Neon & Chrome CG Society Lighting Challenge

[Buggsy]

Hi Everyone,

I participate in CG Society Lighting Challenges from time to time and thought I would post one of my images here of the Neon & Chrome lighting challenge. The image is an old one now having been done over a year ago on version 6.5r of EI.

NX Shader and standard EI shaders used as well as photoshop.

The one texture I am really pleased with is the car paint.

Hope you like it.

http://www.goodbuildingdesign.com.au/Carpark_Project.jpg

Buggsy

[Mark Johnston]

Hi Looks Great Buggsy good to have you here !

Mark

[Tomas Egger]

Ola Buggsy,

Great work... if you have time later, Why dont try to use EIAS 8 area lights and the new GI sampling engine to compare?

Thanksss

Tom

[Buggsy]

Ola Buggsy,

Great work... if you have time later, Why dont try to use EIAS 8 area lights and the new GI sampling engine to compare?

Thanksss

Tom

Ok here's the updated rendering using EIAS v8.0. I didn't use area lights in this rendering before and I haven't used them this time either. Just radial lights. The lights at the front have photons applied but the lights at the back don't. I seem to get an error message when I activate photons on to many lights. There must be a ceiling for photons!?

I've added more textures and changed camera angle etc. Maybe not a good comparison between versions due to the large amount of changes.

I've used the EI_Layer.shd shader with this job and it is so good I can't recommend it highly enough. I used each separate photoshop layer (reflection and transparencies) and placed them over the final rendered image to enhance that particular attribute of the final rendering. I was able to make my reflections more blue and the transparencies more transparent. I will add it to every job I do in future.

Having said that can anyone say whether adding the shader increases rendering time?

Hope you like the image.

http://www.goodbuildingdesign.com.au/Neon_&_Chrome_lowrez_v8.0.jpg

http://www.goodbuildingdesign.com.au/Neon_&_Chrome_hirez_v8.0.jpg

Mike

[RichardJoly]

Mike, you hope we like the image... Well, I don't like it.

I LOVE IT!

Knowing that these models come without any texture and, of course, no lights, I must applaud the excellent work you do with these challenges. Always an inspiration.

Thank you for making EIAS3D look so good! This will be an excellent addition to the Web site Gallery.

[Buggsy]

Mike, you hope we like the image... Well, I don't like it.

I LOVE IT!

Knowing that these models come without any texture and, of course, no lights, I must applaud the excellent work you do with these challenges. Always an inspiration.

Thank you for making EIAS3D look so good! This will be an excellent addition to the Web site Gallery.

Thanks for your positive comments Richard. I really appreciate it.

Yes this was not modelled by myself but by Christophe Desse and Matthew Thain. It is my contribution to the CG Society Lighting Challenge Neon & Chrome hosted by Jeremy Birn.

I've been using EI since version 2.9 and at times I feel like I've been banging my head against the wall with it. Sometimes because of it and mostly because I've been slow at getting just how to use it. I have realised to get results requires a LOT of time and skill not necessarily with EI but with CG in general. I have long held the opinion that the software is not so much what needs to develop but it's the individuals skills. I have contemplated switching software but in the end I figure that they all require skilful use of photoshop, an intimate understanding of natural lighting and physics and a ton of imagination. With each new project I do I feel I'm finally starting to feel happy with the results.

Next will be to nail down a decent modelling program that works with EI and to hone my modelling skills. My dream is to see an integrated modeller with EI but the conversation I've seen over years suggests that wont happen any time soon. I still feel out in the cold with what modelling program to use. I use ArchiCAD for architectural stuff (as I'm a Building Designer) I used EI modeller in the past but found it so unstable and to flexible (if there is such a thing) Silo has so many things I don't like about it. Exporting to EI with any certainty has been the greatest challenge with any of the CG Society lighting challenges that I have done.

Mike