Hi guys, I need help.
I need this guy for a new project:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_exec0.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=exec0.jpg)
I'm not a skinner, I have no talent or know-how whatsoever, but since there's no Executioner skin I'll have to do it myself. I'm working with some of The Gryphon's excellent base skins and read a lot of tutorials (Thanks for all skinners who made one, you're great!). This is the best I could do:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_exec4.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=exec4.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_exec5.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=exec5.jpg)
I need some tips of how make the skin look a little better (remember guys, no talent or know-how) and which of the two shown here is more acceptable ("better" is too strong for one of my skins).
Thanks in advance!
I can see more definition on the bottom one. So I'm going with that one. Good job skinning too.
Hey JJ, you give yourself too little credit man. You're brave to try to pick skinning up. It was one thing that I've never even been able to dabble in. This guy is looking like a good beginning, and I think some of the master skinners around here will be able to offer you some good pointers on sharpening him up. :D
The pics are a little small, but it looks good to me. If the cape is alpha-eabled, you know that you can scallop the edge. What graphics program are you using?
Using REAL purple is kinda funny.
Thanks guys! You're very kind.
Daglob, I'm using Photoshop and the mesh is the good, old "Male Cape". I have no idea how I can use "alphaed" textures to change the cape's edge. I would be grateful if you could give me some tips.
Male_cape isn't alpha enabled. Male_cape_effects is. Actually, I'd recommend good old male_alpha, since the alpha channel is enabled and the belt is flat against the body.
In Photoshop, there is a "Channels" window. If you click that on (under "Windows") a window (in 5.5 another tab with layers) appears. It'll show the combined RGB channel, then the red, green and blue channels and then, if the skin already has the alpha channel on, the alpha channel.
The alpha channel basically uses black and white to indicate where something is or isn't. For instance, on the Executioner's cape, you would want to (following the TGA mapping) have most of the cape white in the alpha channel because it's mostly visible. But you would paint the negative area of the scalloping black. That way those areas wouldn't be showing.
By the way, I think your Executioner skin looks excellent. I actually prefer "Exec2" since the shallower muscle definition is closer to the source picture and because the deeper shadows, while they make more "comic booky" screen shots, in motion, in the game, tend to pull the meshes into the "uncanny valley". Also in real life, Spandex doesn't stick into every muscle crevice.
Very cool stuff, JJ. Glad you're starting to skin.
A suggestion would be to try all the black sections with blue highlights instead of white ones, to reflect the picture you're showing. You can decide which looks better and it's nice to have the option.
Thanks, guys!
I'll play with executioner in the next days, testing your suggestions. I'll post any updates when I'm done.
One again thanks for the help, I'm learning a lot from you.
OK, while Executioner is on standby I made a skin for his partner, the Teen of Steel himself. I know there are great skins of Superboy out there, far better than anything I could do, but, I couldn't resist give him a try. So, here is Superboy:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_sboy1.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=sboy1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_sboy2.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=sboy2.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_sboy3.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=sboy3.jpg)
With Executioner I tried be as faithful as possible to Bob Brown's original design, with Superboy I gave myself more freedom. The mesh is a skope, something to make him looks like an younger version of Ren's Superman. The darker colors are supposed to reflect Clark's mourning (my story take place months after the Kents died.), just like Superman's dark costume after "Our World's at War". Of course, I'll try to do a brighter costume later.
I'm not a fan of the "second skin" like costumes, and I love C6's design for Silver Age Superboy (the one for the Male Cape Nobelt mesh) and for the Chris Reeve Superman, so I tried get something like them. I used The Gryphon's Male Cape and C6's Male Costume bases.
Feedback is welcomed. I need to know how I can make him look better, after all.
Thanks in advance!
Me likes.
JJ, you seem to be doing a good job to me. Both Superboy and Executioner seem to be true to form. I am still trying to work on my own avatar.
That skope is fantastic! I almost want to put C6's Chris Reeves Superman on there and see what it looks like! Great skin as well!
