"Neddahk" <Ned### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> I have been working on a macro that creates a tree.  My goal is
> photo-realism, so I appreciate your comments and suggestions.  The tree is
> modeled entirely in POV using recursive macros. I've attached a few of the
> recent results.

Wow, they're very good. I like how so many POV-artists do it themselves,
even when similar things have already been developed, because there are
always advantages starting fresh. It's great to have so many technically
savvy artists!

Hmm, photo-realism from what distance? Up close can be a demading challenge
indeed.

The falling leaves in both images are an especially nice touch. The
large-trunk brown bark texture is very real-looking to me, and the leaves
are attached to the branches. The overall trunk looks realistically curved
and curled in both images.

Criticism: (w/grain of salt, please)
The last level of twiggy recursion isn't quite fine enough, to my eye; it
seems like it should look busier and noisier around the tree margins. The
light branch and twig texture seems a little too bare, but that may be
realistic. The texture transition doesn't show peeling-up bark like a
sycamore or such tree has.

Overall, though, my only major criticism is that the branch and twig
sections are too straight. Add more small-scale wiggles and irregularity if
you can.

Oh, also- not that it affects the tree realism- but the ground doesn't show
any shadow that I can see. ??

Very good job. Keep it up!

-Stefan Sittler

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