Brick testing (W.I.P)

[voltron7]

Hello, I rarely post images but wanted to get some feedback on brick materials and displacement (and what better place?) These are still WIP, so, sorry about the 3d person, empty scene, and noise. I'm just trying to get a good brick material that is fast, but this one is not fast. Also tried out on with the DOF generator pro...for fun.

Thanks,
JR

http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SF-29b.jpeg
http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SF1.jpeg
http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SF-026.jpeg
http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SF1-DGP.jpeg

edited material, etc. with some post...sorry about the porblems, but this is just test...not finished.

http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SW-30E35.jpg


and untouched from VFB...

http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SW-30ENP.jpg

[Aldaryn]

I think you need less noise on the brick surface itself, take a look at some references. Noise on bricks is not this uniform, it's more like the splotches shader in max, I can't describe it better, sorry. Anyway, you might want to experiment with the combination of a displace and bump (or normal) map. Create a much less noisy, and bit blurred map for displacement, and add the finer detail with bumpmaps. This way, you can go with lower displace settings to speed thing up.

Alternatively, you could try relief mapping.

And keep in mind, that the side of the bricks doesn't supposed to be white, or mortar colored.

best regards,

A.

[voltron7]

Thanks for the ideas

I know what you're saying about the side of the bricks but, there are many ways to lay brick, and the way I'm trying to show, has a more "finger" shaped joint that almost comes to the face. I have another material for smooth brick and another for "clean" or "flat" joints like here...http://www.beldenbrick.com/onlinecat/503505.jpg

Here's an example pic...http://www.beldenbrick.com/2007/phot...nchester+Blend

Same for the noise, there are probably thousands of different ways brick are cut at factory
each leaves a different texture/smoothness. For this test I was trying to acheive a very grainy brick pattern like this one...http://www.beldenbrick.com/onlinecat/BurgundyBlend.jpg

Could you share any more info on releif mapping?
I'd like to try lower displ settings to speed it up a bit, as you said.

Perhaps setting are too high also?
I did this one at 1600 pixels wide and it took about 6 hours on a q6700.

QMC/LC
ADMC 1-6
QMC 16
LC 1400
.6/.002

Thanks again, JR

[Aldaryn]

Oh, I see what you mean, still I think the noise is a tad strong.

You can find all info and working plugins for relief mapping here: http://fabio.policarpo.nom.br/relief/index.htm

Works well in VRay too, and can be a good time saver, if you don't need to see edges directly, and you don't really need self shadows on relief mapped surfaces. However, this can do shadows and edges too, but the rendertimes then are close to what you get with displacement.

best regards,

A.

[pailhead]

The further this wall goes from the camera, it seems more like some rubbery carpety thingie, thana brick wall. If you are using displacements, and you need to show deep relief if you are getting really close to it, i would suggest using a very simple dislpacement map, that simply outlines the bricks and the bonds, black and white, nothing fancy. Then i would add a bump map on top of that that would generate a very shallow texture feel to both the bond and the brick. This way you will have more control over the whole material, because it seems too rough now.
The bond is too noisy, it looks like rough stucco, and the brick is too rough and uniform.

This is how i solved the wall on one of my churches. The main reason why i've done it this way because i wanted the yellow stone (forgot what it's called) to stand out. So my displacement texture has three tones, a black bond, gray bricks, and that large white stone (i added a slight gradient around it afterwards, to round the edges a bit). Since they all have separate layers i can easily mask those elements out and add different bump textures to them, making the brick in this case flat and the stone rough. I don't have the texture handy. I can dig it up and post it.

[voltron7]

@Aldaryn
Yes, agreed, too much noise. I'm working on blurring the joints a bit, too. I just had too much bump and/or displacement on the grout. The texture of it is a photo from real brick wall, but I had the settings not quite right. Thanks for the releif mapping link too

@pailhead

Oh, I remember seeing that thread! Awesome image, especially the roof materials!
I have a displacement for the joints/brick and then a bump just for the faces, but i think it's not quite right, as you've both mentioned. If you wouln'd mind posting that texture, it would be helpful to see how it's all set up. I'm still learning photoshop a bunch and am afraid I'm still not 100% on how to make good displacement/reflection/glossiness maps from the diffuse map...On a separate note, would you care to tell about that metal/copper roof texture? It looks great.

Thanks for comments and suggestions, I'm going to try some other setting out.
JR

[voltron7]

edited material, etc. with some post...sorry about the porblems, but this is just test...not finished.

http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SW-30E35.jpg


and untouched from VFB...

http://www.maine-ais.com/3dWIP1/SW-30ENP.jpg

any better? Thanks again

[Aldaryn]

Looks much much better now! Grout could be a bit deeper imo, but the overall shader and geometry is coming along very well!

By the way, on your first images the handrail was a bit low I think. Maybe you should check it.

best regards,

A.

[voltron7]

Thanks! I will try out a little deeper joints and check the rail. I thought I set it so the top of rail was 2'-10" AFF. This was the req'd height in "new" public buildings around here. I still may add a guard rail, too that would be at 3'-6" AFF...
Thanks.