nazSTUFF - Composing in 3D with Clip Art 03

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The Fun of Composing a Scene using 3D Clip Models

This little exercise, one amongst many I've done, is fun, easy and relatively quick to do. It involves utilizing 3D material already made and readily available from a myriad of 3D content sources, like clip art. There are many positive benefits from playing with software this way. One, it helps you learn the programs better while making somethng. You have to manipulate the elements, the lights and textures. And in this case, I've used it to quickly create illustrations for other uses.

"Time to Reflect"... a greeting card illustration

In this case I'm going to create a scene using the program Carrara, using water, terrains and several 3D objects. I've acquired some pre-built polygon models from online content providers. I'll modify the textures and shaders to my purpose. Here's how...

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First, we're going to open a blank file in Carrara.

I've added a plain large oblong cube, from a primitive start, and given it a water color, using the tray of stock formulae. With preconceived ideas I've added a simple pillow shape, a polygon pillow shape I created previously in Hexagon 3D. This will represent, for now, an eroded stone in a pond of water.

Here you see that I've created a second stone shape. Then I've embedded a "terrain" shape within the larger water rectangle. The "water" shape is transparent making the terrain, "pond bottom," easy to see and manipulation. I replaced the terrain texture with a basic rocks and gravel shader to make it an object in proportion with this small scene. Lights, reflections and shadows make it realistic.

I've added a soft light bulb to light the scene and some more rocks. Realizing that the rocks do not float I expanded them to reach to be in the dirt below, protruding upward, some of them breaking the surface of the water surface.

Rocks are now refined, smoothed, and grouped in the way I want. You can tell which ones now break the water surface, adding realism and texture.

Working with reflections, transparency and light is the thrill and satisfaction of working in three dimensional composition. The rendered realism is always a visual surprise. Adding glass to water just makes this project more exciting.

Finally, a test render, to see how all of this planning comes together.

I want this shallow water to be near the shoreline and the best way to achieve this is by adding reflected vegetation. Carrara comes with a selection of pre-built plants including this willow tree.

We do another quick test render. I achieved the exact result.

The next detail I seek is a brightly colored butterfly. Again, a stock 3D model.

Here I'm showing you the polygon scene and where I've placed the butterfly.

And, here is the final composition rendered.

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