3D Head Texture Help

Sozril

I am new to texturing in general, but I have wanted to create realistic heads for so long. I have watched several tutorials, getting the idea that the diffuse skin should have little to no shadows or highlights. But I was wondering, what is too much contrast in skin? For example, would this work? Or is this too much?


Thank you if anyone responds.

ZacD

There's way too much lighting and contrast. 

Sozril

ZacD said:

There's way too much lighting and contrast. 

Okay, thank you.

Koromo

@Sozril

Mmm...for me that image has a lot of highlights that can come great for making the specular/roughtness map but as a diffuse it won´t work.

The diffuse needs to be as flat as posible with minimal shading if you are aiming at a realistic result, if you´re going to a more handdraw/stylized it´s totally okay to have shading in the diffuse map.
As fas as shadows, you can bake they down onto the diffuse or having it separately as an oclusion/cavity map.

The only use for diffuse with baked lighting in my point of view is when you´re scanning and you need the lesser amount of maps & you have a very good quality diffuse scanned.

And of course avoid any reflection in the eyes! 


You can try "shadows/highlights" that are located into Adjustment  menu in Photoshop or use a little bit of the burn tool to darken those highlight spots. Use the healing brush too for small zones.

Dirty example( bad painted eyes):


Other example: The last flat diffuse that i made with a little bit of cavity addition:

Sozril

Koromo said:

@Sozril

Mmm...for me that image has a lot of highlights that can come great for making the specular/roughtness map but as a diffuse it won´t work.

Thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate it.

So if I wanted to add things like dark circles under the eyes or pinker/blue skin variations I would add those later and bake them into the diffuse map? Since those wouldn't be classified as shadows, but part of the skin? Or I guess what would I do if I still wanted that blotchy effect of the skin?

Also, I wasn't worried about the eyes, I am going to end up using a separate texture for those.

Koromo

Sozril said:

Thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate it.

So if I wanted to add things like dark circles under the eyes or pinker/blue skin variations I would add those later and bake them into the diffuse map? Since those wouldn't be classified as shadows, but part of the skin? Or I guess what would I do if I still wanted that blotchy effect of the skin?

Also, I wasn't worried about the eyes, I am going to end up using a separate texture for those.

Those things you want to add are only hand painted variations into the diffuse base that you made initially, not need to "bake" them.
It´s different for shadows as they typically come from different maps like the occlusion and cavity and this can be combined with the diffuse and bake them in the final texture.

If you want that blotchy/dirty skin you only need to paint that details in the diffuse. Remember that rely only in  one photograph to make your final textures emmm...well if you´re doing the same person or similar it´s going to be alright but if you´re doing a custom character it´s necessary to put variations and details using another photos/painting. 

It´s all about layers going from the least detailed to the most, from the major forms to the minor/macro.

Sozril

Koromo said:

Sozril said:

Thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate it.

So if I wanted to add things like dark circles under the eyes or pinker/blue skin variations I would add those later and bake them into the diffuse map? Since those wouldn't be classified as shadows, but part of the skin? Or I guess what would I do if I still wanted that blotchy effect of the skin?

Also, I wasn't worried about the eyes, I am going to end up using a separate texture for those.

Those things you want to add are only hand painted variations into the diffuse base that you made initially, not need to "bake" them.
It´s different for shadows as they typically come from different maps like the occlusion and cavity and this can be combined with the diffuse and bake them in the final texture.

If you want that blotchy/dirty skin you only need to paint that details in the diffuse. Remember that rely only in  one photograph to make your final textures emmm...well if you´re doing the same person or similar it´s going to be alright but if you´re doing a custom character it´s necessary to put variations and details using another photos/painting. 

It´s all about layers going from the least detailed to the most, from the major forms to the minor/macro.

Okay, I am doing a custom person, I don't really have any thing in mind other than wanting blotchy skin and a lot of skin color variations. So if I am going to use different photos for the textures, I need to match the colors up right? Would be best to get the base photo the way I need it and then gather other photos and fix those and then match the skin tones?

Thank you again.

Sozril

How about this, is this better? Again, don't pay attention to the eyes

ZacD

Definitely much closer, don't be afraid to add some hue variation. Cheeks and the nose tend to be more red, forehead a bit more yellow.   

Koromo

This new one is much better

Sozril

Koromo said:

This new one is much better

ZacD said:

Definitely much closer, don't be afraid to add some hue variation. Cheeks and the noise tend to be more red, forehead a bit more yellow.   

Thank you both for the feedback. I have one more question if that's okay. If I am going to use different photos for the textures, I need to match the colors up. Would it be best to get the base photo the way I need it and then gather other photos and fix those and then match the skin tones?
 

Sozril

Koromo said:ZacD said:

Definitely much closer, don't be afraid to add some hue variation. Cheeks and the nose tend to be more red, forehead a bit more yellow.   

Is this any better for variation? Or is there still too much highlight? I am trying to get a pale skin tone, but it's hard to distinguish between if it's skin color or a highlight.