This is one of my first models since i started modelling. I’ve been playing around a lot with blender with excisting models but a while ago i tried it myself! A previous model of an exploded viewe of a ballbearing is still not ready but will be soon. I hope you’ll like it.
Good job for your first model!
Some of the things that could be done to improve the shot are:
-
Background - changing the lighting or the red texture itself to achieve more of a gradient effect from darker at the bottom of the shot to lighter at the top of the shot will help it pop a little more.
-
Composition - as a rule centering an object is not a great idea. Usually a shot has more interest if the object is offset from the centre of the shot. I’d suggest back and to one side with a utensil on the opposite side for balance (ie. chopsticks, fork). Maybe look up the Rule of Thirds composition guidelines to start.
-
The lighting is very decent for a start. The rim lighting is very good. I’d perhaps alter the lighting to make one side a little stronger than the other.
-
Mesh issues - not sure but there seems to be an issue with the crease that’s halfway up the lid. Seems to be a little pixelly. Perhaps it needs an extra edge loop to clean it up, not sure.
Anyway, hope that is helpful in some way. Keep up the good work!
Cheers.
Hi @ToddMcIntosh Thanks for the tips! I will check it out en send you an update it that’s OK with you! Cheers
Actually, the rim-light will work a lot better if it’s a wider light and/or positioned slightly forward… let it illuminate not just the edge but a little bit of the area in front of the edge. This will also look better when the color of the backdrop is changed, e.g. to a color selected from the opposite side of the color wheel.
Experiment with the color of your lighting in the same way. In the real photo studio, we often put “gels” on the lights.
Pay particular attention to small details such as the present fact that the indentation along the rim of the bowl actually disappears between a point dead-center and for about 30 degrees to the right, re-appearing thereafter. In a similar area and probably for more-or-less the same reason, a fairly large length of the indentation on the lid becomes such that “visually, it could be a perfectly-straight line.” Experiment a little bit with camera position; a very slight change can sometimes make quite a difference.
One tool that sometimes is very helpful is the “shadow-only spot,” which doesn’t cast light but does cast shadows. You might feel like you’re using a “magic hole” that the RoadRunner just got from (of course…) Acme®, but hey, “this is CG, not reality.” (I’m speaking in BI-render terms here… your Cycles may vary.)
Blender’s ability to use OpenGL shading right in the 3D window is very helpful for “twiddling with” things such as this, as do the “preview renders.” It won’t imitate everything that the full-on renders do, but it comes close enough quickly enough to be useful.
sounds good!
Looks great, lighting is better than anything I could ever do!
Thanks!! But eh… Of course you can. What I do is just try, try, try! So, come on!! 
Hmmm… what rule might that be? After 6 years of advanced studies in the arts/graphics department (two of which being postgrad) and after about 10 years of work experience, i have never heard of said “rule”. I feel people are too quick to label experiences which work in many cases as “rules” and thus are not really helping out rather than spreading misconception. In many cases centering an object will indeed break the visual tension in an image. In other cases, an image simply needs to be centered in order to get a certain message across. Simply take a look at most movie posters to understand what i’m saying.
I believe he’s speaking of the rule of thirds, but yes, in my opinion there’s nothing wrong with centering an object in some cases, I think your image looks rather nice centered.
I like the colors you chose, it’s much better than my first works, XD.
@osgunghi - appreciate your comments. While I would not call it a rule for experienced designers, I would stick by my suggestion that for a novice designer, it’s usually better to try a non-centred layout first. Unless they are looking for something formal and balanced (i.e. like a wedding invitation), it’s usually better to not centre the content. I would agree with you that once someone is more experienced and has a better grasp on what the layouts convey to their audience, that such a rule is invald.
Perhaps you could outline your understanding of layout styles and what they convey to audiences in general based on your education and experience? Thanks.
Well, like i said, centering the subject of an image simply tells a different tale. It elevates the importance of the subject within the scene. Movie posters, as i said, are a fine example in many cases, that would not work nearly as well if the subject (oftentimes the protagonist) were shifted to the side. To be clear, i’m a professional graphic designer, not a 3D artist, but the same applies. I also want to make clear that i do not disagree that putting the subject off-center can be a good idea in many cases that builds extra tension in an image, i just think you should be careful saying centering it is a bad idea a priori. So no offence meant, if my message came over a bit too direct.
therse nothing wrong with this composition. the object is the entire focus of the image, so centered and neither too far or too close to the camera is visually pleasing. rule of thirds is a useful tool to consider when your trying to convey a certain mood or tell a story with your image. and certainly not a fixed law to be religiously adhered to regardless.
Thanks all! I think this à great forum compared to other one because of the help everybody is giving. Especially to beginners! As i said this is one of my first models. My first one was à lamp and I’m still busy with my second one. À ballbearing wich is still quite difficult for me. But i think i will post it in the ‘works in progress’ forum because the tips and comments are extremely helpfull and inspirering at same time. So thanks again so far!!!
great lighting setup, not much to say about the rest but not bad, keep it up, i’ll look forward to seeing what else you do
Looks good, keep it up
OK! I’m back! And i’ve been working hard using all your tips and comments!
So here is an update. There are still much more things to do, but I think it’s a big improvement. What do you think?
Attachments
looks great, some really nice texturing on the final bowl. it could use a bit of gloss just to finish it off though, and you might want to crop your image to get rid of the dead space on the right.