United3dArtists Archive

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 08 Feb 2020, 23:27

Y'all get me this for my birthday, ha ha ha. https://www.microcenter.com/site/conten ... dd18ab1c24

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 25 Feb 2020, 16:49

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 04 Mar 2020, 16:10

Edit: This video of motion capture and water simulation in Blender 2.8x has been replaced. See later post for the new one.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 08 Mar 2020, 22:04

NOTE: Revised and simplified on March 10.

Blender 2.82 has a new fluid simulation. It replaces the old one and does liquid, gas, smoke, and fire. It implements the FLIP method for fluid simulation. I'm experimenting with it and learning. You can see the awesome abilities in the videos people have made.

GENERAL

The FLIP system uses particles to simulate fluid. A mesh is generated from the particles and that is what is rendered. There are also effectors which are static obstacles or things that move in and effect the fluid. Extra sets of particles for spray, foam, and bubbles are options as well.

OBSERVATIONS

-- I have not tried the gas/smoke/fire abilities.
-- The system can produce realistic liquid as well as a variety of FX. It does high viscosity fluids well.
-- The settings are numerous and complex. The documentation and tutorials so far leave much mystery about what what the settings do or how to properly use them.
-- There is no live preview as it runs.
-- It is slow. Each of the main types of things must be baked. Bake the fluid particles then bake the mesh. Effectors have their own bake as do the extra particles. CPU based. Large numbers of particles are needed for good results.
-- You can pause and resume baking. This allows checking on progress and interrupting the bake without losing the work already done.
-- Be sure to 'apply' the rotation and scale of all the objects participating in a simulation. Domain, effectors, fluid geometry or in/out flow objects. This is a good practice for other Blender simulations also.
-- I had a problem with Nvidia graphics driver crashes while running the sim. This happened at other times also. Reverting to an earlier driver version fixed that.

Given the time needed to produce results, learning by trial and error is not practical. I'll wait until more information is available to use this.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 09 Mar 2020, 13:46

2.82 has Mantaflow! Flipfluid is a payed addon!
Yup powerfull!

Seen some amazing stuff coming out of it!

Mantaflow uses flip technique just like the other big softwarehouses Houdini included but as far as I know the workflow is different!
https://flipfluids.com/

https://youtu.be/_4Hsu8K3L54

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 14 Mar 2020, 03:52

https://vimeo.com/splododyne/hairwaterstudy

The water took 8.66 hours for the flip fluid simulation to bake on my FX 8320. The documentation and tutorials aren't developed enough yet in my opinion. I'll wait for better info. about this sim before using it.

See video descriptions for more info.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 21 Mar 2020, 02:42

Hair in a cycles render. Principled hair shader. Eyebrows and eyelashes next.

This thread has over 40,000 views.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 25 Apr 2020, 00:24

UPDATE: April 26, 2020 Annnnnd there are no computer techs of known good reputation in town. The nearest other town is Las Cruces. 60 miles/96.5Km away. Many computer tech places there and a university town with tech savvy students to work in them. My 430,000+ mile truck is unlikely to get there and back. I'll ask a friend if he will loan me a car. Have to verify that those places are open first.

UPDATE: April 25, 2020 No luck installing it or finding useful information on the web. I'll take the advice I gave SeppGrity and have a professional determine what is wrong. If there are none open due to kooties I'll wait. Win8.1 working fine, no hurry.

ORIGINAL POST:
Installing windows 10 pro. The full thing. Not update. Not oem. All day I've been trying to install it.

I have two HD's. One with win8.1 pro and another one mostly empty. I want win8 as is on its disk and a fresh completely new install of win10 on the other disk.

I backed up the files files from the second HD, unplugged the win8 HD to ensure no attempt to upgrade that, and unplugged the internet cable because I read that would force it let me make a local account. Boot from win10 usb stick. The minimal instructions say booting from the stick is the way to do a full install. Over 2.5 hours later the "installing files" progress bar showed no progress. Shutdown. Restart. The progress bar shows some work done but never moves. Do that again. Press F8 for options. No options goes to the now more full progress bar followed by nothing happening. Never would leave the progress bar screen. Never would show options.

So I plug in the win8 HD and reboot. I followed the minimal instructions to use startup.exe from the usb stick.That's intended for installing over an existing windows version, upgrade, which I don't want. Thought there would be several options like the old days including to format, choose the disk, full install or upgrade. There were a few choices on the screens but little control or information about what it was going to do. It said there was no driver installed for my video card and I would have trouble seeing stuff when win10 installed. At one point I could not be sure if proceeding would show me options or upgrade win8. So that route is off limits now.

