A reference image (whether drawing or photo) could be characterised with one of three different perspective types. The key difference between the three types is the number of ‘vanishing points’ – an actual point, or points, in the scene towards which all lines converge. Let’s now take a look at each type in turn : An image with ‘one-point’ perspective will contain only one of these ‘vanishing points’, and as such there will be only 3 ways that lines in the scene can be shown – 1) running vertically, 2) running horizontally, or 3) at an angle, converging towards the ‘vanishing point’. Take a look at the example images below. In the top one, you can see that the camera has been placed so that it looks directly down the street. The fronts of the buildings are exactly perpendicular to this direction, and therefore present us with only vertical or horizontal lines. The tops and bottoms of the buildings (and the other lines in between) however, are all at an angle. If you were to take a pencil and ruler and extend these lines further into the scene, you would see that they all come together and cross at a single point, and that (as you’ve probably guessed), is our vanishing point. The photograph below it shows the same effect, this time looking down a train track. As you have probably inferred from the name, two point perspective has double the amount of vanishing points. If you take a look at the examples below, you can see that the camera is no longer positioned so that it’s looking directly towards a particular vanishing point, and as a result the horizontal lines from the previous perspective type are now running at an angle – something that introduces our second vanishing point. If you were to extend all of these angled lines as before, you’d see that they now eventually meet on either the left or right side of the image. Vertical lines are still vertical however! One other thing to take into account are ‘horizon’ lines, the imaginary line at the same height as, and running perpendicular to the camera. This can quickly be created by drawing a straight line between our 2 vanishing point, and is used to get an estimate for the height of the camera. The photo shown gives a typical, everyday example of two point perspective – the corner of a building. This perspective type takes things to their natural conclusion. Our camera has now been rotated, giving us our two vanishing points, but also tilted to look either up or down at the scene. This tilting makes our previously vertical lines angled, introducing a third vanishing point either high above, or far below the scene. The examples below both show this three point perspective, and you can see just how much more dramatic this makes the image feel.The different types of perspective
One-point perspective
Two-point perspective
Three point perspective
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The different types of perspective
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Untitled
Wow, 1068 pages... I am starting VRay - THE COMPLETE GUIDE today. I had this book on my to-buy list for awhile now and I am excited to dive in!
VRay - THE COMPLETE GUIDE - second edition is the first book in the world completely devoted to VRay. Its aim is to provide an advanced support for the specialists in this branch. All too often we lose a lot of time searching the meaning of a particular parameter. Who hasn't spent entire days trying to understand what was wrong with their rendering? Having some “presets” is not enough: it is necessary to understand and have knowledge of the tools daily used. This is the only way thanks to which you'll be able to face more and more difficult tasks.
VRay - THE COMPLETE GUIDE - second edition was born thanks to two year's hard work, during which we tried to produce a high-quality handbook committed to VRay's users. Not just a basic list of commands, but a special tool, composed by technical and theoretical parts, by which you'll be carried away! You'll be able to find, through 1060 pages, 2300 images and 3200 renderings expressly created for this handbook.
Enclosed you'll also find a DVD-ROM containing 32 animations in .mov format, bearing examples otherwise impossible to understand via images only.
It's an unrepeatable handbook, difficult to find elsewhere: made up of 1060 pages, full color, A4 21x29x6cm (other manuals are usually smaller: 21x19x4cm). Bound with extreme care, through paperback binding stitched with wire referendum and not simply glue, it holds up through the time. The hardback cover also is hardbound disk, allowing a better usability.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
iFences
Download catalogue
This collection consists of 37 types of fences made from different materials.
Includes: 21 metal fences, 12 wooden fences and 4 made of glass.
Most fences have the main section of the fence, gates for vehicles and gate.
All 3d models of fences were prepared for use with V-Ray and have customized high-quality materials and detailed textures.
System Requirements: 3ds max 2009 and higher, optimised for V-Ray 1.5 and higher
VRayPattern is released
As a sample you can use any tiled geometry (or those with unobtrusive joints)
VRayPattern allows curving geometry of any surface.
The plug-in works in similar way as displacement map. However, displacement map can only use raster or vector maps of pattern to cover the surface of geometry, VRayPattern can use any of the original geometry for propagation.VRayPattern - products page
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Camera Angles
The relationship between the camera and the object being rendered (ie the ANGLE) gives emotional information to an audience, and guides their judgment about the character or object in shot. The more extreme the angle (ie the further away it is from eye left), the more symbolic and heavily-loaded the shot. 1. The Bird's-Eye view This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. Hitchcock (and his admirers, like Brian de Palma) is fond of this style of shot. 2. High Angle
Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture. This is that god awful SE Isometric that we see from newbies.
3. Eye Level
A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus. The camera will be placed approximately five to six feet from the ground.
4. Low Angle
These increase height (useful for short actors like Tom Cruise or James McAvoy) and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.
5. Oblique/Canted Angle
Sometimes the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floor level), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies). This technique is used to suggest POINT-OF-View shots (ie when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one particular character,seeing what they see — a hand held camera is often used for this.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
How to Use Rendering Composition
Planned images hold the viewer's interest longer and often lure the viewer to look again. Visual artists found that following certain composition principles improves interest. Follow the steps to ensure that your renderings are impressive.
- Determine a primary center of interest that is the most important to you before you push the render button. Compose to emphasize that point of interest.
- Keep it simple by allowing only things you want to be seen to be in the render. Know that your message will be lost if numerous objects are cluttering the background. Look for an angle to avoid showing the clutter or frame the center of interest to isolate it. If clutter is still visible, keep the background unfocused by using depth of field control.
- Use light and darkness to your benefit. Place a light subject against a dark background and a dark object against a light background. The placement adds interest and emphasis to the renderin. Using contrasting colors can become distracting if the usage is not considered carefully.
- Realize that informal balance or asymmetric is more pleasing in a render than formal (symmetric) balance. Place the main center of interest off-center. Balance the "weight" of the main interest with other objects (lower impact or smaller). Understand that unbalancing the render is more effective than having the subject centered in the render.
- Framing is when an object in the foreground leads the viewer into the picture. Framing may give the viewer a 3D view of action in the render. Know that the best kind of framing is when the foreground object occupies three to four of the corners, leading the viewer's attention to the center of interest. Realize that framing usually improves a picture. Understand that the "frame" does not need to be in sharp focus and that it could be a distraction if it has too much detail.
- Move the camera up or down or step to one side to change your render dramatically. Realize that a good way to create prize-winning renderings is to take the render from an "unusual" point of view.
- Leave some space in front of your subject if the subject is a person or a living thing that can move. Understand that doing so makes the object appear to be moving into, instead of out of, the render.
- Place linear elements such as waterways, roads and fences diagonally to give a more dynamic render than horizontals. Know that this rule is called "leading lines" because the lines lead the viewer's attention to the center of interest.
- Use the "rule of thirds," based on a principle taught in photography. Know that the theory says the eye goes naturally to a point that is about two-thirds up from the bottom of the page. Visually divide your image into thirds (either horizontally or vertically) to achieve asymmetric or informal.