Rendering
Lake Cabin Illustration
Jun 3rd
Here is a lake cabin illustration that I just completed. The model was created in 3DS MAX Design 2011 and rendered using the V-Ray render engine. If you have any technical question feel free to post them here.
Composition is one of the most misunderstood concepts in any form of artwork. It has been said that you can be the greatest painter in the world, but if you don’t know how to compose properly, your painting will fall apart and the same goes for digital art/illustrations/renders.
Like all illustrations of mine, this one started off in my head. First I decide what would make this image special and I decide on a focal point. These cabins are on a lake, very close to the water, and have windows and a deck facing the South. I like to play with contrast so I typically place my camera about 45 degrees from my light source (in plan), with the focal point being in the light. Since the cabins are on the lake facing South I know that you would see the sunrise so I took advantage of the glass on the sliding windows. I chose the sunrise in the reflection as my focal point.
To bring the viewers eye to my focal point (composition is really about moving the viewer’s eye) I placed the boat in the foreground, pointing towards my focal point. The boat was tipped slightly away from the camera so it wouldn’t bring so much attention to itself. I used yellow on the boat to help the viewer up into the image knowing the eye associates colors and the sunrise in the reflection is yellow too. The focal point is also 1/3 to the left of center and about 1/3 below center, which is were the eye is naturally drawn to in an image. I usually have my horizon lower, but I wanted at least as much blue water as blue sky (the water and sky are blue, which are complementary colors to my focal so it brings the illustration into balance).
Below are some screen grabs of my V-Ray settings:
VFB Frame Buffer
Global Switches
Antialising
Image Sampler
Environment
Color Mapping
Camera Type
GI
Brute Force
Light Cache
Caustics
DMC
Displacement
Systems
Elements
V-Ray Camera
HDRI
Gamma
I can comfortably say that I have never used the same settings for any 2 scenes so these settings might not work for you, but it might be a good starting point. I am running a render farm with 90Gb of RAM and 24 processors so unless you have an equivalent farm these settings might be to high for you.
Below find some Photoshop CS5 post screen grabs:
(coming soon…)
Autodesk Homestyler New Product Catalog Items
May 25th
New Today — Have more fun designing your home with over 8,000 new items we just added to the Autodesk Homestyler product catalog! Check out the new cabinetry and furnishings for your kitchen, living room, bedroom and more. http://www.homestyler.com/
3ds Max 2011 How-To Movies
May 15th
Hidden away in the training section of the 3ds Max product page you will find a handy link to over 50 How-To movies. The focus of the movies cover all aspects of the software and from beginner to intermediate skill levels. This year Amer Yassine and the rest of our documentation team have been quite busy and added 23 new videos using 3ds Max 2011.
www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-howtos
V-Ray 1.50.SP5 released today
May 15th
Chaos Group has just announced the release of V-Ray 1.50.SP5. The new build adds compatibility with 3ds Max 2011 and 3ds Max Design 2011 and includes new features, together with many modified and improved ones. There’s also a number of additions and fixes listed in the Chaos PR.
New features:
*Added VRaySamplerInfoTex texture and VRaySamplerInfo render element
*Added VRayObjectSelect render element which allows to extract objects with specific IDs into a separate element
Modified features:
*Added an option to the VRayPhysicalCamera to perform image distortion based on a texture map
*Allow the user to specify texture bounds for 3d displacement
*Added displacement slot to VRayFastSSS2 material
*Added “prepass id” parameter to VRayFastSSS2 material so that multiple materials can share the same illumination map
*Added displacement slot to VRayLightMtl material
*The color parameter of VRayIES lights is now animatable
*The min/max z-depth values for the VRayZDepth render element are now
animatable
*Support for reflection occlusion in VRayDirt
*Support for environment sampling in VRayDirt
*Support for Particle Flow vertex color mapping and particle visibility
*Support for the “Use transparent shadows” option with Arch&Design materials
*The clipping planes for the VRayPhysicalCamera are now displayed in the viewport
*Added an option “show cone” to the VRayPhysicalCamera to control the display of the camera in the viewports
*Ability to save and load color correction curves for the VFB in Adobe(r) PhotoShop(r) .acv format
*Support for pixel aspect ratio display in the V-Ray VFB
*Support for anaglyph stereo preview in the V-Ray VFB
*Support for LUT color correction in the V-Ray VFB from .cube files
*Ability to display the value of the corrected colors in the V-Ray VFB pixel info dialog
*The “Dynamic memory limit” parameter can be set to zero to remove any limit
Bug fixes:
*Motion blur for Hair&Fur in “mr prim” mode does not match the “buffer” mode
*Occasional random crashes in 3ds Max 2010 due to progress bar updates
*Fixed invalid smoothed normals causing issues with displacement
*Fixed AA artifacts with thin bright lines when using Adaptive DMC image sampler
*Stuck buckets with perfectly transparent surfaces and GI
*Incorrect vignetting for VRayPhysicalCamera when using horizontal/vertical offset
*Set VRaySilentMode should disable the dialog for overwriting raw .vrimg files
*Missing reflections in VRayFastSSS2 when it is a coat material inside a VRayBlendMtl
*Incorrect bump mapping for GI when using time-interpolated irradiance maps
*Fixed artifacts with VRayFastSSS2 when one of the scatter color components is zero
*Fixed incorrect normal map with VRayNormalMap on VRayProxy objects
*Fixed crash with animated irradiance maps and objects with zero scale
*The color of VRayIES lights was not animatable
*VRayIES lights did not produce photon-mapped caustics
*Fixed invalid normals with VRayEdgesTex in the bump slot
Z-Depth
Apr 2nd
Below you’ll see a Z-Depth pass, yet another trick that allows you to do some post production work on your illustration. The Z-Depth pass allows you to quickly mimic a cameras depth-of-field lens trick. Gaussian blur in post allows you, while using the z-depth channel, to control the blur from light to dark. Doing this allows you to have a foreground, which is important for your composition, but it will not overpower your illustrations focal point.
