I just want a good texture for or way of making real looking
dirt. I have a wall of rock made from a height field with a
gif I did in Paint Shop Pro. I made a plane but can't get
real looking dirt. Maybe I need to do another height field
for the dirt? Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kathy

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Although 'normal' and 'crand' can help, a heightfield becomes almost a requirement if
you are wanting depth to something. Maybe this is what you're after, maybe not. Any
objects in or on the "dirt"? That's the important thing to ask yourself. Problem here
as
with many things is what is dirt to someone. We have many kinds here, from red clay to
alluvial silt or sand from eroded sandstone. There's the dark brown fertile soil kind
and the sterile dust kind. Anyway, I think you need to add either a 'normal' or
'height_field'.


Kathy Overland wrote:
> 
> I just want a good texture for or way of making real looking
> dirt. I have a wall of rock made from a height field with a
> gif I did in Paint Shop Pro. I made a plane but can't get
> real looking dirt. Maybe I need to do another height field
> for the dirt? Any input would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Kathy

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
 mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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Thanks for the advice! I think height field is the way to go with this one. I tried
normals
& can't get the look that I want. I want just the brown soil look but a little rocky.
I have
two height fields intersecting to form the rock cliff for my background. It makes it
look
like you are looking into a corner. Hopefully there will be a dragon standing in the
corner
when I am finished.
Thanks,
Kathy

Bob wrote:

> Although 'normal' and 'crand' can help, a heightfield becomes almost a requirement
if
> you are wanting depth to something. Maybe this is what you're after, maybe not. Any
> objects in or on the "dirt"? That's the important thing to ask yourself. Problem
here as
> with many things is what is dirt to someone. We have many kinds here, from red clay
to
> alluvial silt or sand from eroded sandstone. There's the dark brown fertile soil
kind
> and the sterile dust kind. Anyway, I think you need to add either a 'normal' or
> 'height_field'.
>
> Kathy Overland wrote:
> >
> > I just want a good texture for or way of making real looking
> > dirt. I have a wall of rock made from a height field with a
> > gif I did in Paint Shop Pro. I made a plane but can't get
> > real looking dirt. Maybe I need to do another height field
> > for the dirt? Any input would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Kathy
>
> --
>  omniVERSE: beyond the universe
>   http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
>  mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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A dragon eh? Sounds good. I should have mentioned the practicality of using a matching
'image_map' or texture (such as 'gradient y' 'color_map') for the 'height_field' too.
Although maybe you had thought of it by now or would have anyway. Can make the
variations much more visible.


Kathy Overland wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the advice! I think height field is the way to go with this one. I tried
normals
> & can't get the look that I want. I want just the brown soil look but a little
rocky. I have
> two height fields intersecting to form the rock cliff for my background. It makes it
look
> like you are looking into a corner. Hopefully there will be a dragon standing in the
corner
> when I am finished.
> Thanks,
> Kathy
>

Post a reply to this message

Oh yes! I have plenty of gradient y, wrinkles, granite, color maps, normal maps,  &
anything else
you  can throw in the soup. I will say I do have a pretty good looking dirt. I made a
gif that is
almost white with some plasma in it for the height field. It is a little tricky making
two height
fields for a cliff background & one for the ground. Now my next dilemma is the scales
on the
dragon. I am pondering different methods that might work. I have this gut feeling I
might need to
make the main shape & then add the scales one by one. I don't think any of the normals
will give
me what I am looking for. I thought about a bitmap but even if I had one it wouldn't
give me the
layered look. Sorry if this all sounds so elementary but I have only been at this for
about 5
months. Not very long in PovRay time.

Thanks again for your help,
Kathy

Bob wrote:

> A dragon eh? Sounds good. I should have mentioned the practicality of using a
matching
> 'image_map' or texture (such as 'gradient y' 'color_map') for the 'height_field'
too.
> Although maybe you had thought of it by now or would have anyway. Can make the
> variations much more visible.
>
> Kathy Overland wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the advice! I think height field is the way to go with this one. I
tried normals
> > & can't get the look that I want. I want just the brown soil look but a little
rocky. I have
> > two height fields intersecting to form the rock cliff for my background. It makes
it look
> > like you are looking into a corner. Hopefully there will be a dragon standing in
the corner
> > when I am finished.
> > Thanks,
> > Kathy
> >

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You've been using POV-Ray about one twelveth the time I have. Those skin scales might
be
possible via uv mapping (Nathan K.'s UVPov or the SuperPatch?), I just haven't done
any
of it myself so I couldn't say whether there's also a bump_map sort of uv map too.
Maybe
someone else knows... I can't think of a real great existing pattern either, except
perhaps crackle with spherical mapping and scaled appropriately enough to fit the
overall dragon body? But I'm just poking around in the dark here about it. I hate to
think of the modelling involved in applying actual objects of various sizes and
orientations.


