Before and After Shot

[3ddesign]

As I stated in this thread http://www.chaosgroup.com/forum/phpB...1a0e487511f7da, I usually can't post images due to non disclosure stuff. But here's one that was recently built that I can post. I've also posted the screen shot so you can see how the model was built. The openings lead into simple corridors that are lit with both natural and artificial light. Also, I omited a seat and table group in the near corners which are out of the view, but left in the IES light.

To make a better comparison, I moved the 3D camera slightly to match the photo viewpoint and re-rendered. In photoshop, I added the 2D flowers. Other than that, it is pretty much as it came out of Vray.
I was surprised at how much more light was cast in the photo on the floor between the sofa and chairs. Judging by the way the shadows are cast, the table lamp gave off much more light than I figured they would. Also, I think the back wall reflected more light in the photo than in the 3D model. Other than that, there weren't too many surprises. Just shows that Vray is fantastic at representing the real world.

C&C welcome, especially why I don't get the nice glow in the tabletop.

Craig

Before:


After:


Screenshot:

[ene.xis]

u don t get the glos cause u don t have blurry reflections nor u overide it with the glossys....

[3ddesign]

Thanks for the reply ene.xis. That was my first thought as well. But I've tested several different glossy settings but can't seem to get the right look. In past projects, I've just had to fake it in PhotoShop or place a bright blob in the scene, region render and merge in post. I'm wondering if it is a property of the wood varnish and if SSS will produce the correct results. I've never used SSS. Has anyone tried this will wood reflections?

Craig

In the top image, you can see part of the light. Thus, it would make sense that using some glossy factor should give the bright highlight. Or at least in the real world it does.

[dapeter]

I think you're not getting the glossies because in the photo they're actually produced by the glowing surface of the lightbulb. Without some type of luminous geometry there to reflect, it will just reflect the scene but not the light source.

Have you tried placing a sphere with Vraylightmatl in the lamp (where the lightbulb would go) - make it invisible to the camera but visible to reflections and refractions. Then make it not send or recieve GI, and not create shadows.

You can adjust the strength of the highlight produced on the table by adjusting the multiplier of the Vraylightmatl.

I do this to get proper glossy reflections of flourescent light fixtures on floors - create a Vraylight where the fixture is (to actually light the scene) and make it invisible. Then create a visible-to-reflections-only box where the vraylight is to get the floor reflections correct. That way the reflection strength can be changed independent of the Vraylight strength.

[Syclone1]

yes in the real world you do get the bright highlights but do remember that these highlights are usually atributed to imperfections in the finish, if you put an extreemly fine bump map or event the woodgrain map as a bump you should get your highlights then.

-dave

[3ddesign]

yes in the real world you do get the bright highlights but do remember that these highlights are usually atributed to imperfections in the finish, if you put an extreemly fine bump map or event the woodgrain map as a bump you should get your highlights then.

-dave

I wondered about that. I'll give it a try and report back.

Have you tried placing a sphere with Vraylightmatl in the lamp (where the lightbulb would go) - make it invisible to the camera but visible to reflections and refractions. Then make it not send or recieve GI, and not create shadows.

You can adjust the strength of the highlight produced on the table by adjusting the multiplier of the Vraylightmatl.

I do this to get proper glossy reflections of flourescent light fixtures on floors - create a Vraylight where the fixture is (to actually light the scene) and make it invisible. Then create a visible-to-reflections-only box where the vraylight is to get the floor reflections correct. That way the reflection strength can be changed independent of the Vraylight strength.

I've tried something similar but this sounds much better. I'll give it try.

Craig

[percydaman]

you dont even have to use a vraylight. just use an omni set to specular only, set it to exclude everything but the table, then just play with its values and the specular highlight of your material until it looks right.

[3ddesign]

Have you tried placing a sphere with Vraylightmatl in the lamp (where the lightbulb would go) - make it invisible to the camera but visible to reflections and refractions. Then make it not send or recieve GI, and not create shadows.

This worked very well. Thanks for the tip.

Craig

[Candelero]

Nice result.

Some crit though:
IMO, you are losing the shadows quite much, especially in the contact where the chairs' legs are touching the ground. I would try turning those big area lights off or lowering them down, so that the contrast shows more of the shadow info.

Best regards,
nikki Candelero

[ene.xis]

definitely!

[TRGraphics]

I was going to suggest the omni light trick as well. I sometimes have as many specular only lights in a scene as I do for actual illumination. It works quite well and doesn't kill your render times.

I wish we could get this option in the vray lights.

[ene.xis]

if u use a vray sphere light as an emiter, wont u get the desired effect?

[3ddesign]

Nice result.

Some crit though:
IMO, you are losing the shadows quite much, especially in the contact where the chairs' legs are touching the ground.
nikki Candelero

Yeah, I really struggled with that. No matter the sittings I used on the big plane lights I couldn't solve the floating table and chair problem. I considered adding some shadow specific lights, but opted to try to mimic the real lighting condition and see what turned out. Since Candelero,s post, I've played further with the area lights without too much success. If I have time, I'll actually build the hallways off the large openings and light them as built and see what results. Percydaman and TRGraphics, I look forward to trying your omni light technique in my next project.

Thanks for the crits and comments.

Craig