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Hello,

I finally completed all the tasks from my todo list in order to release this Blender file. It includes a script I coded to easily render models built from Mecabricks.

I wrote a detailed post here that also includes all the necessary resources.

Renderings can be uploaded on mecabricks and I created a dedicated section in the gallery for them.

Please have a look at this video tutorial and head to this page to download the template and more.

This template is supposed to be a live document and therefore all suggestions and improvements are welcome for next revision!

Edited by Scrubs

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Great job Scrubs! Thank you for sharing this great works.

Is final template not select HDRI by default? The default rendering become pink color. Have to manual select.

Panorama online viewer link:

http://sky.easypano.com/panoramic-images/lego03-26570.html

19012768045_b6884a39b1_b.jpg

Untitled-1 by Nachapon S., on Flickr

MOD extend roof one stud all directions

19048068825_09e954bbcc_c.jpg

MOD extend roof one stud all directions by Nachapon S., on Flickr

9344126286_512a48e7a4_n.jpg

LEGO Creator 5771 Hillside House by HGGtw, on Flickr

16 rendering images uploaded to the gallery.

18861519460_4c6950f3aa_z.jpg

MECABRICKS by Nachapon S., on Flickr

Edited by bbqqq

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Yes, I didn't include any for the public version as I don't have the rights to distribute these HDR images. So I prefer to give the links. You can just put one in the template folder, open it and save the template. Like that no need to redo it every time :classic:

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I am looking for (or try to make) a HDR image that include picture of the camera or even the photographer. It would be more realistic and fun if can see the reflection of the fake camera and photographer on the shiny and chrome bricks.

Is final template same as beta 4?

Edited by bbqqq

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I agree, it would look cool!

I think it's the same yes. I don't remember changing anything.

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Nice! (There are a couple of images that don't appear in your post)

Maybe you already know but in Blender Cycles you have an emission shader available (that you can mix with others). So basically any object can become a light source.

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nice start. but i was hoping for a one-click-solution since blender is pretty difficult for starters...

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Heuu.... Make photorealistic renderings is a full time job so I guess having only a couple of buttons to press to get a result which is from my point of view much better/faster than povray with free software is already a good start ;-)

I agree with you regarding the interface of blender which is not that simple when you open it at first though. If you try to follow the 8 min tutorial, I'm sure you'll see that it is not that hard. At normal speed it doesn't take me more than a couple of minutes to export, set the scene and click the render button.

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Nice! (There are a couple of images that don't appear in your post)

Maybe you already know but in Blender Cycles you have an emission shader available (that you can mix with others). So basically any object can become a light source.

Thanks for remind, images that don't appear fixed.

The emission shader is quite convenient. I tried to make glow in the dark material by add two shaders [transparent+decal] and [emission]. But the decal become transparent, too (Yoda's eyes). How to make the decal solid?

19079987222_fe6de24879_b.jpg

Mecabricks to Blender _glow in the dark by Nachapon S., on Flickr

Edited by bbqqq

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To fix those transparent decals, what you could do, would be to use the decal as a mask. So plug the image into a brightness/contrast node, and plug that in the 'fac' of a mix shader. This mix shader should have as inputs the transparent material and the opaque material (with image texture). Hat way, you'll hae a material hat is transparent everywhere, except where there's the decal. If you'd like a node setup, please point me to the decal file so I can play around with it.

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Here is the solution I prefer, however you need to alter the texture to make it transparent where you want to have the emission material to be.

In the example of yoda's head, delete the green color.

Node setup:

v87aAOL.png?1

Milky material (or your emission shader) will only be visible in the area you deleted on the texture. The decoration will be rendered with the solid material.

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To fix those transparent decals, what you could do, would be to use the decal as a mask. So plug the image into a brightness/contrast node, and plug that in the 'fac' of a mix shader. This mix shader should have as inputs the transparent material and the opaque material (with image texture). Hat way, you'll hae a material hat is transparent everywhere, except where there's the decal. If you'd like a node setup, please point me to the decal file so I can play around with it.

Here is the solution I prefer, however you need to alter the texture to make it transparent where you want to have the emission material to be.

In the example of yoda's head, delete the green color.

Node setup:

Thank you, both of you. Scrubs's node setup work well.

But as Scrubs said, Mecabricks's decals texture are opaque (not same as LDD, why?) so have to delete background color of the decal first. Is it possible to do it directly in blender to get same result?

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Blender doesn't know which colour you want to delete so probably no.

the reason why I don't have a transparent background is that I did not manage to write a shader (in the workshop not Blender) that works properly with transparent materials.

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^Thank you for your explanation, Scrubs.

Most expensive minifigure ever (concept).

This got this idea for a while. The ideal cut diamond piece and all custom bricks seems not availible in Mecabricks any more. So I import form my old Stl file. The diamond material node setup can be found many in google, I use the 1st one:

https://www.google.c...&bih=1009&dpr=1

All pics are draft rendering only because I got to go sleep.(quick preview rendering)

Will try better light setup to get better later.

19153180845_413258d7b4_b.jpg

Most expensive minifigure ever concept by Nachapon S., on Flickr

18976737950_236e688021_b.jpgMost expensive minifigure ever concept by Nachapon S., on Flickr

19137451176_0dd22ab49a_b.jpg

Most expensive minifigure ever concept by Nachapon S., on Flickr

19175171265_5fa9424102_b.jpg4654 by Nachapon S., on Flickr

Edited by bbqqq

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A new version 1.01 is available for download. It prevents Blender from crashing when run on Windows.

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If you haven't tried this out already, do it! Here are some of my latest renders.

800x450.jpg

800x450.jpg

800x450.jpg

Also, i was thinking it would be nice to have a Mecabricks builder tag like the ones for LDD and LDraw.

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My latest rendering using the template:

20223399499_ee00874307_c.jpg

Benny's Spaceship by Nicolas Jarraud, on Flickr

If you feel more like an artist, here is what you could do with it.

This has been made by Zanna after mocs built on mecabricks by Stanislav94

eDkpqb.jpg

Edited by Scrubs

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My latest rendering using the template:

Benny's Spaceship by Nicolas Jarraud, on Flickr

I like your action sequence too, but this rendering is insane. Can't stop looking at it :wub:

Are you sure it's digital?! :tongue:

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Thank you guys! :D

Lego models are rendered in Blender (I used Scrubs's template), the rest was post-produced in Photoshop ;)

This is the sketch I've done before:

pjZXYb.jpg

Edited by zanna

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Thank you guys! :D

Lego models are rendered in Blender (I used Scrubs's template), the rest was post-produced in Photoshop ;)

This is the sketch I've done before:

Your storyboard image of the action scene is very cool. I wish I could draw like you. Well done!

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