Kathy Overland wrote:
> 
> Now my next dilemma is the scales on the
> dragon. I am pondering different methods that might work. I have this gut feeling I
might need to
> make the main shape & then add the scales one by one. I don't think any of the
normals will give
> me what I am looking for. I thought about a bitmap but even if I had one it wouldn't
give me the
> layered look. Sorry if this all sounds so elementary but I have only been at this
for about 5
> months. Not very long in PovRay time.
> 

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
 mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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Is your Dragon a mesh?  If so, maybe you could use the Compressed Mesh macro along
with the Hair
Growth Macro File to get what you are looking for.  The hair growth tutorial says the
macro can be
used to create scales.  Below is a link to Chris Colefax's Compressed Mesh Macro which
does include
the Hair Growth Macro.

 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/1434/download/pcm.zip

I hope your image comes out as well as you hoped - if not better.  Good luck!

Tony

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On Thu, 24 Jun 1999 21:59:42 -0700, Kathy Overland <ovy### [at] uswestnet>
wrote:

>Oh yes! I have plenty of gradient y, wrinkles, granite, color maps, normal maps,  &
anything else
>you  can throw in the soup. I will say I do have a pretty good looking dirt. I made a
gif that is
>almost white with some plasma in it for the height field. It is a little tricky
making two height
>fields for a cliff background & one for the ground. Now my next dilemma is the scales
on the
>dragon. I am pondering different methods that might work. I have this gut feeling I
might need to
>make the main shape & then add the scales one by one. I don't think any of the
normals will give
>me what I am looking for. I thought about a bitmap but even if I had one it wouldn't
give me the
>layered look. Sorry if this all sounds so elementary but I have only been at this for
about 5
>months. Not very long in PovRay time.
>
>Thanks again for your help,
>Kathy
>

Gilles Tran has a picture called "Scales" which, as the names suggest,
features very realistic scales. Perhaps he will share the secret with
you or at least point you in the right direction. Other than that, you
may try to use an image of a roof for a bump_map. I remember Ken once
posted one such image, and if memory still serves me, it was tileable,
too. HTH

Peter Popov
ICQ: 15002700

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OK so I got a little distracted on Gilles Tran's web site. Lots of beautiful artwork &
great links. I
plan to spend some time on the dragon this weekend. Thanks for all the input & will
let you know what
I come up with.
Thanks,
Kathy

Peter Popov wrote:

> On Thu, 24 Jun 1999 21:59:42 -0700, Kathy Overland <ovy### [at] uswestnet>
> wrote:
>
> >Oh yes! I have plenty of gradient y, wrinkles, granite, color maps, normal maps,  &
anything else
> >you  can throw in the soup. I will say I do have a pretty good looking dirt. I made
a gif that is
> >almost white with some plasma in it for the height field. It is a little tricky
making two height
> >fields for a cliff background & one for the ground. Now my next dilemma is the
scales on the
> >dragon. I am pondering different methods that might work. I have this gut feeling I
might need to
> >make the main shape & then add the scales one by one. I don't think any of the
normals will give
> >me what I am looking for. I thought about a bitmap but even if I had one it
wouldn't give me the
> >layered look. Sorry if this all sounds so elementary but I have only been at this
for about 5
> >months. Not very long in PovRay time.
> >
> >Thanks again for your help,
> >Kathy
> >
>
> Gilles Tran has a picture called "Scales" which, as the names suggest,
> features very realistic scales. Perhaps he will share the secret with
> you or at least point you in the right direction. Other than that, you
> may try to use an image of a roof for a bump_map. I remember Ken once
> posted one such image, and if memory still serves me, it was tileable,
> too. HTH
>
> Peter Popov
> ICQ: 15002700

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