Realistic Item Creation

Deadly

CityRail traveller!
Hi,

I'm looking for tips on how some of you content creators create realistic textures for your items.

I've tried creating some textures from photos and they have turned out well with just the main problem being the realism lost through not using shadows. So...

How do you create your textures and how do you go about casting shadows on them?
 
"how do you go about casting shadows on them?"

I use Paint Shop Pro and highlight the area I want shadowed. On this example, I highlighted a strip running parallel to the immediate right side of the rail and adjusted the brightness/contrast to a -40 (lighter or darker depending on the effect you're looking for). This gives the illusion of a shadow effect. The same method can be applied to re-skinning other structures as well.


 
This is another example with rails and also the concrete under the overpass.
The section of track underneath the overpass was completely shadowed by
by the same method.




 
Hi,

I'm looking for tips on how some of you content creators create realistic textures for your items.

I've tried creating some textures from photos and they have turned out well with just the main problem being the realism lost through not using shadows. So...

How do you create your textures and how do you go about casting shadows on them?

Study the texture that your trying to recreate, understand the lighting around it, and use it to make your model look like it lived for a reason.

Also, the half texture half photo technique works for some people, personaly I prefer using "Grunge" brushes in photoshop to replicate weather /dirt/grime Ect. Theres tons of texture tutorials out there, I know of a realy good one soon as I find it i'll post it.
 
Some content creators use a process in 3D applications known as "texture baking", which allows them to apply shadows, soft or hard, to textures. In fact, some prepare full 3D scenes to mimic lighting, and then can literally take that scene, bake it to textures, and have it appear the same in TRS!

Cheerio,
John
 
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