February, 2007: Lonely Outpost

[A.Alvarez]

Ok, here we go... the February theme is the Lonely Outpost.
Desert, Mountain, Space, Moon, Canyon, Ocean, Goodluck!

edit: Winners Announced!

Hello all...

So here are the winners for the Lonely Outpost!

There were so many super cool images, but in the end these six entries stood out for their impact, atmosphere, clarity of vision and, of course, interpretation. The effort put forth by everyone here is truly inspiring.

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/alex_stuff/misc_forum_posts/GW_feb2007_winners.jpg

Thanks to all! :)
-Alex

[gkjeane]

I felt like entering these as lonely outposts because usually a man is most lonely when he's forced to sleep upon the couch. The eagle is normally an animal that flies alone, and is pretty majestic, I might add, so I felt my eagle render would be appropriate as well. It's not based off a real eagle, but more like those eagles that are made for detecting whether changes on top a house. I did two renders of it, so enjoy.

[darkcore]

hi I'm new here and I thought the "Lonely Outpost" is a great idea here is my entry:
Final Entry
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g298/adudewithbangs344/Scene_Entry.jpg
with Shadows
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g298/adudewithbangs344/Scene-1.jpg

[Gina]

Hi guys!
ok, so here's my entry for the february contest. An ocean created in Maya (Dynamics).

[mojoman]

Hello everyone. Here's my entry using ZBrush and Vue 6. Good luck to all!

[slyer]

Hi !!!

Here is my entrie for the lonely outpost contest.
Mountains and tower are done in 3D with Maya.
The compositing and atmosphere done with photoshop.

Crits and comments welcome.

@+ Sly.

http://www.sly-art.com/DIVERS/Lonely%20outpost.jpg

http://www.sly-art.com/DIVERS/story%20of%20lonely%20out%20post%20copie.jpg
http://www.sly-art.com/DIVERS/story%20of%20lonely%20out%20post%2002%20copie.jpg

[Joes]

hi..my work!! vue 5, inspired by the silent but beautiful landscapes of mountain of my country (Nicaragua)

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/4835/paisaje1tg5.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/3831/paisaje2pl3.jpg

[chapson]

Hi,here is my entry. Modeling in 3d max. Render in Bryce5.

http://myimgs.net/images/luaj.jpg

http://myimgs.net/images/ktgg.jpg

[texas1835]

Hello to all, this is my first time post here.

http://myweb.cableone.net/noknsean/step.jpg
I start out with 3d but then add some matte painting later on.

http://myweb.cableone.net/noknsean/old_texarkana.jpg
Final image here, alway love the way old photo look so I thought it would
be nice to add to this Lonely out post contest.

[x_istenz]

after seeing the documentary "incovenient truth", i've done this garden of the future!
probabily earth will become a very lonely place!
(no skeches were done for this, just pop out of my head)

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/4470/composto2aw3.jpg

done in 3ds max (my main tool);
zbrush (experimenting)
photoshop

[phoenix4d]

Hi,
this is my opinion of a lonely Outpost. Somewhere deep in the snowy mountains, waiting months and years only to pass signals to allies.

Modeling, Effects : Maya 6.5, ZBrush2
Environment : Bryce 6.01
Texturing : ZBrush2, Photoshop
Composite : none (one layer, full CG)

I made a little video, too. I know, only stills, but for those whom want to see it.
Outpost.wmv (http://www.phoenix4d.com/external/Outpost.wmv) or Outpost.mov (http://www.phoenix4d.com/external/Outpost.mov)


http://www.phoenix4d.com/external/Outpost.jpg

[sportguy182]

Did anyone see the karate kid...??? Always thought that Mr.Miyagi would have lived in a place like this somewhere in the middle of nowhere in China...
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9113/mountainredish2fv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[semios]

Hello there ! :)

Here is my entry for this month.
Done with 3dsmax and photoshop, this time, there are more 2D than 3D... maybe it should be in the 2D cathegory? :confused:
Make your opignion ;)
http://www.3dplume.be/clients/gnomon/lonely_outpost_1280.jpg

here, the link to a high resolution :
http://www.3dplume.be/clients/gnomon/lonely_outpost_1600.jpg

good luck everyone!

