Chapter 06

Peak District

To create realistic natural art, sometimes we have to resort to unnatural techniques, exclusive to what computers can do. In this project, through a harmony of vibrant hues and dynamic waveforms, we can create an artwork with a soothing ambiance.

Links + downloads

final.zip

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Videos

Say hello, waves goodbye. Let's add some noise to our 3D shapes. This project was named after a national park near Manchester, around 5 miles away from where Rik is from.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Peak District

Say hello, waves goodbye. Let's add some noise to our 3D shapes. This project was named after a national park near Manchester, around 5 miles away from where Rik is from.

There is a simple way to create an effect similar to the final output using TOPs only (2D version!). However, the downside is that it looks less realistic due to its inherent flatness!

Lesson 02

The quick and dirty version: 2D only

There is a simple way to create an effect similar to the final output using TOPs only (2D version!). However, the downside is that it looks less realistic due to its inherent flatness!

To get our 3D version started, we need to set up our standard 3D-to-2D pipeline.

Lesson 03

Setting up a 3D environment

To get our 3D version started, we need to set up our standard 3D-to-2D pipeline.

A material is a way to describe the texture of a surface – think of wrapping paper around a present! Here we tell our wrapping paper what design it should have!

Lesson 04

Applying a color map to a material

A material is a way to describe the texture of a surface – think of wrapping paper around a present! Here we tell our wrapping paper what design it should have!

There are a few ways to angle the scene in the correct position. Here we pick moving and rotating the camera to the correct position.

Lesson 05

Looking down the grid

There are a few ways to angle the scene in the correct position. Here we pick moving and rotating the camera to the correct position.

We want some natural movement to our surface's color, so we can add a Pattern CHOP to control the movement of the gradient TOP that affects our material.

Lesson 06

Adding a CHOP to control gradients

We want some natural movement to our surface's color, so we can add a Pattern CHOP to control the movement of the gradient TOP that affects our material.

Remember that computers aren't real. Here we change the way our camera works from a 'real-world' one to a flattening one that doesn't take into consideration how far away anything is.

Lesson 07

Perspective and Orthographic cameras

Remember that computers aren't real. Here we change the way our camera works from a 'real-world' one to a flattening one that doesn't take into consideration how far away anything is.

The Noise SOP is controlling our grid's waves and there are many parameters we can change to get completely different outcomes.

Lesson 08

Playing with noise

The Noise SOP is controlling our grid's waves and there are many parameters we can change to get completely different outcomes.

There are many ways to add a little bit more texture to this artwork to make it look less 'flat' and computer-generated. Here we add some noise over the rendered output and then add a border.

Lesson 09

Adding textural noise and a border

There are many ways to add a little bit more texture to this artwork to make it look less 'flat' and computer-generated. Here we add some noise over the rendered output and then add a border.