Really nice Superboy. I had no clue you had skinning talent. :)
Quote from: AfghanAnt on March 21, 2010, 09:24:20 PM
Really nice Superboy. I had no clue you had skinning talent. :)
Thanks, AA. But guys like you and Laughing Paradox have talent, I'm just hard working.
The third member of my "Teen JLA" is almost done, our Young Marine Marvel was the product of a team effort worthy of the Super-Friends ^_^
Benton Grey sent me a great skope, with beautiful animations and Tommyboy sent me a base skin with a near complete Aquaman costume (I just added the belt and trunks and changed the collar). I edited Superboy's and Aquaboy's faces from the base skins to give them some kind of an "unique" look.
It's the first time a done a decent looking blond hair too.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_aquaboy4.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=aquaboy4.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_aquaboy5.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=aquaboy5.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_aquaboy3.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=aquaboy3.jpg)
I wish to thank Benton and Tommyboy again, I would never be able to do this guy without them.
Nice Aquaboy. :thumbup:
Wow JJ, that Superboy is really impressive for a beginner. You're going to have to stop saying that you're not a skinner! Great work on Aquaboy too. :D
Thanks, guys. You're very kind.
I updated Executioner's skin to show the alpha'ed cape. Thanks for Daglob for teaching me how to use alpha and for sending me examples.
I'm finishing a third Executioner skin. I incorporated LP's and Kenn's suggestions on this one.
Kenn was kind enough to made a brand new Executioner mesh, with amazing animations. I'll update the topic with pics of Executioner's new mesh and skin when I finish the skin, probably tomorrow night.
Thanks to Kenn and Daglob for the help with our teenaged Masked Manhunter.
The Executioner, with the mesh made by Kenn (thanks again, Kenn!) and a new skin, with less muscles and blue highlights, as suggested by Laughing Paradox and Kenn. I'll probably release two skins with the Mod, one purple and black and one purple and blue.
This version uses base skins from The Gryphon (Male Cape) and Courtnall 6 (Male Costume)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_exec6.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=exec6.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/th_exec7.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/?action=view¤t=exec7.jpg)
Now our main characters are skinned I can start to skin the villains and supporting characters.
Next time I got the idea to made a mod with never skinned before characters someone please kick me
In all fairness, I skoped it - not really "made" it. Tommy did the cape. The male_belt_flat was... I don't remember. The animations were Grenadier. I just took the pieces and put them together. They did the heavy lifting.
That said, the Executioner looks great! Your skinning skill is great.
Is Executioner some weird version of Batman?
The skin looks even better, JJ. Great job on it. :thumbup:
Is Executioner some weird version of Batman?
Apparently
Spoiler
It's an identity a teenaged Bruce Wayne used to partner up with Superboy.
Quote from: catwhowalksbyhimself on March 24, 2010, 10:26:13 PM
Is Executioner some weird version of Batman?
Apparently
Spoiler
It's an identity a teenaged Bruce Wayne used to partner up with Superboy.
Why would he use that name?
Once upon a time, he dreesed up as Robin while a teenager. Probably been retconned out of exitence...
Quote from: AfghanAnt on March 25, 2010, 01:32:22 AM
Quote from: catwhowalksbyhimself on March 24, 2010, 10:26:13 PM
Is Executioner some weird version of Batman?
Apparently
Spoiler
It's an identity a teenaged Bruce Wayne used to partner up with Superboy.
Why would he use that name?
Spoiler
Bruce was a bit more revenge driven and obsessed as a teenager. When he got the costume from Superboy he said something like "This costume is black like the night my parents were killed, black like an executioner garb...!" You can figure the rest...
Of course, we could talk about his "Flying Fox" id, but it could be traumatic. Brucey really like play with costumes...
JJ, you can definitely skin! Keep it going.
Good skins - Superboy's face looks really good - The Executioner story sounds pretty wierd - I want to get that issue :blink:
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Superboy_Vol_1_182
.
Wow, Electro, I vaguely remembering reading that story as a kid, but I would have been only 4 or 5. I probably read it as a reprint in another book.
