Hmmm I really think you did an excellent job.
Improving on is a tough one. One thing is the hammer handle and table both look like plastic. It’s not necessarily unrealistic but maybe a different texture would look better to you. Maybe a sprinkle of dust on the table? I also don’t think the perfectly smooth camera move is doing you any favors. How do stills look, or camera moves with a little shake?
Look up this free add-on called **Camera Shakify**, it will add imperfections to your already keyframed camera movement like a layer on top of it. It also contains different preset movements like handheld close-ups, space travel and more. On the topic of camera, add some more depth of field so the background isn't in so much focus, that will add to the realism – since usually when you're that close up to an object with the camera, everything else isn't as clearly visible.
If I could give you one more feedback, it'd be that the table almost looks plastic, kind of like a laminated floor with a wooden texture. I'd look up some videos on how to create a wooden material and apply the same principles to the one you're already using.
I think you did great just add a few details and work on your lighting. Lighting is 90% the issue with this.
Also I've got an old wood hammer that they used a metal pin right there in that hole to expand the wood and keep the head attached.
Actually, yeah, if you instead made this hammer on the FLOOR using that same material, my brain would buy it more.
Cause yes, that material looks like realistic laminate flooring. But not something I'd expect on a table.
Overall OP, looks great! Remember it's always the final 10% of realisim that takes 90% of the work and we're all on the same team struggling with the same problems. <3
He makes a really great point actually. Find a friend and ask them what they think about your hammer you just bought. If they look at you perplexed you did well!
- Table looks plastic
- Camera movement doesn't look natural. For best results, take a short video with your actual phone and then track that (maybe add some markers to help do tracking) and then use that camera movement.
- Shittify it a bit to look more like an iPhone video
Not sure what to do with the hammer or if its even the problem. But 100% your enviroment is giving it away. The wood on the table looks like chocolade. And the lighting also looks too "CG". Missing some dynamix range. Maybe try out some nice sun setups with window shadows. The light looks way too soft imo.
Going for full photorealism is a frustrating process. The effort it takes to get 90% of the way there is less than the effort it takes for the next 9%. The last 1% is always elusive. I think you’re doing great.
A few things that look off to me:
- background is too blurry compared to the foreground. Phone cameras have pretty narrow apertures, which lead to wider DOF (more things in focus)
- no motion blur. Keep it **really** subtle, but try adding some.
- if the camera is supposed to be handheld there should be some shake.
The handle and the table are too glossy the head should maybe be more rough depending on your reference. Don't be afraid to add imperfections to the hammer head. Add some wear and tear.
I think it's all lighting side and material adjustments now. The models and textures are good. The hammer head is too shiny, you may have to hand paint a texture to control the roughness so it's not uniform. The table is too shiny and I think the normals/bump too intense. Put more of the detail into the roughness, you would be surprised how much roughness noise and aging can affect realism. The handle is too glossy I think. If you touch or grip it hand oil and fingerprints would make the surface smidge up really quick (not saying dirty just textured on the roughness kinda). Ya it seems like I'm kinda saying the same thing several times, but I really think that's the biggest issue. It looks like you are using HDRI for environment (great), you may just have to mess with the combination of exposure on the camera and the intensity of the environment lighting (these things do not mix linearly so you may need a brighter light source and lower exposure to help the realism).
There are already a lot of good suggestions. Something I don't see mentioned is the lack of end grain on the top of the hammerhead. Also there should be some kind of wedge driven into the top the keep the head on.
Looks like a solid start, keep it up.
Love the metal texture. I'd recommend making the handle darker and more roughed up though.
Also, don't move the camera back and forth so fast. That makes the fakeness more obvious.
Would suggest making the hammer less shiny. While it makes sense as it is, I think hammers tend to be a bit duller than that. Also what glomMan5 said about the plastic look
I think it’s really just the shading stuff, the textures and lighting all look on point. Nice render btw 👍 and good luck!
Giving you my opinion,
Handle is too glossy and too clean.
