Modifying textures using GIMP

[TheWhitePhoenix]

I've been skinning my own private models (from base models to my own frankensteins) for some time, but I've only done the basics such as changing the colors and greying them out all using GIMP. It's the software I'm most comfortable with and I want to use more advanced stuff like removing beards (or adding them) and even putting faces on textures (for example, the Kylo Ren face on Hapslash's Anakin head model here: https://jkhub.org/files/file/3251-kylo-ren-revamp/ ) but I never figured out exactly how to make it as good as it does here.

You guys got any advice if you use GIMP?

[Noodle]

I would also like to see tutorials regarding how to create new textures with GIMP (or photoshop). Does anybody know if I should get a drawing tablet or I can do it fine with a mouse?

 

So far, I've only found tutorials done by people that play some game called imvu and they're not that good, though they do give some very basic insights. 

 

Couple examples:

 

 

 

I hope some of our more talented members can create a good tutorial in the future. 

[Xanemus]

I would like to know as well!

[Futuza]

I'm pretty good at using GIMP, but I haven't used it much for changing in game textures.  Usually I do things like photo manipulating a normal image or digital painting.  The techniques I use are usually pretty "artistic" in nature and involve a lot of light, repeated touching up with very unopaque brush settings, and use of the smudge tools and burn/dodge tools.  Not really sure how to teach this really, I kinda just do it.  o.O

[TheWhitePhoenix]

I'm pretty good at using GIMP, but I haven't used it much for changing in game textures.  Usually I do things like photo manipulating a normal image or digital painting.  The techniques I use are usually pretty "artistic" in nature and involve a lot of light, repeated touching up with very unopaque brush settings, and use of the smudge tools and burn/dodge tools.  Not really sure how to teach this really, I kinda just do it.  o.O

I've dabbled a bit with the smudge and burn/dodge tools to hide the beard textures to give off the illusion of "clean shaven". But it still looks finicky.

[Noodle]

I'm pretty good at using GIMP, but I haven't used it much for changing in game textures.  Usually I do things like photo manipulating a normal image or digital painting.  The techniques I use are usually pretty "artistic" in nature and involve a lot of light, repeated touching up with very unopaque brush settings, and use of the smudge tools and burn/dodge tools.  Not really sure how to teach this really, I kinda just do it.  o.O

 

If you ever feel like it, you could record yourself working on something. A lot of what I've learned came from watching other people do their normal work. 

[Futuza]

I've dabbled a bit with the smudge and burn/dodge tools to hide the beard textures to give off the illusion of "clean shaven". But it still looks finicky.

Doing photorealistic is not my strong point, I prefer water color/paint style things, so pulling a beard off a face without an appropriate skin texture to replace it can be tricky.  You can just paint over it with various skin hues and sorta blend it together with smudging, but it will look weird if the rest of it is photorealistic (eg: Kyle's face).  I'll see if I have some freetime sometime to record a tutorial video or something.

[JAWSFreelao]

A lot of my skills came from learning to mod NBA 2K14. Using different brush hardness + smudge, clone tool, etc etc.

I guess I just need more info. What are you trying to edit in gimp? Like what are you painting or creating

[TheWhitePhoenix]

A lot of my skills came from learning to mod NBA 2K14. Using different brush hardness + smudge, clone tool, etc etc.

I guess I just need more info. What are you trying to edit in gimp? Like what are you painting or creating

More advanced texturing methods such as making faces as well as scars. I also want to learn how to make beards and remove them. There are some that copy faces from photos and put them on the textures with amazing accuracy (like here for example https://jkhub.org/files/file/2482-the-force-unleashed-galen-marek-starkiller/  though there was also an obi-wan model using the hapslash model that had better accuracy) And I would like to learn that.

[JAWSFreelao]

Well making faces is 110% photosourcing. More often than not you'll want 2 kinds of pictures. A straight on portrait for the front of the face, and then a side or angled profile for the second. Take the two below as an example. Adding beards is also as simple as finding an angled picture. You can take a beard from any photo and use the hue and saturation (not colorize) to match the skin tones.
As for scars, I would assume just Google "scar texture png" and you'll find several usable scars. But I don't know, scars are one of the few things I don't have experience with.

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Well making faces is 110% photosourcing. More often than not you'll want 2 kinds of pictures. A straight on portrait for the front of the face, and then a side or angled profile for the second. Take the two below as an example. Adding beards is also as simple as finding an angled picture. You can take a beard from any photo and use the hue and saturation (not colorize) to match the skin tones.

As for scars, I would assume just Google "scar texture png" and you'll find several usable scars. But I don't know, scars are one of the few things I don't have experience with.

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/robert-covington-of-the-philadelphia-76ers-poses-for-a-head-shot-picture-id854109008

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/robert-covington-of-the-philadelphia-76ers-looks-on-while-theres-a-picture-id873391596

Thanks, JAWS. That does explain a bit on the face part.

[JAWSFreelao]

Thanks, JAWS. That does explain a bit on the face part.

PM me really quick, I have quite a few little things that might provide a better example

[AshuraDX]

Well making faces is 110% photosourcing. More often than not you'll want 2 kinds of pictures. A straight on portrait for the front of the face, and then a side or angled profile for the second. Take the two below as an example. Adding beards is also as simple as finding an angled picture. You can take a beard from any photo and use the hue and saturation (not colorize) to match the skin tones.

As for scars, I would assume just Google "scar texture png" and you'll find several usable scars. But I don't know, scars are one of the few things I don't have experience with.

Unless you are great at painting or have a 3d sculpt to base your work around - yeah, photosourcing is an option. But it's not the main method anymore.

 

Nowadays my method for texturing models relies heavily on my preestablished modeling work. I save time in the texturing process by "baking" a dozen maps from a highpoly mesh.

[JAWSFreelao]

Unless you are great at painting or have a 3d sculpt to base your work around - yeah, photosourcing is an option. But it's not the main method anymore.

Speaking for yourself here, pal.

[AshuraDX]

Speaking for yourself here, pal.

Talking about the industry as a whole actually