Well, I'm still practicing with Blender 3D. Some time ago in the forum I wanted to do something based on the next Apple image:
http://newipadwalls.com/brushed-metal-a ... per-hd.php
http://www.gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 840#p50144

So, I have applied the concept of that image and what I had done with GIMP here:
http://www.gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4135
In Blender I make this:

The truth is working with GIMP you can make it emulating 3D and get very good result (it had not been the case in my post on this Metal Wurx - Part VII thread )
But now to practice and learn Blender Cycles engine I decided to try again. The lighting in Cycles is harder than I thought. In Blender for mapping I have used a texture that I made with GIMP using the next tutorial:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5390&start=40#p68181
Only the texture, without the glow in the metal.
The out of focus I've done in GIMP, I have not yet learned how to do it in Blender.
Well, I said that with hard work you can emulate this in GIMP. But best of Blender, is that it is 3D. You can change the views, materials, textures, etc. And best of all, you can animate in 3D (Wait a bit to load it, are 2.5MB):

YAFU - Where to start, All the images are excellent, enjoyed the ones from the links which helped to explain your journey and the final blender wallpaper looks good but the animation is simply amazing, the way the light changes on the main image part is great.

looks great YAFU

Thank you both for your comments

Amazing work. I agree with he4rty - the animation is incredible!

@Erisian, K1TesseraEna: Thanks!

@K1TesseraEna, I've seen some videos about "Turntable Camera setup" to understand what you meant. Interesting, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you.
My animation is very basic. I've left the camera fixed and I've rotated everything else
I am just starting with Cycles so I still have much to learn about nodes and lighting/shadows. There are many things about this work I've done I still do not like and I do not know if it was the best way to do this from the nodes. I must continue to investigate.
Then I shall study things related to cameras, as the technique you say. I am also interested in learn Depth Of Field (DOF).

Hello YAFU
I have been working with Cycle nodes and HDR for few weeks and it was not that difficult.

Here you have a easy tutorial abouth Depth of Field
http://bencrowder.net/art/blender-quicktips/depth-of-field/

On my latest engine I use HDR. World-Enviroment Image- Reflecting


And this one.



I add some leather texture on this teapot

Hi Lurifax73.

Thanks for the tutorial. And very good renders there!

I have to learn about using HDR images as World Enviroment too. Andrew Price uses HDR image in tutorial I used to learn anisotropic shading. I still do not understand what is the advantage of using HDR images in that way, but I think if people use them must be for something good

If you want the best results with HDR then you need to install VRay for plenty of $
http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/downloads.html?s=v-ray-maya and your HDR images vill look like this.




You can find material and textures with node settings in blendswap and apend them in to your projects.
http://www.blendswap.com/blends/view/69793

HDR does not work on thin surfaces, therefore you have to extrudate them first.
This picture was just gritty.

Thanks Lurifax73.

What's about LuxRender and Yafaray?

My next step after learning a little more Cycles, is to learn these engines. I have seen amazing work with these OpenSource engines.


Haha, no problem with that
But it is true that these Lurifax73 works deserve their own thread. They are great!

Hi all of you.
Yes I can make my own tread but I would like to help YAFU and other if my skills tell me to do
YAFU ask for tutorial how to manage Depth of Field and I have one.

Yes, YAFU I been working on Lux and I like it, but its almost same much struggle to install as VRay for Blender/Maya.
Yafray http://www.jensverwiebe.de/Jens_Verwiebe_engl/Software.html
ar easy like that to install and I try out for couple of days, but I dont like to spend time on more than
one system as longest I am not good on any of them. I believe in Blender in the long run.

To run VRay you need a special Blender version:
http://cgdo.ru/vrayblender/
This Teapot ar rendered with Cycle and HDR lights