While I was on with win8 I saw that it had not formatted the second disk and no evidence of any files installed.

I reconfigured for full install and plugged the internet cable in so it could get the driver it wants. Same thing as before. Never ending "installing files". I put in the 1060 video card (which I will sell on Ebay) in case it could use that. Same results.

There is very little information in the papers that came with it. Just "follow the onscreen instructions". I'll surf the web now for info.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 04 May 2020, 15:06

I installed windows 10 pro without going to Las Cruces for professional help. I used a friend's computer to install it on my HD. When I put the HD in my computer and booted with win10 it said it was fixing a disk. That's the other HD with win8.1 pro. Now I can boot with win8 or win10 by changing the boot device order in the bios. Success. That is what I wanted.

Now to install my programs for win10. First my foil hat level security and privacy things. Especially SpyBot anti-beacon since win10 is very snoopy. I'll have to uninstall some things from win8 first due to licensing.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 09 May 2020, 16:35

The win 10 saga continues. Seemed good. Win 10 on one HD and win 8 on another. Too good to be true. There was no way for me to tell the win 10 install what drive letter to use. Both operating systems think they are on drive C: and assign a different letter to the other HD. When either is booted it fixes drive errors. Well, they fixed each other until neither worked. Inaccessible. No boot.

I installed win 10 again with my friend's computer as in previous post. I'll give up being able to boot with win 8. That was for temporary use while moving to win 10 and disaster fail safe. I just want my files now. I have a backup but I think some aren't on there. No huge loss but I want the option to get any of the old stuff. I did restore browser bookmarks and email with backups.

Now, booting with win 10, the win 8 + files HD is sort of inaccessible. It can't be accessed with windows explorer to find and get files. But when I change permissions and ownership to try to get access it showed the files as it went. Also, Norton can virus scan those files. So they are there and can be seen and used by some things but not where I can browse and get them. I've tried tons of fixes found on the web. No luck. I'll try to repair win 8 with the oem install disk.

It is ok though. I have a full fresh non-update install of win 10 and the important files can be restored from my back up.

spacekdet · Post by **spacekdet** » 09 May 2020, 20:00

You're training to be an expert, is what you're saying!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 10 May 2020, 01:43

I went old school on it. DOS! I used a command prompt window and the win 8 HD can be accessed that way. I looks like everything is in my backup but I should be able to use the old copy command to transfer files or directories if needed. Since I'm not getting the two OS's thing to work I'll probably format the second drive when I am sure I have everything needed. That should give access and more storage. Copy it all to the win 10 HD, format other one, then put most of it back there. One HD for OS and backups. One for files.

I am concerned about Quickbooks which I use for my business. I might have trouble activating my ten year old copy when I install it in win 10 or it might not be compatible. I do have the bookkeeping data saved.

spacekdet wrote: 09 May 2020, 20:00You're training to be an expert, is what you're saying!

Feels like it.

Update: Tried copying things from second disk with command prompt. It works. If Quickbooks works and formatting the disk makes it accessible in the normal ways then all is good.

Steinie · Post by **Steinie** » 12 May 2020, 11:03

VMware (free), then you can use both operating systems if needed for old software.
I use a very old Genealogy program that will not run properly in Win10.
So if needed I run WinXP within Win10 when I want to use any old program. Works great.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 13 May 2020, 10:03

or dual boot on one drive... you can choose what to boot on each PC start.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 13 May 2020, 18:56

Thanks Steinie and Bitkar. Preparation and adaptability wins battles. I should have researched dual boot and other stuff before starting. "A plan lives until its first contact with reality." Adaptation: keeping win 8 would have been nice but not necessary. I would have stopped using it except emergencies anyway after everything was set up.

All is good now. The second drive is working like new and has my files. Win 10 working fine. Quickbooks and business data restored. Many programs to reinstall and set up for automatic backups.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 14 May 2020, 07:27

ending good, everything good... :)

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 18 Jun 2020, 17:19

UPDATE:
To render particle hair with Blender 2.83 Cycles:
- Check "hair" box on Render Properties tab.
- Check "hair" box on View Layer Properties tab, filter section. Only present for Cycles render mode. The viewport doesn't update when you click this box so change it to wireframe and back to rendered.
END UPDATE

Blender 2.83 Frustrated. I can't get hair to render in Cycles. Particle hair. I found how to do it here v ... 470#p57470 but I don't remember how, didn't make notes, and can't find useful info. on the web. There were two things to do. One was check the "hair" box on the render tab. The other I don't remember.

