I very much like this image!

For the ant hill, you might want to work on the texture,
I guess thats the main reason why it doesn't look right.
Using a good pigment-normal combo can create the
illusion of a very granulated hill, since it wouldn't be too
obvious in this angle that its not really granular.

The smoke trails are a must for this image, and perhaps
even some effect with which the focussed light can be seen,
e.g. using media (not with photons, just some cylindrical-
spherical-combo of emission, to get that ray-effect).

All in all, a very neat idea, I think its really good, though perhaps
arealights wouldn't harm the grass' shadows.
Maybe attaching the handles to the lenses? Though that might
destroy the UFO-look, it could be worth a try for easy recognition...

Regards,
Tim

--
Tim Nikias v2.0
Homepage: http://www.digitaltwilight.de/no_lights
Email: Tim### [at] gmxde

>
> I'm trying to finalize this image and I'm not sure what/where to deal
with.
> The image is basically a set of lenses (that have a ufo look to them)
> heading towards an ant in the bottom of the image.  The ant seems to be
> studying this new threat.   I intend to add a few smoke trails (like
> cigarette smoke) where some of the lenses are focused on the grass to make
> the threat more apparent.  The small mud/sand mound that the ant is
perched
> on looks too much like a "cow patty" but I'm not sure how tomake it more
> granular, other than placing a lot of spheres all over it and I'm worried
> the rendering time will skyrocket.  I'm using photons but no radiosity.
> With no radiosity the image takes about 1.5 hours.  With radiosity it can
> only complete a few lines per day.
>
> Any suggestions/comments about the image?
>
> (No it's not a political statement)
>
> Patrick Dugan
>
>
>
>
>

Post a reply to this message

I say go for an even MORE ufo look especially on the edges, little windows
and docking bays etc.

"Patrick Dugan" <pat### [at] usnetcomcorpcom> wrote in message
news:3e710839@news.povray.org...
>
> I'm trying to finalize this image and I'm not sure what/where to deal
with.
> The image is basically a set of lenses (that have a ufo look to them)
> heading towards an ant in the bottom of the image.  The ant seems to be
> studying this new threat.   I intend to add a few smoke trails (like
> cigarette smoke) where some of the lenses are focused on the grass to make
> the threat more apparent.  The small mud/sand mound that the ant is
perched
> on looks too much like a "cow patty" but I'm not sure how tomake it more
> granular, other than placing a lot of spheres all over it and I'm worried
> the rendering time will skyrocket.  I'm using photons but no radiosity.
> With no radiosity the image takes about 1.5 hours.  With radiosity it can
> only complete a few lines per day.
>
> Any suggestions/comments about the image?
>
> (No it's not a political statement)
>
> Patrick Dugan
>
>
>
>
>

Post a reply to this message

Definitely. Have the edges be metal, with little port-holes and whatnot. The
middle of the ship would then by the glass lens -- that would look pretty
darn cool.

Also, it would be very cool if the grass where the focused light hits in
your image were brown and smoking. :)

Already a very cool image, though. Good work!



"Corey" <sch### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
news:3e712765$1@news.povray.org...
> I say go for an even MORE ufo look especially on the edges, little windows
> and docking bays etc.
>

Post a reply to this message

[overused quote] Fire photon torpedoes! [/overused quote]

-- 
light_source#macro G(E)sphere{z+E*y*5e-3.04rotate-z*E*6pigment{rgbt#end{
20*y-10#local n=162;1}#while(n)#local n=n-.3;G(n)x}}G(-n).7}}#end//GregE

Post a reply to this message

Patrick Dugan wrote:
>Any suggestions/comments about the image?

A great image as it is; the following is for what it's worth...

Since your viewpoint is already high, what if you had the ant closer to the
camera looking down an ant-hilltop at the approaching threat? The main
subject, the ant, is so small on the image he look like...an ant. Bringing
the ant closer to the camera might involve the viewer more.

Andrew Cocker recently posted an excellent sand tutorial that might work
well for your sand mound.

Post a reply to this message

i find that normal{crackle form <0.8,0,0> bump_size -1 } is a good place 
to start for close-up sand.
are you going to add a hole at the top of the ant hill?
maybe you could also play with the composition abit, evrything is a 
little bit too central

ben p
p.s. it's looking really good!

