Human Skin WIPs and Tips (Everyone feel free to post your own skin WIPS here too)

#1581

Yes, already a good result.
Keep on.

#1582

I agree with previous comments… except for her hair!The hairs are too thick in my opinion, they should be thinner!And looks like the color changes along the single hair.

Her skin looks good, try some different lighting to test it.

#1583

is there a good Vray sss2 skin tutorial?i wonder how many maps are you using to get a good skin?

where do you connect the SSS map to control the SSS ?

#1584

Sir, i cant seem to get the right formula for the skin bump… this is just what im looking for. Can you post an informative way on how to do it?

#1585

Hi Everyone,

I am still trying to sort out and understand the whole Vray fastsss2 shader.

I have seen many posts with people that get amazing results. Tho I still can’t seem to get close to what I am after.

One thing I have found is that there is no, ‘one setup’ for all. Depending on how your diffuse map is, the scale of your model, what lighting you use etc… things will be different.

My current attempts are yielding that my shader turns out more soft and ‘squishy’ looking, rather than realistic and sharp.

Would be awesome to hear from others to get some insight on how they achieve their stunning renders, and maybe get some light shed onto what makes a good setup (shader and lighting), and what the usual pitfalls are.

As for the bump map question… Well, I am probably not doing it correctly, but I grey scale the diffuse map, then adjust the highlights, midtones and shadows in a paint program, until I get something I think would work.

Thanks,
Adam

#1586

By the way I am getting almost same quality results with Vray (post them soon) and Im still unhappy. Very importaint point - we use Poser textures! So to push it further I want to share my oppinion on A) why I think current Vray setups are not so realistic and B) what further steps of making Vray sss2 more real, also C) some tips and ideas I noiced by testing lot of tutorials for MR fastskin and using their scaled textures for test renders on my Poser models:

A) Current Problems

  1. Poser textures are too colorfull and include all possible skin color info in 1 map - this way multiplying and over-duplicating sss2 shader effect too much. Poser color textures already “not photos” (they often have no specular info), but “not yet textures” for multilayered shader like vray sss2 or mr fastskin.
  2. Painting over Poser textures - lot of work. Painting textures from skratch - insane as we have already wonderfull textures like Mec4d or Daz Elite.

=>So need way to wisely change coloration of color map and/or generate some maps for sss layers

B) Good things

  1. Using Poser color texture as Overall Coloration (both Vray and MR) give fast and not bad result (but not enought for 100% realism)
  2. Bump maps and specular maps usually available for Poser models are Ok.

C) Tips and Ideas

  1. For more/less controllable Reflections/Specular effect - I found only Shellaс (in Vray) is good. Blend material also should be ok. Unfortunately original single VraySSS2 automatically engage Fresnel for reflections so you see only white-like reflections of surfaces not facing camera directly.
  2. When adding maps to layers in Vray and in MR have a look at default settings. There is Blur and by default ist 1.0. This should be lowered to 0.01 to have sharp not blurred maps - so you have higher detail level. I found it very helpfull !!! As befor my textures became not sharp in MAX and I have no idea why.
  3. Diffusal amount (in Vray sss2) may be used to achieve realistic face colorarion. Idea is to use map of facial blood system as Amount regulator. I have already some results with it but not yet have nice map. The same is also can be used in MR Sahder. So you see more red subdermal color on cheeks, nose… small staints over face - like all people have.

what you think ?

#1587

Hello RK-Art!
I surfed all your posts.
Can you please share smth out of this scene which i think skin almost perfect!? I try to be more specific:

  • how did you made left side of face (from camera view) to became so white and contrast? strong reflectivity layer and powerfull light close to face?
  • do you have super stong face light from left, 1 normal light from front (a bit up) and 1 at the back right of head to make scattering work on right ear? is that Photomoteric lights?
  • how many reflection/specular layers you use - I calculated 2 layers
  • can you show low-res textures of it :wink: ??

My favorite part of this face is nose tip with a litlle redness up there on it and perfect bump with skin specularity and oiliness over, and not too sharp form.

Sorry if im too rude about asking so much but this is so curious!! Once I have confirmed 2 posts here I start to put my shots so Im not only asking but showing as well.

#1588

my today shot

#1589


maya|vray various light tests

#1590

Have not much time for private works lately but here latest attempt
More a studio like lighting. This is the color corrected version.
On my blog are more tests … but still not satisfied. :confused:

Seems that lights from the front are “eating” the Backscatter effect. So i ramped up the
diffuse amount of the light on the back and lowered the spec on it at the same time.

2 Arealight 1 Ringlight from the slightly upper Front and one from the back.

#1591

Christian, good skin, only the nose tip needs some oiliness.

Argo:

I used 2 lights, one from the front and one strong backlight from far behind, so the left ear is also lit from it.

I use 2 separate specular materials (not simple layers) with separate bump, the first one also with a decent reflection included.
But a clean and detailed modeled surface is essential as bump and displacement kills the skin effect quickly.
Currently, I have no pictures of the tex-maps available, but they are generated from photos with ZBrush’s fantastic Spotlight-function and refined with Photoshop.

But skin is really not so easy to create and it’s difficult to produce constantly believable results under all light conditions.

#1592

Thank you Ralf!
Is it shader settings for VraySSS2? (as in MR this is available inside fast skin shader specular layers but not with individual bumps)

#1593

It is Vray, but VrayforC4D.
That is special, as VrayforC4D combines the Power of Vray with the material-system of C4D, where you can stack materials. Also SSS2 is available as a separate shader as well as it is integrated inside a Vray-material special designed for C4D.
You cannot translate that exactly into max, so far I know.

#1594

ok got it
just curious if can you make render of those nice head without any specular and without any reflections? so i can see color-only result.

#1595

Not now, but maybe in a few days.

#1596

hello, if someone could say what good and bad about this image i would be very thankfull
this is MR fast skin sss, maya

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

#1597

im not expert, but i’d say the bottom lip looks too large. The eyes look a touch dead, that highlight needs to be more white/intense and the eye lashes are clearly a texture map, try using a hair plugin for whichever app you’re using.

Dave

#1598

vray for max has all that aswell

#1599

Hey all,

I was wondering - what do you use/do to get your SSS textures?
I’m working on a model and trying to achieve realistic skin, but I have many problems.

I’m using the SSS fast skin shader, I’ve tried many different settings for lighting, color, radii, etc… I can never get a realistic result without textures, and when I load textures (I hand paint them in ZBrush) it looks a bit better, but still not that great. I think the textures are not all that hot as well.

Any guide I can follow on that, specifically on painting/making textures for use in skin shaders?

#1600

Some new tests.
The first two are VrayforC4d:

the last one is made with the new Mental Ray for C4D: