LogInTurns out that rendering 60 million points produces the results much faster than using VDBs.
Even now, in 2023, when most of the 3D art techniques have been tried out and explored ten times over, it is still possible to see something entirely new and jaw-dropping every once in a while. Proving this assessment, 3D Artist and Blender enthusiast Georgii "Acidmerph" Torianik recently unveiled a peculiar yet efficient method for creating realistic 3D clouds.
Contrary to conventional approaches that utilize complex shader setups or specialized VDB technology tailored for cloud creation, Georgii stumbled upon an unexpected breakthrough that by employing remarkably dense point clouds, it is possible to achieve results on par with those one can get by using intricate shader configurations. Surprisingly, rendering 60 million actual water droplets that form the cloud proved significantly faster than relying on traditional VDB methods, noted the artist.
Counterintuitive as it may seem, the method appears to be actually working, which is clearly demonstrated in the screenshots shared by the author.
Georgii also commented on the method's advantages and disadvantages, noting that this unconventional approach provides one with better viewport performance, increased render speed, and "insane artistic control". At the same time, it has several downsides, such as higher usage of memory, visible grains, and, of course, a lack of real-time capabilities.
And here's the setup's node graph with some additional notes shared by the author:
You can check out more of Georgii's mind-blowing projects by visiting his Reddit and ArtStation pages. Also, don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.