The Executioner's story was reprinted here:
(http://www.dccomics.com/media/product/1/3/13640_180x270.jpg)
Written by Bill Finger, Otto Binder, Jerry Siegel and others; Art by Curt Swan, Al Plastino, John Forte and others; Cover by Mark Farmer
Superboy, the hero who would grow up to become Superman, battles evil alongside some of the world's greatest heroes in this new collection. Features content from ADVENTURE COMICS #216, 253, 271, 280, SUPERBOY #55, 63, 80, 171, 182 and NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #13.
DC Universe 168pg. Color Softcover $19.99 US
We have villains too:
Alien Soldier:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier.jpg)
I used base textures from The Gryphon, C6 and The Baroness to make this skin.
That one in the front looks like he is crying or something.
I see you are going with simple base meshes. In this age of nifskoping I have to wonder if it is a conscious choice? If so, more power to you. If not, you can get things closer to the costumes shown by putting different parts together. Example, I think Ren's made a cape that does that collar thing. Maybe on his NoMan mesh. And the flared gloves would be easy to find.
If, however, you are all "I am doing it this way on purpose" then I apologize.
I will suggest one thing though. Maybe add some shadow where parts overlap (IE where boots meet pants). It adds depth and makes a skin pop that much more.
In any case it's good to see more people working on obscure characters. They are, obviously, the best to skin. KEEP IT UP!
Quote from: John Jr. on March 30, 2010, 10:47:39 PM
We have villains too:
Alien Soldier:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier.jpg)
I used base textures from The Gryphon, C6 and The Baroness to make this skin.
Pre-Crisis white-skinned Martians from JLA #144!! Coool!
Quote from: UnkoMan on March 31, 2010, 04:20:06 AM
That one in the front looks like he is crying or something.
I see you are going with simple base meshes. In this age of nifskoping I have to wonder if it is a conscious choice? If so, more power to you. If not, you can get things closer to the costumes shown by putting different parts together. Example, I think Ren's made a cape that does that collar thing. Maybe on his NoMan mesh. And the flared gloves would be easy to find.
If, however, you are all "I am doing it this way on purpose" then I apologize.
I will suggest one thing though. Maybe add some shadow where parts overlap (IE where boots meet pants). It adds depth and makes a skin pop that much more.
In any case it's good to see more people working on obscure characters. They are, obviously, the best to skin. KEEP IT UP!
I always use generic meshes in my mods to make the download lighter. I'm using specific meshes for the main characters (including some all-new skopes), but sometimes 2 or 3 supporting characters will share the same mesh. Since the Martian Soldier is only cannon fodder in my story, I believe it's better use the Male Cape and share it with other characters.
I liked your ideas about the costume, so I added the collar to the skin and made the brown parts darker:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier2.jpg)
Call me crazy, but Im kinda diggin the whole old-school skin design, what with the simple mesh and the Gryphon base.
You and me both Scorpion. But then again, I'm still old school with my skinning.
Makes sense!
And, actually, it suits the style so why not? I like the cape collar!
I really need your feedback with this one, guys. I never did a detailed civilian skin before, and the seams gave me a hard time. I don't know if he's good enough to use in the Mod, but I don't know what else I can do.
Shoes are placeholders (because I can't draw a decent pair).
Clark Kent, college student (mesh is "Superboy_TT", by Ink and I used C6 and Tomato's "Male Suit" base skin and The Gryphon's Male Basic to make the skin).
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/clark1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/clark2.jpg)
I'd say the cloth work looks really good. Especially the button-up shirt. If anything add some detail to the undershirt to make it look like it's underneath the button-up a little more.
Good detail on the White Martian too.
I like everything but the hair. I think it is too gray. You might have to work in more black and white and leave out the big patches of gray.
:o I think you did an amazing job with the civilian skin, not to mention Superboy's face. You can definitely use it in your Mod.
Great work JJ. :thumbup:
You've improved in such a short time, JJ.
I love how the pants and shirt came out on young Clark. I'd recommend adding shadow to the shirt at the end of the sleeves and in the collar part, against the chest, to add more depth.
