Source image: http://flippednormals.com/

3D Rendering – Improving your 3D Renders

Taking a look around the web, I see there are a number of videos out there about improving your renders, using different techniques such as lighting, camera angles or painting. Here are a few.

First, here is a video tutorial from Flipped Normals on YouTube, where you will be taken through the steps made to create a finished image from the raw material:

The finished image is shown on the right after a couple of hours working with Photoshop:

Source image: 0.16 seconds in http://youtu.be/tn9dIhuDUQM

The presenter talks about how important it is to work on your images, to “break them up” but to ‘keep the shapes clean”, and how “every detail needs to matter to the final image”. He also covers color correction and balancing.

Flipped Normals is a site that offers CG tutorials focusing on both why and how, you can find them here.

Daz Studio

For the more advanced user, there is the DAZ 3D – DAZ Studio Advanced Rendering Part 1a, with Caroline, which you can find here: http://youtu.be/FwCHxSTlOQo, which explains how to use UberEnvironment Shader Mixer in Daz Studios and explains the difference between Caustics and Indirect Light.

Indirect lighting, we learn, will add more depth to your image. In the tutorial you will learn how to balance render speed with render quality. For example, as explained in the video, use low settings when you are setting up your image to save on render time.

Image shows caustics in the real world, “Wherever light reflects or refracts such as swimming pools, glass and jewelry”.

Source image: 0.37 seconds in http://youtu.be/FwCHxSTlOQo

You will find Part 2 of the video here: http://youtu.be/G2lwC6HHTrU, where you will continue to learn about the use of caustic and indirect light to improve your renders.

Here is a simple scene from Part 2 showing how an image is rendered more realistically with the use of an indirect light camera (on the right).

If you want more information, or want to download UberEnvironment Light Shader, you can find here: http://www.daz3d.com/uberenvironment-light-shader.

When I last checked the download cost US$9.95.

Note: If you have Daz Studio 4 Pro, then you do not need this UberEnvironment product.

Blender

Here is a video on Improving Blender Renders with Photography Techniques –– Part 01 on YouTube http://youtu.be/nhZdrjSIx2U. Video runs around 28 minutes.

In this video we are reminded that we are working with cameras, as in the real world, so we can use techniques used by photographers to improve our renders. This is a pretty slow moving video, but you will end up understanding a lot more about depth of field and focal lengths, which can be an interesting addition to your pack of knowledge when rendering images.

Here is an image showing a scene set with an 18 mm camera on the left and a 200 mm camera on the right. As you can see there is greater depth of field in the image on the left, giving a greater sense of perspective.

Source image: 7.03 minutes in http://youtu.be/nhZdrjSIx2U

Here is another image showing the difference between using an 18 mm camera on the left and 200 mm camera on the right. In the video you will learn (as in life) that it is best to use a 35 to 70 mm ‘camera’ for a more realistic and flattering shot of your model.

Source image: 10.45 in http://youtu.be/nhZdrjSIx2U.

Later, you learn about use of depth of field and aperture values; F16 gives you sharper more in focus backgrounds. Also you learn that your camera’s distance to the subject will influence the depth of field, so you need to think about whether or not you want your background blurry or easily recognized. As you will learn in the video, you need to be thinking about aperture, distance from your subject and focal length.

If you liked the first video here is the link to the second, shorter one, which runs for 19 minutes: http://youtu.be/6QbWlXSYznA.

Melanie Phillibert

Dreamlight Content Management and Support

PS: If you want to Discover Instant Camera Tricks That Will Make Your Renders Look Like A Seasoned Pro Whether You’re New Or Not…Go HERE

Val Cameron