It was a cold calm day…
Details: Icy things are fractally modified cubes. While a cloud textured sphere encasing the scene was used for general reflection purposes I used instead for the background one of my sky photos (yes, I take pictures of the sky :)). Textures are half procedural and half custom made. Post-processing: manual softening of distant objects, Gaussian filter pass, contrast reduction, desaturation, slight blue increase, border, lettering.
RobertT
i think we should take blender away from robertt for a while
hes getting far to good…
AWESOME robertt
i love it, and i love the soft, happy easygoing mood of it
u are definetely getting better with every new peice
This is excellent. Your materials are great. And the post-processing gives it a nice touch and a very natural look.
BTW, I take pictures of the sky too. I used one in my snowman picture.
Excellent again. 
Very nice piece of work. 
What is this sky you speak of, and why is it so burningly blue? :o
Where is the sky blue, I’ve never seen blue sky, I’ve seen pink,purple, gray, green, but never blue. :o
J/K 
I live north of a major city with lots of pollution, and the way the wind currents are, all the pollution is swept my way :< . So I see funky sky.
Picture looks great, I wish I was getting better as fast as you robertt.
Back to the Music Cave for me. :Z
Note: I was very hyper in when i wrote this post, Brain Fry in 5…4…3…2…1… [!]
Wow 
Thanks everyone! This is one of the rare few days I had a lot of free time to myself so I spent almost every free hour of it blending like crazy. Not long ago I made a comment in some other thread (Underestimating Blender? maybe) about something like Blending like never before and I decided to take my own advice I started using Blender (and doing 3d graphics) in April 03 and am in a sense making up for lost time because for years I wanted to do all this but couldn’t because I didn’t have a good computer or access to quality 3D software like Blender. Blender changed my graphical life in the most profound way, and I am driving myself as hard as possible to get to “the next level,” sort of trying to force a quantum leap, if such a thing is possible So when I got a few days to myself, I knew what I had to do 
I am so freaking grateful to the coders and people like Theeth, ztonzy, and S68 for what they’re doing that part of me feels indebted to do something as good as possible with what they helped create and sustain, as M@dcow I think it was who suggested something like that in so many words. I want Blender to prosper and help others like myself who have been, until Blender’s arrival, prevented from the 3d graphics community through elitist pricing and hardware limitations. Now it’s a personal race to get to where I would have liked to have been by now had I started doing this years ago. I have so many ideas, and now they’re demanding to get out :x ha, they want to be realized…
Anyway, I just wanted to give a little background on my recent creative eruptions (which I hope don’t stop!). Now, for the individual replies:
skeletor: Don’t even think about it j/k At one point I was blending for like 9 hours straight and didn’t notice it was 2 am :o Oh well, so much blending to do, so little time…
Usagi: Thank you! Sky photos are fun Once I got my digital camera late last year I went on a snapping frenzy photographing everything Sunrises and sunsets are tough to get good results from. I also sometimes take pictures of the sun :o 8) Yeah, I know they say don’t do it, but the optical effects are so cool. I know not to look through the eyepiece, I just aim and snap.
three-dee: Thanks! I’m determined as never before to get to a good place in my graphical life. The rest of my life may somewhat suck, but at least I have Blender for a much needed creative outlet I’m realistic though, I know blender legends like @ndy, endi, BgDM, basse, and X-WARRIOR are so far out front I can barely see them 8) %| :x and I know I have a LOOONG way to go before I’m a fraction near their consistent amazingness and artistry. I’m proud of them and glad they’re out there because they show what Blender could do when used right and they help set the artistic standards us lesser mortals can look up to and aspire to be as good as some day. The coolest thing is that with Blender it IS possible with enough time, energy, and motivation. When the Elysiun gallery finally comes back, I know I’ll find more blenderheads whose works will make me want to improve my skills.
MusicMan: LOL I guess pollution can make for interesting skies You will get good, believe me, just stick with it and believe in yourself no matter how many sucky blends you start off with. Treat every blend is a learning experience, including the ones you would never show anyone (I have LOTs of those!! :))
Back to the blend…
RobertT
i usually let Terragen do my skies: http://www.jfnetservices.com/jsblend/gallery/pic15.jpg
it gives more control on all elements.
I used that a couple of times a while ago but didn’t have good results. Those renders look good, so I’ll try it again when I get the chance. Looks promising. I should also try World Forge at some point. So damn much to do! 
Never a dull moment with Blender!
RobertT
if want to see even more Terragen renders, check out Maeri. That is my wallpaper site. Feel free to make one your wallpaper. lol I feel bad advertising, but it helps people to see what programs are possible of for them to improve themselves. I am sure you agree Robertt, yes?
Dude – Since I mentioned the dreaded “amateurish” word about the hands in your piano picture (just the hands, mind), you have striven to prove me wrong
All I can say is that Im really glad you have; The last three or so pictures you have posted have all been of immense quality and I look forward to seeing you develop and grow as an artist
Give yourself a pat on the back, you surely deserve it.
Cheers.
this is yet another great work Robertt. The material for the ice is fantastic. I’m actually surprised to see that ou did not use the T_Texture plugins for that at all. Well done.
BgDM
i’m getting cold just looking at it…gooddddddd wwwwoorrk…brrrrrrrrrrr
Jay Eff: Yes, I agree! Cool site name and pictures Thanks for sharing.
M@dcow: In a way I should probably thank you for that because that probably contributed to the “okay, THAT’S IT!!” Blender phase I recently tried to force myself through. I’m really hoping to do Blender and its coders some justice with all this recent work and get myself to a point where I can honestly say I’m doing good things with the program. Your other comment about the coders creating this program and people not using it to its potential also rang in my ears, so I’m determined to push forward furiously and with a purpose, actually a twofold goal: to consistently produce good work and to show what an awesome program Blender is. I’m still of the opinion that Blender’s popularity will increase once people see what can be done with it, so I hope to do my part in whatever small way I can.
BgDM: Thank you!! I spent a lot of time tweaking the material. I never heard of that plugin before, but it sounds promising. I’ll definitely have to try that some time
mystery00: Thanks! Maybe a picture to look at during a hot summer day
RobertT
Brrr it’s getting cold here, :o Whoow did I saw and Icebear there, cool that’s a great secret.
