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Sascha-Snowstorm — Candlelit Remains
Published: 2013-02-21 06:43:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 893; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 1
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[update - experimented with render passes and uploaded new version with less candle noise and more dirt texture]This is a project that I've been working on for a long time. I started with sculpting the basic skull in November, then dropped to project for several months, and I've been spending the last three weeks finishing it, adding details to the skull, props, etc.
the workflow I used was new to me, and I tried to learn as much as I could about creating projects in ZBrush and Blender. I ran into a lot of challenges getting everything working and it took a lot longer than I expected, but I'm happy with how it turned out.
Sculpted in ZBrush, rendered in Blender Cycles, colour correction and effects in Photoshop.
A making of
also, another angle
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Comments: 17
Nice picture. I love seeing ZBrush/Blender workflows--I think they're a stellar combo.
Now, as for a little critique, might I suggest looking into using subtle specular map for the skull to break up the smoothness of the light just a slight bit more?
Perhaps you can use a normal map of the noise and detail you applied in ZBrush or your dirt maps as the base for creating a specular map and help bring out a little more of that noise detail on your surface, subtly applied. Even on a polished prepared skull, there still tends to be a bit of roughness on its surface.
Also, I was just wondering, is the rocky surrounding wet? If not, they seem to be a bit shiny for rocks. If it is wet there, maybe you could add a small puddle in some of the subtle pockets there in the surrounding, just to give a bit more indication that this is a wet cave or something.
But those small critiques aside, nice job! Nice modeling and I like the flames. I love seeing Cycles renders showing what the renderer can do.
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thanks.
I like the puddle idea. If I re-render it I will have to add it.
I tried using a specular map of the dirt, but it didn't show up very well, if I turned it up it completely removed all of the glossiness. maybe if I applied a ramp node to sharpen it....
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mixed reddish transparent shader and emission shader with a texture map controling the factor. It's not easy because the emission shader clips and it's annoying to get the texture to work and not have a 100% white flame. I ended up using point lamps and turning the emit down. the flames also have a displace modifier mapped to an empty to add variation.
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It looks really awesome, but the skull looks too polished and clean to be real
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I know, it looked better in ZBrush where you could see all the noise and detail. a lot of it was lost for some reason
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strange. oh well, it's still awesome
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tho the shader could have gotten some procedural textures, noise, to give it some colouring simulating dirt.
But overall great render, the candle looks a little bit noisy but knowing how cycles behaves...its completely understandable lol
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now it looks a lot better. But still the glossy node on the skull is too much powerful. In fact i believe it shouldnt have a glossy node at all since bones doesnt have specular highlights this bright.
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I used reference images and the skull did have a fairly bright specular highlight when a bright light source was near
[link]
I didn't use a flash, and the weather outside was a bit overcast and the sunlight diffused
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but it could have been some kind of man-made skeleton; lots of them are made with a kind of plastic ignoring if they should look real in their painting.
Just give it a try, go to a place where you can buy meat and look out for bones. Or look into your refrigerator rofl.
In fact this thing about the specularity didnt occur to me the first time i saw your render, but today my sister gave to my dogs some bones, then i sat on my computer and saw again ur render thanks to your reply and I understood why the skull looked so odd. I also remembered all the times i went out to camping (scout), and all the bones you can find in the nature are totally diffuse, 0% glossy even if its raining.
And this topic is helpful even for me because I wasnt conscious about bones having low-close to none specularity, and I being a fan of specularity (LOL) probably would have done something similar as your work. Every day you learn something new 
I hope im not annoying you with this, I know how it feels when someone starts to debate about something on your work, and im sorry. At least im learning too with this.
Btw i would love to see the node setup you did to get those flames, if u feel like making a tutorial or giving the url from where you learnt that, would be awesome!
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the bones to get from meat may be more diffuse as they haven't been cleaned of stains and may also be cooked. bones found in nature would also have more dirt and weathering, making them much less specular
it is a real skeleton, maybe it was lightly polished or laquered though....
I guess both ways are right technically, it just depends on the "cleanness" level and if they are treated in any way.
for the flames I just used a mix node with emission and specularity as input, and a tiny painted texture map as a factor, I didn't use a tutorial, I just made it up. you have to tweak the texture a lot since it clips, and it will be pure white at emission levels that are bright enough to actually light the scene, so I just used a lower value + a point lamp. I'll send you the link.
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to the .blend I mean
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yes, I will have to experiment with that, it ended up more flat than I thought it would. small details aren't showing that well
also need to paint in more dirt in ZBrush next time
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