Anyone know how to render hair with Cycles in Blender 2.8+?

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 18 Jun 2020, 19:26

Look into this video!
Its good and is one of the only non payed ones that show basic grooming!

https://youtu.be/PXh8Pnt2lUA

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 19 Jun 2020, 17:27

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 20 Jun 2020, 17:19

That video is a goldmine of Blender hair info. and techniques. Thanks Rayman. Donzanne, Suzrump, (Blender monkey's name is Suzanne) needs thinner hair on top to look like comb over for a bald area.

Blender 2.83 finally introduced collisions for dynamic hair. I've been wanting that. Now you can have hair blow in the wind, flowing long hair, etc. that doesn't go into the character.

Needs improvement but better than work arounds with force fields. Now you set the collider objects to have collision in the physics tab and the hair doesn't pass through them with good settings. That includes the emitter object. I discovered a drawback though. Only parent hairs obey the collision physics. Child hairs still go through. So for now if you want dynamic hair use all parent hairs, no child hairs.

I also found that dynamic hair respects grooming sort of. If you groom the hair the sim can start from there but it will straighten it. Maybe stiffness can help with that. Only child hairs have curl and such, which is maintained with dynamics, so that limits styling using dynamics until child hairs obey collision.

I read somewhere that humans have from 85k to 110k hairs. There are 94k in this image. 200 parents x 470 children.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 23 Jun 2020, 18:44

My first try at dynamic hair with collision Blender 2.83.

I miss VidMe. Vimeo is so woke that I want to move to another platform. Youtube is worse. There's Bitchute and others but they don't have the features and monetization ability. No point in moving. Now days if I avoided all the wicked ones I couldn't shop anywhere or be anywhere.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 24 Jun 2020, 10:38

yup!
Near perfect!
Your model needs better textures..and the eyes need some working on and you are"there"
Awsome what Blender has come to...!
Maya couldnt even di that for years with payed Shave and a haircut plugin!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 25 Jun 2020, 16:58

Just a first try. Much to learn. This is about the hair so I did minimum work on textures and such. The model and its texture is Genesis 2 Female from Daz. Rigging all in Blender. Used properly the Daz materials look good in Blender. Eyes ... awesome in Daz/Iray but troublesome when export/import to Blender. I'll make eyes in Blender and use them for imported models.

The slow motion was puzzling. That was not deliberate. The problem was that this character is 15ft (5m) tall. I scaled it up because the cloth sim has a minimum setting that makes clothes float too far from the model. Scale it up and that minimum is not noticeable. At realistic size and making the hair heavier than the default the hair falls at a realistic rate.

It will be better if Blender gets collision for child hairs but this is much better than earlier versions without hair collision.

I should finish my Dark Grunge picture and get back to the Star Wars meets Christmas project. Learning about character animation works toward SWmC.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 29 Jun 2020, 12:54

that looks awesome... for a freeware... no brainer

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 06 Jul 2020, 15:55

Inferno Hike! The dunes are open again. Friday and Monday (105F, 40.6C in town plus some in the dunes!) look good. It is good to be my own boss and run my own business. I can move work around for a day off when I want it.

I want a new screen for my computer. My current screen is 1680 x 1050 22". Hopefully, I will remember that I'm poor* not get a new one. I want higher resolution and a bit larger up to 27".

In case I do get one what are your thoughts and ideas?

HD1080p 1920 x 1080
pros: higher res than current one, most of my CG rendered in HD, low cost
cons: not much higher res

2K 1440p 2560 x 1440
pros: higher resolution than HD, I might render animations at this res
cons: high cost, cost not much less than 4K

4K 2160p 3,840 x 2,160
pros: high resolution, see video and images in 4K
cons: expensive, unlikely I will render animations at this res but maybe with eevee

*Poor Americans consider buying 4k computer screens. It's so awful, let's riot.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 07 Jul 2020, 09:32

I bought a Benq few yrs ago and iam happy.. I think they are making an excelent line of monitors. Get a 32", you will not regret. Mine is 32" MVA technology and its pretty much the same as IPS, but with better black (3000:1 contrast). Iam happy also with 2k resolution on such monitor size. I like to see the pixels if I lean close to screen and i can run anyhitng in native resolution still and my GPU will not be fried (or expensive).

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 08 Jul 2020, 03:12

Take a cheapo 1080p..even consider buying a used one!
I bought one for 35$!
The size of the screen has nothing to do with the size of project you are working on!
Use the money for stuff that helps you work faster and better in 3D! ie Software!
I spent money on Vue..Moi 3D..etc and dont regret it!
My hardware setup is very modest!