Ambient Occlusion
Apr 2nd
Ambient = Dark
Diffuses = Light
An Ambient Occlusion pass returns a gray scale image with intersecting geometry darker. This technique allows you to do some post production using layer manipulation. Revit 2011 has some built in Ambient Occlusion capabilities so be on a lookout in the next release.
The below image was created via a script and I use this technique on almost all of my work. It gives your illustration a more realistic feel. This is also how I create the museum board stills and animation.
What’s New in 3ds Max 2011
Mar 10th
Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2011 3D modeling, animation, rendering software includes the following new and enhanced features:
- Slate, a new node-based material editor, enables you to more easily visualize and edit material component relationships.
- Quicksilver hardware renderer enables you to create high-fidelity pre-visualizations, animatics, and games-related marketing materials in less time.
- Graphite modeling and Viewport Canvas tools help accelerate modeling and texturing tasks.
- The new 3ds Max Composite feature offers high-performance, HDR-capable compositing tools and is based on technology from Autodesk® Toxik® software.
- 3ds Max 2010-compatible format enables you to save scene files to help manage the transition to 3ds Max 2011.
Watch Videos of these new features in Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2011
Visual Tour – high speed rail
Feb 11th
A guided tour of the proposed high speed rail lines running from Anaheim to San Francisco, San Diego to Los Angeles and Fresno to Sacramento.
The Art of Composition
Jan 28th
Think of a landscape photograph as a jigsaw puzzle, with dozens of different
pieces demanding your attention. If you arrange all those pieces in the right
order you’ll end up with an organized, structured image that makes sense and
looks good. But if you put them together any old way, the end result will be a
muddled mess of shapes, colors and details that’s difficult to make sense of.
That, in a nutshell, is what composition’s all about – arranging the
elements of a scene in your camera’s viewfinder so they form something visually
interesting to look at; something that will hold the attention of the viewer
and take their eye on a journey around the frame from the immediate foreground
to the distant background.
Every time you raise a camera to your eye you’re composing a picture – the
very act of deciding where to point it is based on a conscious or sub-conscious
decision about what you want to include in the picture. The trouble is, many
photographers don’t spend enough time thinking about that composition before
firing away, and nine times out of ten the end result is unbalanced and
un-stimulating.
Often the main subject is too far away and marooned in a sea of empty space,
or there are annoying distractions in the frame. Many pictures have no obvious
entry point, so the viewer’s wanders around aimlessly, and lack any sense of
depth or scale so they look as flat as the proverbial pancake.
Painters are one up on photographers when it comes to composing a picture,
because if the scene before them isn’t ideal they can move elements around on
the canvas until it is. We just have to accept what’s there and make the best
of it.
Fortunately, this isn’t as difficult as it sounds because by using different
lenses, choosing your viewpoint carefully and thinking about which part of the
scene you want to capture on film, it’s possible to create successful
compositions every time. There are also many compositional ‘rules’ and devices
that can be used to help you take more interesting pictures, and the more
pictures you take, the better your natural sense of composition will become –
until it becomes and intuitive act, rather like driving a car does when you’ve
been behind the wheel enough.
Step 1 Include foreground interest
Scenic pictures can often be improved dramatically simply by including
something in the immediate foreground. Not only does foreground interest help
to create a strong feeling of depth and scale, which is vitally important, but
it also tightens-up the whole composition by pulling together the different
elements in the scene, and provides an obvious entry point into the shot – the
bottom is a natural place for the eye to start with conventional picture
formats.
All kinds of things can be used as foreground interest – walls, rivers,
rocks, hedges and trees, fences, roads, paths, flower beds and so on.
Wide-angle lenses are invaluable for emphasizing foreground interest. By
moving in close with a 24mm or 28mm lens you can make even small features
dominate the whole shot, and exaggerate perspective to create powerful
compositions with the foreground looming large and the rest of the scene
stretching off into the distance. Wide-angle lenses also offer the added
benefit of extensive depth-of-field. By stopping down to f/16 or f/22,
everything will come out sharp from less than a meter in front of the camera to
infinity.
