Washed out Trees - the main cause?

[john2000]

I have started to use trees in my work. When rendering my trees they regularly look washed out and lack colour depth. Could you tell me what might be the cause of this? I have tried tweaking the output settings in the material but haven't had a lot of success so far.

 

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[Bruce Hart]

What render engine are you using? I don't know if this is your peoblem, but in Vray I tend to lower the GI output of the trees to 0.1 or 0, so light does not bounce around the leaves so much. This brings a bit of contrast back.

 

Perhaps you should post an example... could also be a gamma/colour mapping issue

Edited July 1, 2011 by Bruce Hart

[john2000]

I am using Vray. Thanks for the setting. This scene is using a hdri dome light and exterior lights to light the house. This is just to give you an idea of what might be effecting the colour of the plants.

 

Once I finish the image and it is released I will think about posting the whole image.

 

Thanks Bruce;)

[Lehm]

 

could also be a gamma/colour mapping issue

 

This would be my guess. First what are your gamma settings for max? Then is the diffuse color of the trees a texture map or a color swatch?

[john2000]

Max gamma = 2.2

Diffuse channel has a bitmap image

[Bruce Hart]

Hey Nigel,

I thought maybe you were using proxied geometry plants, but I see you're are using billboard plants in an X. It can be difficult to light this type of tree/plant without the planes showing up. If you must use the X type plants you may need to use the exclude/include option in the lights so they are not being illuminated so much. Perhaps these exterior lights you mentioned are casting too much light on them.

 

Also - you don't have a glossy reflection on the plant materials do you? If so take it off. It won't work on the billboard type plant and may be reflecting your dome light and/or others. As mentioned there are problems with the planes unevenly lit with this method, and the bitmaps will be distorted when viewed at an acute angle (like the trees in the back). For these reasons you would be better off putting the plants in Photoshop later, or going with full geometry plants that are proxied.

[john2000]

Hey Nigel,

I thought maybe you were using proxied geometry plants, but I see you're are using billboard plants in an X. It can be difficult to light this type of tree/plant without the planes showing up. If you must use the X type plants you may need to use the exclude/include option in the lights so they are not being illuminated so much. Perhaps these exterior lights you mentioned are casting too much light on them.

 

Also - you don't have a glossy reflection on the plant materials do you? If so take it off. It won't work on the billboard type plant and may be reflecting your dome light and/or others. As mentioned there are problems with the planes unevenly lit with this method, and the bitmaps will be distorted when viewed at an acute angle (like the trees in the back). For these reasons you would be better off putting the plants in Photoshop later, or going with full geometry plants that are proxied.

 

hey, thanks Bruce - yes I now know what you mean and am now using the multiply feature to layer a bitmap over top of my x models in the scene. I took the GI down on the plants and that really helped.

 

Do you use Onyx Garden for the proxy geometry models? What about Australian plants have you come across a good collection that you could share? I would much prefer to use a 3d collection. The tress that I have a really impressive for x models but I do wish they were geometry.

 

Thanks for your helpful hints;)

[Bruce Hart]

Hey

I've used Onyx to make trees, but most of the tropical plants in my collection I've made from scratch. I'll PM you with some plants you can have.

[john2000]

That would be really great. Thanks

[r3nder]

hey check out these I was searching around last night, maybe useful to you? http://www.ozbreed.com.au/3d-graphics.html

[john2000]

thanks for that