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 08 Jul 2020, 07:05

size of screen = comfort of work (i dont ever want smaller screen than 27", even dont want smaller than 32", once you try, you dont want to go back)
and good screen means accurate colors if you do something with colors and you dont want to be off when adjusting saturation or such. Good sRGB screen is enough tho, no need for wide gamut imo.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 08 Jul 2020, 15:23

Any more advice or ideas? Y'all will think of things I might not.

Rayman's advice is good considering my finances. I should get a cheap one or none and other things would give more benefit for my CG hobby. Good advice for me but surprising he doesn't have a super capable screen as a photographer given the nature of that work. Marcel, a professional designer and artist, noted having cutting edge screens.

Bitkar finds the 1440p a suitable resolution and so do I. But ... since the low end ones cost almost as much as a low end 4K it seems best get a 4K. Good point about hardware but buying used on Ebay, patience, insanity, and selling my old gpu cards produced two gtx 1070 ti's for my render power.

Low End: that's what I can afford. Nice features like IPS and LED are mostly standard on the cheaper ones but high contrast, calibrated colors, and others are far from my price range which is the bottom 2 or 3 items if they are on sale. Looking at screens in stores and friends I like the 27" +- size.

Right now I'm leaning toward 4K or none. HD is not much improvement and 1440p vs 4K not much difference in price.

Inferno! It keeps getting better. More and more inferno for my dunes hike. In the dunes it should be like when I lived in Phoenix, AZ.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 09 Jul 2020, 06:51

The quality of a screen and size doesnt 1:1 transfer in amount of money!
You also need to be carefull about the profiles of your hardware!
I had expensive stuff off in color not once but many times over the past couple if years!
Calibration is an eye thing not a hardware thing!

Note also that while you as a pro might have a supi dupi thing in your studio..the client or enduser looks at your work in the end on a 200$ cellphone!

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 09 Jul 2020, 09:52

My monitor is 4 -5 years old and its an HPX23
back in 2016 that was quite ok...
Id go for an HP or something like this for ie 200 maximum if bought new!
Its more value for money to spend on software!
You get a greater outcome if you go for ie. Isotropix Clarisse..then spend your money on ie. a 9i processor computer...!

https://www.cyberport.at/pc-und-zubehoe ... esync.html

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 09 Jul 2020, 14:12

What matters in big sizes is the viewing angles and uniformity. If the screen is bad you will see darker corners and such, or even if you display a solid color it will look like its non-uniform (dirty or spotty look with darker and lighter areas not looking like a one solid color at all).

About colors - its good to have some with good built-in sRGB (6500K) mode. So you can calibrate gamma only and it will be ok. No need for special calibrated or monitors that come with calibration probes. And no, eye is not a calibration or you will make a picture and other artist will see it wrong. Calibration and sRGB modes can make things look the same on different screens. Thats the point.

If you will see 2k with all other parameters better than some 4k for the same price, go for that 2k.
(also trueSpace DX7 cannot handle big res, so you would need to change it if you work in tS sometimes)
Resolution is the last thing that should be a concern here. Sometimes I cannot tell if a video is 2k or FHD. Its more about sharpness and clarity. Sometimes I see a video that is FHD and it looks crisp, sometimes I see a 2k video and I think its only FHD.

My Benq costed me about 500USD new. Thats not a bad price. Its 32" BenQ BL3200PT. I can recomend it, even used can be good i think. Benq has a good uniformity and such. Or any of the newer ones will be good iam pretty sure.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 09 Jul 2020, 16:53

I've found 4K's within budget. My friend in Kansas can get it at a MicroCenter near him and bring it when he visits here. No shipping and I can get in store only bargains that way. I should convince myself to get nothing or a used thrift store 1080p but you know what is going to happen.*

My wish to have a higher res screen is for my viewing but Rayman makes a great point about audience. They will view on many devices but unlikely to have a superb monitor. People set the brightness of their screens differently. That could make a picture look black or washed out bright. Agree about price vs quality. Us "poor" folks know how to get a good deal on things we don't need ha ha ha.

Bitkar. Right about non-res factors being important. I see 4K TV's together in stores and the OLED ones look better. That's contrast and colors. I've watched videos on my slightly under 1080p monitor in 2K and 4K mode and they look better. Since I'm not really seeing 2K or 4K some other factor is at work. However I see a difference in monitors/TV's with different resolutions so for me, while it is not the only factor, it is an important one.