Step 2 Use the rule-of-thirds
This is the oldest compositional trick in the book, and one that’s used by
both painters and photographers to create a visually balanced picture.
Imagine you’re shooting a landscape and there’s an isolated farmhouse in the
distance or a single tree in the middle of a field, acting as the main focal
point. Most photographers would stick this subject in the centre of the frame –
which can work in some situations. However, you will generally get a more
pleasing sense of balance if you position it using the rule-of-thirds.
To do this, divide-up your camera’s viewfinder into an imaginary grid using
two horizontal and two vertical lines. The focal point is then placed on or near
any of the four intersection points created by those lines.
The rule of thirds can also be used to help you position the horizon. It’s
tempting to stick it across the centre of the frame, but unless you’re shooting
a symmetrical scene, such as reflections in a lake, the result tends to look
very static and lifeless.
A much better approach is to place the horizon one third from the top or the
bottom of the frame, so you’re emphasizing either the sky or ground. To help
you achieve this, divide the viewfinder into thirds using two imaginary
horizontal lines, and then compose the scene before you so the horizon falls on
one of them.
You should never force a picture to comply with the rule-of-thirds, but when
used with care it can work well and after a while you will find yourself
naturally dividing the scene into thirds to aid the position of important
elements.
Step 3 Make the most of lines
Lines just can’t be beaten when it comes to adding depth and dynamism to a
picture. As well as creating a strong sense of direction, they also carry the
eye through the scene so it takes in everything along the way.
If you keep your eyes peeled when shooting landscapes you’ll see lines
appearing everywhere: roads, rivers, railings, avenues of trees, road markings,
telegraph poles and railway tracks slicing through the countryside, raking
shadows cast by the evening sun and so on. All these and many more can be used
to improve the composition of your pictures.
Horizontal lines divide the scene in layers and produce a restful effect by
echoing the horizon. The eye normally travels from left to right and steadily
upwards through the scene.
Vertical lines are far more active so they give a picture tension and a
strong sense of vertical direction – think of the towering trunks of coniferous
trees reaching for the sky.
Diagonal lines are more energetic because they contrast strongly with
horizontal and vertical elements and carry your eye through the whole scene. By
suggesting perspective they also add depth. Lines moving from bottom left to
top right work the best because that’s natural way for the eye to travel.
Converging lines created by roads, crop rows, avenues of trees and railway
lines are ideal for adding a strong sense of depth, scale and perspective due
to the way they rush away to the horizon and seem to move closer together with
distance. To make the most of this effect, look straight down the lines and use
a wide-angle lens to exaggerate perspective. Include the point where the lines
meet – the ‘vanishing point’ – is also a good idea as it brings the composition
to a satisfying conclusion.
Finally, lines don’t actually have to be straight to work in a composition.
The graceful curves of a meandering river will carry the eye through a scene
just as effectively as an arrow-straight canal.
Step 4 Use your feet
The late photojournalist Robert Capa used to say, “If a picture’s not good
enough, you weren’t close enough”. He was talking mainly about war and
conflict, of course, but in the landscape his words still ring true.
Many photographers seem to have a pathological fear of getting close to
their subject, regardless of what it is. They see something interesting, snap
away without a care in the world, and then wonder why the final picture has
enough wasted space to drive a Chieftain tank through.
So, the next time you’re about to take a landscape photograph, stop for a
second, have a last look at the composition and ask yourself if it could be
improved by walking further into the scene, getting closer to foreground
interest or finding something more suitable to fill the foreground. You’ll be
amazed at the difference this can make.
While you’re feeling energetic it’s also worth having a general look around
your subject. That landscape might look rather nice from the lay-by at the side
of the road – and it’s a known fact that some of the most stunning viewpoints
in the UK
are close to roads – but what about if you walked around the corner, or up the
hill behind you? The fact is you’ll rarely get the best picture from the first
viewpoint you find, but unless you make the effort to explore your subject from
different angles you’ll never know the alternatives.
Sometimes all it takes is a slight change of viewpoint to completely transform
the composition. Walking a few meters in any direction could give you a far
clearer view, get rid of unwanted distractions or provide important foreground
interest.
The height from which you shoot should also be considered. Most
photographers take every picture with the camera at eye level, but by kneeling
down or standing on a wall you’ll get a totally different view of the same
scene. Many professionals even carry a step ladder for this purpose (ask
Charlie Waite) so they can gain a slightly elevated position and see much more
of the scene they’re trying to capture.
Using your feet is a vitally important part of composing a picture, so never
be afraid to wear out a little shoe leather.
Step 5 Choose the right format
Although it’s natural to shoot landscapes with the camera held horizontally
in the ‘landscape’ format, turning the camera on its side can totally transform
the composition.
Upright pictures are far more energetic because the eye has further to travel
from bottom to top. You can also emphasize vertical lines and height to add
tension and excitement, or Capture Rivers and roads snaking away into the
distance the horizontal format is much more restful to look at because it
suggests repose, and echoes the horizon itself – that’s why it tends to be
preferred by landscape photographers.
