Im working on my first scene and I have the base image mostly sorted out. I would now like to add effects (explosions, smoke, and muzzle flashes) to bring it more to life. I unfortunately cannot find any tutorials for effects in stills (in part to the fact I have to download every video I want to watch as my internet is too slow to even watch at 144). Any links or just general direction would be much appreciated.
I know these kind of things are often done in post, but I have zero skill in that department, and I would like the variants in lighting effects that these effects often bring.
Doing effects (smoke and family) for stills, is the same process as for animations (unless you don’t use the simulations).
Basically you need a domain object (where the calculations will occur), emission objects (which will produce the smoke/fire), and obstacles (if any).
You may want to read this: https://www.blender.org/manual/physics/smoke/index.html
You can use the «Quick Effects» from the ‘object’ menu in the 3DViewport.
Other options is to model the exact effect you want (since you want stills, there’s no need to do physics simulations). This however will require a bit more of your artistic skills.
Another thing you may need to take into consideration, is the render engine you’re planning to use (BI, Cycles, OpenGL, Game, any other).
Each will require that you follow different paths, almost from the beginning.
And yes, often they are done in post, and it’s also pretty common that each element is created in a dedicated 3D scene (where you can have all computer resources just for the element you’re creating).
If you can inform us which engine you’re using, then we can give you a more elaborated answer.
Im using cycles. I am still fairly new to blender and am learning by attempting projects and figuring out what I need to learn (which means I have very little idea as to what the proper workflow is). Im assuing that if you render separate it takes some basic Photoshop skills to merge them in post.
To give a better idea of what I am working on https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1QrC3Ni85X9WFZ3YVpjaWdtOHc. Its not entirly up to date (reworked the partical system and it has some missiles that I inserted), but I would like to add in some muzzle flashes/ tracers on some of the weapons and perhaps some explosions.
for a scene like yours, you should divide it at the elements that influence each other. Smoke, for example, cast mostly shadows into other objects, and therefore it should be rendered with the shadows. Fire doesn’t need shadows (or special ones), but it illuminates the scene.
If you’re planing to add your fxs in render and you don’t control very well the tools you’re using, prepare your self for lots of time spent on trial and error. Normally, things are breaked down into multiple renders that are composite after (fine tuning is just a click-drag away, not an half minute later after a render.
Particles for most of the things, volumetric shaders for the visual results (point clouds in cycles work nice), and render layers to keep it all organized.
Theresn’t really any ‘best workflow’. If you have plenty of time and processing power, you can do everything with physic simulations and awsome volumetric materials… but (in blender and any other software) is more common to ‘divide and conquer’, using multiple passes, renders, and other layers, for later composition.