"If you will see 2k with all other parameters better than some 4k for the same price, go for that 2k." If you mean if a 2K that looks better than a 4K due to the non-res factors then would be reasonable. The low end ones I've researched have about the same other factors and $20 or $30 more gets a 4K. I miss trueSpace but I don't use it now.

*A rich guy gets money and thinks, "I will invest this money and create more wealth." Regular guy thinks, "I will save this money and accumulate wealth." Poor guy thinks, "Pizza!" (Or, "high res screen!"

)

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 09 Jul 2020, 17:09

4K is so yesterday!!!!

https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/9/21318 ... lease-date

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 10 Jul 2020, 07:04

Finis: Ive done alot of research and selected a screen with superb quality on paper. Then I bought it and returned it after 2 days. Paper specs are not the most important. I strongly recomend buying something you can see prior to buying or something that you can easily return and get a refund or choose another screen. Or the upgrade may not be better or enough of a difference in reality.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 10 Jul 2020, 15:53

@Bitkar There must be a joke about your girlfriend's specs and returning her after two days. Not enough coffee yet to think of one. I wish I could do as you say but here that would be the small selection of monitors at Walmart. There are no computer or tech stores in my small remote town. Attempting to travel to the nearest cities in my old truck would be unwise. (I'm saving to get a newer truck.) I'm thinking, if I get one, to wait for black Friday or cyber Monday super sales in November. Possibilities ... Friend in a town with a big computer store (with good return policies) could look at them and give his opinion. If someone I know goes to a city maybe I could go along and visit a computer store. Borrow a car but, in town sure, out of town I'd rather not. I'm stuck with the specs of the low end ones. Comparing in person would be good to get the best look within those specs.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 14 Jul 2020, 00:42

Inferno hike was good. My photos were not so good. I used the camera's snow mode which I think is what I used before that worked well but the sand is pure white no details. Post processing does little to improve that so far. Same things as previous inferno hikes. I didn't find any wreckage this time. The entry fee is good for several days. I think I will go back and experiment with different camera settings.

I'm going to join at BlenderArtists.org.

I regained a little sense and accepted that any monitor I get must cost considerably less than a 4K. Unfortunately 2K's cost almost as much. Then a 2K monitor with good stats at a reasonable price appeared. Between 1080p and 4K instead of almost as much as 4K. Now to see if my friend near the store or his wife/kids can get it. That would save me a considerable shipping fee which would make this a no go. Hopefully there will be one of these set up there so he can see if it looks good before getting it. Good return policy.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 15 Jul 2020, 10:55

sounds good... fingers crossed. Hopefully its gonna be enough of a difference to be worth the upgrade. If you cannot buy significantly better monitor, maybe dont. It would be a waste of money to have something only slightly better.
What about getting some used monitor? (not too used tho)

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 17 Jul 2020, 16:56

I'm on blenderartists.org now as Splododyne. I'll still be here of course.

Monitor acquired at nearly half price. ViewSonic VX228-smhd 27" QHD (1440p). I had a ViewSonic years ago and it was good. Friend was traveling for work. His daughter got it in Kansas. He will bring it when he visits here near the end of the month. That saves $38 shipping fee. I'll do a two monitor set up here to compare them. Unlikely but if the improvement is not enough then it can be returned.

Many monitors have speakers in them now. I wish they didn't. They could cost less without speakers. I'd bet that most people don't use monitor speakers.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 22 Jul 2020, 09:44

gratz... hopefully its way better than what you have.
I think speakers are cheap. The manufacture price is maybe few bucks bigger only. Not a big deal imo.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 05 Aug 2020, 17:46

New monitor is good! I might try a two monitor set up with the old one too.

Getting better with Blender particle hair.
More here.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 15 Aug 2020, 02:09

I got to eat in a restaurant! Had to go to Texas to do it. Here they can only serve take out. An old friend was in town and me and his dad and his kid + friends went to El Paso.

I have a plan to be funny when my favorite coffee shop can have sit down customers again. I'll wear all the protective gear I have. Cloth mask plus my N95 mask for dusty work, ear plugs, two pairs of safety glasses and ... drum roll ... my uncle's metalized fire fighter's gloves and I think I have the pants too. It gets better. You know that sport that is perfect for cooties? Masks, gloves, and stab people who get within six feet of you? I once had interest in that and got some equipment. Never proceeded to learn it though. Look what I still have:

I think this baby will see some use now.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 18 Aug 2020, 09:26

why does it look like a render? :D

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 19 Aug 2020, 20:23

Covid 19 passes through wired nets!;p
Use a condom!;)

LOL

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 20 Aug 2020, 01:36

bitkar wrote: 18 Aug 2020, 09:26why does it look like a render?

Life is a render to us CG people.

RAYMAN wrote: 19 Aug 2020, 20:23Covid 19 passes through wired nets!;pUse a condom!;) LOL

The last time I was kidnapped they put a plastic bag over my head and I noticed "this bag is not a toy danger of suffocation" printed on it. How foolish of them to give me a weapon with instructions.

MikomDude · Post by **MikomDude** » 20 Aug 2020, 07:44

Finis wrote: 05 Aug 2020, 17:46 New monitor is good! I might try a two monitor set up with the old one too.

Getting better with Blender particle hair.
More here.

Paige1440Brun.jpg

The detailing on the lips is spot on, very impressive.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 20 Aug 2020, 13:47

@Mikom It is impressive but this is a Genesis 2 model from Daz Studio imported into blender. So modeling and textures aren't my work. I'm learning about Blender particle hair. After hair I'll do Blender animation rig. Daz rigs don't accept mocap well in Blender.

MikomDude · Post by **MikomDude** » 21 Aug 2020, 08:47

Ah, I see. Well it didn't look like a Daz model to me...

Hair in Blender is a tricky one for sure. My poor little laptop was struggling so hard when I was messing around with it for my Hyperventila characters. Doing it in chunks seemed to work better, also gave me more control over how to shape it. I think I did top, side and rear parts using weight painting. I used strips as the strands didn't seem to give me the results I wanted and the wave kink type to make it flow more naturally.

There's still a lot that could have been improved though. Hard to find good tutorials out there that weren't for plastic Barbie-doll hair...

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 21 Aug 2020, 14:32

Yeah the particle hair system needs work and has bugs.

Turn off the interface visibility of hair you aren't working on. Then the user interface is faster.

Your character is great. Believable and playable. Good clothing design. I like that you make things look used and worn. An improvement: for the wear marks I've seen so far you use an eroded texture like on her head gear. That looks good for beam weapon damage, chemical or heat destruction, etc. I would use more scratches, scrapes, cracks, and discolored areas like stains or dirt. crumpled or bent things.

How did you do the eyebrows and eyelashes? I'm having trouble controlling the spread of the hairs there.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 30 Aug 2020, 18:30

Accidental DNA dreadlocks. Dread-oxy-ribonucleic acid.

more

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 07 Sep 2020, 16:09

Critique this. Advice? What is done right or wrong? Improvements? Technical things? Blender 2.83, 2.90.

Details and more information: https://blenderartists.org/t/paige-two- ... 1242981/14

My effort so far is to import the Daz character to Blender, apply the Daz textures, and create particle hair for head, eyelashes, and eyebrows. The lashes and brows were difficult. I'll probably use a technique with separate meshes for them in the future. Next is to rig the character and continue learning animation. A video including facial animation will appear someday.

Then I'll return to Christmas 20xx and Dark Grunge.

Who's on BlenderArtists? Any forum members there?

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 08 Sep 2020, 15:12

I come into Blenderartists now and then!
Hair looks quite good so do the lashes etc!
Problem with Daz figures is the eyes! They most of the time look to 3d and the skintextures that transform from daz look less then ideal! I know those issues I had the same out of the box!
You need to seperate the face textures make them realy pbr like and make them 8K just for the face!
Thats not the standard export from Daz though!
Its something I found out by myself!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 08 Sep 2020, 23:23

Thanks Rayman. The hair tools are not great but I get better results by not trying to control it precisely. I see some hair penetrating her neck/shoulders (trapezius muscle I think). The Daz textures for this one are 4K for skin and have images for color, bump, sss map, etc. I'm just using the color and bump. SSS applied but I should use the map image. Some at BlenderArtists who have made super real faces painted and sculpted color, bump, etc. that looks better than the Daz images which may be photoscans of a real person. As Marcel showed, sometimes art is more real than reality. My rim light is not having the desired effect. I'll move it. Other lighting could be better too. Eyes, yes. I'll make eyes in Blender sometime but for now it is whatever a program like Daz makes.

Photographer Question: When I put the default 35mm camera close to her face there was distortion. Noticeable fish-eye effect. So I changed to 70mm and moved the camera back. That looks good. Is this what a photographer would do?

Comments, critique, advice welcome. See earlier image.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 09 Sep 2020, 11:05

yes, photos of ppl are usually done by 50 - 70 mm or more (tele lenses are also used to cut off the surroundings and make more shallow DOF). 35 mm is pretty wide lens for portraits, more like for nature/landscapes, street...

