Help with applying maps on textures, then modifying the texture

[swegmaster]

okay so im trying to add normal maps onto some textures on tfu ports to improve their look, as the textures are merely diffuse, i have tried with ben, and it did add some stuff to him, but it looks wierd:

i also wonder how to do it like @@yeyo JK did with tfu tatooine luke

[yeyo JK]

Hiii man!!

FIRST, u have nd open the sevens tga diffuse image on photoshop...

Second, in photoshop; import a layer with the normal head image (or sevens spec tga image, its da same)... that layer must be filtered (*its subjective) with soft light, cuz make correct use of shadows and brights over the diffuse tga background, i leave the normal layer with opacity on 90% and fill on 85% aprox.  

 

Third, the shadows, lights, contrast and color over the diffuse layer; NOW u have the normal filter and u can already see those facial marks, expression lines, surroundings and skin detail (even folds if ur dude its old). only u need add on the diffuse image more realistic effects of brightness/color and shadow/color, using mostly brushes with the same colors available on diffuse image and modifying brush filter modes... (perhaps would be nice to support u with Modview, to see your new iterations) *SEE THE IMAGE BELOW

for example, under the eyebrows diffuse benkenobi textures need more shadows; then u brushed that area using multiply or linear burn filter mode with some color eyedroppered from there... (always work with not too much % of opacity and flow, i work around 25-30% of both. and if the zone needs more shadow or lights i made more brushing over it)

 

other example, "it seems da texture in Modview show me little brightness on the lips or cheeks" (*cuz remembrer; the diffuse only have almost always COLORS), so you must make brushstrokes of absorbed color with some luminic filter mode (i prefer screen or lighter color) to see an improvement on previously mentioned area...

 

and thats it!!... i remind you, all of this, is very optical work... if u sense some minimal defects or details with any color, shadow or bright looking weird, u can correct with photoshop brush or any tool

in the image below I show u my benkenobi changing...

 

 

Hope this can help you dude!!

[swegmaster]

thank you m8, but how you do tfu tat luke, did you take the face from tfu rotj luke and hair from luke pilot?

[yeyo JK]

yes!! its a mixture (rotj luke and pilot luke for face and luke pilot for hair, plus the normal image of tatooine luke)... to give more volume in her diffuse head