Spec Maps for People ?

[Anthony]

It sounds like you're applying the maps wrong, if the level is the same all over. Remember that there is specular intensity, and then there's gloss - you should have a map for both.

[slaughters]

The maps aren't being applied wrong, at least not in the way I think you mean. The problem is that, let's say that you painted a head all shiny/reflective. The areas on a head where you would see reflected light are those areas which stick out, like the nose, forehead, lips, etc... Well, those are the same areas that are oily on a human and therefore have a a higher spec/shiny value.

My problem could be:

1) I'm making a spec map where I am making the wrong areas shiny, or
2) I'm applying them with too heavy of a hand

This is why I'm asking if anyone has, or can point to a good spec example of a human head, or can point to a more detailed explanation than what I've all ready mentioned.

[EricChadwick]

A great resource for head/face modeling & texturing info.
http://coldfusion.art.msstate.edu/camenisch/thehumanhead/index.html

An example of a specular map...
http://www.lost.com.tj/Ulf/artwork/3d/behind.html
From this head...
http://www.lost.com.tj/Ulf/artwork/3d/steven.html

[chudofsinister]

there is a tutorial with Max 5 making a skin texture with a shellac material type, combining an Oren nayer with an antrioscopic material. It looks kinda cool, I have the same questions as you trying to make a realistic skin. I was wondering if anyone has made one with a raytrace material type to give it luminosity and density. the Neil Blevins tutorial of the mutated microscopic texture looks like it could be altered to be a decent skin texture. although I have not had much look doing it, it seems the more complicated I make the texture in Max the less likely it is to work right, probably just me.

[Mr Fudge]

Here is a spec map example for this head. It was dropped into the specular channel in Max at 100%

Rendered with Brazil which makes a huge difference but the Default render wasn't too bad. :)

Ciao,
Fudge

[Mr Fudge]

...

[EricChadwick]

That's pretty nice Mr. Fudge. good skin. I like the subtle blush. How did you go about creating the diffuse and bump maps? Gotta do a face soon. Can you show the flats for those channels?

[Mr Fudge]

Just an assortment of photographs stitched together after the UV's have been sorted. The bump is similar to the Specular but not quite so blurry.

Ciao,
Mr Fudge

[HapZungLam]

Basically i have the same problem as you did. Problem solving:

1: either turn the intensity wayway down.
2: remember leigh said in her tutorial of the spec map section? Spec map is the opposite of the diffusemap. Which means, if your diffuse map is 70% intensity, the spec map will have only 30% intensity. which means veryvery dim.

hope it helps:shame:

[mng]

Fudge,

I think your textured model is fantastic.
You said for the specular map you stitched photos together??? Or did you use a spray paint tool/blur to give it the noise effect?

Thanks
Mike

[Mr Fudge]

The diffuse map is a series of photos stitched together. The specular map is a grayscale version of the diffuse map that has been blurred quite a lot. I then added noise and the blurred again. Instead of tweaking the specular amount I rather adjusted the overall tone and contrast of the spec map till it looked good. I think it is important to make it quite subtle. That is why the map is quite low contrast. Traditionally the lips would be one of the lighter areas on the map but when I rendered it, it looked kinda strange so I made them low gloss.

Sorry for the confusion…

- F

[mng]

I see.. I think its the first time I have seen a large specular map, and be able to appreciate the noise and blurring in their... I think that must be the key next to the diffuse and bump, to give it a skin 'smooth and soft' texture.

Cheers and thanks
Mike

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.