficult conjugaisons for my poor basic language :)

[Jaycephus]

Hi Frenchy,

You could say: "Two Challenges at the same time is a big task, and if you could do a Jewelled frog eating a bug, it would be even bigger.

You could also say Hodge Podge. (Hahdj-pahdj)

;)

I really wanted to finish this frog's model, but 1.55 is supposed to be out any minute. In 1.51 I need to finish editing the polys in the 'reference' pose it is in now. Then I would need to take it into one of my animation programs and bone it so that I could drastically re-pose the model without distorting the polygon structure too much. Then I could bring it back to ZBrush and render it, without having to redo the texture, since all of the polys would still be in their same position relative to the others, just stretched or squeezed a bit. Some texture touch-up still might be necessary.

With 1.55, I think I can produce an adaptive mesh that is much closer to my final goal, edit it's shape even before producing a skin, and perhaps do some degree of posing within ZBrush. I'm not sure how well the mesh will maintain a certain configuration as you re-pose the ZSphere model. As long as it is close, performing small edits on the texture is still much faster than taking the model to another program, boning it, reposing it and touching up the polygons, and then bringing it back to ZBrush, and perhaps still needing to fix areas of texture stretch.

With a complex shape like this frog, it is much easier to texture with all of its limbs and toes spread out. But then you have to somehow get it into a natural pose. Of course, in ZBrush it is easy to just texture the model in 2.5D mode, after posing the ZSphere model exactly how you want it, editing the resulting skin, and placing it in the scene. But then I would have to re-texture the frog each time I used it, instead of just once with TextureMaster.

:) On the other hand, I plan to use this model, or a 1.55 version of it, to create many varieties of colorful leaf frogs, so I will be painting several different textures anyway, but that just multiplies the number of times I have to paint the frog if I only do it in 2.5D.

I think I've really figured out metal materials, though! I'm surprised no one else has used this type of metal material before. I think it is super-realistic. The reflection effect is using a custom texture in the Env.Reflection panel, and the rough texture is partly noise, and partly due to spherical blend and my seamless leather texture. I plan to improve it by creating a 'fine scratch' texture that should look better.

[Frenchy Pilou]

Thx for the grammatical lesson :)
And good luck for your breeding of colored frogs !
Pilou A repentant frogs eating :D

[Pixolator]

Gallery updated..
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1043180020ttk.jpg (http://www.pixolator.com/MNC/8/index.html)
:)