Software used
TrueSpace version 2 or 3
Poser
terragen
gimp

Overview
After I posted Posettes Advancing, in several on-line galleries, I have received requests to explain the methods that I used to achieve several of the effects in the picture. Rather than answering each request separately and in case others are also interested, I thought it would be better to write this tutorial. This tutorial assumes that you already have a working knowledge of the software, so will present the techniques, but not actual key strokes or button clicks. Newer versions of TrueSpace than those listed above may also work; however, they have not been tested.  Poser was used to prepare the models of the human figures in the picture, however, this method will work with any models that can be imported into TrueSpace, Poser is optional.

Background Image Preparation
The background image that was used in Posettes Advancing was rendered with terragen; however, you can use any background image that you prefer. Your background image should be presized to match the size that you will render your picture.  If the background image is not already that size, use gimp to resize it using the highest quality image resizing algorithm.  Your background will need to be stored as a Targa or BMP format file.

Model Preparation
The models were prepared in Poser for rendering in TrueSpace. Starting with a empty workspace, load a copy of the model of you choice. Do not worry about textures; because, they will soon be discarded. Pose the model add clothing, hair and other props as you wish. Avoid props or clothing that depend on transparency, bumps, or displacements for their appearance, because they will soon be discarded along with the rest of the textures. Once you have your model properly prepared, save it in the character library with any props or any anything else attached to the model.

Clear out your workspace by selecting the menu option for a new document. If you have Poser configured to load a default model remove it. Load the character that you have just saved in the library.  Position the model to where you want it in relation to other models that you will be loading. Load another copy of the model and continue until you have loaded and positioned all the models that you want to include in your render. This is a good time to save a copy of your Poser Scene, just in case you change your mind of how you want the models arranged.

Export the models from Poser into a Wavefont object file.  When you are presented with the hierarchy window deselect the universe and then prosed to select each model that you want in your scene.  Grouping options should not make any difference, so the default options are fine.  Go ahead and export the models.  You are finished with Poser, it is time to move on to TrueSpace.

Preparing the Scene
Start up TrueSpace.  You should have an empty workspace, if it is not empty, clear everything out.  Import the models that you have exported from Poser. All the models that you exported from Poser will now be in your TrueSpace workspace as a single model, even though they look separate.  In the render control box, select your background image. If your background image and your workspace are not the same size, you may see scaling artifacts created by TrueSpace during test renders, do not worry, they won't appear in the final render.  For now the background image is just a guide to help you position your models.  Select a camera angle, and prepare your lighting the way you want it.  For the picture Posettes Advancing the default white lights were used.  They provided the "old fashioned" studio lighting of classic 3D images that I was seeking for the atmosphere of the picture.  Position your models, notice how they translate, rotate, and scale together?  That is because they are a single model as far as TrueSpace is concerned.  To help position the models in relation to the background you will need to generate a few full scene test renders with positional adjustments between renders. For speed use draft mode, no anti-aliasing and the scanline render engine.

Texturing
Once you have everything positioned as you want it, you are ready to prepare the texture and apply it to the models.  To create the texture.  Turn off all shader mapping other than "AutoFacet", "Metal shaded", and "Use Environment Map", Set the base color to white with red, green and blue all set to 255.  For the shader attributes set Ambient to 0.75, Shine to 0.97, Rough to 1, Opacity to 0, and Refract to 2.  Select the wasteland environment map.  Apply the texture to the models with the "Paint Object" function. Don't worry if the models disappear, they are there are still there in your workspace but in any preview mode other than wire frame they are invisible.  But it does not matter, you re finished working with them.

Rendering
Use the render to file function to render the scene to into a Targa file at the same resolution as your background image.  For this render make certain that draft mode is turned off.  You should also turn on the highest anti-aliasing.  Background images are not reflected or refracted, so unless there is something else in your scene that you want reflected or refracted such as interreflections between your transparent models, you don't need to use the raytrace rendering engine, the scanline render will be good enough. But be warned, if you chose to use the raytrace rendering engine, it will be very slow there will be many secondary rays generated to handle all the reflections and the refractions.  Often the resulting image in this sort of composition rendered with the TrueSpace raytrace rendering engine is not as ascetically pleasing as the results from the scanline engine.  Once the render is complete, you are finished with TrueSpace and ready to move on to the postwork phase.

Postwork
This tutorial will address the steps needed to produce the effects used in Posettes Advancing.  Start gimp, load the image that you have just rendered.  Apply a light blur filter to the image, This will soften the hard edges of the rendered models and slightly blend them into the background of the image.

The textual elements were created as two separate images that where then pasted into the final image. Start with simpler text, the main message of Posettes Forever Advancing Into the Future of 3D.  When you add text to a picture gimp will place it a special text layer of its own, if the painting program does not do this, then you will need to create and activate a new transparent layer above all other layers.  Use the text tool to write the message.  Set the justification and other general parameters as you like. Select the desired typeface, size and position the message as you want it.  Now there are at least three ways to proceed, I recommend the slightly longer method because that way there is less change of the next step inheriting some undesirable baggage.  Delete the layer with the text you won't need it any more

With gimp create a new image with a transparent background large enough to hold the text and a little more.  Create a new transparent layer.  Use the text tool with all the same parameter setting to position and write the message. If your software creates a separate text layer, as gimp does, merge that layer down into the transparent layer.  Doing so, the text will loose all special textual properties but will now work as expected with the other tools, filters and scripts.  Apply the coloring, filtering and scripted effect to the text as you please.  Many effect scripts will create additional layers and alter other properties of an image, that is why the text is being prepared in a separate image.  Once you have the text looking they way you want it, merge together the layers of the images that you want to use.  Do not flatten the image instead us the merge layer function in order to preserve the alpha channel.  Select all of text image and copy it to the clipboard.  Switch to the window that holds your rendered image, create a new transparent layer and paste the image of the text from the clipboard into it.  Position the pasted lay into the appropriate location of the image and then anchor it.

Repeat the same procedure for the other text of 2003 2004 2005.  One the pasted layer is anchored on its own transparent layer, select the text using the rectangle selection tool.  Use the perspective tool and skew tool to create the "Serials Crawl effect" and reposition as needed then reanchor the floating layer.  Add a layer mask to this layer, chose an initial mask of all visible.  Select a rectangle that tightly and completely encloses your newly modified text.  Activate the layer masks for drawing rather than the actual image.  Use the gradient tool to create a black to white gradient in that selected area of the mask; with black on the end furthest from the viewer and white on the nearest end.  This will alter the visibility of the selected area so that the text fades away in the distance.  You will need to adjust the gradient so that the fade effect will be as you please.

Closing Thoughts
Nothing of what was described in this tutorial is the right way to achieve the effects that were included in the picture Posettes Advancing. When it comes to art techniques there is no right way, there are only ways that work for us.  What was detailed above is the way that has worked for me.  If another method works four you, then that technique is just as "right".  For example, when I created the original version of this picture, I used 3D models of letters that were extruded from 2D outlines.  That worked almost as well but gave a different feeling the the work.  The method that you use does not matter as long as what you create with it is art.

Now, let's create some beauty, let's make art.


Pangor
© 2005

Thanks for the in depth details. That made for interesting reading.

Great image too... well done

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Computer Lie #1: You'll never use all that disk space.

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound as they fly by." - Douglas Adams

Yep !! Thank you for sharing your techiques with us   !! Great tut, nicely written and useful !!       


You know that I love that picture a lot   !

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Thank you for the tutorial !        I thinked the rendering was done in Poser 5    Very , very useful!

Thank you, everyone.



Pangor