Thanks a lot, guys.
I added the shadows as suggested by LP and Murs. Once again thanks for the tips!
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/clark3.jpg)
Man, that Clark Kent looks fan-freaking-tastic!
Quote from: BentonGrey on April 02, 2010, 09:10:40 PM
Man, that Clark Kent looks fan-freaking-tastic!
Thanks a lot, Benton. I'm very glad you liked Clark. I'm still have 3 more civilians to finish for the mod and the feedback in this thread helped me a lot.
Wow that looks great. I love the hair, and the cloth look great.
Quote from: Podmark on April 04, 2010, 07:20:41 AM
Wow that looks great. I love the hair, and the cloth look great.
Thanks, Pod.
Young Bruce Wayne, he's not Batboy or even Batlad, but he's trying to become world's greatest crimefighter.
Once again I used Male_Basic, by The Gryphon; Male_Costume by C6 and Male_Suit, by C6 and Tomato as base skins. Used some Irrational's textures on the sweater too.
I tried give to Bruce a face different from Clark's.
The mesh is the same I used for Clark (Superboy_TT, by Ink, I just alphaed out the glasses and the belt).
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/bruce.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/bruce2.jpg)
Youre hitting the faces spot-on there with your Kent and Wayne meshes.
I changed the Martian Soldier's mesh to one of Tommyboy's great Versatiles meshes. So, now our soldier have flares and a 3d belt and I still can use the same mesh to more than one charater (thanks for the Alfa channel trick you taught me, guys!). I added some shadding to the overlapping areas as suggested too.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliensoldier3a.jpg)
Martian Commander:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliengen.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/general1.jpg)
I used the same mesh as the soldier and C6's Male_Costume and Male_Grim (yeah, I changed the face a lot. I noticed the Commander was more a "cocky smile guy" than a "grim visage guy".
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a helmet like the one on the reference pic.
Feedback is welcomed, as always!
Commander Blanx is looking pretty good.
I have an idea for some parts that could be hexed/skoped into something closer to his traditional helmet. If you'd be interested (since I believe you're trying to keep the number of meshes down) please let me know.
I'm always interested in having something made by you, Kenn.
Thanks!
EDIT: I was very unsatisfied with the skin, so I added more details (wrinkles and seams), I believe it's a little better now.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aliengen2.jpg)
It's always good to change the faces up and what you did came out great. I'm happy Kenn is helping you out with the skope for the character, too.. should be very cool.
Quote from: laughing paradox on April 13, 2010, 04:28:06 AM
It's always good to change the faces up and what you did came out great. I'm happy Kenn is helping you out with the skope for the character, too.. should be very cool.
Thanks, LP! I'm a fan of Kenn's work and it's great have his help, since I can barely skope.
New skope and skin for Superboy.
I had some problems with the older skope, so I made this one with parts of Ren's Invincible, Ren's Superman and the head from an Ink mesh.
I made an "alternate", classic skin, with a brighter blue. I changed the s-shield (this one was edited over an screenshot from John Haymes Newton's Superboy costume form the tv series) and added more shadow on the overlapping areas. I added more black to the hair too.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/sboy8.jpg)
Lana Lang (It wouldn't be a Superboy mission without her, right?)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/lana.jpg)
Lana's is a skope with parts of Ink's Marvel Girl II and Tommyboy's Female Versatile Mesh. The skin was made over a C6 Female Basic, I changed the face a little, as usual. I used some textures form The Baroness basic skins.
What you think, guys? What I need to change to make the Smallville Sweethearts better looking?
I love the Superboy.. came out perfect.
Lana Lang's clothes are great. I think it's her face that's throwing me off.. she looks a little old and mean for Lana. Maybe give her bigger eyes for youth and happiness.
And she's missing a leg!! What kind of skope are you making? :P
Nice Superboy, JJ
I really dig the blues and the subdued musculature on that Superboy there.
Thanks to you all, guys! I'm really glad you liked Superboy.
Quote from: Scorpion13mk2 on April 16, 2010, 12:26:52 AM
I really dig the blues and the subdued musculature on that Superboy there.
