How do I create METAL colors in PS? (*bronzes,golds,coppers,etc) *Newbie

#1

I am looking to create metallic colors to use in my photoshop painting. These colors will be used on a human/alien body. I want them to reflect the color, not the light sources. So i would think some form of ‘inner glow’ will be needed. Best thing I can think of to illustrate my need is the huge array of irridescent eye make-ups. If you look about 2:15 and on into this youtube video you will see exactly what I want to learn how to create colorwise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4XB0hord2I

Is it possible to do this in PS??? Could someone do a tut if possible (*unless one exists i really need a link). Here is another link that demonstrates some other colors i would like to create as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la0lly7X1dY&feature=channel

BTW, can you scan these make ups onto my puter and create off of them the colors I need?

ThanX for any and all advice, help, and tuts!!! My PS skills are more with brushes and PSD files.

Ariana

#2

The important thing to remember about metallics is that their specular highlights are the color of the metal not the light source. Not sure how this works if you, say, shine blue light on gold metal.

This is not my area of competency, but I tried a quick dupe off the video and got … let’s call it a hopeful start. For the background I just sampled colors from the video and painted with some color fade. Then a new layer. A sparse brush. Set the brush to “disolve” to give little specks of bright color related to the base color. A fattened copy of the specks set to brighter a lower saturation, blurred, made faint and set to screen - all this to make some glare on the specks.

And at the last minute a gradient ramp on the specular highlights to give them some play across a curved surface.

#3

“I am looking to create metallic colors to use in my photoshop painting.”

…Metal isn’t a color. You can have colorized metal, but metal itself is not a color. Metal has surface properties that you must be able to replicate to make something look like it’s made of metal.

I suggest studying metal references in black and white to see what makes metal look like metal because the color isn’t what gives a metal object it’s metallic property…

#4

I understand, I think I misspoke about how I was describing the colors… But as a woman who uses “Metallic Eyeshadows” it was my best descrition for help, I apologize for that. I do not want to create Metal, I want Metallic Colors like in the video. What I need are strong irridescent coppers, bronzes, golds and then bright colors. Irridescence that could be for make up or that occurs in nature like on butterflies or birds. I find that I am looking for some “punch” in my creations to add more realism.

Out of curiousity, can I import my own color palette into PS? (*how would I do this?). I was considering using some of my own make ups and scanning them after applying them to a flat matte piece of cardboard. I realize I am most likely doing an awful job of describing my need as PS is a learning curve compared to 9 years in the PSP realm. I try to find tuts and I have tried to research it online. But so far the only solutions I have found seem to be overlay the image with a new layer using say a butterfly wing or turkey feathers, and erase around the image and merge down. This isn’t good for what I need. Logically it seems there must to be a better way to do this.

Any futher ideas?

ThanX
Ariana

#5

Again, take reference images that contain the qualities you are looking for and study them in black and white. You will eventually see that, the qualities your looking for will still remain if you alter the color, but leave the value untouched. For something like you described, simply examine it. Your going to get bright reflections in your makeup wherever there are flakes of metal in it. Gruhn did a great job of replicating the effect into a useable tool.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?2a2e5b4fd9.jpg

Here’s I’ve got an example for you. The original image ripped off of google is in the middle. On the left is your Black and White, where you can see how the values of darks and lights, contrasted next to each other, is what really give you the effect. On the right, I’ve just changed the color but have left the original values in tact so the metallic effect remains.

#6

you can easily import any color you want into PS. just choose your image and extract color to a palette

and a question. do you mean something like this? sorry for the sloppy work, i’m in a hurry :slight_smile:

#7

YES! This is exactly what I am trying to achieve! I am out the door in less then a minute, but will be home around 3pm (*PST) and will come back for more info then.
If this is a simple color application and then adjustment it would be exactly what I need!!!
Thank you! I’ll return…
Ariana

#8

The sparkles look much nicer than mine Arek, good jobl

#9

There are tons of ways to easily achieve that effect. You could do it with layer styles using overlay and add modes along with noise (think inner glow and noise). Or you could create a noise layer and then create a layer mask using a channel (usually red) to mask out what you don’t need. However there is another way using brushes and then going over the item with dodge/burn. It depends on your own work-flow.