Step 6 Make the most of frames
Using man made or natural features to frame your pictures is a great way to
tighten up the overall composition, get rid of annoying details and direct
attention towards your main subject.
All sorts of things can be used as frames: archways, door and window
openings, a hole in a wall, a gap in dense foliage or between trees, the
overhanging branches of a tree, bridges, even the play of shadow on a scene.
To make best use of frames you will usually find that a wide-angle lens
works best, allowing you to include the frame without obscuring the scene
beyond. Set your lens to a small aperture such as f/11 or f/16 if you want the
frame to come out sharp. Alternatively, blur it by setting a wide aperture and
focusing carefully on your main subject.
If the frame casts a shadow over you, step beyond it to take a meter
reading, otherwise the main scene will be overexposed. In bright conditions the
frame itself will record as a silhouette, which can look stunning.
Step 7 Break the rules
Throughout this feature we’ve looked at numerous guidelines and rules that
can be applied to improve the composition of your pictures. However, they’re
only there as a guide, and should be used as such.
Actors are often told to learn their lines so they can forget them and
improvise. It’s exactly the same with composition. Once you know how these
rules work, you can happily commit them to your subconscious and follow your
instincts.
Often you’ll get a far better picture by intentionally breaking the rules –
placing the horizon across the middle of the picture, or your focal point in
the center. The thing to remember is that whatever you do, make sure you have a
reason for doing it. But most important of all, make it count.
Landscape Composition Rules
Jan 28th
by Johannes Vloothuis
www.cyberartlearning.com
I have put together a series of ” rules” (I’d prefer the word, tips) of composition that when used properly should reduce the flaws in your landscape paintings. These are a compilation of what appears in most books on composition plus some of my own ideas. A word of caution; do not allow these to hinder your work. They are to help you out when you are in doubt on where to place diverse elements in your work. Rules are made to be broken, in which case you should at least know what rule you are breaking and why and not err due to insufficient knowledge. There are 23 pages so get a cup of coffee and prepare yourself for a long haul.
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1. Look at the picture above. A Landscape painting should contain a center of interest, which is the most predominant and beautiful area in a painting. The center of interest can be further enhanced when it contains a focal point creating a “bulls-eye” effect by adding a touch of purer color, and/or value contrast. This area will become the star in your play. The surrounding area should be subordinate. A well developed center of interest contains:
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Fig 2. The logs correctly placed are great pointers that lead the viewer’s eye to the area the artist prefers. |
| Fig 3. The shore serves as a visual path that leads to the bridge which is the center of interest. |  |
| 2. You may want to include a second center of interest. This will add another chapter to your story. I don’t condone this practice though unless you are very skilled. There is a risk that they will compete with each other. |
| Do not place one on top of another. Only one should predominate in size. The best way to place them will be across each other in a diagonal format. In case this can’t be done then placing them horizontally is the second option. |
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Fig 4. This painting didn’t need the flowers in the foreground. However, the artist decided to add a second center of interest. |
| 3. Avoid pushing the viewer out of the painting. This can be avoided if the elements don’t point towards the edge or run out of the picture, such as tree trunks, roads, and rivers. You can add “stops” to avoid the viewer from exiting. A rule of thumb; animals and people should be facing and looking inwards. |
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Fig 5. Observe the horse on the right. The artist subdued the value. Squint your eyes. See how it merges with the trees. If this horse were lighter in value the viewer would mount the horse and ride right ou |
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| Fig. 5a. Observe the first painting. See how the log is too straight and pointing towards the edge. The one in the middle has been edited. Some broken off branches were extended to slow down the speed as well as a branch added at the end (a stop). (Last picture)A better alternative might be to remove the log completely. Now the viewer will follow the shore line. |
| 4. Rivers, streams, roads, etc. should enter the picture with an “S” movement. The second option, not as good, in a curve. Straight lines should be avoided at all costs. The velocity is too fast. Allow the viewer to take a slow visual “walk”. |
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Fig 6. This stream in this composition has a nice lazy “S” shape”. |
| Fig 7. The visual path is a curve. Compare the both pictures and see which one takes you for a slower ride, more enjoyable ride. |  |
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Fig 8. Incorrect: The road enters in a straight line. The visual path is too fast. |
| Fig. 9. The image to the right shows a much better approach. |  |
| 5. Logic doesn’t apply to art. What counts is the visual impact. Sunlight on a field of grass may appear even if it is a cloudy day. Linear and atmospheric perspective can be distorted if the result is a better look. Cast shadows can be longer than they would appear at a specific time of day. Feel free to use your artist’s license.. |
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Fig. 10 Observe how the trees give the appearance that the wind is blowing from right to left. However the direction of the rain shows the opposite direction. |
| 6. Group your subjects of importance within the center of interest. Don’t scatter them around where they would compete for attention. |
| Fig. 11 . All the people appear in the same radius within the center of interest which is located at the bottom right. |  |
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Fig. 12. The horse is wrongly placed. Had the artist positioned it near the bench, the composition would’ve improved. |
| 7. You may wish to allow the viewer to interact and become a participant. Let him look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow instead of you providing all the visual information. Set your painting up for the viewer to wander around using his own imagination. |
| Fig. 13. What is around the bend? Will there be a lake? What about a town? Here the artist left it to your imagination. The path doesn’t go anywhere. You tell me. |  |
8. Depth. An artist is limited to creating the illusion of three dimensions on a flat two dimensional surface. We are to trick the people who see our paintings to believe that what they see looks real. Sometimes I have heard people ask me when they see my paintings. “Is it a photograph?”. How far from the truth they are! There is nothing real about my work, just a representation of reality. Here are a few gimmicks that will work to create the illusion of depth.
