Songbird Remix's Product Preview Thread

[DanaTA]

I never saw what he caught. But this past Autumn, there were a lot of American Robins in the pear tree next to the driveway. I thought it was only ornamental, but it has been getting tiny fruit the past two years. The Robins were going to town on the tiny pears. I was surprised. I thought Robins only at worms and insects.

Dana

 

[Ken Gilliland]

Did Crows Actually Make These Gifts for the Human Who Feeds Them?

 

[JOdel]

Now that's strange, and wonderful. (Much wonder involved.)

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Pretty cool.

Crows have a lot of discussions about whether humans are intelligent or whether they are just fairly dumb animals that can be trained (with a lot of hard work) to leave food.

 

[Ken Gilliland]

It's been a while since I shared a wip on the Peacock. I've been busy elsewhere with yard work and other non-3d stuff. Please note I don't yet have specular or bump/disp maps attached and the diffuse/texture map is still a work in progress, but for better or worse, here it is...

 

[Flint_Hawk]

I'd definitely say for the better Ken! WOW! That is going to be a spectacular "work of art" bird!

By the way- I have seen shows on TV where crows have brought gifts to the people who feed them. They are very smart!

 

[mininessie]

looks amazing!

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Sure is going to be spectacular!

 

[Miss B]

I think that's going to turn out to be an understatement. I can't wait to see the train feathers up in their full array.

 

[Lyne]

Been watching the peacock development with GREAT interest!!! (Something to focus on when I get through this hellish year with my health) images of the peacock with the fallow deer pull at me....

 

[Janet]

Crows also use tools. They use sticks for getting at food in holes. And then there's this:

 

[DanaTA]

Cool!

Dana

 

[Ken Gilliland]

Here's some more Peafowl news and progress...

The images I've been showing are of the male Indian (aka 'Blue') peacock... but there are quite a few more and I'll take moment to discuss the scope of my project and why it's taking so long.

There are basically three species of Peafowl and within that, many subspecies and variants. The three species are the Indian, the Green and the Congo. The Indian and Green have a similar look while the Congo is shaped more like a traditional gamebird. The Congo Peafowl also doesn't have the train. Males use their tail feathers much like a Grouse or Turkey would to "display".

Adding in female of the species produce additional work for me. The Indian Peahen doesn't have the train and is completely different in color and markings. The Green Peahen is similar to it's male counterpart but duller and a smaller train. The C0ndo Peahen is different in markings and coloration. The Green also has 2 other subspecies with different markings/colorations. I'm undecided on whether I'll do the subspecies.

I do need to decide if I want the set to have everything or perhaps just the Indian and package the others as add-ons. I'm leaning towards the "everything" option since that how other SBRM sets have been presented.

In addition, there are variants... I know there have been several calls for a "white" peacock. That is usually a leucistic Indian Peacock. Leucism is a genetic defect that blocks pigmentation from being delivered to the feathers. That wouldn't be too hard to do. I see it as add-on character/texture set featuring leucistic male and female Indian peafowl.

The other variant is known as a "Spalding". While cross-breeding does not occur naturally, some peacock enthusiasts cross the Indian and Green peafowl to get unusual looking peafowl. There are some really cool looking birds and all sorts of variations. This too could be an add-on set IF the peafowl set does well and there's enough interest with customers and on my end.

Today's image pretty shows the male Indian peacock roughed out (yes, I know I need to get a new pose). Next I'm going to add greater detail to the cape (the back), legs and maybe start working on the bump and specular maps. From there, I'll edit the model (tossing the train) for the Indian peahen and see if it's feasible to use that model for the Congo peafowl. The Greens will use the current model.

 

[Klaus Sauer]

You should take all the time you need. In my opinion, it would be great to have this subspecies too, especially because most of didn't know that this birds are exists. We have waited so long for the Peafowls, there it does not depend on a few weeks or even months any more. There's more money left to buy the "Birds of the Month".

 

[Ken Gilliland]

It's probably obvious to everyone here but the updated Ostriches is finally out. If you own, simply redownload it.

 

[Ken Gilliland]

Ugh! I know it's that same pose yet again plus it does show you what I changed since the last time... with the exception of improving the "eye" feathers, the textures are pretty close now. The wing and tail feather markings are now correct and I'm experimenting with some specular color. You'll also notice I trimmed a great deal of bulk off the hips and rump and lengthen the legs on the model itself... I think its general form is much better now.

 

[Sunfire]

I have a family of Sandhill Cranes living in my and my neighbor's back yards. Two adults, and for the first time (they've been around a few years) babies! They're so cute! I have pics but they're not the best, and they're too huge to upload here.

And I love that peacock!

 

[Miss B]

Well, I just checked Wikipedia, and they have a shot of an infant Sandhill Crane, and yes absolutely adorable!

 

[Sunfire]

They settle down in the grass, which isn't very tall, and they disappear despite the grass being so green.

 

[Miss B]

I'm sure, as the photo I saw on Wikipedia showed one being weighed, and the person doing it had his hands on either side as if protecting it from falling, and his hands looked big enough to hold the little one completely in his hands.