Dan.

[gman]

After several days of Modeling / Textureing / Render tests, Here's my try at this months contest.

This 3D scene was created with an ocean made from a displacement mesh with several procedural textures applied as gradients (No Plugins used for the water). The clouds are also created from several polygon mesh structures with procedural textures. The rest of the scene contains 3D textured models lit with several spot lights and fog.

Thanks


http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6162/lighthousestormla3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[andy1010]

Well ther are some great entries this time. I made the environment in Vue 3. Modeled the ship, and outpost in Silo, rendered in C4D and composited in Photohop. Hope you like it. Best of luck everyone.:)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5695/loneylyoutpost3fixcopytg9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[ipranawake]

Hi Guys... This is my first time in the contest.... Heres my entry ....

I just wanted to come up with something different.... Lets see if it works.....

Hope you all like it !!!!!!!!

INDUNIL ===========

[ipranawake]

Hello Everyone .......... Whooops... Im very new to the forum and the contest
so I didnt noticed the "Upload Error" and submitted a blank Thread ...
Sorrry a bout that .... Now ...Heares my Entry ...

Just tryd to come up with a different something ..... Hope you all Like it !!

I did the 3D PArt in maya and composition in After Effects ...
(I didnt do any kind of photoshop touching beacause it is a 3D Image
challenge.... May be a stupid Idea ...Im very good at them)

[Chunja]

Hi everyone!
Here?s my entry:
http://corkin.ifrance.com/upload/myentry1.jpg
It's the first time I post on this forum, the first time I join a contest, the first time I really do something in "3D". My entry is a little bit classical maybe... I was limited by my knowledge in this domain.
All the lights are added in Photoshop because I was definitely not able to do this effect in Vue 5. I tried unsuccessully a personal texture for the half-frozen sea. The outpost was modelled in SketchUp, the easiest soft I know! I paint a antoher sky (it's not a sky anymore) because I didn't like the older with Vue. So I was hesitating between green or a blue sky, here's a links for the blue (http://corkin.ifrance.com/upload/myentry.jpg)
Comments are welcome.

Woaw, how many paintings are beautiful! Some persons here are like God for me!!! When I saw pictures like this, it?s one more reason why I would like to go to a 3d school! :) Bravo to everyone!


High resolution:
- My entry, with a green "sky" (http://corkin.ifrance.com/upload/entry1.jpg)
- The blue one (http://corkin.ifrance.com/upload/entry2.jpg)

Chunja

[frenzied]

hi all,
here my entry,
c&c are welcome

greetings

http://artist.nemesis-interactive.com/lonely_outpost3d_small.jpg



larger version (1,2k*1k) (http://artist.nemesis-interactive.com/lonely_outpost3d.jpg)

[pixelvenom]

The primary rule of nature seems to be survive at all costs. In the case of some viruses, the cost of survival includes the destruction of the host organism. So, for my Lonely Outpost, I chose to build a scene revolving around a solitary survivor, an immortal, of an alien world, locked away inside a massive archive containing all knowledge of the outbreak. Perhaps this survivor is the cause and instigator of the mass extinction. Or merely an immune anomoly. Either way, as he explores the library data, he is distracted only by the petrified debris of a vacant world drifting by his portal.

Anyway, that's how this contest ends for me. Hope you like it. Thanks for looking, and great work by all contestants.

http://home.earthlink.net/~snowpuppy/PlagueStationNet02.jpg

[pixelvenom]

frenzied,

The quiet, yet relentless torment you've heaped onto your entry is very impressive. Perhaps inside, the occupant has caught a splinter in his toe, banged his head on the chandelier, and burned his chestnuts in the fire as well.

You nailed the concept, I think. Cool image. :cool:

[JohnConstantine]

Since i do not know the exact deadline of the february contest, i am gonna post some work in progress ;-) . . . Hope you like it... I would like to post some bigger images, but when i read the Upload Rules, images have to be max. 620x225 ...
so why are there so many really BIGGG pictures?!? ;-)

Gonna get back to work now ;-) . . .