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Fig. 14. You can add more planes which will enhance the feeling of distance if you darken the foreground. |
| Fig. 15. Fog is a great way to create distance. |  |
| 9. Reserve your strongest value contrast for the center of interest, very dark against very light or the reverse. Keep the contrasts subdued everywhere else so as not to compete for attention. That is mid values against darks or mid values against lights. |
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Fig. 16. Wrong The tree on the left is competing for attention. There is a dark against light contrast on the left. |
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Fig. 17 Better. The tree was cropped out and the value contrast is now reduced. It is easier to focus on the buffalo now. |
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Fig. 18. The dark clothes on the man readily make him stand out. There is a dramatic value shift. The door on the shadow side of the house is also dark but it is surrounded by a mid value so it won’t attract the viewer to the wrong area. Think of the spotlight shinning on the actor on a theater stage |
| 10. Your painting will look less busy if you include a rest area, preferably just before the center of interest. This will allow some breathing space. |
| Fig. 19. The snow bank just before the pine trees provides for a nice rest area. |  |
11. If possible include a vertical, horizontal and diagonal movement in your painting. Only one should be predominant in length though. Diagonals are the most preferable because they never run parallel to the frame. These contour lines should not be straight rather just give the sense of direction.
| Fig. 20. The pine tree trunk offers the vertical. The grass is placed diagonally. The shoreline is the horizontal. Note: The smaller pine trees help break up what would be otherwise a blue triangular shape. |  |
| 12. When including elements whose nature is usually in movement, if possible indicate their movement but without putting them into compromising positions that would make them feel that they are posing. |
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Fig. 21. The artist is indicating that the horses are walking. This was achieved by showing the dust they would kick up by dragging their hooves. Also observe fig above. None of the horses are in midair in which case would make them appear that they are flying. The latter would be captured on a photo but don’t paint them this way. The same concept appears to a waterfall. When viewed in a photo it will appear that the water suddenly froze. Some painters copy this from the photo giving an unrealistic hard look. It is better to paint running water blurred. This will give it movement. |
| 13. If you are uncertain from where you want to start your visual path such as a river or road you may want to consider this concept. Most of us read from left to right, so by sheer habit the eye will follow this sequence. |  |
| 14. The visual entrance may also begin at the top left much like reading a book. |  |
| 15. Do not start your visual path from a corner. |
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Fig. 22. This is bad design. As you can see, the river originates from the bottom left corner of the canvas. |
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Fig. 23. By widening the mouth of the river, we’ve solved the problem of originating from the corner. |
| Common Errors and How to Avoid Them 16. Avoid duplicating forms, lines, movement, and size. This will make them compete and conflict with each other. |
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Fig. 24 .Observe these two paintings. (Left)The birch tree on the left has a twin. One of them should’ve leaned a different way and their width should vary. Fig. 25. (Right) the two horses are the same size and in the same position. |  |
| 17. Avoid grouping animals and people in even numbers. In case you wish to depict a pair, change their size and position. |
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Fig. 26. Incorrect. Here the deer compete with each other because they are placed in similar poses. They are also about the same size. |
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Fig. 27.Better. The deer on the right is different in size and is in another position. |
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Fig. 28. The painting looks even better when a third deer is added to the background. |
| 18. Never lean your objects outward. Always have them lean inwards. Do not line them parallel to the frame. That applies in vertical or horizontal format. |
| Fig. 29. Incorrect. The telephone pole is leaning in the wrong direction. |  |
| Fig. 30. This is bad design, as well. The telephone pole is now parallel
to the frame. |
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| Fig. 31. This is a much better design. The telephone pole leans inwards, keeping the viewer in the painting. |  |
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| 24. Do not close the viewer out. Invite him in. A do not trespass sign does not apply to paintings. |
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Left Fig. 42. Incorrect: The artist by closing the door is telling us that we are on private property. Right. Fig. 43 . Better. Doesn’t this composition make you feel more welcome? |  |
| Recommendation. When you depict an area with no light such as a entrance to a building with the light off. Don’t use black. The color of absolute darkness is purple. |
| 25. It is not necessary to indicate every brick, stone, board etc. unless you are into hyper-realism. By suggesting a few will convey the idea. It is better to do this in an impressionist manner. |
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Fig. 44. The viewer easily reads the texture of the chapel’s roof. |
| Recommendations on How to Improve Your Landscape Paintings |
| 26. Keep the corners subdued with little texture and the values dark. |
| Fig. 45. The both bottom corners are dark with minimum texture. |  |
| 27. When painting cast shadows add holes where the light peeks thru, otherwise the shadow will appear pasted on. |
Fig. 46  |