Here are a couple of tutorials for creating satin/sequins:

http://www.suztv.com/SatinTutorial.html - This is how I usually create a metallic reflective look with natural or organic shapes (like cloth or skin).

http://www.suztv.com/SequinTutorial.html - Use this as a guide as to how you would employ a “glitter” or metal chip look

For glitter - just create a noise layer (new layer, render clouds, noise - gaussian, monochrome 50 to 60%) and substitute that for the “Sequins” layer… Modify to accommodate your workflow.

#10

Hi Suztv,

Yes I want more of a glimmer less of of a Glitter! So I will check out these tuts. As I said earlier I am a hopeless Newb about the workings of PS, but I am getting more comfy with it everyday. If the tut is easy to follow i should be OK… my issue is finding things in PS. I know they are there, but if I haven’t used it yet I may need a screen shot to locate it, would that be a problem if it isn’t in the tut? Let me know.
And THANK YOU! At least for understanding my goals, and helping me get there :thumbsup: .
Ariana

Suz! I found the way into all of your tuts, really easy to use! :applause: I sent an e-mail to you on specifics.

#11

Ariana, i can record a quick video tut of my workflow if you want. i’m collecting tuts for something anyways

i made another test with a bit different technique. time spent 6-7 minutes

#12

Thank you very much! That will be great!

OK, now everyone I am really new to creating color so I know everyone is so much better…but I did create my first color result from a youtube video. Don’t laugh… it isn’t exactly what I am trying to do, but it is color. I created it as a psd, but for here I did it on a black background so it shows up better.

Hugs

Ariana

#13

Your getting the hang of it. For a specific technique, looks like Creeto did a great job. In the meantime while waiting for a video, you could just make some filter noise on a new gray layer with the monochromatic setting on. Then scale up the layer so the noise is bigger (or scale down if it’s too big), and overlay it onto your photo using either a (soft light, or overlay) blending mode. Then put a mask on the layer and paint mask out the areas you don’t need and put a color layer above it.

For an extra touch you could use liquify filter to distort the noise layer to follow the contour of your subject, leaving the color layer on top untouched.

You can also, for added effect, try setting the color layer as a clipping mask (right click the layer in the layer pallete and choose clipping mask), that way you can get messy with your color painting and it will only affect the area that is showing pixels underneath it (areas that have noise) -the color will also conform to the noise differently in this way, the effect is nice though.

#14

Ariana, sorry for making you waiting. i have some problems with audio recording. i can post the movie but it will be without comments

should i do that or do you want to wait a day or two for the narrated version?

#15

I am patient. I need to learn and if you can help me I can wait for the info and the Vid! :slight_smile:
I appreciate the effort and I have been searching the web (*Got a darn virus from DA!) But so far the info has been on monochromatic things that really don’t fit the need.
Thank you! I am here when it is ready!!!
Hugs
Ariana

#16

I meant to answer earlier on this post too!
What I am hoping to create is my own irridescent palette to use as needed. I am not working on just one thing. This is a resource for future projects as well. The noise is always coming out too much! I want shimmer, not glitter. And so far the gaussian blur removes the shimmer aspect of every attempt I have done!!! Any ideas on smothing out the noise and retaining the shimmer quality?
Thank you…
Hugs
Ariana

#17

Paint a small sample by hand, using black/white/grayscale (using reference of coarse) and use the small sample you made to create a repeating texture that you can overlay in place of noise or turn it into a brush. That way it’s re-usable whenever you need glitter make-up, or whatever and you can color on top of it as needed like you learned earlier.

#18

ThanX for the script! Quite handy. I am going to create designs that will be “filled” with the shimmer ‘metallic colors’ then apply it to different portions of the body. Saving that “Skin” for 3D character creation. Maybe use as a merchent resource, have not decided.

One question about doing this. If the, let’s use the term tattoo “O” just to give a name to the function I am going for, is a solid gold (*example) and I want a red outline (*solid) around that “O”, any ideas on how to do this? Or would I have to make it a 4 step process, create the gold “O”, then a red “O”, overlay the gold “O” on the red “O”, and resize the gold “O” a little bit? Or is there an easier route? Thank you for the help.

Hugs
Ariana

#19

If you make an array of random colors over your metal texture and then set the opacity down to 3 or so, it can really help.

#20

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.