Topic awaiting preservation: Something shiny (Page 1 of 1)

I decided to work on something shiny. (I've failed badly in the past)

So, anyway, here's what I have:


Then there's this, but I don't know if I like it better or worse than the previous:
(Notice the shadow right below the shiny ball)

Wow, that is some great work, you need to write a tutorial for them noobs around here on how to do that...

OK, ok, I want to know =)

The first one is better, the shadow makes it look like it's smaller than the frame

The shadow version is fine. Just lighten the shadow up and soften it.
You should also make it cast further down the beveled border too. i.e. make it 'longer'.

(Edited by theGuest on 01-02-2005 09:18)

Well...you've got a shiny button that can't decide if it's translucent or opaque, sitting in a half-bevelled ring of what appears to be Photoshop Clay©

Figure out your light casts "through" the button first and how they will effect the ring itself as well as the button (hint: there will be light cast onto the bevelled ring underneath the button if it's a direct downward light, before it shadows...dig?) Then consider the material that the ring itself is made of, as well as what's "behind" the button that would be refracted through.

Right now it's a graphic that looks like a graphic...work the realism, consider the light source, angles, refraction, reflection, and the general shininess.

Aside from that, it's starting off as a runner...make it a winner.

Peter

Ok, after working a bit more on it, I came up with this:



Better, worse, comments?

Better...but there are problems.

How the hell is a translucent piece of glass/plastic/lucite going to cast an almost black shdow when it's letting through light? Nope. go fix...lighten and soften a bit.

The texture of the ring seems better, but it's still pretty uniform and diffuse, try hardening the shadowlines of the bevel while lightening them up a bit (there's a ton of light falling on that glass/plastic, so why not on the ring? Light bends, it's a lovely thing, so a certain refraction will lighten those shadows on the ring.)

Last thing...your pass through inner reflection/refraction is brighter than your phong (the area light hits most) dull it down just a touch, but the inner glow of it is good...much better than your first...now fix.

Good show.

Peter

Any better?

Yeah bay bee....now I'm starting to dig this.

But that shadow on the bevelled ring at the bottom is still a bit harsh...big dark dropoff. Let's try throwing a small half-ring of light down there, very soft, almost unnoticeable..just to highlight the bottom rim of the ring. Blend it well (good blur) and it will seem like the light is bending around the shape.

Hmm, this is some change from when I started!

Hmm..drop back a step, review. I love the shadow, so let's not keep lightening it, or it changes the gloss texture of the ring.

BUT

Let's drop in some realism, bay bee.

Reflections are your friend.

Oh, yes, refections are my friend.
I'm off to bed now, so I'll see what I can do later.