Reflecting on Progress 1

Reflecting on Progress 1

I've been reflecting on the progress I've made over the last 2 years of 3D art.  I first started playing with 3D art via the Daz Studio software package back in February 2009.

First image 2

Failed to execute the [html] macroorg.xwiki.rendering.macro.MacroExecutionException: When using the HTML macro inline, you can only use inline HTML content. Block HTML content (such as tables) cannot be displayed. Try leaving an empty line before and after the HTML macro. at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.cleanHTML(HTMLMacro.java:198) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.execute(HTMLMacro.java:148) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.execute(HTMLMacro.java:68) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.macro.MacroTransformation.transformOnce(MacroTransformation.java:188) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.macro.MacroTransformation.transform(MacroTransformation.java:133) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.DefaultTransformationManager.performTransformations(DefaultTransformationManager.java:83) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:248) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:124) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:54) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DefaultDocumentDisplayer.display(DefaultDocumentDisplayer.java:80) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DefaultDocumentDisplayer.display(DefaultDocumentDisplayer.java:38) at com.xpn.xwiki.internal.sheet.SheetDocumentDisplayer.display(SheetDocumentDisplayer.java:118) at com.xpn.xwiki.internal.sheet.SheetDocumentDisplayer.display(SheetDocumentDisplayer.java:57) at org.xwiki.display.internal.ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.display(ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.java:67) at org.xwiki.display.internal.ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.display(ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.java:41) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:911) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:890) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:921) at com.xpn.xwiki.api.Document.getRenderedContent(Document.java:582) at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor176776.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.doInvoke(UberspectImpl.java:395) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.invoke(UberspectImpl.java:384) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTMethod.execute(ASTMethod.java:173) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.execute(ASTReference.java:280) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.value(ASTReference.java:567) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTExpression.value(ASTExpression.java:71) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTSetDirective.render(ASTSetDirective.java:142) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:106) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:224) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:184) at com.xpn.xwiki.render.XWikiVelocityRenderer.evaluate(XWikiVelocityRenderer.java:105) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.evaluateTemplate(XWiki.java:1789) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.parseTemplate(XWiki.java:1729) at com.xpn.xwiki.api.XWiki.parseTemplate(XWiki.java:838) at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor176619.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.doInvoke(UberspectImpl.java:395) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.invoke(UberspectImpl.java:384) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTMethod.execute(ASTMethod.java:173) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.execute(ASTReference.java:280) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.render(ASTReference.java:369) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.VelocimacroProxy.render(VelocimacroProxy.java:216) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.RuntimeMacro.render(RuntimeMacro.java:311) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.RuntimeMacro.render(RuntimeMacro.java:230) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTDirective.render(ASTDirective.java:207) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:87) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:106) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:224) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:184) at com.xpn.xwiki.render.XWikiVelocityRenderer.evaluate(XWikiVelocityRenderer.java:105) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.evaluateTemplate(XWiki.java:1789) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.Utils.parseTemplate(Utils.java:155) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.XWikiAction.execute(XWikiAction.java:241) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.XWikiAction.execute(XWikiAction.java:116) at org.apache.struts.action.RequestProcessor.processActionPerform(RequestProcessor.java:431) at org.apache.struts.action.RequestProcessor.process(RequestProcessor.java:236) at org.apache.struts.action.ActionServlet.process(ActionServlet.java:1196) at org.apache.struts.action.ActionServlet.doGet(ActionServlet.java:414) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:690) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:803) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:269) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.ActionFilter.doFilter(ActionFilter.java:120) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.wysiwyg.server.filter.ConversionFilter.doFilter(ConversionFilter.java:144) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at com.xpn.xwiki.plugin.webdav.XWikiDavFilter.doFilter(XWikiDavFilter.java:66) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.container.servlet.filters.internal.SavedRequestRestorerFilter.doFilter(SavedRequestRestorerFilter.java:208) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.container.servlet.filters.internal.SetCharacterEncodingFilter.doFilter(SetCharacterEncodingFilter.java:111) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:210) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:174) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127) at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:117) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:108) at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:151) at org.apache.jk.server.JkCoyoteHandler.invoke(JkCoyoteHandler.java:200) at org.apache.jk.common.HandlerRequest.invoke(HandlerRequest.java:283) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket.invoke(ChannelSocket.java:773) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket.processConnection(ChannelSocket.java:703) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket$SocketConnection.runIt(ChannelSocket.java:895) at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.ThreadPool$ControlRunnable.run(ThreadPool.java:685) at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619) This was the first image I created.  Whilst I cringe now looking at it, I learnt a lot.  Mostly I learnt that adding to many lights and characters would slow down my old laptop to a crawl!