PS: 50 mm is considered a natural - human-eye like.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 11 Sep 2020, 20:24

its always the focal length to the neg size! 60-105mm is the portrait lens range but only for 35mm!
Thats also what cg uses! 35mm equivalents!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 29 Sep 2020, 15:06

Reading about lighting and tried Film Noir.

That's Spacekdet's Haven Hill photo for the wall texture.

https://blenderartists.org/t/paige-two- ... 1242981/21

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 07 Oct 2020, 03:47

Dolly zoom in Blender with no math, no add ons, and no scripts. AKA Hitchcock zoom, zolly.
https://blenderartists.org/t/dolly-zoom ... ts/1257684

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 24 Oct 2020, 20:02

The Columbus Day Fly In for hang gliders and paragliders was a couple of weeks ago. The road barely existed so driving was much fun. Some spots were like making a commercial for 4WD trucks. From the launch on the mountain I saw one paraglider land in the open desert between town and mountains. No one answered on the radio when I asked if anyone had gone for him and no one at the landing zone knew he was down so I picked him up. A couple of rough landings with no injuries and it was otherwise uneventful.

Frau fuhrer, the governor, decided that restaurants have to take the names and info. of people eating there. My name is now Juan Adam Twelve. My address (homeless) is the bench at the corner of 5th and main (there is no Main Street in my town).

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 05 Nov 2020, 10:18

good that you picked him up, its nice. I started skydiving this year (finally, i think i was writing about it some time back). And I think paragliding is a way to go in a future, maybe i will. Need a money for that.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 26 Nov 2020, 17:12

Happy Thanksgiving! Family celebration then an old friend is in town.

Skydiving! Hmm, hot air balloons, skydivers, and hang/paragliders all at once. Sounds dangerous but would make a good visual.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 09 Dec 2020, 20:04

Recent Fly In Video.

https://vimeo.com/483399958

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 09 Dec 2020, 20:28

nice! thanks, nice inside to what you write about. That initial lift is huge there :) and that hang gliders have pretty strange start procedure :) Interesting.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 13 Dec 2020, 00:14

Thanks Bitkar. A guy said about the video, "I don't know much about film making but ..." I advised that the main things to know are: Los Angles, hot waitress, "Hey baby I'm a movie producer".

I tried Blender 2.92 alpha's cpu + gpu rendering. It has improvements. One approximately 2 minute render was 4 seconds faster with cpu + gpu than just gpu. Other tests had gpu only slightly faster. So it works better than before where adding the cpu just made it slow. I think that with faster cpu's it would be faster with cpu + gpu.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 20 Dec 2020, 18:03

Plumbing. Much fun. I decided the shower needs new innards. I need three converter parts to fit the old pipes to the new gadget (the item that the pipes connect to). Two were available and other stores are closed today. So water is shut off since putting the old gadget back had leaks. The flexible hoses used for kitchen and bathroom sinks are available, can do this, and easier to fit it all together. Off to the store ...

UPDATE It is all hooked up now. But there's a leak too big to leave it on. So still no water plus the cold water pipe is blocked and comes from a difficult to access place.

UPDATE Day 3 I'm taking a break from plumbing today. Connecting the old copper tubing to the new gadget is still trouble. Yesterday I got the leak to be slow but it is still not ok. With something to catch the drips the water is on now. Tomorrow I'll try a different way. Still no cold water to the shower and there won't be until a major renovation is done. I thought the old gadget was the cause but it's the water pipe that's blocked. The copper tubes can't be replaced with other pipes now because they come from an inaccessible place. That too waits for major renovation.

bitkar wrote: 09 Dec 2020, 20:28That initial lift is huge there and that hang gliders have pretty strange start procedure Interesting.

That guy is highly skilled and bolder than others so conditions were ok for him at the hang glider launch at that time. PG's usually launch from a nearby place with calm wind. Once a hang glider pilot had just me as wing man. Strange wind happened and the glider turned and pushed downward. That pinned me to rocks with a cable. No one injured. Don't recall if he launched later.

What was I doing? Ah, store ...

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 23 Dec 2020, 17:36

Try to use vinegar to unclog your Pipes! Not with baking Soda though that can make your Pipes go in the air!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 24 Dec 2020, 00:50

I might try that Rayman.