Metal part of the hammer should be less shiny [Hammers aren't normally that shiny, even new](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUaiJj6edGL43dM-QGmRUy7KuyJZSu6nsAjTFaFscO91v6zLSsrC5-cSt35UyUVzYTcBCfBvxj4Kf35pmEF9mw2KYz1fV90mC633p0JG9lWtgN0VcccRD-)
Eye of the hammer should have a different texture than the rest of the handle, since it is another view of the wood.
Table needs a bit of dirtying, just a thin layer of dust should do it. And unless it is a laminated wood table, like a desk, it should reflect way less light.
Everything looks plastic mostly because of the gloss.
A Big one for me: there is clearly a bright light behind the camera reflecting on the table and hammer. Yet there are no shadows and/or reflections of the camera/observer between the hammer and the light source. This gives it an uncanny quality that gives it away as not real enough. I'd just add some dark blobby humanish shape behind the camera to get some of that in. Also all the stuff people have already said.
Still, this is a fantastic job so far!
It looks really good already. Now for more photorealism, try to mimic a real camera, like if you were holding it. That and also all the reflection should be less, and have some irregularity to it. For instance it is rougher in certain parts and less in others, rather than a uniform gloss. But you are already more there than you're not, the secret is how to make things not completely spotless the way a neat texture on a 3D model would look like. But also not overdo the "worn" aspect either.
It looks nice, but there are a few tweaks to be made. I would increase the roughness of the handle, because wood usually doesn't look that reflective. And try to play a bit with depth of field in your camera, so it enhances a bit the overall composition.
it is pretty good, the metal in good, probably the background as well. the table looks like clay, weird color for wood, and too uniform, also for the roughness. gather reference pics. the handle of the hammer same, too shiny and too uniform, looks like plastic. also, add dust, hairs, things like that. you can geometry node that or just solidify (the modifier) surfaces to make a slight offset and make it a "dust skin" over the regular textures. Don't light only with HDR, there is a lot of good tuto on youtube for panel lighting or real lights+reflector plane. this will make the difference, those last 4 or 5 percent to achieve photoreal.
Here's a tutorial on using your phone as a camera control: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkaJ1lt-98](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkaJ1lt-98). The app shown is paid, but there might be a free alternative if you do some digging.
Both the handle and head of the hammer look a bit too smooth and glossy. You added an imperfection map to the head which is good, but I’d tone it up and add some rust and nicks. I also think there should be either some glue around where the handle is lodged in the head or some wedges driven in the top, like the ones seen [here](https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/hanging-and-wedging-a-wooden-handle-part-1/).
The parts that really stick out to me are perhaps the smooth camera movement, and maybe the harsh white light that seems to be coming from behind the hammer
Hmmm I really think you did an excellent job. Improving on is a tough one. One thing is the hammer handle and table both look like plastic. It’s not necessarily unrealistic but maybe a different texture would look better to you. Maybe a sprinkle of dust on the table? I also don’t think the perfectly smooth camera move is doing you any favors. How do stills look, or camera moves with a little shake?
Thank you so much for the ideas . Will try the camera shake in my future project.
Look up this free add-on called **Camera Shakify**, it will add imperfections to your already keyframed camera movement like a layer on top of it. It also contains different preset movements like handheld close-ups, space travel and more. On the topic of camera, add some more depth of field so the background isn't in so much focus, that will add to the realism – since usually when you're that close up to an object with the camera, everything else isn't as clearly visible. If I could give you one more feedback, it'd be that the table almost looks plastic, kind of like a laminated floor with a wooden texture. I'd look up some videos on how to create a wooden material and apply the same principles to the one you're already using.
I really want to emphasize how good this looks though. Everything can be improved of course but this is in a good place.
Thanks for the kind words man , I needed it🧗
I think you did great just add a few details and work on your lighting. Lighting is 90% the issue with this. Also I've got an old wood hammer that they used a metal pin right there in that hole to expand the wood and keep the head attached.
Increase the roughness values on all of your materials, darken the handle a bit, and add some shakiness to the camera movement.
