How to create metallic effects on skins?

[Outcast]

When you're trying to make robot or armored themed skins. How do you create the metallic effects on these skins?

[Carravaggio]

1. high contract colouring. shiny metal is very reflective and picks up the extremes of light and dark. Look at metal as painted by Alex Ross for a look at how this works.

2. Texturing. The use of a gritty, rough metal rtexture over a plain grey object can't be underestimated. For the effectiveness this can have on a skin, look at any of Death's Jesters recent skins, particularly his giant nazi robot.

3. Create a reflect layer. most skins have the ability to incorporate a reflect layer, which uses a light/dark map to imitate the movement of light sources over a reflective surface. There are a number of ways to use them, but a how to should be listed under the list of tutorials thread created by Prev in the FF discussion board.

[AfghanAnt]

I'm firm believer in Carr's first suggestion for making metal. I think if it looks like metal without the reflect layer, you've done a good job.

[UnkoMan]

But that's so hard, AA. I like to cheat wih the refl layer.

Metal's never been my strong suit. Then again, neither is hair or cloth or basically anything that requires actual skinning.

But, yeah... Listen to Carr. He knows. Good luck!

[laughing paradox]

This is just what I need to know. Thanks for the thread!

[Deaths Jester]

1. high contract colouring. shiny metal is very reflective and picks up the extremes of light and dark. Look at metal as painted by Alex Ross for a look at how this works.

2. Texturing. The use of a gritty, rough metal rtexture over a plain grey object can't be underestimated. For the effectiveness this can have on a skin, look at any of Death's Jesters recent skins, particularly his giant nazi robot.

3. Create a reflect layer. most skins have the ability to incorporate a reflect layer, which uses a light/dark map to imitate the movement of light sources over a reflective surface. There are a number of ways to use them, but a how to should be listed under the list of tutorials thread created by Prev in the FF discussion board.

On the spot, mate, though I'd like to add on number 2 that sometimes one layer of texture is sometimes not enough....sometimes a second layer or a collection of different metallic textures on patched together on one layer will make it work.  Experiment and get lots of textures together if ye really want to work with textures.  Just make sure the lighting on them is correct...ye don't want any that have heavy highlights or shadows on them.

[Tomato]

I agree with AA, but it's always nice to have a mix of 2+3 as well if you're doing metals not normally associated with metal (reds, golds, etc.) A nice textured refl map can seperate a true metalic red from just super-contrasted spandex.

Oh and one other thing: experiment with lightmaps. The lightmap pack is good, but one of my current favorites is one I put together after looking at some c6 work.

[daglob]

I've gotten some weird effects by inverting the reflective layer. If the reflections aren't for silver, though, you have to de-saturate all the colors on the layer, invert it, and do an overlay or a color layer to get the color back. If you are suing Photoshop, try running the Plastic Wrap filter on a copy of the finished product, and always remember: Mr. Undo is your friend.

If you do not know what I am talking about, you should probably not attempt it.