Posted on May 5, 2013

Not long after I put together the new version of “Roche Limit” I thought it would be fun to create a view “from the ground”.

For this one, though, I thought I would get away from the placid tropical scenes. I wanted instead to depict a world on the very edge of being ripped apart be the tidal forces of a huge nearby planet. The result is finally up in the Members Gallery this evening.

I call it “Asunder“.

Believe it or not, as I was researching a proper name for this piece I learned that the landscape I imagined is not entirely fantastical!

Of course, a planet this large will have many moons and not all of them will look so strange as this one…

Posted on May 5, 2013

Lightwave 11’s excellent new instancing tools put me in the mind to update one of my favorite space scenes, “Roche Limit“. The render is new in the Members Gallery this evening.

My first attempt at planet rings was back in 1998 using Bryce and I last updated it in 2004 (free version here).

If you are curious the “Roche Limit” is he minimum distance from a planet a moon can be before tidal forces crush it to smithereens (forming rings).

I hope you enjoy the update. Don’t be surprised if I do a few different renders of this particular system.

Posted on May 5, 2013

I’ve decided to take my venerable “User Gallery” in a different direction. Where in the past I displayed renders by users inspired by my artwork, I would like to start showcasing some of the incredible systems put together by my Members. I’ve seen quite a few over the past 10 years and would like to collect them all in one place.

If you have an original/customized workspace or home theater featuring my artwork then please submit it here. I will be vetting all of the submissions personally and will try to only include the best submissions in the new User Gallery. Special points will be awarded for having my work on your wall though…

My ratings system works with the User Gallery as well, so perhaps some prizes might be thought up for the top rated setup. Just a thought…

I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

Posted on May 5, 2013

I’ve added a night version of “Sakura” to the Members Gallery this morning (Dual and Triple-Screen Now Available!).

It was my original intention to create a night scene that used some of the same “bio-luminescence” from “Satori”. I played around with quite a few different textures on the petals (see the blue Pickle Jar version here).

The results, however, were underwhelming. The idea struck me as I was falling asleep one night to light the scene from beneath and that’s when I thought up the floating lanterns.

Fortunately I remembered my idea the next morning. I modeled the lanterns in Lightwave, imported them to my scene and set up the lights. I have to admit that my first test renders really took my breath away.

I hope you like the results! I almost prefer this one to the day version…

Posted on May 5, 2013

I have couple of different projects cooking right now. One is a night version of “Sakura” that I think will look really great when it’s finished rendering (fingers crossed that it finishes successfully soon!).

I did a few experimental “Sakura” renders in preparation for my night scene and one of them (a day render with blue blooms) looked Pickle Jar worthy to me. I’ve posted a single-screen render this morning for my Members to download.

Be on the lookout for the night version soon. I also have a bit of a space theme working on “Asfaloth“…