Preparing The Image: Rendering and Exporting an Image From
Poser When preparing to render in Poser, consider your final
composition. After preparing a composition, render your characters,
props, and background separately so that you have control over the
different elements during post work. You can hide a figure or a
prop by: [Figure > Hide Figure], or by right clicking on the
object and un-checking the Visible Box. When exporting your images,
select Photoshop PSD or Tiff format. Both formats produce an Alpha
Channel, which separates the figure or prop rendered with the
background. Alpha Channels will be used later in Photoshop to build
the different layers of the final arrangement. The same technique
will work in Jasc Paint Shop Pro or similar 2D software programs.
Setting Up The Composition In Photoshop Open the image with
your main character in Photoshop. Go to the Channels Palette and
click on the black and white box: Alpha 1. Now click on the dotted
circle in the bottom of the palette to load the Alpha Channel as a
selection. Note how the white area of your image is now selected.
Click on the RGB box on the top and your image returns to normal
while the selection is still active. To create a new layer with
your image, choose [Edit > Copy] and then [Edit > Paste]. Now
your main figure is a layer of its own and ready to be post worked.
Layers allow you to work on a single part of the image without
affecting the rest of your composition. You can add effects,
styles, or change the order and features of the layers. You can
follow the above procedure with other rendered images too and use
[Edit > Paste] to copy the selected part into your main
composition. This will automatically create a new layer. Filling
the background area with a contrasting color will help you work on
the details of the image. Dont worry about adding the background
image just yet. Working the details Working with layers
means that any changes you make will only happen within the
specific layer. Erasing, blurring, desaturating, and most of the
tools will only affect this area. Dodge and Burn Tool
Sculpting the skins surface can be achieved by using the dodge and
burn tools located in your toolbox. Select the layer you want to
work with by clicking on the corresponding box in the Layers
Palette. Select the Burn Tool from your toolbox, adjust the size,
set it to Midtones, and slide the exposure button to 8%. Used like
a paintbrush, the Burn Tool will darken parts of your image,
producing shadows or lowlights. You can create different effects by
changing the exposure values or by selecting between darkening the
Shadows, Midtones, or Highlights. Use this tool to accentuate
darker areas like those found between muscles.
In the same toolbox, you will find the Dodge Tool. The Dodge Tool
will lighten areas and create highlights the same way the Burn Tool
will darken. By using these tools you can create and define muscle
structures on figures, add sheen to skin, or even create folds and
creases on the skin. Use the Dodge Tool for emphasizing areas that
naturally stand out and reflect more light. Also, use the Burn Tool
to show where folds and creases areas that receive less light.
Using Layer Styles and Attributes Working on a separate
layer allows you to add many effects. Select [Layer>Layer
Style>Drop shadow] to add shadows around your figure. You can
alter the shadows direction and intensity in the dialogue box.
This option creates shadow effects cast by your figure onto objects
[walls, floor, or other figures]. Selecting [Layer>Layer
Style>Inner Shadow] will create shadows with a specific lighting
direction within the outline of your figure. This is a great way to
blend your figures with the background so the end result will
appear realistic. Interesting effects can be created by
[Layer>Duplicate], and applying options such as dissolve or
blend. For example, Multiply will darken an image and give it a
rusty feel, while Screen will lighten it and make it softer. Try
experimenting with these options. This comes very handy when
blending in two or more different backgrounds, or when you want
only the dark parts of a layer to appear. The Smudge Tool And
Placing It All Together The smudge tool comes very handy when
you want to create hair strands or cloth folds. The smudge tool
will pick up a color and drag it across the direction you define or
it can reproduce the effect of a wet paintbrush with a color you
choose.
Through this example youll have the opportunity to see what the
smudge tool can do and how some of the above tools can be placed
into practice. Open a file with a figure youve created. Isolate
the figure in a layer as explained above. Now make a new layer.
Choose a base color to create an outline of your new cloth item.
After creating the outline, fill this area with a solid color. Its
best to use a hard brush so youll get nice, defined results. Next
create a new area and set up your smudge tool to get some nice wet
brush effects that will simulate the darkest parts of the creases.
Select the Smudge Tool from the toolbox and check the Use All
Layers and Finger Painting boxes on top. On the Brushes rollout,
set the Strength to 100% and Fade (located in Shape Dynamics for
PSP 7) from 100 400. Note that these values depend on the
resolution and size of your image so they may vary. Now, click on
the Layer youve created with the solid color, choose [Selection
> Load Selection] and click on Transparency. This will make a
selection around your base clothing, making it impossible to paint
outside its borders. Click on the Eyedropper Tool in your toolbox
and select a color thats slightly darker then the one you chose to
fill in the cloths base. Click on the new, empty layer and start
making light strokes that resemble the dark parts of creases. It
will look very crude at this point but we will refine it later on.
Remember that you can vary the brush size or fade values for
different effects. Create a new layer and select a lighter color.
Use the smudge tool to create highlights on top of the shadows
youve just created. Its best to make these lines near the darker
ones. Merge the two shadows and highlight layers by selecting them
and pressing [Ctrl/E]. Go to the Smudge Tool, uncheck Finger
Painting and Use all Layers box on top, lower the exposure and
slightly increase the size. Start blurring and merging the two
colors until you see soft creases form. You can play around with
the strength and size for crisper or softer effects. Adjust the
brightness of your base layer to fuse the colors better. When
youre happy with the results, merge all the cloth layers. Use the
Burn Tool to darken areas of the cloth and to create contrasting
shadows. Select the Dodge Tool to highlight areas. Think of where
light should reflect off more and where shadows would naturally be
created. When youve achieved the desired results, play with the
Layer styles or attributes to add shadows and more depth. By
keeping the cloth in an independent layer, you can change its color
anytime.
Create hair strands with the Smudge Tool. Select the Use All
Layers box at the top, create a new layer, adjust the brush size
from1 pixel to 4, and adjust the Fade option from 80 to 400
(depending on your images resolution). Start making strokes from
where the hair is located at the base outwards and regulate the
brush size and fade to get different strands lengths and sizes.
Finally, add your background and tweak the colors, saturation and
shadows so it will blend with the rest of your scene. Adjust the
contrast and fine-tune your image so everything works together.
Experiment with the Layer attributes, with filters and lighting
effects. Try your hand at using the same tools explained above,
save often, and let your imagination go wild!
We invite you to visit: danae's Renderosity Art Gallery danae's Renderosity MarketPlace store. May 30,
2005 |
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