Reply To: COLLAB2021 – WIP – adrian2301
Homework Submission – Week 1 – Sky and Clouds
Not really homework, just been testing different methods.
A close up of the clouds in the artwork:
Method 1
Volumetric mesh.
Mesh objects with a volume empty and volumetric modifiers added as described previously.
Render time with my crappy CPU = 22.44 seconds.
Method 2
Same mesh with Displace Mod to add shape and Decimate Mod to decrease poly count and with procedural shader.
Render time again with my crappy CPU = 2.14 seconds.
The shader
With a Diffuse shader and a Transparent shader mixed with a factor controlled by a Fresnel and Color Ramp to soften the edges of the mesh. For the color I plugged the Diffuse into a Shader to RGB Node and then to a Color Ramp and selected color for the flags. Also added some extra ‘fluff’ with a Voronoi , Color Ramp and Bump Node into the Normal of the Diffuse Shader.
Need to work more on shape to match the artwork but my need here was to focus on a solution to reduce render time, I quite like the procedural shader route, not only for render time but also I like the stylized look and feel of this method. The volumetric method was difficult to get the color adjustment and it’s still not where I would want it. Need to soften the color in method 2 also to match the artwork.
Could slightly reduce render time further by baking texture and normal maps.