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I’ve had this image idea for a long time, but only recently brought it to life as a 3D modeled scene. Not a lot to say about it.

The only technical bits were using a single spotlight exclusively on each object, with a rainbow colored gel in front of the main spot and colored spotlights on each seed. And of course one of those exquisite Hubble Space Telescope Institute photos for the background (self-illuminated, of course).

Orgasmatron

Discovered something quite interesting in Vue Infinite 7.5.  When you create a “Metablob”, and apply Vue “materials” (called multi-layer textures or shaders in other apps) to them, those materials are influenced by the blending of the underlying objects of the Metablob and take on fascinating blends of their own.

This is especially graphic when the materials have transparent areas and the blended materials underneath (or the scene background) show through.

Metablobs are Vue primitive 3D objects “welded” or “melted” together, with controls for the amount of force pulling them together and their amount of overlap.

My Metablob above is made by blending 2 intersecting thin toroids, a squashed sphere (the blob with the blue end) and a tiny rectangle (the antenna base). The outermost thin toroid, with the “chain-of-beads” look, and the little toroids it passes through, are all separate from the Metablob, as are the black-and-red rings, antenna, violet bubble, green “shower head” and figure.

If you’re a Vue artist, I highly recommend experimenting with Metablob textures!

Another thing about my image is it shows that you can get good results by just playing and experimenting in a joyous way - without sketches, research and preparation. Sometimes I like lots of preparation, but there’s a lot to learn from art play. 

   _jim coe

A real wall, not from Google SketchUp

Google “Sketchup” is available in a free or Pro version. It’s very easy to learn and ideal for making simple buildings and other rectilinear 3D models. It doesn’t work the same as other 3D sculpting programs, but nevertheless offers an easy entry point to the more serious 3D programs – without the steep learning curve.

And, the chances are that whatever 3D program you choose if you get serious about 3D models and 3D scenes can import your previously made Sketchup models (but that might require a few tricks). In such advanced programs you can add much more realistic materials and lighting to your Sketchup models and really spiff them up.

Free Google Sketchup

      _jim coe

A 3D modeled scene

What if you wanted to try your hand at 3D Modeled Scenes?

Here is my workflow
[sculpt major 3D objects {or buy them online from 3D sculptors at DAZ.com, Renderosity.com or Cornucopia 3D}] —> [Import them into your 3D environment program. I use Vue 'Infinite'. Sculpt, texture and pose environment items. Light it all. Render to 2D, using a 'virtual camera' inside your 3D world]
—> [Do "postwork" in Photoshop {optional}] —> [Enlarge for poster use. Add titles/borders/copyright] —> [Compress to jpeg format] —> Upload to your favorite online 3D art portal – I use FineArtAmerica.com]

You might think of it as a combination of playing with dolls or models, like you may have done in your youth, and then photographing the results.

Getting started
If you’d like to get started in 3D scenes, you’ll first need a 3D “staging” “natural environments” program. That’s where you import your 3D models to, pose them, create or modify their textures and clothing, light them, create vegetation, atmospheres, water, terrains, etc. I recommend Vue Infinite (but it’s over $700). They do have less powerful versions to get you started for a lot less money – then you can work your way up to the top of the line “Infinite” version if you stay interested. There is even a free trial version. Vue is sold as a 3D modeling program, but its main strength is in the creation of the 3D environments – amazing photo-realistic environments with thousands of buildings or trees or rocks, robot armies in formations all the way to the horizon and other such Hollywood special effects type stuff (Vue can do animation, if you have the computer power and is used lately in major movies).

Silo 3D
Ultimately, you’ll want to sculpt your own 3D models to put into your scenes. For that I recommend a much less expensive 3D modeling program – Silo 3D. Note that 3D sculptors have very strong opinions on the best 3D modeling program and you’ll get people swearing by one or another and putting down all the rest.

But 3D modeling is a challenge and it can take a year or more to get good at it. So to start, most people who make 3D scenes buy their 3D models online (many 3D sculptors make a living selling their models online to non-modelers). You then import your models into a third (free) 3rd program – which is specialized at clothing and posing figures, setting facial expressions adding wigs and such (or texturing vehicles, etc.). I recommend the free ‘DAZ|Studio’ over the older ‘Poser’ (which has a dated and awful user interface).

Many people never do become 3D sculptors and just continue to buy their models – but it’s great if you can learn to do both. As you might imagine, being a good enough 3D sculptor to make photo-realistic human figures is no mean feat, so many (like me) make some 3D models themselves and buy others. Still, hundreds of people do learn to make photo-real human figures every year. Those of you who already paint or draw realistic figures and understand anatomy will benefit greatly from that.

Virtual photography
Once you have your environment to your liking, you have a virtual camera in there with which you select shots and render those out as your 2D artwork – a lot like photography. Unlike manual drawing, once you have made a 3D scene, you can take thousands of “photos’ in there from different points of view. In fact though – you usually have a point of view in mind before you start. And also unlike manual drawing or painting, you can always go back and change things or start a whole new version based on a previous project.

Here are some resources
3D Natural Environment (staging) program: Vue by e-on software
Vue

3D sculpting: Silo 3D: Save learning this for the last part of your 3D adventure – it’s quite challenging.
Silo 3D

DAZ 3D (models for sale. Notice that each product, e.g. clothing tells you what “base model” it’s designed for, that is which human or animal figure you must buy first):
Most 3D models cost $2 to $30 – not too bad.
DAZ 3D

DAZ Studio (free) the program where you clothe and pose your models. many people stop here and render – but you’ll get much better results by exporting your DAZ models and importing them into Vue.

The 3D art portal (forums, community, store, galleries, etc) just for Vue, “Cornucopia”, and they sell models specifically for Vue.
Cornucopia 3D

Renderosity: The biggest and oldest digital art portal – check out the Vue gallery and forum.
Renderosity

Fine Art America is a good place to sell your images as prints or greeting cards, as well as a great community of artists using many different mediums.
Fine Art America

Check it out and let me know if I can help. There are a lot of online tutorials (and some of mine) to get you going.

Cheers!
_jim coe