Patrick Dugan wrote:

>I'm trying to finalize this image and I'm not sure what/where to deal with.
>The image is basically a set of lenses (that have a ufo look to them)
>heading towards an ant in the bottom of the image.  The ant seems to be
>studying this new threat.   I intend to add a few smoke trails (like
>  
>

Post a reply to this message

Thanks!

I may have to alter the ant closer to the camera, but I don't want the mound
to look too steep.

I really need to make the anthill look more soil-like and granular.  The
sand tutorial seems to look more like wet sand to me and doesn't have the
dry look I'm trying to get.


"Renderdog" <slo### [at] hiwaaynet> wrote in message
news:web.3e7135ababfa0da7272618640@news.povray.org...
> Patrick Dugan wrote:
> >Any suggestions/comments about the image?
>
> A great image as it is; the following is for what it's worth...
>
> Since your viewpoint is already high, what if you had the ant closer to
the
> camera looking down an ant-hilltop at the approaching threat? The main
> subject, the ant, is so small on the image he look like...an ant. Bringing
> the ant closer to the camera might involve the viewer more.
>
> Andrew Cocker recently posted an excellent sand tutorial that might work
> well for your sand mound.
>
>

Post a reply to this message

The smoking grass is clearly a must for this image.

"gilrain" <joh### [at] murraystateedu> wrote in message
news:3e7128b0$1@news.povray.org...
> Definitely. Have the edges be metal, with little port-holes and whatnot.
The
> middle of the ship would then by the glass lens -- that would look pretty
> darn cool.
>
> Also, it would be very cool if the grass where the focused light hits in
> your image were brown and smoking. :)
>
> Already a very cool image, though. Good work!
>
>
>
> "Corey" <sch### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
> news:3e712765$1@news.povray.org...
> > I say go for an even MORE ufo look especially on the edges, little
windows
> > and docking bays etc.
> >
>
>

Post a reply to this message

Thank you!  I'm going to try that texture.  I've debated adding a hole or
not and I'm still not sure yet.  The mound looks too uniformly round and
needs to be more irregular in shape.  I agree with it being too central in
arrangement.

"Ben Paschke" <ben### [at] rspcomau> wrote in message
news:3E7### [at] rspcomau...
> i find that normal{crackle form <0.8,0,0> bump_size -1 } is a good place
> to start for close-up sand.
> are you going to add a hole at the top of the ant hill?
> maybe you could also play with the composition abit, evrything is a
> little bit too central
>
> ben p
> p.s. it's looking really good!
>
> Patrick Dugan wrote:
>
> >I'm trying to finalize this image and I'm not sure what/where to deal
with.
> >The image is basically a set of lenses (that have a ufo look to them)
> >heading towards an ant in the bottom of the image.  The ant seems to be
> >studying this new threat.   I intend to add a few smoke trails (like
> >
> >
>

Post a reply to this message

I would not add any more to the lenses. It is the lenses I see invading. I
am guessing that is the idea. The only thing I would change is to make to
edges thinner. Making it look more like lenses. I see them as the envaders.
Not really as ships carring anything. Kind of a cross ship alean being
thing. As for the smoke yes that would make a great addition. Might even try
a flame in a spot or two.

Just my thoughts.


"Patrick Dugan" <pat### [at] netinsnet> wrote in message
news:3e714886@news.povray.org...
> The smoking grass is clearly a must for this image.
>
> "gilrain" <joh### [at] murraystateedu> wrote in message
> news:3e7128b0$1@news.povray.org...
> > Definitely. Have the edges be metal, with little port-holes and whatnot.
> The
> > middle of the ship would then by the glass lens -- that would look
pretty
> > darn cool.
> >
> > Also, it would be very cool if the grass where the focused light hits in
> > your image were brown and smoking. :)
> >
> > Already a very cool image, though. Good work!
> >
> >
> >
> > "Corey" <sch### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
> > news:3e712765$1@news.povray.org...
> > > I say go for an even MORE ufo look especially on the edges, little
> windows
> > > and docking bays etc.
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Post a reply to this message