So, I've had some spare time and continued with the modelling of my "Sitting
Cat". It now features a tail, whiskers, and even a nice nose. :-)

The colors aren't final yet, I'm undecided if I want to go with this
color-theme, or if I'll switch to something more gray/brown/black-ish, it'll
probably depend on how the cat looks when placed inside the scene (which has
yet to be built...).

In case anyone's wondering, I've made excessive use of object-patterns,
trace(), pigment-functions and the like to composite and generate general
pattern for the cat, which I then color using a simple color_map. The nose
is actually taken off a photo and, using functions again to create a
transparency map of off the inverted grayscale image of the nose, the image
is placed onto a sphere and position where it is now. The whiskers are CSG
made with a simple macro.

I'm wondering if I'll add some sort of hair to the cat for a more furry and
chaotic look, but I want to focus on different parts of the image and leave
that detail for later. It wouldn't harm if the cat were as orderly as it is
now, but it would harm if other objects are missing in the final image! ;-)

Comments and suggestions, as always, appreciated!

Regards,
Tim

-- 
"Tim Nikias v2.0"
Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

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Tim Nikias wrote:
> So, I've had some spare time and continued with the modelling of my "Sitting
> Cat". It now features a tail, whiskers, and even a nice nose. :-)
> 
> The colors aren't final yet, I'm undecided if I want to go with this
> color-theme, or if I'll switch to something more gray/brown/black-ish, it'll
> probably depend on how the cat looks when placed inside the scene (which has
> yet to be built...).
> 
> In case anyone's wondering, I've made excessive use of object-patterns,
> trace(), pigment-functions and the like to composite and generate general
> pattern for the cat, which I then color using a simple color_map. The nose
> is actually taken off a photo and, using functions again to create a
> transparency map of off the inverted grayscale image of the nose, the image
> is placed onto a sphere and position where it is now. The whiskers are CSG
> made with a simple macro.
> 
> I'm wondering if I'll add some sort of hair to the cat for a more furry and
> chaotic look, but I want to focus on different parts of the image and leave
> that detail for later. It wouldn't harm if the cat were as orderly as it is
> now, but it would harm if other objects are missing in the final image! ;-)

Like stm said, the eyes are a little off. I think they should be 
smaller, too. Good color choice, though. :)

I also agree about the color/textures - it actually looks a bit fuzzy 
the way it is! It would be interesting to try that SSS technique posted 
here the other day as well.  Overall very nice, tho.

The only thing that hits me a little strangely is the shape of the snout 
in the face-on model. It looks a little too large. The real ones blend 
in with the rest of the head and come to a bit more of a point (the nose 
makes kind of a blunt point, rather than just the apex of the blob). 
That might be difficult to do with blobs, tho, I don't know. In the side 
models it looks right.

Great job overall! An excellent model.

~Mike

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> I also agree about the color/textures - it actually looks a bit fuzzy
> the way it is! It would be interesting to try that SSS technique posted
> here the other day as well.  Overall very nice, tho.

I gave SSS a try when I was beginning with the texturing, and it's really
difficult to set up properly and get a good visual effect, especially with
the complicated shape of the blob. For now, SSS has been ruled out until I
have some more time to create a proper technique which gives guaranteed good
results, no matter the angle.

> The only thing that hits me a little strangely is the shape of the snout
> in the face-on model. It looks a little too large. The real ones blend
> in with the rest of the head and come to a bit more of a point (the nose
> makes kind of a blunt point, rather than just the apex of the blob).
> That might be difficult to do with blobs, tho, I don't know. In the side
> models it looks right.

Yeah, head on the cat's face looks a little strange, but it's mostly
lighting, blob's limitations and the texturing (no actual fur) which spoil
that view. As the cat will be seen sideways, I think I'll leave it at that.
I've learned that it's often better to head for proper "final" results,
rather than focus on details that won't be visible. I can always refine
models and textures when I need them in a different setting.

> Great job overall! An excellent model.

Thank you! Quite some work involved to get a decent cat. :-)

Regards,
Tim

-- 
"Tim Nikias v2.0"
Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

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Tim Nikias wrote:

I can really only comment on the shape because of a bad monitor. Also, 
it's been quite a while since I've seen a cat up close. *But*, given all 
of that, it sure looks like a cat to me. That's some very impressive 
blob work.

  -Shay

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"Tim Nikias" <JUSTTHELOWERCASE:timISNOTnikias(at)gmx.netWARE> wrote in
message news:41a2319c$1@news.povray.org...
>
> Yeah, head on the cat's face looks a little strange, but it's mostly
> lighting, blob's limitations and the texturing (no actual fur) which spoil
> that view. As the cat will be seen sideways, I think I'll leave it at
that.
> I've learned that it's often better to head for proper "final" results,
> rather than focus on details that won't be visible. I can always refine
> models and textures when I need them in a different setting.
>

actually, i think the side view is the most odd looking. the forehead looks
too round. I was only able to find this illustration, but it shows what i
mean if you look at the black cat on the right.

http://scienceartandmore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=122

there is a little dip between the top of the head and the nose.

otherwise, it's looking very catlike.

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> I can really only comment on the shape because of a bad monitor. Also,
> it's been quite a while since I've seen a cat up close. *But*, given all
> of that, it sure looks like a cat to me. That's some very impressive
> blob work.

Thanks. I'm still trying to improve it, little by little. You often need
comments and suggestions from various people, cause when you're working on
something for a long time, you get used to it and won't recognize the
mistakes anymore... Hence the WIP post every now and then. :-)

-- 
"Tim Nikias v2.0"
Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

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> there is a little dip between the top of the head and the nose.
>
> otherwise, it's looking very catlike.

Ah, thanks for that comment. My reference pics are mostly front views, and I
have to go by what I "feel" to be a cat in some parts. I'll see what I can
do about that dip on the head and the eyes, it seems like that region is the
one most find less cat-like...

Regards,
Tim

-- 
"Tim Nikias v2.0"
Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

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http://www.northrup.org/photos/Sammy/nl-43.htm
Is a pretty good visual model

DLM

"Tim Nikias" <JUSTTHELOWERCASE:timISNOTnikias(at)gmx.netWARE> wrote in 
message news:41a25cf6$1@news.povray.org...
>> there is a little dip between the top of the head and the nose.
>>
>> otherwise, it's looking very catlike.
>
> Ah, thanks for that comment. My reference pics are mostly front views, and 
> I
> have to go by what I "feel" to be a cat in some parts. I'll see what I can
> do about that dip on the head and the eyes, it seems like that region is 
> the
> one most find less cat-like...
>
> Regards,
> Tim
>
> -- 
> "Tim Nikias v2.0"
> Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>
>
>

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> Is a pretty good visual model

Thanks, downloaded and sitting on my HD now. :-)

-- 
"Tim Nikias v2.0"
Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

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Hey Tim! This looks really good. I think you've done a
great job on the fur. The back legs seem to be missing
the paws. The eye shape seems a bit off. On my cats,
you can distinctly see their mouths. The ears look
a little too plastic and "attached" rather than part
of the head. The front legs look good but the paws
seem a little small to me. The tail looks a little bit
thin. The head might need to be a little flatter on
the top. The eyes might need to be set further into
the head. But still, a wonderful picture and quite an
accomplishment for blobs!
=Bob=

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