[suravi]

Helloo frndz!!
ok, so here's my entry for the february contest.

[JohnConstantine]

Oops, i forgot to post another try ;-) . . .

Here we go ;-) . . .

[meraj]

an old toilet_symbol of lonelyness
hello everyone
here is my entry.

i want to plot a different idea.
i made a old public toilet which has expired.

nobody use it. so it feels very lonely.
thats why i think my work can represent of lonely outpost.

modeled by 3d studio max 8.0
creating textures with photoshop cs2
rendered with vray 1.5

best of luck everybody.

[labuzz]

hello!
My entry for this month.
Modeling is done in modo and ZB. Rendering is done in messiah.
The ground need some work I think and the transition with the rocks and ...But I like the cartoonish style.
Hope you will like it.
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/2091/borhanberthetoutpostv02wb5.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=borhanberthetoutpostv02wb5.jpg)
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4540/screenshot02wn3.th.jpg (http://img339.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshot02wn3.jpg)
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/62/screenshot01lf6.th.jpg (http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshot01lf6.jpg)

update screenshots, little fix.

[pixelvenom]

Cool image labuzz. About how long did it take messiah to render this scene? The metal on the outpost stands out nicely against the stones. Any plans on adding a few weathering marks? Just curious. I haven't seen too many messiah renders, outside of Taron's work. A very powerful, yet mysterious program, it seems. :D

Anyway, dynamic composition and vibrant colors. Good work.

[Swingsister]

THis is my first submission Used maya bryce and paintshop. Trying to learn some basic stuff.

[Oracle]

Gina:

Nice volume to your ocean. You captured the feel of depth.


sylver:

Piece#1 is perfectly lonely shoreline.


Joes:

Great modeling. Very realistic. The undergrowth adds an unexpected realism.


Chapson:

Your concept of lonely outpost is exceptional. The top piece is my favorite.



texas1835:

You've replicated the loneliness that is Texarkana.


Semios:

Awesome!


John Constantine:

Your second entry is far superior!



Your works are truly inspirational.

La'Dene Bean

[nplum]

First time doing this. There are some great pieces of work here! Thought I would give it a try. Hope you enjoy.



http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8420/finalpostcv1.jpg

[labuzz]

Cool image labuzz. About how long did it take messiah to render this scene? The metal on the outpost stands out nicely against the stones. Any plans on adding a few weathering marks? Just curious. I haven't seen too many messiah renders, outside of Taron's work. A very powerful, yet mysterious program, it seems. :D

Anyway, dynamic composition and vibrant colors. Good work.

Tks for the comment pixelvenom,
The longest rendering was the mid pass, around 1 hour ( 4 gi samples, 1 bounce, AA lvl 4 ). There's 3 passes in the image ( near, mid and far). Only procedurals are used for texturing...And there' a bunch of them...But not enough I think for this resolution.
There nothing mysterious about messiah. I am using the soft very rarely and as you can see its possible to output something interesting quickly. Its true that messiah really needs a better documentation and more exposure. To be honest I really like the soft when I am an artist but I have no use for it as a professional ( critical features needed....). Give it a try.

I like your image too but I think that the right side should be more easy to read and is lacking some depth ( maybe the rocks integration ).

[elementa]

Here is my entry, probibly too late but my internet was down last night, oh well.

[pixelvenom]

labuzz,

Thanks for sharing the specs.

Actually I did try messiah once, but (cough) I thought the render nodes and rendering in general was waaaay to complicated. I'm probably just too lazy :D but I much prefer lightwave and modo's more direct rendering method. Just seems a bit more intuitive. But, again, that's just me. Obviously there are people who use Messiah well. :)

Also, thank you for commenting on my terrible image. In retrospect, I probably should have gone a much different route. Floating asteroids and cube cities aren't exactly revolutionary 3d work. I depended too much on the cubical skinning feature and procedural materials of ZBrush. I need to be more ambitious like yourself and try a real 3d scene.