Plumbing day 4
No improvement. I applied the traditions of Festivus. Feats of strength: bending the copper tubes. Festivus pole: used a pipe to help bend. Airing of grievances: griping about it here. I removed the wall surface, rearranged the copper tubes, used old fashioned compression fittings. Same results. Still a slow drip. Water is on with something to catch the drip. I'll continue after Christmas to do Christmas stuff and avoid disaster when stores are closed.

trueBlue · Post by **trueBlue** » 24 Dec 2020, 16:17

Have you tried to replace the seat washer in the supply or faucet's valves?

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 24 Dec 2020, 17:51

"Have you tried to replace the seat washer in the supply or faucet's valves?" For about 35 years. It is time for a whole new piece. Compression fittings aren't working for the old copper tubes. Now that I've removed the wall surface I think this is the time to pull the shower out (fiberglass one piece) and replace the copper tubes. Modern parts will fit without converters or compression fitings, there will be cold water to the shower, and damage to the floor under the shower from leaks can be fixed too. I didn't expect it to be a big project but this is when I have no work so it is good. After Christmas.

I intend to do all new water and sewer pipes and arrange things for ease of maintenance but that will be a future project.

Time to bake pies for the family Christmas celebration.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 03 Jan 2021, 18:58

Mystery animal revealed. I encountered one on this hike. Then a guessing game about what animal it is until I got photos of them. Since I'm having no luck finding them again and the guessing game is no longer amusing here is their identity.
link
link
link

Steinie · Post by **Steinie** » 07 Jan 2021, 14:41

I waited YEARS for this answer and never would have guessed this one! Crazy!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 24 Jan 2021, 19:40

https://vimeo.com/503730977

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 03 Feb 2021, 02:49

Playing with Blender tissue add on. Decimate, tissue dual mesh, extrude individual faces, scale with individual origins, smooth modifier.

I found that the road along the railroad is a nice place for a walk. Walking you see things missed when driving. I want to do urban exploring in the old sawmill but it is probably unsafe or full of cameras to catch trespassers. One semi-hidden area in a big ditch has a great kid's fort or homeless mansion: a dirt mound with big pieces of concrete possibly having a chamber inside, a tarp, and a yard chair on top to survey his kingdom. One day I went a little farther and heard music and someone talking through the music system from a building on the edge of town. The singer/speaker said, "thanks to ... and the servers". A wall, scarcely visible without being where I was, had some art and big letters that said "I like your face" painted on it. The band was ok. I had recently joked that soon there will be speakeasies where people secretly act normal without cooties stuff. Maybe that really is one.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 04 May 2021, 22:24

I miss the Red Rooster diner. It was the quintessential American diner. Burgers, chicken fried everything, fries, ice cream, shakes, malts. Vinyl booth upholstery. Decoration just right. Jukebox. Kids on roller skates to bring your order out to the car. Neon sign. It closed a long time ago. It is a thrift shop now.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 05 May 2021, 16:31

picture looks like year 1959 or so!
Golden US days back then....!
When the rods..started...and the rockabillys....etc.

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 06 May 2021, 20:39

that is a huuuge cock... i wonder there was no wind there?? its super tall! Must be more than 10 m tall.
I like those classical dinners like from movies (like Pulp Fiction or so). I must go to some, there are few american style dinners in CZ :)

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 07 May 2021, 01:08

The first sentence sounds b movie like...

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 08 May 2021, 03:35

Onion rings!

@Rayman Rockabilly ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v5YRAA6GMY Photo is before my time there and is the only one I found on the web.

@Bitkar I'm amazed that the sign didn't blow down for so long. I'm not sure what happened to rooster but now only the bottom part remains.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 11 May 2021, 16:10

Dentist will fix everything on June 8. Toothache better but an infection gives me a headache. I'll ask about antibiotics for that.

I missed jury duty today. Flat tire, spare is flat too, a taxi can't get here for 40 minutes, friend is not answering the phone, and my neighbors aren't available. I got excused for this trial. I actually wanted to do the jury thing this time. Oddly it can be sort of fun if the case isn't about something terrible. But this time it would be something different to break the monotony of a stretch of same-old-stuff.

Time to air up the spare, flat to tire place, later spare to tire place since it leaked, then work. I wish I had time for CG. Need to do something creative. ... oops, my air compressor broke the lase time I used it. Tire place is 2 or 3 blocks away. Will roll one there and wait there while fixed.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 11 May 2021, 17:29

The judge.....sorts the trouble...the lawyer..helps avoid his trouble and you as a jury gets in trouble..well I guess that sounds like some of our common life!

Maybe some more 3d can get you out again...It sort of might work for myself..so..it could be a good start...

bitkar · Post by **bitkar** » 11 May 2021, 18:31

what does it take to become a member of a jury?

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