| 28. It is preferable not to place animals sideways to avoid a flat pasted on look. When positioned at ? they will have a three dimensional volume. |
| Fig. 47. Preferably not. |  |
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Fig. 48a and 48b. Better |  |
| 29. Buildings and other man made structures such as concrete, wood, etc. will be more interesting if you make them look weathered by adding texture such as cracks, parts peeling off etc. After all they would have more of a story to tell. |
| Recommendation. Only indicate texture closest to the viewer’s stand point. Texture diminishes in the disstance. |  |
Fig. 49. The artist used the dry brush technique to make the side of the building look old. |
| 30. Add some drama to your landscapes by creating a mood. Late afternoon paintings with orange colors in the sky are much more interesting to see than the average blue sky. Examples of this could be rain, wet streets, wind blowing, leaning palm trees, etc. All these special effects will enhance your work. |
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Fig. 50. This simple composition looks more interesting because of the rain and the sun peeking through the clouds. It even looks mystical. |
| 31. Unless your intent is to create hyperrealism, paint the landscape as if you were looking at it with a squinted blurred vision. |
| Fig. 51. Surely the real life subject material has much more detail in the foreground than the final painting. The artist picked the most essential elements and simplified to the utmost. |  |
| 32. Soft edges in the background will enhance the illusion of distance. Leave hard edges in the foreground and/or within the center of interest. |
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Fig. 52. The trees behind this convent were done on wet on wet watercolor paper. This technique diffused all the edges, making the foliage appear way back in the distance. The foreground tree was painted on dry paper resulting into hard edges, bringing it much closer in the picture plane. |
| 33. Don’t abruptly end a portion as it runs into another area. |
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Fig. 53. Left Incorrect. The highlighted grass suddenly stops when it reaches the foliage. Besides, the picture plane is divided in half in this area. Right. Fig. 54. Better |  |
| 34. Vary your forms. If you have round summer trees don’t have round clouds in the sky. On another note, the peaks of a mountain or pine trees will look nice when surrounded by round clouds. |
| 35. Balance is another key factor. There shouldn’t be that much difference of mass on any of the four sides of the painting; either right, left, top, or bottom. This will make it feel like it’s leaning. The painting will appear it is hanging lopsided. |
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Left. Fig. 55. Incorrect. The heavy mass on the right tends to make the painting want to lean towards that direction like a see-saw. Right.Fig. 56 Better. This composition is more balanced now that some weight has been added to the opposite side. |  |
| 36. Brush strokes should be done with an inward motion and towards the center of interest. |
| Some advice on color |
| The color palette is to the artist like the music notes to a musician. They should play harmoniously. |
| 37. Don’t waste time mixing pigments on your palette; rather mix them on canvas or watercolor paper. This will give you many more variations of color instead of a dull premixed outcome. Allow the colors to mix in the eye by variegating them. Avoid having more than three hues in one area. |
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Fig. 57. Observe all the variations of color that appear in the stone shadows. Instead of mixing blue, sienna , and orange on the palette, the artist slightly decreased the chroma from the colors that come directly from the tube and applied the colors to the shadow part of the rocks. |
| Fig 58. The blue door is practically the only place where this color appears. This creates the focal point in the center of interest. |  |
| Recommendations: I won’t go into color harmony deeply because that takes a whole book to cover. If you intend to take art seriously, it will be extremely helpful to read up on this and apply it to your work. I personally prefer to intermix colors with their complements instead of black. The more colors you mix together the muddier they will get. This will happen after three colors are intermixed and will worsen as more colors are added to the pool. Vary the color slightly every 2 inches to avoid monotony. Most people prefer paintings with predominant warm colors rather than cool ones. Only one hue and temperature should predominate in your painting. Reserve the strongest chroma for the center of interest and add a touch of its complement to make the surrounding color stand out more. Do not repeat the same color that appears in the background in the foreground. This will give the feeling there is a hole in the painting. Place warm colors against cool colors (also complements)because they enhance each other. (See fig . 61) Cool colors recede warm colors bring things closer. Leave your blues or violets for the background. Use this concept to create depth. One way to help balance your painting and make it harmonious is by repeating the same hues in all areas. (See fig. 57) For those who do know about color harmony, I can offer this piece of advice as a trick to create a bull’s effect in your center of interest. If you add small touches of color that are out of your color scheme it will strongly draw the viewer’s attention to that area. |
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Fig. 59. The color harmony is off in this painting. Don’t you feel that the mountains belong to another picture? The blue-violet color only appears in the mountains and not repeated anywhere else. |
| Fig. 60. In order to intertwine the colors, the artist was wise to bring the blue from the sky into the puddles. Observe the amount of variegation of ochres and greens in the tree highlights. |  |
