No New Renders Today, Though I Thought I'd Let Yall Know About An Update. In Those Last Two Echo Render

No new renders today, though I thought I'd let yall know about an update. In those last two Echo render pieces, there was a render error and the larger shot didn't render the rocks. They've both been updated to fix those issues. Enjoy!

I didn't plan on rendering this one, so here's a wild-west themed space train I designed with a friend for a space DND campaign we're doing soon! I'll likely 3D print it and paint it eventually, too which I'll post those as well (if it happens and I remember!).

The Solari are one of two sentient species that live on a tidally locked planet. Living on the hottest side of that planet, the Solari must traverse long distances across hot deserts and wild-west like landscapes, all while keeping their stuff safe. Thus they invented the Space Train

The Solari Space Train is capable of over-land flight using its hover engines, and works even better when on grav-rails that reduce the power requirements. However, using specially made ramps, the trains are capable of reaching speeds that launch them upwards, using their main thrusters to eventually reach space. While not the best space vehicle by far, the Solari still use their Space Trains, and with the gift of FTL technology by the The Scaled Empire, it isn't uncommon to see one of these pulling up to a station or racing across a new planet.

These trains are modular, and each Space Train owner can equip a variety of cars to their train as they see fit. The onset of new technologies from Deep Rock Galactic, The Scaled Empire, and the United Federation of Fiefdoms has increased their potency utility, though they still suffer the flaws of their design being that of a long thin line.

Also one of my roommates says the locomotive looks like a limousine. Do yall agree?

For those of yall good at rendering, how would yall make this look better? I just don't know what one would do past this point to improve on this beach scene, so I'd love to see what people say are things they'd do, or steps they feel I'm missing to this. Could use some input since I can note that the water just isn't right, and it just kind of feels wrong, but I am not experienced enough to know exactly what I need to do to fix the issues.

Said input could be from artists or Blender people, though Blender people may have more to note on the materials and how to render this better. I'd super appreciate tutorials or sources of learning for this part, or DM me and we can talk it over! I'm using Blender 3.6.

Nothing too new, just a quick thing I wanted to try and render of the Of Stalwart Valiance class destroyer flying on by.

Learning log: learned how to make a simple space background texture in the shaders > World tab instead of trying to make it from objects. Its as simple as a noise and color ramp node!

Still learning, so in the meantime I got a model online so i can represent my fursona for now. Thanks to:

https://twitter.com/GalileoGBo

for providing it so I can kit bash and alter it to better represent me.

And even if I'm at a problem block for modeling, I now had the opportunity to learn armatures and data transfers for clothes. Even at a block, it's better to do something rather than nothing.

No this isn't an ad. I swear! Well, it's not like I'm advertising anything, but it is a copy of an ad I got.

I was going though my emails and had a promotional one from Swim Outlet with this absolutely awesome pose underwater. I was suddenly infected by a bug that told me to remake it with Civil! (Plus an excuse to try and make better water stuff is always a good reason) Then it was an excuse to open Photoshop, which I haven't done in a while, and found out that I still know that program quite well, even though they've made some changes over the years.

More like the original below!

Here's a version without the text. Honestly, it's just an awesome pose!

Learning Log: learned some better techniques for making a water surface, as well as how to add caustics shading for that underwater-shadow look. Then it was just fun to try and use the skill's I've learned so far to make most of this, so I think this is a good sign of some major improvements in my learning journey! Only looked up one more tutorial on how to make the particles make a bubble effect, and while I already knew the basics of particle systems, it was a great help. Plus the tutorial suggested a super simple water shader using only the principle BSDF and was quite happy with it for the bubbles!

Also, while not really a new thing, I figured out that I still know how to use Photoshop, its adjustments, and how to search for fonts and use them in PS. I use to do a ton of PS stuff in high school, and have used it much less over the years, but I'm glad I still got it and it was extremely easy to use again.

And just for reference, here's the original ad from Swim Outlet. Tell me how well you think I did in replicating it!