Getting back into 3DS work after a long break - need help with this image please...

[Jez EMIN]

Hi,

 

I needed to take a very long break from 3DS some years ago - and back in my day (a long time ago) when I used to do tons of renders for interior designers and architects, I used to use the scanline renderer and fake the lighting....

 

Scroll onto the present, and I am now back again using 3DS and yes, the Global Illumination etc is what's used and the way of working that I'm trying to get to grips with.

 

My client wants his kitchen unit on a simple wooden floor and I've used cg-source.com to purchase some floorboard image maps etc.

 

 

But this render, done using Mental Ray just doesn't look as right as I'd like it (I've yet to do something with the background).

 

I've used the Adobe Lightroom (a Photographer's package) as well as a couple of photography plug-ins to make it look better than how it came straight out of 3DS Max Design 2010 (that's the version I currently have).

 

I do have VRay, but I've tried learning it and the curve is simply too steep - Mental Ray took me a lot less to learn how to get renders out fairly quickly.

 

The lighting used is a simple Daylight system.

 

Any critique and advice will be really most welcome - and I'd be grateful.

 

I'd love to be able to save out as Render Elements and play with it that way, but again, the learning curve is quite steep for me.

 

Many thanks,

 

Jez

[Corey Beaulieu]

With such a simple scene, detail matters a lot. Check out the floor generator: http://www.ronenbekerman.com/using-floor-generator-script-by-bertrand-benoit/

 

It's a great way to have very natural looking floors modeled in rather than a flat mapping. The white seems in your map are odd and this would resolve it. Also, wood floors tend to have blurry reflections more than high gloss shines. They differ, obviously, but the best ones I have seen tend to be on the blurry side.

 

Your image is clean though. You can do a lot now that you have something that is ready to render. Lastly, don't give up on Vray. It's really powerful and worth figuring out.

[Jez EMIN]

Thanks Corey for your time.

 

Funny thing is, that I am using that floor generator !

 

(though it doesn't work for Mental Ray, so I had to assign each map manually - but yes, maybe I need to make them look less 'perfectly' straight etc).

 

But I will attend to the white (no idea where that's coming from at this particular moment) as well as the blurry reflections etc.

 

And sure, I'd love to say I can use VRay, and I promise I won't give up on that, but boy.... what a learning curve

 

Thanks once again. I appreciate it.

 

Kind regards,

 

Jez

[Ismael]

Lighting and modeling are good. Where could some more interest be added?

Materials, http://www.aleso3d.com/blog/?p=36

As is, it is a good showcase of a kitchen cabinet unit.

[Jez EMIN]

Thanks Ismael for your kind words and advice.

 

I've been playing away at this today and this time I went back to VRay and spent a big bunch of time relearning stuff - funny thing is, now that I've had an introduction to Mental Ray, Vray makes a bit more sense. Still, I find it difficult so I'm taking baby steps here.

 

This image though is nice for me because it is a simple image with not too much geometry.

 

So, here is my latest attempt using VRay......

 

To my eyes, it still doesn't look photoreal, it still looks kinda fake.

 

I'm wondering what I'm doing 'wrong'......

 

 

Any more advice would be really welcome.

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Jez

Edited July 22, 2012 by JezEMIN

[Jez EMIN]

I think this, as an exercise, is done......

 

I know I've still got tons to learn, but personally, I don't think this is looking too bad.....

 

 

[Tommy L]

nice. Maybe try a different composition. Product photography doesnt usually use a wide lens. Photographer stands back a little and uses a long one. I'd have the plane it stands on perpendicular to the camera also, then use some depth of field to blur it out to its junction with a white wall.