Hi-Res Character Photo References Site

[The Time Serpent]

Nice!
finaly some references of non standart faces...
i think it would be better if that would be free
but i guess its not possible
how about more non standart faces (most ppl call those ugly faces)

[erilaz]

Very nice. Thanks!:thumbsup:

[digital_rhino]

Thats great of you man...Thanks a lot!!:bounce:

[ceql]

w00t! Thnx!!! :bounce: :applause:

[The Magic Pen]

10 $$/mo ...LOL :shame:

[jason-slab]

sweet thx alot dude:thumbsup:

|jason

[levius]

Thanks for reply. :)

Please write me some ideas about what would you like to see in next update...

The Magic Pen, The Time Serpent, do you think 10$ is too much?

When I was working for Illusionsoftworks we paid 6$ to every people for permission to use their photo in game. I was thinking
10$ for 16 people and 60 medieval clothes references would be nice price.

Please write me your opinion.

PS: if you are looking for free references go to www.fineart.sk (http://www.fineart.sk)

:thumbsup:

[eddy-3ddy]

why you would ask money, you should ask yourself

10 bugs a month, for 16 images?? why, maybe some people just need 2 or 1 image, and that's I think a bit strange.

But the site looks all right

[levius]

3ddy: Did you checked the site? There is not 16 but 216 hi-res pictures. I have paid every person I got there for his time and for the permission to use his likeness in the computer game or 3D model for commercial use.

If somebody doesnt need this kind of stuff for professional use, and need only 1 or 2 low quality pictures for his personal project he can download it for free from my second site www.fineart.sk (http://www.fineart.sk)


I would like to provide hi quality hi-res references for 3D professionals and the fact is that I need the money so I could pay my models and photo studio in the future. That is the simple fact.
I dont see anything bad on it.

The question is: Is 10$ too much for game companies or professional 3D artists to pay for royality free character references? If so please write me how much would be appropiate.

Your opinion is really important to me,
thanks

[CGmonkey]

levius - nah it's too cheap if something.. ! ;)

REALLY awesome!! :buttrock:
I'm gonna sign up right away dawg!!

[eddy-3ddy]

ohw, oke, I didn't understand the idea, thx.

I'm sorry.....

And a answer > go for it :beer:

Greetzz from 3ddy

[jeremybirn]

If you're going to charge money, you should do it by zipping sets of images and selling them. This way, prices can vary depending on how valuable something is. A common image set that someone could have shot themselves might go for $5 to $10. A difficult or expensive shoot, something where a model has to be hired, that's valuable to a lot of people's projects, could be $40 - people pay a lot more than that for books and software and other things that will help their projects, you just need to provide something equally valuable. Certainly good multi-angle nude body reference is something few people could just shoot casually from a volunteer, and might go for $50-$60 if done really consistently.

The value of an image-set goes up if it helps people's work. For example, random snapshots of different expressions just from the front might be worth $5 or $10 for an image set, but a more comprehensive set of images showing 30-40 expressions and phoneme positions on the same person, each from several angles (just in case someone is working in 3D...), might be worth $35 or $40 to artists who liked the model and wanted something similar for their own projects.

-jeremy

[levius]

CgMonkey,3ddy : thanks guys :beer:

Jeremy: Thats a great idea, I will upload these expressions and phonemes in next update. Thanks a lot for your advice :thumbsup:

[HapZungLam]

:bounce: :applause:

[jeremybirn]

Jeremy: Thats a great idea, I will upload these expressions and phonemes in next update. Thanks a lot for your advice :thumbsup:

Great - especially valuable are the low-angle (and sometimes high-angle) shots. Regular photographs not taken with 3D in mind might get someone's profile sometimes, but almost never get the mouth from a low angle to see what's happening depth-wise in all the expressions.

-jeremy

[levius]

Thanks Jeremy, thats another good idea. Do you think low angle photos would be usefull in phonemas too?

PS: maybe it would be good idea to post free sample here :)
245 KB

http://www.3d.sk/head/Head_Photo_017.JPG

[levius]

I got good news, I ve found girl for shooting body references. Do you have some ideas about what angles/poses/body parts would be usefull?

PS: how do you like her? Unfortunately she is quite young so we will shoot in swimsuit, I think it could be quite usefull for modeling/texturing anyway :drool:

http://www.3d.sk/ema.jpg

[Neox]

what about having a bundle for 10$ for all of those images and a few $$ less for only the categories? so 5 $ for the clothes, 5$for the faces and hair or so? dunno just an idea

[levius]

Neox: yes its good idea. I will think about it. Problem is that I would need more subscription forms. Maybe If I will have more content in every category 10$ would be easier to pay for whole site :)

I am working on more content day and night :)

[slaughters]

The free sample you posted on 03-27-2003 07:02 PM has just the right kind of indirect lighting. Some of the other photos on your site had pretty strong shadows though. This makes them a little less usefull as they can be use for reference images, but not for texture creation. Please do more photos with difuse lighting and minimal shadowing.

From the preview images it looked like some of the profile shots were smaller than the frontal shots. It would be a more useful if they were the same size and if all of the images of the different people were as close to the same dimensions as possible.

[levius]

Slaughters: yes you are right, the first shots were in bad lighting,
I am trying to shoot all photos in the indirect lighting now.