Thanks, I really tried to make Superboy looks less built than his older counterpart. I'm not a fan of the musclebound teenager look some comic book artists are found.
Quote from: laughing paradox on April 15, 2010, 09:53:40 PM
Lana Lang's clothes are great. I think it's her face that's throwing me off.. she looks a little old and mean for Lana. Maybe give her bigger eyes for youth and happiness.
And she's missing a leg!! What kind of skope are you making? :P
Missing a leg?! What are you talking ab... Damn! I knew I had forgotten something!
I love the super boy, i think the one thing that stopped me for a second is the line in the calf, just above the knee. At first, i thought the calf line was the knee. Other than that it is a great skin! The hair is impeccable!
Quote from: John Jr. on April 15, 2010, 07:36:02 PM
Lana's is a skope with parts of Ink's Marvel Girl II and Tommyboy's Female Versatile Mesh. The skin was made over a C6 Female Basic, I changed the face a little, as usual. I used some textures form The Baroness basic skins.
What you think, guys? What I need to change to make the Smallville Sweethearts better looking?
Superboy looks great. I don't know that he needs anything.
Lana looks like either she's around 6'9" tall (204 cm), or else her shoulders are only 12" (30 cm) across. Her head is taller than her shoulders are wide. Actually, she looks like she was designed to be seen on a widescreen monitor, but with the settings still set at the 4:3 ratio of tradional monitors. This is probably nothing to do with you, and more a function of Ink's mesh. But skoping her to be shorter would correct a lot of the screwy proportion issues.
Also, how old is Lana supposed to be in this case? I mean if you're going for the 20-something Stacy Haiduk Lana Lang from "The Adventures of Superboy" then you've got excellent taste and you can ignore the rest of this paragraph. However, as a developing teenager (as I remember comic lana being in the old stories) her breasts are too big. Don't get me wrong, I loves me some big 'ol +!++ies, but on a teenager, it's kind of messed up looking.
From a skinning perspective, I'd suggest lightening up the dark matches that are supposed to represent muscle. Lana isn't a muscle pumping amazon. Her muscles shouldn't be that visibly defined. Softer and flowing. Toned, but not ripped.
Thanks for the tips and kind words, Kenn.
Superboy and Lana are about 18-19 years old in my story and, yes, Stacy Haiduk was a major influence in the Lana skin.
I'll play with Lana's skope, maybe made a new and try to make the changes you and LP suggested in the skin.
Arent there some teenage girls meshes floating around from back in the day? Ones that dont have huge knockers?
Well, maybe not. These are comic book characters. You dont see many women in comics who arent almost comically well endowed.
I used the "Female Teen Fullhair" mesh as the younger Lana in my Legion Mod, Scorpion. She has a less "developed" look and looks good for a teen.
For the "older Lana" (she was about 16 in the Legion Mod, and she's about 19 in this one). I wanted a less generic mesh, with long, straight hair. As Kenn noticed I wanted Lana looking a little as Stacy Haiduk (who played Lana in the Superboy tv series). I will use the same mesh for Lana and the unnamed "civilian_girls" of Metropolis University, so I really need it.
Any suggestions?
(http://www.laughinggaszone.net/superboy.jpg)
Quote from: Scorpion13mk2 on April 16, 2010, 05:11:10 PM
Arent there some teenage girls meshes floating around from back in the day? Ones that dont have huge knockers?
Well, maybe not. These are comic book characters. You dont see many women in comics who arent almost comically well endowed.
If you're gonna take the trouble to draw 'em, you might as well make it worth it.
I didn't find a mesh that looked the way I wanted for Lana, so I just did what Kenn and LP suggested (reduced the mesh size and changed Lana's eyes and eyebrows).
What you think guys? Is she ready?
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/lana-2.jpg)
She looks great, JJ. Keep up the good work.
Quote from: laughing paradox on April 19, 2010, 05:53:22 AM
She looks great, JJ. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, LP!
Now let's talk about Bel Juz, Mars answer to Helen of Troy...
