Forest Scenes

I’m working on making some forest scenes in Blender as part of a fan-art piece in the PA Thornwatch setting (http://thornwatch.com/).
Just some rough trys so far, trying to figure out the general direction I want to go with this. Trees created with the sapling addon:
<Had to move this image down to the next post because it’s the only way to update the thread thumbnail>
I really want to show a wder shot over the treetops of a very large forest, but obviously my computer can’t handle that many leaf polygons, so right now I’m working on rendering the trees into transparent pngs and using them as a particle system. So here’s how that looks – I was worried it would look too repetitive, but I think if I make a few more trees I might be able to get away with this:
<Had to move this image down to the next post because it’s the only way to update the thread thumbnail>
Looks like this project has a long way to go before it’s done! I also need to put something dramatic in the middle of the shot, like a high-contrast rock or really big tree or something. I’m hoping to get several scenes out of this…

Attachments


Trees created with the sapling addon:



I really want to show a wder shot over the treetops of a very large forest, but obviously my computer can’t handle that many leaf polygons, so right now I’m working on rendering the trees into transparent pngs and using them as a particle system. So here’s how that looks – I was worried it would look too repetitive, but I think if I make a few more trees I might be able to get away with this:


This is the particle system:


I used the import images as planes addon to bring in the individual tree renders


Well, I guess mistakes are more informative than successes, haha. These trees are WAY too fuzzy looking, time to try something different.

Very interesting project !
I think the only trouble is the lack of dark zone inside the trees between the branches. May be more various leafs colors too ?

Some progress! But still have a long way to go to look more natural :slight_smile:


Zakousky I think you are right! I need some denser trees to catch those shadows. Also need to work on the tree spacing…
Thanks for the reference pic! :smiley:

Some progress! After some more texture work on the framing tree, think this image will finally be getting somewhere…


Well, I think I may have overdone it with the color correction, but I am going for a very harsh and ominous look. Time to let this one rest for a while and work on the next scene!




I’m just beginning to experiment with some large-scale landscapes too. I think your trees look great when the contrast is high. Those horizon mountains do a great job for the image too. I would put forward that the framing trees are a good idea, but some foreground leading in to the image would be wonderful - looking over the head of a raven that’s looking out?

The central tree has sunlight more or less from the direction of dark clouds. Am I misreading that?

edit: and those earlier “fuzzy trees” look great for covered dunes leading the way to a shoreline or inlet I think. I’d hang on to those for later.

My first stab at the next scene. Spoooooooky! :slight_smile:


Hi HelloHiHola thanks for the idea about using the fuzzy ones as that green stuff that grows near saltwater! That didn’t occur to me, but now I see it. Definitely going to save those!
I’ve been wrestling with what to put in the foreground, it seems like a good opportunity to have something evocative silhouetted down near the bottom of the frame, but so far nothing really looks right.
Have you posted any of your landscapes yet? I’d love to see take a look!

It’s coming along, but still a long way to go!


Some progress. I’m really not sure how detailed I want to make this one, but I think it’s time to let this one rest and move on to the next scene!


First try at the next scene! Doesn’t look much like a forest yet, right? LOL hope I can find my way on this one…


This one is finally starting to look like a forest. This one was a bit of a struggle, but at least I think I have a direction now. It needs some work though because at this point it just looks confusing. :frowning:


very goooooood:D

Thank you medo kassem! :slight_smile:

I think this one is shaping up well…time to let it rest and go on to the final scene! The most challenging one!


Just a basic background right now. Here’s hoping this is the foundation of something better


This is a bit closer to what I was hoping for. Still not perfect. It will look more complete after I draw the character in the center (the character will be hand-drawn).