Making a realistic underwater rift

[3dpoder]

Making a realistic underwater rift
By dan tabonet.




introduction
This tutorial is based on the works done for the 3d rendered film dep dreams by the author dan tabonet.
step1: first, in Blender, lets create a horizontal plane (go todo top view [Numpad 7] and click add>Mesh>plane). Press the s-key todo scale it todo nearly fill the view and then left click. In Edit Mode, press the f9-key todo subdivide it, say 5 times, then deselect all by pressing the a-key. Press the b-key twice todo obtain the brush selection tool. Use the mouse whel todo adjust the size of the brush until it about the size of a face, like in figure1.



step2: using the left mouse button, draw lines randomly on the Mesh, selecting what Will be the hollow parts of the rift. Dont make them todo large. You should obtain something like in figure2 (top view). Finish by right clicking -once only.



step3: pressing the Numpad 1 or 3-keys (front and side view, respectively) Will allow you todo se your plane in a lateral view. Then, turning proporcional editing of, move the newly selected vértices a Little above the others, for instance at a distance of 5 todo 10 times the size of an edge, like in figure3.



step4: exit the Edit Mode by pressing the tab-key. In the multires panel, press add level once, then apply multires. (tutor001.blend), figure4.



step5: return todo Edit Mode. To reduce the number of selected points todo move left press the control-menús keys (Numpad subtraction sign.) you can now push these more deply above the others again like in figure5.



step6: now in object mode (tab-key), in the modifier panel add a decimate modifier of a ratio like 0.3 and apply. Do not go todo Low and alter the shape todo much. (tutor002.blend) and figure6.



Now toggle todo Sculpt Mode. In multires panel add 1 level. Dont apply for now. In the Sculpt panels set brush todo inflate, shape todo add, size todo 50, and strength todo 25 with Symmetry of.
step7: you can now use the middle mouse button place the perspective view (orthogonal for instance by pressing the Numpad 5-key) todo allow you todo draw in the Regions of the rift which are in the rounded borders todo make these look more like figure7. (tutor003.blend).



You can now apply multires when sculpting is done in diferent points of view, until you are satisfied. An auto Smooth of less than 30 Degrees in the Mesh panel applied with a set Smooth in the enlace and materiales panel Will make the rocks look more realistic.

In Vertex Paint mode, you can set a greny-blue colour for vertex points, and the excellent self shadow vcols script, faquíng Ambient Occlusion can be applied twice, todo make the deper sides be darker. If you try todo Paint in vertex mode, use it very sparingly todo kep realism on your scene. Last notes on the materiales:


The material used for the rift must then be set with the Vcol Paint button on todo se the diferent vertex colour modifications made before. You a los ned todo set the material specularity very Low: 0 would be god enough.

Here it is: the FinalRender in figure9.



If the lighting in your scene is like in the previous tutorial about Caustics, you Will get something that blend-fishes Will be glad todo swim in.

By dan tabonet.
www.blenderart.org.