Rendering tips, techniques?

[Deleted User]

Hi, I'm in need of some tips and tricks about rendering as realistic there is but still with an ok rendering time. Right now I'm doing a WIP and I'm testing both final render stage 1 and mental ray. FR is the one that I can manage to get the coolest and best renders with but it takes forever if I would do like a clay render. MR does this a lot faster but not as good and not as sharp. (Plus when I run MR with a skylight I can't mess around with the shadows at all. That option is greyed out in the skylight. Whats that all about?),
Tips, pointers anyone?

L2K

you'd better look for mental ray tutorials about the MRlights, the photons, Final gather and those things.

easy to find.

[Deleted User]

L2K wrote: »

you'd better look for mental ray tutorials about the MRlights, the photons, Final gather and those things.

easy to find.

I have looked. I just cant find what I need so I thought I'll ask here.
I'm experimenting with everything in MR right now and it looks ok and the render time isnt bad at all, but the renders lack that special edge that I get with FR.
Like for example, I have alot of greebles and MR bleeds and sort of softens it and thats not cool.

L2K

(bleeding is a matter of sample [max1 min1/16] try shorter samples)

also, MR doesnt render well the skylight (with the finalgather ON).
you have to put a GI.


for a clay render, i always use the scanline with 2 skylights (makes a lovely burn-overexposed effect)


or you can also try vray....

quite easier to play with.
4clics, 4hours rendertime, perfect image.

but i hate vray.
thing for architects, not artists.

[Deleted User]

L2K wrote: »

(bleeding is a matter of sample [max1 min1/16] try shorter samples)

also, MR doesnt render well the skylight (with the finalgather ON).
you have to put a GI.


for a clay render, i always use the scanline with 2 skylights (makes a lovely burn-overexposed effect)


or you can also try vray....

quite easier to play with.
4clics, 4hours rendertime, perfect image.

but i hate vray.
thing for architects, not artists.

first of all, I dont do vray, I've tried it and it didnt work well with either my 3ds or my comp.

I'm gonna try your tips and see what I get. I'll get back to you.

Thanks!

---

Edit: Hey man, I tried the double skylights and rendered with scanline like you said, and the result was f**king awesome!!
Thanks alot, that was alot of help. For comparison in just rendertime I nnow rendered an awesome image in 1280x1024 in 18mins, compared to before with 48mins for a 800x600 render with finalrender.
Thanks again L2K!!!