The 6 stages of learning a new software

It seems that every time I learn a new software, I go through these same stages.  If you're in Stage 2 or 3, maybe this will give you hope. At the very least, maybe this will give you something to smile about.


The 6 stages of learning a new software

  

1. Ecstasy. You buy your new software. You are bursting with hope and expectation of all the awesome things this software will enable you to do.
2. Confusion. You don't know how to use the software.
3. Frustration. You are learning how to use the software. Sometimes you want to blow it up. Your hope has vanished like snow in a fire; you will never be able to use this software; it's impossible; it's stupid.
4. Rejoicing. Slowly, you're starting to understand how to use the software. You become increasingly comfortable and fluent with it. Your friends and family think you're weird, as you rejoice every time you successfully do something with it. (This is, probably, the funnest stage -- and maybe the funniest as well.)
5. The finish line. Gradually, before you know it, you're practically a pro. You are completely comfortable and fluent with the software. It becomes like a third arm, an extension of you -- like driving or walking. There's nothing you can't do... although admittedly, the software is less exciting now.
6. Repeat. One of your friends buys the software, and you can't understand why it's so hard for them.

Render problems in Bryce

So, you're rendering an image in Bryce, and it looks all nice: it's positioned right where you want it, the lighting is finally perfect, the materials look great, and you're ecstatic about your finished creation, until... you run into a problem.

You go to File, and click "Save image as", saving your rendered image on your computer. Then, when you open the image on your computer, you cry, "WHAT?!"

The image on your computer does not look like the image you rendered in Bryce. The objects are not positioned within the frame in the way you wanted. It looks like the camera zoomed out or moved to the side. For example, something you centered is now way off to the side, and something to the side is now centered.

What happened?

Likely, the problem is that your Document Resolution is larger than your workspace in Bryce. In other words, you are creating an image that is bigger than your computer screen can display! The solution is either to use a larger computer screen, or just decrease your document's resolution.

To do this, you need to open the Document Setup dialog box. This appears when you open a new document, and it can be accessed under the File menu (see the image below).

You can change the resolution to fit your screen by typing numbers in the text fields at top:

My screen so happens to fit 1120 x 660 pixels. If you don't know the size of your screen, you can experiment with numbers until you figure out what it is. 

Here's what a screen looks like with a resolution smaller than the screen's display:

Here's a screen with a resolution at the right size:

Now, your saved images should look the same as they do in Bryce!

For more details on using the Document Setup box, check out this tutorial at robinwood.com. 

Happy rendering! :-)

How to make Calvary Hill on Bryce

Last night, after posting the "How to make a 3D snowflake on Bryce" tutorial, I had a burst of inspiration. I was too excited to wait until the next day to try it out, so I stayed up late making this:

Now I'll show you how I made it. I used the same technique described in the "How to make a 3D snowflake on Bryce" tutorial. If you haven't already, read that tutorial first, so you can understand the basics before reading this tutorial. (I won't give as many specific instructions in this tutorial; just the general steps.)

Part 1: Photoshop


Open Photoshop.

Create a new layer.

With the Paint Bucket tool, fill the background layer with black.

On the new layer, use the rectangle tool to create two white rectangles, overlapping like a cross.

Save the file as a JPEG.

Part 2: Bryce


Open Bryce. Create a symmetrical lattice.

Open the editing window.

Upload the cross picture and click "Apply".

Exit the editing window. Flatten, resize, rotate, move, etc. to get the size, proportions, and position you want.

In the Materials Library, select "Cedar wood". If you want, you can render the image and see what that looks like.

Create a new terrain, and make a flat hill. (I hope to create a tutorial sometime soon with more details on how to edit terrain in Bryce.)

If necessary, resize the hill to get the proportions you want.

Move the cross.

Duplicate the cross.

In the "Sky & Fog" menu at the top of the screen, enter the Sky Lab. Then open the Sky & Fog Library.

In the Sky & Fog Library, choose the "Golden Haze" sunrise.

A test render will show something like this:

In the Sky & Fog menu, you can adjust the position of the sun to get it right where you want it.

After adjusting the sun and moving the camera to your liking, you can then get a finished result something like this:

A final side note...


Art is something God created. It is unfortunate and sad that many kinds of art, including 3D computer art, are often used for dark, disturbing, sensual, and evil purposes. Let's remember that even 3D art can be used in a way that glorifies God, and showcases light, hope, and beauty -- in the way he sees it!