Skinning

Sythest

Hello, This is my first time posting here, im 14 years old and i currently skin for a game with Unreal engine 1, and a game that has horrrrrible models, i dont model however i love to skin and i love these forums because you all make such amazing things! Currently though im stuck dead when i try to make certain things, armor/straps(belts,etc..)/clothing/etc...
This honestly is one of my last places to find help, im one of the only skinners left in the community and i want to step up my game.

This is my best skin so far:


a crappy scorpion skin :



and my best attempt at armor :

Joshua Stubbles

Everyone has to start somewhere, you know
Most of the people on here have some very humble beginnings. For a 14yr old though, that's pretty damn decent work, especially for Unreal 1.
Just keep it up, it certainly gets easier with time.

Sythest

yeah i know what you mean... its just not easy to spend countless hours trying to make all the things id love to make in photoshop and never being succesful...

thank you though for the comment

Slum

If you're still really into plain old 2d texture skinning, you should check out the SDK thread. Lots of good models by our fellow polycounters.

Also, for more help you could check out the archive of some tutorials on the old polycount site: http://web.archive.org/web/2004061004435...-tut-list.shtml

A good face painting tutorial from the awesome Ancient Pig (he's on this site as well) http://www.pig-brain.com/tut01/tut01_01.htm

I'm sure other folks around here can point you toward some of their own tutorials from back in the day.

Sythest

thank u so much slum! those links are gonna help me out a lot

Edit : the old polycount links dont work

Slum

The ones I checked did work, you just have to be logged in to fileplanet. (a free account will work fine)

Sythest

Okay so im working on a new Samurai for a different character model and i just finished the chest skin map, what do you think?



Note : the chainmail thing at the very bottom isnt part of the skin **

Sythest

and suggjestions?

Mark Dygert

I really like them you have some good work here. It really takes me back and reminds me how much we had to "fake". It was just a few years ago but it feels like a life time. You have a good base skill set to work off of, I'm interested in seeing what you can do if you where less restricted.

Crits on the last skin posted:
- Too much contrast. The model doesn't blend into the environment well with that much contrast.
- Lacks a unifying global light source. This is pretty easy to over look when you are painting tiny pieces of a model instead of the whole thing from head to toe. You lit each piece as if it was getting its own light straight on in the UV layout. The problem is that's not how the light would hit each piece on the model.

To help correct these things I would try and turn down the contrast and wash out the shadows/highlights then set your model up in whatever 3D app you use with a simple 3 point light rig and bake those shadows into the texture. Here is an tutorial from James Brian Jones(BoBo_the_seal) that goes over the basics. It's a touch outdated but you'll get the idea. Mix that lighting into your texture, along with a subtle Ambient Occlusion bake and you're going to have one hell of a texture on your hands.

Nice work so far I look forward to seeing more

BoilingOil

That texture bake tutorial is great.

Sythest

Whoa! thank you so much vig all that cnc is really going to help me out a lot in the future for my skins! yeah, the game i skin for has really crappy lighting so u kinda have to make your own on the skin, i can tell what you mean though about how much contrast i put into the peice, hehe ill work on that today.

i really wish i was able to work with someone who could make me a decent model thats all 3d etc... , the only models i have ever gotten to skin for are really cheap EXTREMELY low poly playermodels that stretch and kill my skin.