Colouring and Shading

Now you have your opacity map completed it's time to move on to the texture. Using the sis3D mesh, here, we will start by merging the black and white layers together and placing it above the wire mesh layer. Lower the transparency slightly on the black and white layer until you can see the layer underneath. I will be making my shirt grey, but this works for any colour you choose. Create a new layer, fill it grey, then duplicate the layer. On this duplicate layer we will be adding some noise. When grey fabrics are made, they are never just all grey, there are strands of white and darker grey's weaved through it. I use this for any solid colour fabric. To make the noise, on the menu bar, click Filters>Noise>RBG Noise. Un-tick 'Independent RBG' and move the Alpha slider to 0.10.

The next step is to blur the noise. This will create a weave like effect across the solid colour making it look more like a real fabric. Back up to filters select Blur>Motion Blur. By default the motion should be horizontal so we will leave the settings for now and click ok.

Now we will lower the opacity in the layer box until the noise is barely visible. You want it to just break up the solid colour and it should be easier to look at. Time to export what we've done so far and preview it in the creator window. Following the steps from the previous tutorial, export your file and add it to the creator window. I often update the creator to check on my progress. You can see in the picture below the solid colour is broken up and much easier to see.

It's time to add some shading and highlights. This will add some depth to the shirt, making it look more realistic. When applying shading and highlighting, it's important to remember the natural curves of the body, where shade would fall and where light would reflect. For example you wouldn't apply a highlight to the arm pit region, just like you would not apply shading to the top of the breasts. We'll start with the shading under the bust. Using the Ellipse tool, I create a circle around the breast and fill it with black. Then selecting the Ellipse tool again, click within the circle so the selection is highlighted again. Using the arrow keys, move the selection up a few pixels, leaving the black circle where it is. Then deleted the black within the selection.

Now duplicate the layer and flip it to the other side, the same process when we did the opacity maps. You should now have two curved black lines. Merge these layers together and deselect the selection. Using the eraser, remove any parts that cross over. Ultimately you want it to look like a 'w' with a lowered center peak. It's time to blur. Go up to Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur in the pop up window change the blur radius to 12 and click ok.

For the highlight of the breasts, using the Ellipse tool, form a circle slightly above the shading. You want it to look like a side ways oval, smaller than the breast. Once you've done that, duplicate, flip, merge the layers together and deselect the oval. Blue the ovals using Gaussian Blur, this time setting the blur radius to 28 and click ok. It should look something like the image below and you should have one layer for shadow and one layer for highlights, do not merge these two layers together.

Increase the opacity of the grey layer back to 100 and we'll now blend the shade and highlight. In the layer tool box select the 'mode' drop down box and click on soft light. Adjust the opacity on these until they just visible.

Time to update the client and see how our shading and highlights look so far. You may need to adjust your layer opacities until you find the right balance. You want them to be subtle but not too visible.

We'll now add some more shadows and highlights to the rest of the body. Remember to keep in mind the natural curves of the body. I started out with applying some shadow in the armpits and down the sides. Using Gaussian Blur with radius of 35. Set the layer to soft light and adjust the opacity of the layer untill just visible, usually around 15 to 20

The hightlights were added next. White was used in a small spot where the shoulder blades are and some on the stomach.

Repeat the Gaussian Blur step. Increase the grey opacity back up 100, set the blurred white to soft light and adjust its opacity to just visible.

Now we can export the texture to the creator window to preview our work. Don't forget to save your work!

The sleeves are very simple. Repeat the first steps of the base colour and noise over the sleeve opacity map. Add some shadows to the underside of the sleeves at the top where it joins the body. Gaussian Blur, soft light, adjust the opacity and export.

Add to the creator window and you now have your basic shading and highlighting done. The next step are wrinkles and fine details. This will be shown in the next tutorial.

P.S. I had included pictures in good faith to help you on your creating journey. Please do not steal my textures, creating your own is much more satisfying. Stealing my texture will result in a DMCA complaint lodged against you and I would hate for it to come to that.

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