The HDRI lighting was created with Blender’s internal AO at 16 samples. Because of the noise, I’m planning on doing a yafray version, which I’ll post later.
As a result, if you have any crits, let me know! So I can keep them in mind with the next version.
This is the finished Blender version, though. Actually I may make a few small changes. If so, I’ll just edit this post.
EDIT: I’m posting a new image because of an issue I discovered long after I created this thread.
I’ve been working with a monitor, that apparently had issues with black levels. The display is old, and the colors are darkening. As a result, this image didn’t look the way I thought it did. The shadow color was meant to blend in with the shaded color of the sided watch, but depending on what monitor I look at it with (default color / brightness settings on every one,) the colors may be close to each other, or there may be a significant and unwanted contrast that diminishes the realism.
It occurred to me recently to do a gamma correction to this work on a monitor that has better black levels. So here it is. Still not quite the same as what I originally thought it was. But I suppose it will do.
Actually that’s not the case. I have mine at 16 samples. There’s a problem whenever you use skytexure. Especially if you have that, Both, and an HDRI image.
Sorry for bumping this back to the top. But I’m not sure the refined version of this ever got proper C&C because I didn’t edit it into my first post. I put it in the 10th post. After seeing the image show up in the main Blender.org gallery, I want to see if I could get a rating on this. It’s in the first post now.
Oops. I gave up on that a few months ago. Actually, I might revisit the Yafray version. Now would be a better time than earlier, since I’ve worked more with the program.
One small question - I know “metre” (UK) is often spelt as “meter” (US) but do Timex actually spell “resistant” with an “ent”?
As for AO, I’m with Roger - try lamps. From what I’ve seen, AO is often more trouble than it’s worth, especially on a simple, single object, studio-type render like this one. There sometimes seems to be a religious adherence to using AO at blenderartists but I think it should be saved for situations where alternative methods just wouldn’t produce satisfactory results.
Oh, drat. That was mispelled. Figures. I get the honor of having my work displayed in the Blender.org gallery, and wouldn’t you know it, it has a mispelling, too late to fix.
Oh well. Anyway, I started the Yafray version.
Looks very similar to the Blender version, but more grey. And the bump mapping is more prominent. I’ll have to dial that down.
What I might do with this, is make a Yafray version, a non-GI version, and an Indigo version. Maybe put them all in one display with the AO version.
