This last week, I've been trying to model a morilia viridis: a python.

The final image is supposed to be a present for a friend of mine, even 
though I'm having trouble nailing down its look and it doesn't look like 
it'll be finished in time...

I'm considering displacement-painting to add some detail (like scales) 
to the snakes, but more in combination with a normal than painting it 
onto the entire snake. It's also (obviously) missing colors, I'm 
wondering if I should go for something realistic, or altogether more 
colorful and expressionistic, as that is something she'd like...

Well, if anyone has suggestions, feel free to blurt them out. :-)

Regards,
Tim

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

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It's snakes!  On a plane!

-- 
Tim Cook
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-empyrean

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.12
GFA dpu- s: a?-- C++(++++) U P? L E--- W++(+++)>$
N++ o? K- w(+) O? M-(--) V? PS+(+++) PE(--) Y(--)
PGP-(--) t* 5++>+++++ X+ R* tv+ b++(+++) DI
D++(---) G(++) e*>++ h+ !r--- !y--
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

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Tim Cook wrote:
> It's snakes!  On a plane!

Sheesh, I should have expected that one...  ;-)


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

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"Tim Nikias" <JUS### [at] gmxnetWARE> wrote in message 
news:45c25e1c@news.povray.org...
> This last week, I've been trying to model a morilia viridis: a python.

     Looking good Tim! You could try the attached image as a bump_map. This 
is what I used on my Orobous snake.

     texture {your texture/pigment}

      normal {
      bump_map {
         jpeg "snake_tex4.jpg"
         bump_size 1
         interpolate 2
        map_type 3}
        scale .47   rotate <0, 40, 0>}
        finish {ambient  -.055 phong .5 }}

       You may want to UV map the head or the body so as to be able to 
distinguish between them in your final image - the heads of snakes tend to 
have larger scaly patterns above the eyes and down to the nostrils.


       ~Steve~

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Tim Nikias <JUS### [at] gmxnetWARE> wrote:
> I'm wondering if I should go for something realistic, or altogether more
> colorful and expressionistic, as that is something she'd like...
>
> Well, if anyone has suggestions, feel free to blurt them out. :-)
>
> Regards,
> Tim
>
> --
> aka "Tim Nikias"
> Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>

Well Tim, if you know that she would like something colourful then do that
thing :-)
I do like the snakes and think that they would look great with a realistic
texture. The modelling is exemplary BTW.


Stephen

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"Stephen" <mcavoys_AT_aolDOT.com> wrote:

> Well Tim, if you know that she would like something colourful then do that
> thing :-)
> I do like the snakes and think that they would look great with a realistic
> texture. The modelling is exemplary BTW.
>

I agree, I would like to see them realistic but you should probably go with
what your friend would like most.. Then if you are bored do a realistic one
for us to gawp at..

Sean

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St. wrote:
>      Looking good Tim! You could try the attached image as a bump_map. This 
> is what I used on my Orobous snake.

Thanks for the bump-map, I might even use it directly for displacement, 
as Silo supports brushes.

>        You may want to UV map the head or the body so as to be able to 
> distinguish between them in your final image - the heads of snakes tend to 
> have larger scaly patterns above the eyes and down to the nostrils.

Yeah, the reference images I had showed that. I was thinking about 
manual displacement painting of the scales near the mouth, nostrils and 
eyes, and then use some cleverly faded pigment_map for some bump-mapping 
on the remaining parts of the snake.

As for distinguishing between the two, I'll have to see how much work it 
is for one snake, otherwise, color differences have to suffice.

Regards,
Tim

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

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Stephen wrote:
> Well Tim, if you know that she would like something colourful then do that
> thing :-)

Aiming for it. ;-)

> I do like the snakes and think that they would look great with a realistic
> texture. 

I'm trying to get there as well, closing in on the parallel approach to 
realistic vs colorful, I guess Steve's bumpmap might be helpful for that.

 > The modelling is exemplary BTW.

Thanks for the praise, continuous refinement over the last week, I'm not 
a born modeller. ;-)

Regards,
Tim


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

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s.day wrote:
> "Stephen" <mcavoys_AT_aolDOT.com> wrote:
> 
>> Well Tim, if you know that she would like something colourful then do that
>> thing :-)
>> I do like the snakes and think that they would look great with a realistic
>> texture. The modelling is exemplary BTW.
>>
> 
> I agree, I would like to see them realistic but you should probably go with
> what your friend would like most.. Then if you are bored do a realistic one
> for us to gawp at..

Hehe, thanks. Yeah, I'll see which approach works better, but I'm still 
guessing that I might want to try a realistic version of a single snake 
when there's less deadline-pressure.

Regards,
Tim

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

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Tim Nikias <JUS### [at] gmxnetWARE> wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
> > Well Tim, if you know that she would like something colourful then do that
> > thing :-)
>
> Aiming for it. ;-)
>
> > I do like the snakes and think that they would look great with a realistic
> > texture.
>
> I'm trying to get there as well, closing in on the parallel approach to
> realistic vs colorful, I guess Steve's bumpmap might be helpful for that.

Of course! I can feel the photorealism magnet pulling :-)

>  > The modelling is exemplary BTW.
>
> Thanks for the praise, continuous refinement over the last week, I'm not
> a born modeller. ;-)

No one is but the more you practice the better you get, and in reply to your
reply to Sean. I think a lot of the attraction of the snakes is the way they
are posed together.

Stephen

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