Creating Earth!
 

EDIT: SORRY posted in the wrong section while looking at this section please move to WIP forum because I can not delete my thread!

Note: If the images are a little too large I can convert them to links instead. All the images are in Jpeg/JPG. None of them exceed 1 megabyte individually.

Hello everyone!

I used to come to Simply Maya a long time ago, about a year, and I had stopped since then, but wanted to come back and be apart of the community once more.

I had previously ventured into trying to work with render environments in Maya which worked well but didn't really suite me. So I decided to try working on something different.

I have been into space for a very long time, ever since I was a child I was fascinated with space, Earth, other planets, and just the cosmos in general. The feeling of it really provokes feelings in me, and an urge, an inspiration to try and replicate what the universe can.

I wanted to show y'all what I am working on now, which is to me a great area to work in. Planetary rendering.

I started using very low resolution images (the ones that everyone seems to think are the only ones available) when I was beginning. To my surprise Maya is very effective at rendering things like this, without having to use something like After Effects to create something at least somewhat good looking.

Anyways the below are my current renders of Earth, and some Sci Fi earth like situations, I hope you like them. All the renders take use of enormous sized earth maps.

I accept open criticism of any kind. Personally I think the atmosphere could be trimmed down just a tad bit.

Upside down sunrise.
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v...hooeternal.jpg

Planet-X (Theoretical event)
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/finalone.jpg

Earth right side.
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v.../EarthSide.jpg

Super high res earth textures (converted formats)
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v...dSHresquad.jpg (link given because resolution is too high)

Earth ocean cloud close up.
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v...udsHighRes.jpg

I dont understand. Are the planets models? I mean, like spheres. What's the process here?

I think the second image is quite an amazing image. very powerful.

3D models.

Rendering done in Maya as well.

Using cloud maps and Earth maps, the cloud maps cast shadows so I think it makes a really realistic feel :)

Although some effects were done in GIMP, such as the sun flare.

Atmosphere is done in Maya.

So the cloud maps involve some kind of transparency? Laid over the top? And the atmosphere work, the vapors and clouds from the one planet crashing into earth is particle based?

The explosion effect is 3D as well.

The cloud maps needed to be converted to work properly, there was a problem with the transparency of the cloud maps which was resolved later.

The cloud map, and the earth map are the only actual textures in use. Everything else is done by using fluids.