| Recommendations: If your painting is predominantly green, a bluish green sky is better than a blue one. Here are a few gimmicks to bring down the sky colors onto the bottom portion of your painting: Bounce these colors on the shadow sides of rocks and tree trunks When leaves in the shadow portion of a tree are at a 90 degree angle to the sky they will reflect the sky colors due to their shiny polished looking surface which act like mirrors. Some discrete hard to detect with the naked eye touches of green in the shadows of clouds will further ensure color harmony. Bounce colors that result from direct sunlight hitting an object into its surrounding objects. It is uncommon to apply white paint straight from the tube. This would be a cool white and unpleasant too look at. Add a touch of orange or yellow to warm it up. That’s the reason why manufactures of watercolor paper add an orange pigment to their product so the areas left blank will be warm whites even though no pigment has been applied. |
| Fig. 61. Observe the green added to the shadow side of the wall. This avoids the house from looking pasted on. If anybody asks him why that area is green he can say the foliage in front is casting green light into that area. |  |
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Fig. 62. Purple and ochre are complements on the color wheel. They enhance each other and help separate the background from the foreground. Observe that the mountain in the middle ground is warmer because it contains more red than the very far one, which is bluer. The cooler (and lighter) the color, the more it pushes the subject into the distance. |
| 38. One way to make a color even brighter is to apply it thick (called impasto). This blob of paint will receive more light from the gallery light making it even brighter than if it had been applied thinly. |
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Fig. 63. Harvey is a master at depicting light emanating from street lights. The paint in the light area is applied on very thickly. By contrasting it with darks you get a strong contrast thus the illusion of light. You need the darks to get the lights. |
| 39. When painting we can only rely on a few values. In nature there are many more values because of the intensity of sunlight that can never be imitated under studio conditions. Three ways to create the illusion of sunlit areas is by contrasting those areas with exaggerated darks. I.e. It will be necessary to darken the cloud shadows more than they would appear in nature to create the effect of the sun peeking through the clouds. Or the cast shadow over grass will have to be much darker in your painting than in nature to make the sunlit areas appear bathed in sunlight. |
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| Fig. 64. When applying color visualize they way they would look on a gray scale. These values are enough for landscape painting. The differences of the in-between values are so subtle that it wouldn’t make much difference. There are actually 10 values on the value scale but it is a very hard task to paint in color and match all those values. |
| If any of you would like to add another brick to this tutorial, please email me.There could be a rule or tip that I have overlooked. |
40. On a last note, it has been said that nature is the best teacher. This is true for textures and forms. When it comes to color and distance however, sometimes nature fails to come up with a good lesson. For example, trees can be very round or triangular in shape. When copied from nature will result look amateurish. Many colors in nature are quite monotonous such as foliage and rocks being the same color. Some trees grow the same height. Nature has several big advantages over us. The sunlight will give us a much wider value range than a gallery light. Nature’s paintings are huge and three-dimensional. We have to give an appealing equivalent on a flat small surface. In conclusion we should take from nature what looks good and improve what doesn’t. I believe talent is not essential to be a good artist. Hard work is. My definition of talent is the following. Talent is the ability to spot what looks right or wrong in a painting. Knowledge is knowing out to correct what doesn’t look right.
Piranesi 2010 Pro
Jan 22nd
The world-leading 3D model visualiser Piranesi that the official releases of Piranesi 2010 Pro and Piranesi 2010 Lite will be Monday next, January 25th.
The new Piranesi 2010 website will go live on that day, but in the interim sales descriptions are included at the end of this email.
Already aware of your existing interest in Piranesi, we have pleasure in extending a special pre-release offer to you.
Based on the list price of the new flagship product Piranesi 2010 Pro of £495, and the new entry level product Piranesi 2010 Lite of £225, we are offering an additional discount as follows;
Piranesi 2010 Pro Special Price £434
Piranesi 2010 Lite Special Price £199
This offer will remain open until end of business on January 31st, 2010
Piranesi 2010 Pro users will also now have an option to purchase a twelve month upgrade and support contract. This will retail at £85 per annum. Any customer who takes up this special Piranesi 2010 Pro offer can at the same time take advantage of the above upgrade and support contract for just £65. The contract must however be placed at the same time as the upgrade above.
Here is what just one of the many 2010 Beta code testers had to say:
“I have to say that after playing around with the layer functionality for an hour or so, I think you have succeeded! The ability to apply filters and fills independent of the model layer, as well as change the way they interact with each other, is a huge development in my opinion. It makes the final image so much more editable. I have to admit that I am a layer junkie in Photoshop, so I am very excited about this new addition to Piranesi.”……. Andrea Starkey www.starkeyart.com
Piranesi 2010 Pro
As the name portrays this is the all encompassing version of Piranesi 2010. Although fully loaded with the tools needed to tackle the largest and most complex of projects, and based on new layering technology, it still remains highly competitively priced. Included in these price are two massive raster “Entourage” galleries, an optional twelve months upgrade and email support cover, a private Pro Forum, 3D glasses for viewing the amazing new 3D Anaglyph Images, and a choice of 64 or 32 bit Windows or 32bit Mac implementations.
