2024 Collab: Week 20/21 “Stars” - VOTE CLOSED

[CoreyKnecht]

@RayMobula

the topic is too broad.

One reason why thinking out-loud is helpful is because sometimes, something else you say about a topic becomes the source of inspiration. Is the topic really “broad?” Maybe, and maybe you can play on that.

If not, you could try a more deliberate brainstorming exercise. There are two very good ones I’m aware of:

• Building a mindmap - loads of information online about how to do that
• Something I call “Word Association Chains”. It’s similar to mindmapping, but instead of isolating dimensions into separate branches, it operates in a single long line, often with no actual end-goal in sight. See this (it’s where I first saw it many years ago!):
  https://youtu.be/Tb53JSC_Z6g?si=-92GOjZBbzvPGPqX&t=1250

No doubt you’ll get there before long; it’s not like you’re short on creativity =)

[RayMobula]

It boils down to IRL these days.

No worries, I’m aware of plenty of brainstorming tools. For this one I might go with restrictions, what it can’t have or can’t be used. Sometimes it is better to have limitations and borders to move freely within, than unlimited possibilities.

The video is great. One comedian mentioned this approach during his show when he was asked how he comes up with answers on the spot. Reminds me of an agility & communication course I took a while ago.

If IRL permits, I’ll come up with something. I appreciate the supportive words from you and @FedPete.

[Marc_Carlyon]

Thanks @bOBaN,

Not sure why this took a day to get the notification to me (probably me overlooking as super busy!)

The plan with the forums is that it will stay but revert to a community driven site as our new site has a Q&A system built in so questions will be picked up via a TA dashboard and displayed under the lectures on the course.
This does mean support for courses here will not be maintained by the teaching assistant teams.

I am not sure exactly what will happen later down the line but i will be asking that the forums remain up for the very much purpose of things like the blender collab to be able to continue to happen but for now i do know they will be kept running.

Hope this helps and we will of course keep everyone updated via our mailing list and social media platforms.

Marc

[Kzanna]

I chose such a broad topic so that participants could choose an idea to suit their tastes. For me, the stars are the universe.

I hope we can continue this collab. It’s interesting and useful

[FedPete]

This project is focused on clean mesh. Having edge loops and quads. And filling my asset library.

Next iteration

Still focus on assets en clean topology.

[Megane_Wang]

There was still a lot to do here, the idea was to make this little guy dive in a lot of stars (way to go ). After a lot of learning, I got an “I-see-stars” moment .

Then the zillion-megawatt stars brightness arrived, and I sent this one just in case I had no more time to adjust it.

But yes, after repeatedly crashing the renders, and learning the hard way that the render can stop if the board temperature is too high, this is the final one

[RayMobula]

Nice. What about adding reflections to the visor - showing the whole galaxy?

[Megane_Wang]

That was the idea! Getting slowly there, because I would like to avoid any other sources of light as much as possible, and I still have lots of things to learn. But yes, that was it. In fact, in the second one, it’s already there. A step at a time!

[HobbyPirates]

Anything in space that isn’t behind a planet would get pretty clear sunrays, brightening up the scene a bit would make it a bit clearer and make him pop in the scene. I really love your idea for this prompt.

[Megane_Wang]

Yes, thank you, that’s right! But still, I would like to avoid having an “atmospheric” sun out there; as an experiment, this one had no direct lights at all for a start; it all comes from textures - or through them. Now there’s some job left to do with the astronaut, then going back to the lights.

[FedPete]

In space there is no air to scatter light rays around. Therefor shadows will be more sharper.

[Megane_Wang]

Yup, that’s right, unless you have a couple of large-area lights such a handy floodlight you got in your pocket, or floating nearby, or your friend Timmy is checking on you from the spaceship while you are enjoying the views, without your lifeline attached . Definitely, this is a lighting exercise. Thank you for the hints!

[FedPete]

Additional asset to my Stars project … iconic

[Megane_Wang]

Tintin!!

[FedPete]

Final

When to stop?

[CoreyKnecht]

Wa…hoo?

[Turgul]

I’ll throw in my hat this time. I might only have found a single star, but hopefully that’ll work.

[jimmie]

looks good

[FedPete]

We @BlenderCollab have a few days to vote. You can vote fast but also think slowly about design, colors, technique, difficulty, subject, realism, etc. Choose consciously and not on your entry.
The new subject week 22 “Phones” has already started. The winner of this week’s “Stars” challenge may select a subject for next week 23 and win a badge.

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Stars

• HobbyPirates
  

  

• Kzanna
  

  

• Megane_Wang
  

  

• FedPete
  

  

• BH67
  

  

• Turgul
  

  

[FedPete]

Week 20./21 congratulations of the weekly Collab goes to @Turgul for a beautiful sun (red dwarf) illustration. Very beautiful and colorful sun texture and excellent sun rays with corona.

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• Megane_Wang - Great space scene with stars. I like the way you’ve solve the lighting problem (space is dark). By adding lights to the space suite, well though off!
• HobbyPirates - I like entries showing a little story, because the viewer is invited to explore more of the illustration. Maybe paying more attention to generic composition rules.
• Kzanna - Great low poly scene, very colorful and atmospheric . But I think the viewers attention goes to the camp fire, and not to the sky filled with stars …
• FedPete - The illustration does not reflect the subject enough. It hardly has any relation to stars.
• BH67 - If you don’t know Mario games, then it’s probably difficult to make a connection. It’s difficult to see or recognize a (natural) galaxy. improve lighting of mario (eyes)

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Note: I don’t want to offend anyone. I try to write down positive ideas and visions in my simple use of the English language. I am also sometimes more inspired by a particular subject or solution. I’m also learning from you!