Texturing from photos: which reference to use?

Kyle_butler

I'm currently sculpting actors in order to improve my skills in modeling, while achieving likeness.

My question is: When texturing from photos, by using zapplink or spotlight, can I use any stockimage for the skin of the model (such as 3d.sk), or is it advised to use only the photos of the actors to texture it?

Or do you suggest to painting my own color map? (In that case, do you, by any means, have a good starting point to suggest?)


Best Regards!

ceebee

If you put enough detail into the sculpt, making a color map isn't very difficult. The likeness should be in the sculpt first and foremost. Best method I've found is to build up colors gradually from a dark red base and progressively get lighter. This also entirely depends on the end result you're looking for. Most of the time texturing organic stuff with photos isn't a very good idea especially if you're trying to learn how to do it accurately from scratch.

Don't forget that skin isn't just a red and pale orange color, there's plenty of blues, yellows, greens, browns, etc. Try to stay away from black and white. And if you do use photos, use ones with the most diffuse lighting you can, and if you need to, paint out the specular from the skin.

There's more advanced ways to texture with photos by using ones sourced from polarized lenses and lighting, but you should really learn foundations first to really understand skin.

leslievdb

maybe this helps




http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1856385&postcount=218

and if you`re really set on using pictures you might want to look into cross polarized photography



http://www.cgfeedback.com/cgfeedback/showthread.php?t=1854

Kyle_butler

ceebee, Ravenslayer

Thank you very much for the detailed answers and examples.

Dylan Brady

Awesome link Leslie, started this thread to maybe find more of these photos
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1974515#post1974515

Mask_Salesman

I would avoid actors unless you can find decent orthos. Usually easier to take your own if your planning on photo sourcing, that way you can be sure to end up with some that don't have any strong direct lights or shadows. A half cast day or bounced light from a white surface are easy starters.

That cross polarization is fantastic *^* and great idea to make a resource thread for it!

Lolz @ my tutorial, I'm surprised how much that gets around given how unhelpful it probably is
If there's anything that's remotely notable to take from it, it's probably that skin has immense colour variation, block colours don't exist when texturing faces.

I'd avoid Zapplink, it's pretty buggy. Spotlight is great tho!

Kyle_butler

I'm sorry for being away from the forum for so long. Just recently I've came back and it is nice to see such a great topic (Cross Polarization) to originate from this thread.