[eferg]

I've had Maxwell for about a week and this is a ring I modeled.

It is a brushed titanium ring with the engraved text anodized blue.

Any feedback or suggestions are appreciated as I plan to do many renders similar to this for web product shots.

Thanks! Ed

[bograt]

I think the brushed texture is good, in what way is the text engraved? maybe you should use a normal map for the text and or displacement as it looks slightly like a decal, if you used a bump how did you make the map?
maybe spice up the lighting bit to bring out the text. Did you use correct scale? what focal length and F-stop?
But looks good...

[eferg]

Thanks for your feedback bograt.

Well, I just checked the scale against the grid and it looks like I need to revise this render as the ring is 8 meters wide!
My model program is set to mm units and it looks like I need to set it to meters. So tonight I'll fix the scale and post the new results.

As far as the text engraving, it is geometry:



I wish I could add a fillet around the recessed text where it meets the ring surface, but due to the sharp angles in some of the letters I can't get a fillet.

Generally I prefer details like this to be modeled, but perhaps I should try a normal / displacement map.

I'll fix the scale issue and experiment with the engraved lettering over the next few days.

Ed

[hatts]

Yeah I think you'll be pleased with how much more intuitive Maxwell will act once you get it down to accurate scale.

Regarding fillets: I would do whatever is necessary to get some fillets in there if I were you. Ridiculously small radius, separate fillet feature for each letter; whatever it takes. If all else fails do a sweep cut! No matter how hard you work at it, the engravings aren't going to look mega-believable until filleted.

Stylistically I would be curious to see the ring on a floor with a warmer hue. A muted orange or something.

Since it's for the web, though, it might be best with just a white floor fading to a white background?

[Fernando Tella]

Well, I just checked the scale against the grid and it looks like I need to revise this render as the ring is 8 meters wide!
My model program is set to mm units and it looks like I need to set it to meters. So tonight I'll fix the scale and post the new results.

Plugins usually take in account your app units and scale accordingly. If you modeled the ring accurately in mm just set units in mm and leave scene scale to 1. You should only change scene scale if the model scale is wrong.

[bograt]

No probbs, As Hatts said an accurate scale will really make all the difference, and Adding a fillet will make a huge difference. I find one of the great things about Maxwell is how it will reveal even the finest features, such as a fine brushed material texture.
I think it will really benefit from a tiny fillet just to catch the light, with a tiny bit of scattering to flare out even on a sub pixel level will help create a really convincing image.
Maybe if modelling is too awkward you can use a normal or displacement map to apply the fillet, In my experience maxwell can handle any geometry with the right map, no matter how fine or detailed.
keep us updated

Jules

[bograt]

Also,
In the closeup you provided your engraving looks very smooth, Is it supposed to be etched?
For best results I will never leave a material completely homogenous. even if its a very smooth material, say ~30 roughness, I will often use 2 bdsf parts, maybe 75% weight with a roughness of 40-50 and another similar bdsf with 15-20 roughness at 25% weight just to simulate the microscopic semi rough texture of metals, sometimes I even give a lower roughness value and apply some micro noise bump... I like to go to that extra fine level of detail you would not expect to see, even though you run out of pixels before you get to those fine details, through anti aliasing it will have an effect on the colour of the pixels

[eferg]

Thanks for all the feedback!

Here is a new version imported at the correct scale, and verified against the grid lines.



I added some roughness to the blue anodize material. Not much of a change, so next I'll try a bump map to get closer to the actual texture of the engraved metal.

I need to address the lack of fillets where the text meets the ring surface. To create fillets I may need to round some sharp corners in the text and make a new Nurbs model. For comparison I may try making the text as a decal and normal map.

Anyway, I have some work to do and I'll post back here with results.

Ed

[Rob_Lucy]

I would apply that blue mat to the bottom of the engraved text only, not on the walls. That's how the real thing works.
Other solution is to fill the hole with some sort of transparent blue varnish and make it bulging out a bit.
Micro fillets are mandatory...

[bograt]

The scale looks a bit better, It may be good to either change the film back dimension or rotate the camera as if shooting in portrait, just to get the distortion accurate for the lens.
I think a bit of roughness has improved the text a bit but as you said, a bump will take it to the next level.
I agree with you about modelled geometry being superior to bump and normal maps but having experimented with maxwell a load I have alot of faith in the displacement function, it will solve your fillet problems and will give you very quick and easy control over to texture, I would at least try using a map for sure... even it its just for tests
getting there though

[eferg]

I'm back with my first attempt at a displacement map. Shown on plain, un-brushed metal for clarity at this point.

I'm very happy with this test and I know that I can fine-tune my gray scale text map further. Actually, the very slight surface imperfections mimic the actual engraved ring, and it looks far more realistic than the sterile "CAD" look of my earlier render. Adding fillets to my original text geometry proved beyond the capabilities of my modeling program due to the acute angles in parts of the lettering.

However - The recessed engraving gets anodized blue. How do I make my displaced text a different material or color from the smooth outer surface of the ring?

Ed

[Fernando Tella]

Add another layer on top of the material using the displacement mask (or a variation) as layer mask. Make the blue material inside that layer. You can use several layers if needed.

[hatts]

Looking way better

[eferg]

Yes! I'm very pleased with this displacement map result (I have the actual ring in my hand to make a comparison).

The highlights and smooth transitions on the edges of the letters are very nice. Again, for clarity of the test, no brush marks are added yet.

I'll make further refinements and post a new render for feedback on the overall result. I think my next area of experimentation will be lighting. Right now I have an HDR and no emitters.

Thank you bograt, hatts, Fernando for helping me get started with Maxwell!

Ed

[eferg]

Here's my latest version after experimenting some more with materials, lighting and DOF.

Comments are welcome.

Ed