About sizes: All head photos are 1600 pixels high.

[somlor]

Originally posted by levius
I got good news, I ve found girl for shooting body references. Do you have some ideas about what angles/poses/body parts would be usefull?

PS: how do you like her? Unfortunately she is quite young so we will shoot in swimsuit, I think it could be quite usefull for modeling/texturing anyway :drool:
I can think of a some angles/poses/body parts. ;)

Sorry I couldnt resists. I'm such a dork. :rolleyes:

Anyways, yeah I like her. She's hot.

[s]

[jeremybirn]

[QUOTE]Do you have some ideas about what angles/poses/body parts would be usefull?[QUOTE]

The main thing people need is consistency, holding the same poses from all the different angles. Start with neutral poses that most people model in (standing straight up, symmetrical, arms either straight out or held outwards and bent) taken from many angles with the same pose. If the shots are just 2MP, also orbit around and take different close-ups of the pose (especially the head, hands, slices and levels of the body) When actors are photographed to have digital doubles made of them, they usually standing in front of a reference grid of some kind so that anyone viewing the image can see what perspective it had. In terms of perspective, backing away a bit and taking slightly more telephoto shots is better than anything wide-angle.

Close-ups are good for areas where people will study detail, like the face and hands, and very evenly lit close-ups without many shadows or highlights are good for texure maps. Every part of a person's skin is different, so if you take pictures for maps be sure to cover a lot of parts of the body.

In terms of character rigging, a set of deformation sequences is also useful - how the model's back changes when leaning forwards or backwards, torso with arms lowered and raised, hands opening and clenching, legs bent and straight, etc.

If you're interested in the competition, read this review I wrote of a pose CD someone else is selling, at teh bottom of this page:
http://www.3drender.com/ref/anatomy.htm

Also, if you're not shooting nudes, be sure to have the model bring different clothing, not all just 1 swimsuit. Some of it can be body-conscious, but how fabric wrinkles, hangs, clings is a part of people's work as much as the bodies are. Your site won't start making much money until you get the nude models, though. ;)

-jeremy

[levius]

Thanks for tips Jeremy! :thumbsup:

I already own FigureonCD CD :), and I like it a lot, what I would like to provide in addition are photos with higher ressolution and more basic angles for modeling and animation.

Reference grid is good idea too, but I got to find out how to realise it, in studio there are curently only one color backgrounds. Maybe I could draw it on big sheet of paper and pin it on the background :)

I am going to shoot this girl only in swimsuit, I will shoot people in clothes during head shooting sessions :). This time I will try to concentrate on her body and skin ;) only.

And good news about nude model, I ve already found one and I will probably shoot her next month :cool:

I am not sure if its not against rules of this forum to post her picture here :)

[jeremybirn]

"Reference grid is good idea too, but I got to find out how to realise it"

In most cities there are companies that print banners and signs. You just give them the file with the grid - you could even put height measurements on one edge and your URL on another.

-jeremy

[progerik]

good job Levius :) I particularly like the medieval reference, not so much interested in people faces or body part as I can do it myself really , as can a lot of us, but medieval clothing or other kind costumes for that matter ,demand a lot of time and effort ,
a good one will be to do animals but it's a tricky one to do I guess, but will be very very useful indeed ;)

[progerik]

and insects ;) fish, plants

[stephen2002]

looks like a great site...many pictures. If all you need is a low-res pic just download the thumbnail :D

[levius]

Thanks guys , I ve just aded new female body references, check it out ! ;)

www.3D.sk (http://www.3D.sk )

She was too young so I couldnt shoot her naked, however I ve already found older model for naked body references. I will shoot/upload these next month :love:

[Airflow]

As was said before, shots for modelling and texturing purposes should always use a telephoto lens, and as much distance from the subject as possible to flatten out the image and remove all perspective shift.
When you build from photographs with perspective, it is very hard to ajust for it, considering you are using the orthological view ports which have no perspective. So the longest lens you can find is the best.. Also If your shooting from more than one angle, an array of cameras around the subject covering all the angles is a very good idea, as the single shutter will capture the model at a single moment, thus no discrepancy between images, ie if the model move their neck during your reposition of your single camera. It is very important to have texture images square on, and a few centimeters movement means a lot of fixing in photoshop.
Having good lighting to remove shadows under the chin and to evenly light the sides and front of the face is important, use lots of white board to reflect light evenly or tracing paper infront of your main lights to diffuse it, bounce light off the ceiling and floor too.... A blue screen behind and to the sides of the model with a light blue grid on it is a good idea, or some blue tape to show various hights.
Getting the model on a turn table and making a back/neck rest or chair to keep her/him still is a cheaper solution to the multiple camera idea , which you should really address if you are charging for the photos.... If you need any more info, send me an e-mail and Ill go through it with you in detail.. :)

[levius]

Airflow:

Thanks for great tips :thumbsup: . I agree with you, and I am trying as much as possible to create good photos. However I got only one camera with 3x zoom. I ve used photo studio with 3 lights and 2 bouncing light boards and it was quite expensive.
Right now I dont have enough money so I could pay for more lights, buy more cameras or turntable :(. Anyway I hope I will have some new members soon so I could invest in new equipment :).

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