[Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors)

Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:40 pm

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The first thing to making a realistic look with your skin is knowing where to shade. Looking at real life photographs is always a great way to figure these things out. Also one of the major things to watch out for is where the light source falls. It will make your life easier if you remember this when you're taking your screenshots. It is, of course, possible to change your light source when you are editing, but it will take more tine and effort. If you are pose combining, it's in your best interest to strive for keeping the same light source when taking your multiple shots.

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To start off you edit, you will need to cut your sim out, if you have not done so already. This will make it easier for you when you have to smooth everything out, and keep your picture nice and clean., When you have your sim cut out, make a new layer. You're going to select your full sim layer (it will make your sims highlighted). To do so, hold down the Ctrl button, and click on the thumbnail of your sims layer. With your sim highlighted, make sure you're on your next layer before drawing. It will keep the shape of you sim, and you'll be able to draw freely without having to worry about erasing later.

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We will start with the darkest shade. It’s usually best to pick your colors using the eyedropper tool, that way you keep the same tone. I usually grab a color from the darkest spot on the sim (usually around the armpits, or some sort of crease) and then make it a darker color. For this step I use a large brush usually about 20px (depending on the size of the screenshot) with opacity of 60-70%. Using the screenshot as a guide, go over the original shading. Once you’ve drawn all the basic areas, go into your filters to Gaussian Blur, and fiddle with the settings until you’re happy with how well it blurs. I usually use about 5px. Then I will hit the same Gaussian blur setting a couple times (Ctrl+F), until it blurs out and it blends.

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Making a new layer, you will do this step two more times. Being a neutral color, and a highlighting. Once you’re finished, you should have a more gradient looking shading. Feel free to fiddle around the layer opacity until you have the strength you want. Once you’re happy with the outcome, merge the three layers together, and erase around detail areas, like eyes, nose, lips, etc. The next step, is quite similar, just more focused on the actual details.

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When working with details, you want to make sure you use a small solid brush. I usually use around 2-8px (again, depending on your screenshot size). This time you’re going to focus more on making creases and shine. You’ll notice that you’ll be spending more time on the face this step. Instead of using the Gaussian Blur, you’ll be using the blur tool, and eraser. I usually work with it at about 10-50px using a soft brush, with a setting of 90-100% strength for the blur, and a large soft brush with 25% strength for eraser. This way you can blur out just enough to blend it in with the skin, but you won’t loose any good lines. The eraser tool will be nice to cut down on really hard lines, or if the area is too dark/bright. Like before, you can play with the different layer opacity.

Now for the finishing touches! Once you’re happy with your shading merge all your layers together. We’re now going to make the main creases stand out. Using your lasso tool select the areas that are underneath anything. Being under the chin, creases of arms, under clothes, behind limbs, etc.

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When you use the lasso tool, you’re guaranteed to make a crisp line, and a more
overlapping illusion. Once you have the section selected, use your Burn Tool, with a pretty large soft brush (I usually have it set to 5-8% on Highlights). When you’re making your line, I usually have the brush half way over the selected line. Make the line darker by going over the same spot a couple times. The biggest thing is to not over do it. (Which is really easy to do, so be careful!) It’s really hard to tell when you have the space still selected. I usually go over 2-3 times. It won’t look like you did anything until after you deselect, so have faith! I usually go over the crease with either blur or smudge tool with a low setting, just to make the edge not so hard.

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And there you have it! This is your basic skin shading. You can feel free to use dodge and burn to give a stronger light source, or leave it simply as that!

Have any questions please feel free to ask!
I'm here to help. And PLEASE post your pictures that you've used this. I'd love to see your work!

* Written and pictures done by Jillie
**Been published in VSims: Issue 2

Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:04 pm

Amazing! Bravo!

Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:34 am

Ive always wanted to try this but Im not a huge fan of how it turns out on the face area, I love it everywhere else on the body except the face [Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 369142835

[Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 369142835

Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:47 am

What you could do is either cut back on how much you draw on the detail, or after you're done grab the eraser tool using a soft brush and turn the opacity down to like 20-30%, and erase where it's too heavy for you.

Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:42 pm

I might try that, It just tends to make it look dirty on the face area which is why I havnt tried, but I will try that out and see how it looks :D

ty

Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:30 pm

I tried it but on an alien so it was shaded with blue. Not as amazing as your's but it's an attempt lol [Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 650269930

[Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 650269930

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Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:52 pm

It looks really great EzParis! I would love to see the original too!

Fri Jul 01, 2011 3:07 pm

Well, I tried and have to admit it's not great :'( So here's a before and after photo:

Before:

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After:

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Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:55 pm

Before:
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After:
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Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:57 pm

sorry for the size difference!

Sun Jul 17, 2011 1:33 am

I didn't go too detailed on the face for this one. For one, it wasn't a close up. lol. And it was a full body shot so I thought I should just concentrate everywhere else. But I told you how I always used your technique, but I never showed you my results. So, here is my latest. It is my judge bodyshot for Glamour Studios, Cycle 2: Gone Burlesque.
Before: .............................................................................................................................After:
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Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:04 pm

That is awesome Leah! I want to be that good! haha ;)

Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:15 am

I'll try soon =D

Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:56 am

Thanks DeepDown! It doesn't take too much practice, but it does take a bit. It's quite an easy tutorial, though I did skip the parts with the lasso tool. lol I just erased if I ever got any in her hair or into the white areas. It would be easier if the lasso tool was ever easy for me, but it is not. XD Anyways, practice makes perfect, but this is pretty easy, just don't go SUPER dark. That's where I messed up at first. It made my sim look dirty. haha.

Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:17 am

LeahT wrote:Thanks DeepDown! It doesn't take too much practice, but it does take a bit. It's quite an easy tutorial, though I did skip the parts with the lasso tool. lol I just erased if I ever got any in her hair or into the white areas. It would be easier if the lasso tool was ever easy for me, but it is not. XD Anyways, practice makes perfect, but this is pretty easy, just don't go SUPER dark. That's where I messed up at first. It made my sim look dirty. haha.

yeah I've gotten tons better! I'll post a pic of my latest lol :3

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Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:19 am

This was for Pink, and the color is before, black and white after ;)

Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:17 pm

Nice!! I like it. Your modelling overall has improved as well. I'm gone a week and it's like poof! You've improved haha. See what I miss? XD

Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:36 pm

@ Leah - Yours looks awesome! The lasso part, will help give a dark shadow, and is used with the dodge/burn tool, so there's no need for deleting/erasing things. Do you have the lasso tool set to Polygonal? If not I would suggest using that. It makes it so you can go dot by dot, rather than trying to draw around. I'm pretty sure the Pen Tool would work in this case too, but I prefer the lasso.

@ Deepdown - That looks really great! With black and white you can always exaggerate more on the shading, since it will help make your sim pop out. I know if I'm switching to b&w, I like to do the basic shading in colour, and then when I switch it to b&w I use the dodge/burn tool to make the shading stronger.

Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:28 pm

Thanks! I usually just do the dark shading part first, then the lightest, then I call quits lol it looks really bad if I don't >.<

Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:42 pm

Ahh see I do it multiple times. Like I do the basic shading back and forth. Always starting with the shading, and finishing with the highlights. But I tend to do it more then once (Not really with this tutorial; This one is more do the painting type of shading, and then end off using the dodge and burn to give it more depth)

Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:58 pm

Thanks for the awesome tut [Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 650269930

Tried this out on my avi, it kinda worked on the arms but I made a mess of the face lol

Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:55 pm

I LOVE this tut! Thank you so much! Here's mine:

BEFORE
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AFTER
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Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:54 am

Love it!

Sun Nov 20, 2011 7:59 am

I LOVE this tut :D! Thank you so much Jillie [Shading/Lighting] Shading Skin - Version 1 (Compatible with ALL editors) 650269930

Here's my first attempt (I only focused on the female model) - before:
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After:
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