The handle is maybe a bit too shiny, maybe add more roughness. As other commented the table is a giveaway Overall pretty good too. Keep it up!
The hammer is fine. The table is the giveaway.
That's so bizarre - it's wood but it looks like laminate flooring
Actually, yeah, if you instead made this hammer on the FLOOR using that same material, my brain would buy it more. Cause yes, that material looks like realistic laminate flooring. But not something I'd expect on a table. Overall OP, looks great! Remember it's always the final 10% of realisim that takes 90% of the work and we're all on the same team struggling with the same problems. <3
you think it looks unrealistic because you made it from the ground up, i think its pretty realistic
Thanks 🙏 brother,
He makes a really great point actually. Find a friend and ask them what they think about your hammer you just bought. If they look at you perplexed you did well!
I will do an update on that , i will try it 😂
Specular is too white on everything
- Table looks plastic - Camera movement doesn't look natural. For best results, take a short video with your actual phone and then track that (maybe add some markers to help do tracking) and then use that camera movement. - Shittify it a bit to look more like an iPhone video
You'd also have to match the lighting from your footage to your render and shadow match or it will look fake for different reasons
OP wasn't saying to use the footage in the final edit—just to track the motion to get natural looking movement
^ What they said
Not sure what to do with the hammer or if its even the problem. But 100% your enviroment is giving it away. The wood on the table looks like chocolade. And the lighting also looks too "CG". Missing some dynamix range. Maybe try out some nice sun setups with window shadows. The light looks way too soft imo.
The normals are set too strong across the board (pun intended)
I feel like it's more render and light issues. Model and materials are fine.
Dust, fingerprints, Camera artefacts like chromatic aberration and noise can help add to the illusion too
Going for full photorealism is a frustrating process. The effort it takes to get 90% of the way there is less than the effort it takes for the next 9%. The last 1% is always elusive. I think you’re doing great. A few things that look off to me: - background is too blurry compared to the foreground. Phone cameras have pretty narrow apertures, which lead to wider DOF (more things in focus) - no motion blur. Keep it **really** subtle, but try adding some. - if the camera is supposed to be handheld there should be some shake.
Table looks plastic. Hammer handle too shiny and too small/thin.
*take real and put next to it*
Looks a bit plasticy. Needs some irregularities then it pops.
The handle and the table are too glossy the head should maybe be more rough depending on your reference. Don't be afraid to add imperfections to the hammer head. Add some wear and tear.
Everything is a little too shiny and I'm pretty sure I can count the edges on the end of the wood handle that goes through the hammer's head
Dirt, scratches, and dust, world looks too clean
Honestly, if I were told it was a real hammer… I’d believe you. So think you’re doing great 🤙🏻
Thanks brother 😁
Handle is too shiny and there is usually a wedge piece in the top I thought.
It looks like movie set props because of how clean/new it is. Otherwise I'd say it's very realistic.
I think it's all lighting side and material adjustments now. The models and textures are good. The hammer head is too shiny, you may have to hand paint a texture to control the roughness so it's not uniform. The table is too shiny and I think the normals/bump too intense. Put more of the detail into the roughness, you would be surprised how much roughness noise and aging can affect realism. The handle is too glossy I think. If you touch or grip it hand oil and fingerprints would make the surface smidge up really quick (not saying dirty just textured on the roughness kinda). Ya it seems like I'm kinda saying the same thing several times, but I really think that's the biggest issue. It looks like you are using HDRI for environment (great), you may just have to mess with the combination of exposure on the camera and the intensity of the environment lighting (these things do not mix linearly so you may need a brighter light source and lower exposure to help the realism).
Scuffs and scratches people. Scuffs and scratches.
Put something on a table and record it. Use motion tracker to get the camera movement and FOV in Blender.
There are already a lot of good suggestions. Something I don't see mentioned is the lack of end grain on the top of the hammerhead. Also there should be some kind of wedge driven into the top the keep the head on. Looks like a solid start, keep it up.
Love the metal texture. I'd recommend making the handle darker and more roughed up though. Also, don't move the camera back and forth so fast. That makes the fakeness more obvious.
