Please look at my composite
by lou cann
on
Jun 17, 2009 at 3:02:46 am
Hi all,
I have a 7 second clip of a building that pans up to reveal a sign.
I created & rendered it in max and composited in After effects.
I think I have been looking at this image for too long because I don't know how to make this a more "realistic" looking sign.
I need as much advice as you can throw at me.
Please look at this
..Just follow this link to see the photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39604598@N08/3634655866/
Re: Please look at my composite by Stuart Elith on Jun 17, 2009 at 3:22:18 am
Hi lou,
Just a few thoughts :
1. While you've done a good job matching the color temperature and black levels, I think overall it's a bit dark, especially in the lower right. I think that maybe you've put a texture or fractal noise over the sign to make it look old/worn? Perhaps it's a bit much. A sign like this that started out as a flat color would show some signs of aging, but I think it would be much more subtle, not with big dark patches. Try pulling the darks up a bit.
2. The blur is too much, I think. That's the first thing that I noticed. if you have a look at the door/window details (which are on the same plane of depth) they are actually quite sharp. I am still working on ways to make a CGI element look low-detail (like video, even HD, only captures some level of detail) without always relying on blur. You could try duplicating the whole sign, offsetting it slightly and reducing the opacity of both instances... this gives a kind of fringing without so much softening/blurring.
3. Now that I look at it, I think it's a bit too pink/yellow overall. See the pipe and decorative stone thing on the right... the whites are still pretty white, and your sign looks like it SHOULD be pretty neutral in color. I would pull a bit of the color out of the highlights.
4. On the very right edge of the sign, is that a drop shadow onto the bricks? It looks a bit wrong to me. I can see that the windows and other elements do cast a bit of a shadow, but i think those ones aren't so wide.
5. On a different note, can I suggest that you adjust the kerning of the type a little? Particularly between the A and T of attic, and give a bit more breathing room from the I to N of Inn... that's what i'd do :)
Hope these comments are helpful, I think it is coming along well!
- Stu
Re: Please look at my composite by lou cann on Jun 17, 2009 at 3:40:49 am
Hi, Thanks for the quick reply,
I will get started on those corrections and then post another version. It helps so much to have more eyes than just mine. Thanks so much.
As for the Type letters, I am the worse person to design a sign but I got stuck doing it as well. (LOL) I will tweak that as well.
Re: Please look at my composite by Jeremy Allen on Jun 17, 2009 at 10:53:36 pm
SORRY FOR CAPS, RENDERING..
I THINK STUART'S COMMENTS ARE RIGHT ON AND I'LL JUST ADD A COUPLE THINGS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHADOWS FROM OTHER THINGS ON THE WALL (PIPES, WINDOW LEDGES) IT SEEMS THE LIGHT IS COMING ALMOST FROM DIRECTLY ABOVE. THERE ISN'T A LOT OF SHADOW COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE OBJECTS. SO YOU MAY JUST GET RID OF THE SHADOW ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SIGN ALTOGETHER, OR PULL IT WAY IN BUT MAYBE DARKEN IT JUST A BIT. THE SHADOWS ON THE OTHER OBJECTS ARE PRETTY HARD.
AS FAR AS MAKING THE SIGN LOOK LESS CGI, I ALSO AGREE THAT THE BLUR IS A BIT MUCH. ALSO THE REAL TEST IS THE MOTION, WHICH BRINGS UP THE ISSUE OF GRAIN. EVERY CAMERA ADDS SOME SORT OF GRAIN AND YOU WILL WANT TO TRY TO MATCH THAT GRAIN ON YOUR SIGN. AND THEN THE OTHER THING ABOUT MOTION IS SEEING THE TRACKING YOU'VE APPLIED, AND THE MASKING OF THE SIGN BEHIND THE TREES. BUT IT LOOKS GREAT SO FAR IN THE STILL.
ONE OTHER THING FOR A BIT OF REALISM, ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT BE PRETTY TRICKY TO PULL OFF. NOTICE HOW THERE IS A BIT OF DISCOLORATION BENEATH THE LEDGES FROM WATER RUNNING OFF THE EDGES FOR YEARS? IF YOU COULD REPLICATE THAT AROUND YOUR SIGN, I THINK IT WOULD REALLY "SELL" THE COMPOSITE.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR, YOU'RE ALMOST THERE! LET US SEE THE NEXT VERSION IN MOTION :)
Re: Please look at my composite by lou cann on Jun 18, 2009 at 1:24:01 pm
Hi Jeremey,
Thanks for the advice,
I thought the sun was more up & left. You can't see it in the picture but at the 1st frame, you see sun on the left side of the tree.I will play around with sun positions today.
As for the grain, I matched it pretty good however, I am having a little trouble with tracking. Although I have a spot on track with mocha, I have a little drift on a few frames. Almost as if its lacking motion blur.When I correct this issue, I will post the motion clip.
As for the aging drips, Yes I want to do that as well.
Thanks
Lou