Anyway, here's to you winning some DVD's and see you in the next month's challenge hopefully. Maybe join the fantasy matte painting legions. :D



nplum,

Nicely understated architectural modeling, and atmosphere. The scale of the house seems a bit small, though. Since it's the main object of your image, I think you should make it looming, put it right in the camera's face and go crazy with the brick and wood textures. Also The crescent moon seems too white, or missing a texture. It overpowers everything else, including to spooky house.

Even so, nice work on evoking a horror movie feel. See you in the March challenge.



elementa,

Well balanced composition, and a very sparse, lonely temple. I think the contrast is a bit too uniform throughout, however. The moon and clouds in the background share almost the same values as the outpost in the foreground. Bringing the black from the midground mountains to the front might help. Also, the flag seems too faint. Maybe add an emblem or stripes to make it stand out more, and carve in some details into the tiles on the roof, to emphasize the. . . uh . . . stoniness of the material.

Excellent start though. I've been told too many times :D that values and composition are the most important aspect of any work, and you absolutely have a solid composition down.


Cheers all. See you in March.

[A.Alvarez]

Hi all...

wow! So many cool entries yet again! Thanks to all for participating.... We will make our selections in the coming days and will post the winners by Monday. :)

-Alex

[labuzz]

Exactly Pixelvenom,
you should not focus your work just on one "procedural workflow " , in the end if you havn t a very clear idea from the start it can become messy . The most 'important is what you do with the techniques, specific features...
Anyway, I really enjoy those "little" contests ( I have not a lots of free time but here thats just enough to do something ) and I will continue to contribute I think . BTW I think that the separation between 2d and 3d is a good thing for the future.

More comments on my work here if you want to read :
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=92&t=469123

And if you want to start learning messiah you should read this doc from Thomas ( third party plug maker ):
http://www.screen-dream.de/AoN_Download.htm
It will help you a lot for the rendering side of messiah .

Hey Alex what about a messiah DVD ? It would be great! I know it is an undeground package but it can be a success with the right topic and Taron!

[A.Alvarez]

labuzz... well, Taron is a friend of mine and we have discussed it. He has just completed his first DVD (lightwave), but he is considering Messiah of course... just stay tuned. :)

-Alex

[labuzz]

Sounds really cool alex! Tks for the info:)

[A.Alvarez]

Hello all...

So here are the winners for the Lonely Outpost!

There were so many super cool images, but in the end these six entries stood out for their impact, atmosphere, clarity of vision and, of course, interpretation. The effort put forth by everyone here is truly inspiring.

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/alex_stuff/misc_forum_posts/GW_feb2007_winners.jpg

Thanks to all! :)
-Alex

[pixelvenom]

Hey labuzz.

I'm probably bonkers, (or manic) and entirely uncomfortable and unskilled in pretty much everything related to CG but, I bought that dang messiah, figuring, eh, who cares, maybe something will click.

So, Alex and Taron, PLEASE make some Messiah rendering DVD's. Maybe make one of those 8 hour epics and cover the making of the Neckling or People Projects. I know some of Taron's Project files are included in Messiah, and he's posted some mini tutorials on Cgtalk and Pixologic, but, his IQ is soooo high, reading his explanations is like reading a Particle Physicist discuss differential equations in M theory. After rereading the first sentence a dozen times, I realize, the only way it will make any sense is to WATCH Taron work.

So, labuzz, thanks for the advice, and getting me into Messiah. All my subsequent feeble attempts and entries are all your fault :D I'll just start posting much smaller, to obscure some of the suckiness.


Anyhoo, congratulations to all the winners. You freaky talented lucky sods and or sodettes! :D

[ipranawake]

First of all ..... Congragz for all the winners..... Guys .... You all ROCKS men ....

And hey Alex!! ..... You guys are so lcky bunch to organize such a contest .... which gets such high skilled entries ...... Thanks again for everyone to showing me how much far I have to go .......

Im busy with the forums already .... but im very humbally asking anyone who can explain briefly ...in point form may be ..... how to achive such a clear sharp and well compositted ...and detailed.. Final image......

Do I have to give my 3D image output a Photoshop touch ??? :o

[daddymack]

Wow! some top notch winning entries man... Proper respect Matt, thanks for the headsup and congratulations to all you winners:D