Tired of the semi-crappy Gimp sphere? Want shiny reflections for your avatar head? In that case, this povray file is your solution! Behold, I offer for free my povray head-preview scene, which can generate you a nice head animation.

edit: version 2.1 is out - with ridges based on head texture + head displacement! See below for download links for all 3 versions

My current avatar image is made with this povray scene, version 2.1

Because I'm a Linux dude, all I can offer is the command liners I used to make it, packed in a shell script. Its of course possible to use them in Windows too, but you will need to have ImageMagick (convert command) and modify the commands appropriately.

You will need:
1) the povray scene
2) the commands (on linux you can use the shell script)
3) a nice reflection picture which you will call nature.jpg

The headpreview povray scene (version 2.1) - with optional: ridges on the sphere based on the head texture, neck, and head displacement (rotations should be more interesting when the head is displaced). Removed random sphere imperfections from version 2.

The headpreview povray scene (version 2) - with optional: neck and slightly moving reflections (because of sphere imperfections)

The headpreview povray scene (old version)



The commands:

povray +ua +W95 +H95 +KFI1 +KFF40 +KC +A0.05 +R5 headprev2.1.pov
convert -adjoin -delay 4 headprev2.1*.png myhead.gif

This will generate your 95x95 head animation with 40 frames at 1/4 = 25 fps.
convert is an ImageMagick command, so make sure you have it.

You can also get the Linux script:
The shell script for Linux - currently missing a feature, only works with a file named head.tga - and the old filename of the .pov scene, headprev.pov


You will have to find your nature.jpg image yourself, and put it in the same folder with headprev2.1.pov

Edit headprev2.1.pov to make variations to the head movement. Variation numbers are explained with comments.

Some examples:

Hampa's head:


Head movement variations:

Tori white no, with a reflecting bug and leaf


Uke white yes, with a reflecting car


3D ridges based on the head texture (deliberately made too strong to see the effect) + neck with yellow color:



Have fun If you have any problems, or found a bug, please tell me so I can fix / help with it. To get a nice smooth avatar you will need this forum's background color (white) - don't make a transparent version.

too reflective IMO.

quite nice though :P

edit: needs a neck joint

I agree, I little too reflective, and I think they move a little fast as well.

Other than that, quite nice.

And a little pixely if you ask me.

pixely because its made with 128x128 heads If you have a 256x256 version of your head.tga it will also work, and look much sharper The bigger the better.

I'll add the neck joint... soon :P And make an option to tune the reflectivity to your liking - also easy

Nice one!I always wanted to make a povray head with reflections

if you make me one il pay 6k

ploom, I'm still working on the code (neck joint stuff). Do not send me TC yet, I'll tell you when I'll be able to make you an avatar (you want an avatar right?). it will be soon, need to tweak that neck a bit :P

Also PM me your preferences, with/without a neck joint, how do you want it to rotate, what would you like to be in the reflections. I'll make a base one and we'll go from there (as much as I can)

edit: Okay, I'm done with the joint, I guess. You can change its color to your liking. Here is a sample Tori

whoa, kewl spion! is the neck joint script the one located on the first post?

Not yet. I'll add it tomorrow, now its 5:30am and I'm tired of toribashing xD

Make sure to leave the regular one also.



I really like this PovRay script :]