Mirror image 2

Failed to execute the [html] macroorg.xwiki.rendering.macro.MacroExecutionException: When using the HTML macro inline, you can only use inline HTML content. Block HTML content (such as tables) cannot be displayed. Try leaving an empty line before and after the HTML macro. at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.cleanHTML(HTMLMacro.java:198) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.execute(HTMLMacro.java:148) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.macro.html.HTMLMacro.execute(HTMLMacro.java:68) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.macro.MacroTransformation.transformOnce(MacroTransformation.java:188) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.macro.MacroTransformation.transform(MacroTransformation.java:133) at org.xwiki.rendering.internal.transformation.DefaultTransformationManager.performTransformations(DefaultTransformationManager.java:83) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:248) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:124) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DocumentContentDisplayer.display(DocumentContentDisplayer.java:54) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DefaultDocumentDisplayer.display(DefaultDocumentDisplayer.java:80) at org.xwiki.display.internal.DefaultDocumentDisplayer.display(DefaultDocumentDisplayer.java:38) at com.xpn.xwiki.internal.sheet.SheetDocumentDisplayer.display(SheetDocumentDisplayer.java:118) at com.xpn.xwiki.internal.sheet.SheetDocumentDisplayer.display(SheetDocumentDisplayer.java:57) at org.xwiki.display.internal.ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.display(ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.java:67) at org.xwiki.display.internal.ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.display(ConfiguredDocumentDisplayer.java:41) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:911) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:890) at com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument.getRenderedContent(XWikiDocument.java:921) at com.xpn.xwiki.api.Document.getRenderedContent(Document.java:582) at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor176776.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.doInvoke(UberspectImpl.java:395) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.invoke(UberspectImpl.java:384) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTMethod.execute(ASTMethod.java:173) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.execute(ASTReference.java:280) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.value(ASTReference.java:567) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTExpression.value(ASTExpression.java:71) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTSetDirective.render(ASTSetDirective.java:142) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:106) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:224) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:184) at com.xpn.xwiki.render.XWikiVelocityRenderer.evaluate(XWikiVelocityRenderer.java:105) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.evaluateTemplate(XWiki.java:1789) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.parseTemplate(XWiki.java:1729) at com.xpn.xwiki.api.XWiki.parseTemplate(XWiki.java:838) at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor176619.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.doInvoke(UberspectImpl.java:395) at org.apache.velocity.util.introspection.UberspectImpl$VelMethodImpl.invoke(UberspectImpl.java:384) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTMethod.execute(ASTMethod.java:173) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.execute(ASTReference.java:280) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTReference.render(ASTReference.java:369) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.VelocimacroProxy.render(VelocimacroProxy.java:216) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.RuntimeMacro.render(RuntimeMacro.java:311) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.directive.RuntimeMacro.render(RuntimeMacro.java:230) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTDirective.render(ASTDirective.java:207) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:87) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTBlock.render(ASTBlock.java:72) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.ASTIfStatement.render(ASTIfStatement.java:106) at org.apache.velocity.runtime.parser.node.SimpleNode.render(SimpleNode.java:342) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:224) at org.xwiki.velocity.internal.DefaultVelocityEngine.evaluate(DefaultVelocityEngine.java:184) at com.xpn.xwiki.render.XWikiVelocityRenderer.evaluate(XWikiVelocityRenderer.java:105) at com.xpn.xwiki.XWiki.evaluateTemplate(XWiki.java:1789) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.Utils.parseTemplate(Utils.java:155) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.XWikiAction.execute(XWikiAction.java:241) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.XWikiAction.execute(XWikiAction.java:116) at org.apache.struts.action.RequestProcessor.processActionPerform(RequestProcessor.java:431) at org.apache.struts.action.RequestProcessor.process(RequestProcessor.java:236) at org.apache.struts.action.ActionServlet.process(ActionServlet.java:1196) at org.apache.struts.action.ActionServlet.doGet(ActionServlet.java:414) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:690) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:803) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:269) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at com.xpn.xwiki.web.ActionFilter.doFilter(ActionFilter.java:120) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.wysiwyg.server.filter.ConversionFilter.doFilter(ConversionFilter.java:144) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at com.xpn.xwiki.plugin.webdav.XWikiDavFilter.doFilter(XWikiDavFilter.java:66) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.container.servlet.filters.internal.SavedRequestRestorerFilter.doFilter(SavedRequestRestorerFilter.java:208) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.xwiki.container.servlet.filters.internal.SetCharacterEncodingFilter.doFilter(SetCharacterEncodingFilter.java:111) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:215) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:188) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:210) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:174) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127) at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:117) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:108) at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:151) at org.apache.jk.server.JkCoyoteHandler.invoke(JkCoyoteHandler.java:200) at org.apache.jk.common.HandlerRequest.invoke(HandlerRequest.java:283) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket.invoke(ChannelSocket.java:773) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket.processConnection(ChannelSocket.java:703) at org.apache.jk.common.ChannelSocket$SocketConnection.runIt(ChannelSocket.java:895) at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.ThreadPool$ControlRunnable.run(ThreadPool.java:685) at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619) This was the second image I worked on during March.  The idea was to have the mirror showing a different reality to the foreground.  I learnt how to adjust material properties to create a mirrored surface.  I then rendered the scene twice, and then used Paint.net to composite the images together (which in itself was a learning experience).  Whilst I'd relight the scene now, I'm still fairly happy with the outcome.

Join the club 2

I played with a number of images, but it in July that there was a significant change.  I joined the Dreamlight club.  A large chunk of my progress has come my membership.  The benefit of tutorials, a community of others learning and regular competition with feedback is very valuable.  The image on the left was my first attempt at the scene, the one on the right is the result of applying lessons from a club lighting tutorial and feedback.