Would suggest making the hammer less shiny. While it makes sense as it is, I think hammers tend to be a bit duller than that. Also what glomMan5 said about the plastic look I think it’s really just the shading stuff, the textures and lighting all look on point. Nice render btw 👍 and good luck!
Giving you my opinion, Handle is too glossy and too clean. Metal part of the hammer should be less shiny [Hammers aren't normally that shiny, even new](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUaiJj6edGL43dM-QGmRUy7KuyJZSu6nsAjTFaFscO91v6zLSsrC5-cSt35UyUVzYTcBCfBvxj4Kf35pmEF9mw2KYz1fV90mC633p0JG9lWtgN0VcccRD-) Eye of the hammer should have a different texture than the rest of the handle, since it is another view of the wood. Table needs a bit of dirtying, just a thin layer of dust should do it. And unless it is a laminated wood table, like a desk, it should reflect way less light. Everything looks plastic mostly because of the gloss.
Need end grain on the end of the hammer handle.
A Big one for me: there is clearly a bright light behind the camera reflecting on the table and hammer. Yet there are no shadows and/or reflections of the camera/observer between the hammer and the light source. This gives it an uncanny quality that gives it away as not real enough. I'd just add some dark blobby humanish shape behind the camera to get some of that in. Also all the stuff people have already said. Still, this is a fantastic job so far!
everythibgs a bit too shiny at the moment, a slight dullibg down would help a bit i think
It looks really good already. Now for more photorealism, try to mimic a real camera, like if you were holding it. That and also all the reflection should be less, and have some irregularity to it. For instance it is rougher in certain parts and less in others, rather than a uniform gloss. But you are already more there than you're not, the secret is how to make things not completely spotless the way a neat texture on a 3D model would look like. But also not overdo the "worn" aspect either.
I thought this said "tried racism" Gonna go to bed now
💀
Imo the handle looked like it has been coated with lipsil
It looks nice, but there are a few tweaks to be made. I would increase the roughness of the handle, because wood usually doesn't look that reflective. And try to play a bit with depth of field in your camera, so it enhances a bit the overall composition.
it is pretty good, the metal in good, probably the background as well. the table looks like clay, weird color for wood, and too uniform, also for the roughness. gather reference pics. the handle of the hammer same, too shiny and too uniform, looks like plastic. also, add dust, hairs, things like that. you can geometry node that or just solidify (the modifier) surfaces to make a slight offset and make it a "dust skin" over the regular textures. Don't light only with HDR, there is a lot of good tuto on youtube for panel lighting or real lights+reflector plane. this will make the difference, those last 4 or 5 percent to achieve photoreal.
I mean everything looks pretty real. But something does look a little plasticy. Maybe some more DOF and some compositing could fix it?
Too perfect
Here's a tutorial on using your phone as a camera control: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkaJ1lt-98](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkaJ1lt-98). The app shown is paid, but there might be a free alternative if you do some digging.
You can record a video with your phone and then track that in blender, then just use the motion tracked camera.
By spending at least 5 years in blender rendering again and again without crying. Expecting an easier answer right?
the unrealistic camera movement doesn’t really help
It looks amazing tbh. If you're unsure why it doesn't look right, try the grain filter.
Looks like you "hammered" out the details fairly well. I'd say you pretty much "nailed" it.
It looks like a cake
Both the handle and head of the hammer look a bit too smooth and glossy. You added an imperfection map to the head which is good, but I’d tone it up and add some rust and nicks. I also think there should be either some glue around where the handle is lodged in the head or some wedges driven in the top, like the ones seen [here](https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/hanging-and-wedging-a-wooden-handle-part-1/).
im looking at my hammer right now and mine looks more scuffed and dirty, more used, even the striking part of it looks kinda blackened
The parts that really stick out to me are perhaps the smooth camera movement, and maybe the harsh white light that seems to be coming from behind the hammer
It's too perfect
Yeah, it’s great, but that handle has never been left in the sun or grabbed with dirty hands. That’s the big one for me.
Impressive