Lee Griggs shows how to render a poly mesh as a volume and displace it with a texture map.

Arnold rendering specialist Lee Griggs shows how easy it is to set up a volume displacement using Arnold. One of Arnold’s features lets you convert any poly mesh object to a volume by merely changing the step size under its volume attributes.

Adjusting the volume padding allows you to get some incredible results using an image map to displace the volume. Check out some of Lee Griggs’ experimentation with the Arnold Volume-Displacement feature. 

If you haven’t, you should take a look. Highlighted by incredible details and stunning render quality, the volume experiments look like macro photographs of tiny worlds.