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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
One other very important setting with reflecting objects is the Gloss amount. It basically determines how soft/blurry the reflections are. If you use a high value (very close to 1 --- the default), then you get very metallic looking objects. As you use lower values, it becomes less metallic and more glass-like...as if the surface of the object is softening the reflections. It really makes a big difference in the perceived hardness of the surface of the reflecting object. [With lower Gloss values, increase the number of samples so that it looks smooth instead of overly-pixelated. Note: Increasing Samples value also increases rendering times...]
See the examples below (full-size) to really see what I mean...
Attachment 84157
(Gloss = 1.0)
Attachment 84158
(Gloss = 0.98)
Attachment 84159
(Gloss = 0.96)
Attachment 84160
(Gloss = 0.90)
Attachment 84161
(Gloss = 0.80)
Attachment 84162
(Gloss = 0.70)
Like many things in Blender, it might just be one setting, but it has a lot of effect!
Happy Reflecting!
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Plus Frank.... you need to see what all the hype is about. ;)
Attachment 84172
Software Update of the Year
(Blender)
Peace
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Hello Tom,
Not quite sure of the look you are going for...
...so here is a first draft. Let me know what needs changing.
Attachment 84193
Peace
James
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Thanks James -Blender is still way deep for me presently, and 123D while I got the Mirrors facing, the angles are a bit wrong and importing a number is not the same as Blender (not that I got that far either) - while the Reflection in the Mirrors is at an angle, could the mirrors be moved a part more and angled a bit (like my primitive ones with the '11' between them -I have to cheat and take a screen shot & paste in to show what I am trying. And, then when I finally got the mirrors near each other, I lost Reflections <sigh> not to mention other problems (but, this is 123D so not relevant here so much)
But hey, exercising the Brain to learn this is a Good thing -I want to be able to do what is being done here. Way Pretty Stuff! I am so Jealous!
Thanks for showing me a start James - Much Appreciated! Tom
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Hello Tom,
Re: "Thanks for showing me a start, James"
You're welcome. I'm all for everyone getting their feet wet in Blender. It's a very, very cool, capable, free program. (and is a great complement to Xara software, by adding true 3D and mapping)
We can bring the mirrors closer to the 11 and angle them in, but they will a) have to be pretty close at that angle and b) will only show the sides of the 11.
I'll give it a try a bit later... (am on my home system, but am working on the 11 project on my laptop)
Is it supposed to basically be photo-representative of what you described or is their some stylistic element you're aiming for? Do you want the frame of the mirror a certain look or do you want them to also be chromish?
Take care
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ODdOnLifeItself
Are we getting closer? * * * James
Thanks James for the tries, I am going to try some more too - I may just have to 'fudge' it.
(sorry I have not been on too much -been some up & downs here -hoping for more time to pursue soon)
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Tom, be sure and share what you come up with...
I'm curious to just what look you are going for with this one.
Take care
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
One of the really great strengths of Blender is the amazingly powerful Materials and Textures set-up. I really think that virtually any type of surface that you can imagine can pretty much be created in Blender.
This is an early frame from one of my other unfinished projects. I wanted it to have a very hard plastic-like, ceramic surface. I like the way the Material came out. Often, little experiments yield some cool looking things.
Attachment 84412
Because you can Append materials from old projects into new projects, it's not a bad idea to have a folder full of Materials, ready for instant import.
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
The object and the floor don't exactly fit together, of course, but the sphere looked cool (to me) so I share...
Attachment 84416
James
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Watching this and other threads today, seems like you're having fun ! Very inspring, James. thanks for sharing.
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Here's me at my most juvenile. Don't ask the Wife, she'll tell stories proving my first statement wrong. ;)
See if you can guess what this one is? LOL
Attachment 84417
I was gonna add this one to the Graphic Text thread, but was embarrassed. For some reason, here, not so embarrassing.
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
I tried this one on a wooden table but it started a small fire!
It seems to be stable sitting on metal. Might be best to not touch the metal...
Attachment 84418
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
This was from experiments in modeling and textures... sort of a psychedelic flower box...
Don't know if I do more work with this one or not.
Attachment 84419
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
For my Son that wanted a Rubik's Cube, but had to wait a few days before he could have it.
Attachment 84420
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Who knows what these little things are... but they're (apparently) fully charged and I suppose one of them is dangerous!
Attachment 84422
James
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Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Another experiment...
Attachment 84423
James
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Glad you like them, Guy
A couple are new, most are just from experiments while learning the ins and outs of Blender...
James
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ODdOnLifeItself
P.S. One other little tip in case you go to use a texture with transparency. If you have a plane (let's say) and it has transparency, it will cast a rectangular shadow (ie. disregarding transparency) UNLESS you go to the Materials tab for the object receiving the shadows and go down to Shadow and enable "Receive Transparent". In the above example image, the floor plane must have this set or the shadow on the floor is of the entire sphere (no holes). Also, the inside faces of the sphere would not have been illuminated unless Receive Transparent is set for the sphere as well. This is one that had me pulling my hair out. I had added an object with transparency, but had solid shadows as if the object had no transparency. Finally had the answer, which I share with you here so you don't have to pull out any hair. (at least over that one) ;)
Well, that's how I did it and the result was - no shadow at all. I searched and compared till I had a headache, but finally found the reason : the lamp specified "buffer shadow". I changed that to "ray shadow" and problem solved...
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ODdOnLifeItself
I tried this one on a wooden table but it started a small fire!
It seems to be stable sitting on metal. Might be best to not touch the metal...
Attachment 84418
James
I really like this one #94 James. The effect is awesome.
Re: Xara plus Blender questions
Thanks, Larry
I'm glad you liked it.
I noticed you posted another Scribble. I'll get crackin'. ;)
Take care
James