Ice cube - with internal cloudy structures

[stevesideas]

Hi there,

I've read a number of posts on this forum about this type of shader but still not got any definitive ways to do this. I am trying to create the below image. Currently I have an icecube mesh with a glass type material with varying refraction glossyness. I've then copied the mesh and reduced the scale and applied a Vrayvolumescatter to it. I've also then create strands from the internal mesh to try and simulate the small lines/pockets of cloudy elements within the ice cube. The results are okay but not convincing.

Is there a shader only way to do this? Any help appreciated. My current result is below.

[Joelaff]

I’ve always modeled the internal stuff in ice cubes, but never tried something like that picture.

Maybe vray fur? Or a bunch of splines with TyFlow? Or a cloud with Phoenix. A combination of the above with a little refraction glossiness?

[stevesideas]

Yes, that's exactly the way I'm doing it

[Joelaff]

Would love to see it when you are done
if possible, or at least a little BTS shot of your setup.

AFAIK Vray doesn't have a way to vary IOR inside a volume, which would be very cool. I was thinking about that before, and actually played with something... A Stack of planes with a subtle world space noise texture in IOR. So the IOR would change with some variance through the volume. Slow as molasses to render of course. They can also have some subtle noise in refraction glossiness Even one or two internal IOR changes might be helpful if you are moving.

[kosso_olli]

Well, I think the result is already very convincing, maybe the only thing missing is some bubbles.

[fixeighted]

Yeah it looks good and agree that it only lacks maybe the odd bubble and some scratches/smudges.

I actually tried to test this setup today but had to give up. Just tweaking things using IPR will crash it, guaranteed every time and within minutes.
I reopened the scene probably 20 times and the crash was the same each time.
I'm not sure whether it's the scattervolume or something else.
It'd be interesting to see if it crashes for everyone before I post it as a possible bug.

I'm on Max 24 and Vray latest.

[vladimir_krastev]

Hi fixeighted
I tested your scene with V-Ray CPU in IPR but no crash.
Please describe your steps to reproduce the issue. If you could record a video of the crash it will be very helpful as well.
As you said it will be best if open a new thread about the issue.

[fixeighted]

Ok, thx for testing it.
I'll roll back to the previous Vray version andsee if the same occurs, as updating that is the only change I made in the last 2 days.
I'll create a separate post if anything seems obvious with that comparison.

EDIT: And literally immediately I began to tweak a parameter in the scattervolume shader, using the previous Vray version, it crashed out.
I'll send the minidump to support with a link to this thread, if that's appropriate.

[stevesideas]

Here are the end results: https://stevesideas.net/my-product/matugga-visuals/

I ended up using the original mesh of the ice cube, scaled down and then voronoi fractured inside Tyflow. I then deleted most of the fractures and used the remaining fractures as source for tyflow splines to grow from and reach the outer ice cube mesh shape. A bit of displacement and glossiness on the ice cubes help breakup and fibres inside but still left a bit of detail. It's not exactly what I was going for in the first place but I have to stop somewhere

[fixeighted]

Looks cool. The ice looks great in all but the this particular image I think. Maybe it needs more contrast...not sure what exactly but a great job regardless.
I'm genuinely impressed that they credited you with the visuals, which I think has only happened once personally in decades

[Joelaff]

Very cool. Turned out nicely. Wouldn’t mind a hint more contrast, but I get the vibe of the shots may prefer the higher key feeling. Thanks for sharing.

[Buck]

the ice cubes look great! The bubbles in the spirit/rum are probably not very accurate though. High alcohol drinks don't have lingering bubbles (I guess unless something fizzy is added to them), even bubbles after a very agitative pouring technique disappear very quickly if the liquid is just spirit.

[Joelaff]

Bubbles against the ice cube are nice, though. Those tend to linger... as The Cranberries might say.