Metallic Flame Awesomeness

Chad Holton · September 25, 2012, 08:04:10 PM

Well, maybe not, I need your critiques. So, I am playing around with the new metallic paint and like the Disney Cars logo and wanted to try something similar with the KS icon. Here's what I have so far. Right now, I'm not happy with the paint inside the icon, looking a little flat. Your thoughts? Different color combo? Trash the whole thing?

Chad Holton · September 25, 2012, 10:56:00 PM

Can't sleep tonight, so I modified it a little... Now, I'm thinking some airbrushing on the flames to give them a little more depth and some pinstriping as well?

Dylan · September 27, 2012, 06:55:39 AM

That looks fine to me. Maybe playing with some finer flake sizes would give you more options.

KeyShot · September 27, 2012, 07:38:08 AM

You could reduce the roughness of the flakes to make them tighter around the highlights. I would also play with the lighting - it seems a little flat.

br3ttman · September 27, 2012, 08:55:43 AM

Fun Graphics! How are you making the flames to get the different metallic paints? Trimmed layered surfaces or layered surfaces with opacity maps?

The colors seem a bit muted, possibly from your HDRI? Maybe a Gamma correction to get them to pop?

Chad Holton · September 29, 2012, 06:55:41 AM

Thanks guys for the feedback! This will be helpful. Planning on doing a simple light animation with this one and wanted to get it decent first.

Quote from: br3ttj on September 27, 2012, 08:55:43 AM
Fun Graphics! How are you making the flames to get the different metallic paints? Trimmed layered surfaces or layered surfaces with opacity maps?

The colors seem a bit muted, possibly from your HDRI? Maybe a Gamma correction to get them to pop?

I created a pass for each metallic color and then a clown pass (sorta) using the flames as a label and cutting them out in my favorite photo editing software. This may be what you meant as a trimmed layered surface but wasn't sure.

br3ttman · September 29, 2012, 08:50:07 PM

By "layers", I literally was thinking layers stacked 3 dimensionally, offset maybe by a couple thousandths of an inch. I see "shadow" effects from the flames, and I thought possibly because of offset layers. But your highlights don't step between the flames so I couldn't figure it out for sure. Thanks for the explanation! Nice trick!

feher · September 30, 2012, 07:20:21 AM

Hi Chad,
Here is my two cents.
Good luck ! My door is always open if you need anything.
Tim

feher · October 01, 2012, 06:11:27 PM

Hi Chad,
Here is an example of what I'm talking about.
I still could work this material for another hour or so to get it to do what I want. But this is close.
Notice the white reflections have a hard edge.
Also notice where the light hit's the body the flake is strong. But as the light rolls over the body the flake starts to disappear. In the real world we shouldn't see any flake in the shadow or darker areas of the paint.
Tim