Piranesi 2010 Lite
Lite only in name and by price, this product contains all the functionality that was found in the full blown 2009 version of Piranesi (Piranesi 5.1). To further bring Piranesi 2010 Lite to a staggeringly low entry price point the two raster entourages have now become optional selections for the product. Available as a 32bit implementation this product will now make the “Piranesi Experience” affordable to the smallest businesses.
Rule of Thirds
Jan 21st
Perhaps the most well know principle of illustrations composition is the ‘Rule of Thirds‘.
It’s one of the first things that budding illustrators learn about in classes on illustrations and rightly so as it is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots.
I will say right up front however that rules are meant to be broken and ignoring this one doesn’t mean your images are necessarily unbalanced or uninteresting. However a wise person once told me that if you intend to break a rule you should always learn it first to make sure your breaking of it is all the more effective!
What is the Rule of Thirds?
The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. As follows.
rule-of-thirds
As you’re taking an image you would have done this in your mind through your viewfinder or in the LCD display that you use to frame your shot.
With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your image.
Not only this – but it also gives you four ‘lines’ that are also useful positions for elements in your photo.
rule-of-thirds
The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.
Using the Rule of Thirds comes naturally to some illustrators but for many of us takes a little time and practice for it to become second nature.
In learning how to use the rule of thirds (and then to break it) the most important questions to be asking of yourself are:
- What are the points of interest in this shot?
- Where am I intentionally placing them?
Once again – remember that breaking the rule can result in some striking shots – so once you’ve learnt it experiment with purposely breaking it to see what you discover.
Lastly – keep the rule of thirds in mind as you edit your photos later on. Post production editing tools today have good tools for cropping and re-framing images so that they fit within the rules. Experiment with some of your old shots to see what impact it might have on your photos.
“What is the Focal Point in this Picture?”
Jan 21st
Some other ways to ask the same question might include – What is the central point of interest? What will draw the eye of the viewers of this picture? What in this image will make it stand out from others? What is my subject?
The reason a focal point is important is that when you look at an image your eye will generally need a ‘resting place’ or something of interest to really hold it. Without it you’ll find people will simply glance at your shots and then move on to the next one.
Once you’ve identified a point of interest or focal point you then should ask yourself how you can enhance it.
6 Techniques to Enhance the Focal Point in an Image
A focal point can be virtually anything ranging from a person, to a building, to a mountain, to a flower etc. Obviously the more interesting the focal point the better – but there are other things you can do to enhance it’s power including:
- Position – Place it in a prominent position – you might want to start with the rule of thirds for some ideas.
- Focus – Learn to use Depth of Field to blur out other aspects in front or behind your focal point.
- Blur – If you really want to get tricky you might want to play with slower shutter speeds if your main subject is still and things around it are moving.
- Size – making your focal point large is not the only way to make it prominent – but it definitely can help.
- Color – using contrasting colors can also be a way of setting your point of interest apart from it’s surroundings.
- Shape – similarly contrasting shapes and textures can make a subject stand out – especially patterns that are repeated around a subject.
Keep in mind that a combination of above elements can work well together.
Lastly – don’t confuse the viewer with too many competing focal points which might overwhelm the main focal point. Secondary points of interest can be helpful to lead the eye but too many strong ones will just clutter and confuse.
Google SketchUp Pro: Case Study
Jan 11th
Google SketchUp Pro Case Study with Mortenson Construction. SketchUp Pro is software for creating and presenting professional 3D models. Learn more at http://sketchup.google.com/pro
Point Cloud and Photosynth
Dec 31st
Photosynth creates an amazing new experience with nothing more than a bunch of photos. Creating a synth allows you to share the places and things you love using the cinematic quality of a movie, the control of a video game, and the mind-blowing detail of the real world.
Point Cloud and Photosynth
How Does it Work?
In simple terms, Photosynth allows you to take a bunch of photos of the same scene or object and automagically stitch them all together into one big interactive 3D viewing experience that you can share with anyone on the web.
Photosynth is a potent mixture of two independent breakthroughs: the ability to reconstruct the scene or object from a bunch of flat photographs, and the technology to bring that experience to virtually anyone over the Internet.
Using techniques from the field of computer vision, Photosynth examines images for similarities to each other and uses that information to estimate the shape of the subject and the vantage point each photo was taken from. With this information, we recreate the space and use it as a canvas to display and navigate through the photos.
Providing that experience requires viewing a LOT of data though—much more than you generally get at any one time by surfing someone’s photo album on the web. That’s where our Seadragon™ technology comes in: delivering just the pixels you need, exactly when you need them. It allows you to browse through dozens of 5, 10, or 100(!) megapixel photos effortlessly, without fiddling with a bunch of thumbnails and waiting around for everything to load.
We deliver this immersive viewing experience to users on multiple operating systems by tapping into the power of Silverlight, Microsoft’s rich web application technology.
