This is my latest render, 750 samples, 1920*1080, 128 bounces all round. Render time was a little high - 6h43m, on PowerMac: 2 * 3Ghz Dual core, Radeon X1900 512MB, non CUDA (boo). It took a long time, but hey, that’s how long it takes on my machine.
I would like some critique, please. I modelled the scene a while ago, using objects for particle hair, but the geometry was a bit high, so I waited for the hair cycles to become trunk, and have revisited the project.
There is minor internal compositing, but no AO. I would’ve liked to have added AO, it looked better in my tests, but I had a problem when comping with layers. The leaves on both the tree, and more importantly on the ivy, are alpha masked images. The AO wouldn’t discriminate between the diffuse and alpha mask. What it meant, was that the AO channel showed the leaves as the original planes, without the mask, as shown in the second image. Any ideas on that anyone?
But please, also comment on the image. I am always trying to improve, so all comments will be gratefully received. Thanks.
As always, click, or double click the image to see full size.
This modeling was perfect. But there is something about it… Although all the model look very high in detail it just feels dry like it is missing something
I am always for irregularities like making cart bit less parallel to edge of road. I would remove both roof and a tree- they hardly help, really. Also- something is not quite right with shadow on apples lying under cart- they are totally “out” of overall scene lighting. Light of sun is usually (not always of course) warmer. DOF could surely help
A couple of things though: the cart would have toppled over as it is front heavy and only on 2 wheels.
the football is oddly modern in an old seeming setting.
maybe some motion blur on the falling apples may help.
Really clean render. Nice. A few things jump out at me. The wood texture looks really weathered so the surface would no longer be smooth, but the gloss on the wheels looks a bit smooth. The vine seems a bit high off the top surface of the wall, and the grass along the edge of the road is much much greener than the grass in the field. Overall I really like the idea.
imo, the cart should be tipping backward. also, there should be a splatter of mud or something where the ball hit the cart, and the ball needs to be more dynamic somehow. maybe some blur, or a splash in the water, or both.
My concerns have to be with lighting. The scene appears as if the sky is cloudy. As Derp said ealier on, the scene looks dry too. A bit of compositing will do, i think.
Unfortunately, i just feel the scene isn’t naturally looking, but find it hard to pick distinct areas. And btw, the football? Its got a part to play in the scene? :eyebrowlift:
I like the image overall, some of things other people mentioned as possible improvement areas have merit, but what bothers me the most is the apples floating in mid air. It really adds to the composition that apples have fallen out of the cart, but I just think they would look better laying on the ground. Just my opinion.