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/bel.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/bel2.jpg)
That emerald skin, the golden eyes, the purple hair... Is any wonder some martians are willing to go to war for Bel? Luckily for us, she's not the manipulative type, right?
Mesh is one of Tommyboy's Female Versatiles and the skin was made over a Female_Basic skin from The Gryphon.
Lana looks great.
Bel Juz looks pretty good. Her eyes look a little too "deer-caught-in-headlights" for my tastes, but otherwise she looks good.
Quote from: Kenn on April 20, 2010, 04:18:26 AM
Lana looks great.
Bel Juz looks pretty good. Her eyes look a little too "deer-caught-in-headlights" for my tastes, but otherwise she looks good.
Thanks, Kenn!
Should I make Bel's eyes smaller?
Daglob was kind enough to send me his grey scales pattern and teach me how to use it. So I tried to make my own Aquaboy skin.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaboy6.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaboy7.jpg)
I used C6's male costume and The Gryphon's male basic base skins. I changed the face to make Aquaboy look younger and give him a "cocky little smile".
I wish to thank Daglob again for the help! Thanks to his help I can finally skin an alternate look for Teen Urchin I was thinking about.
Very nice looking. I like the hair. Should please the Grey one.
Quote from: Podmark on May 02, 2010, 04:39:27 AM
Very nice looking. I like the hair. Should please the Grey one.
Thanks Pod!
I hope the skin is up to Mr. G standards.
Aquaboy looks good.
With Bel's eyes... I'd suggest making the white of her eyes, on the inside side of the irises (towards her nose) more of a sharp angle.
You might also make the whites and the iris' on separate layers, and make the whites a pale blue and hit them a little with the dodge tool (with preserve tones unchecked and set to affect highlights) in the bottom center. On second thoght, you might make her "whites" a pale green.
Aquaboy looks good.
One day I'm going to make a circular scale pattern...
Thanks for the kind words and for the tips, guys. I'm learning a lot from you.
Mr. G approves. He certainly does! Great work JJ! My friend, that is a really fine skin you've created there. You really are improving at a phenomenal rate. :D
He looks great, and I think the hair is especially nice. You should bring a bit of shine to his scale-mail, but other than that, I think he's just about perfect.
I can see what they're saying about the eyes for Bel Juz. My suggestion would be to close the gap between the eyebrows a little bit. I think that's what seems a little off to me. I'm liking everything else so far.
I'm very glad you liked Aquaboy, guys.
Now, a revised Bel Juz (I changed eyes, eyebrows and cape)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/beljuz.jpg)
I hope she's better now. Thanks for everyone who made suggestions.
And we can't have a Justice League space battle without Green Lantern, so here is...
Abin Sur?
Yup. Good, old Abin.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/abin.jpg)
But Hal makes a cameo in the Mod, serious!
Lookin good, JJ. Much improvement on the eyes.
Yeah, the eyes do look much better.
Agreed.
Kenn was kind enough to let me use his new (and still unreleased) Aquaman skope. I liked the guy so much that I had to skin him. So, here is my silver age Aquaman. I tried to get a "Nick Cardy" look, because it's my favorite version of Artie (Jim Aparo being my second favorite).
This is the version I will use in the Mod.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaman1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaman2.jpg)
As always, I used base skins from The Gryphon and Courtnall 6.
I'm working in an alternate, more modern skin too.
What you think, guys?
I think Mr. Benton is going to have a big grin off of this. :D
Quote from: Cyber Burn on May 19, 2010, 12:23:48 AM
I think Mr. Benton is going to have a big grin off of this. :D
We can always hope, CB.
I'm seeing a Standard skin for my Aquaman skope.
Quote from: Kenn on May 19, 2010, 01:00:14 AM
I'm seeing a Standard skin for my Aquaman skope.
I'm just giving Artie some finishing touches and I'll probably send him to you tomorrow. I'm very flattered you want my skin as the standard one to your skope. I'm feeling like a real skinner :thumbup:
Meanwhile, I'm finishing Blanx.
Ken made this great skope for our favorite Martian tyrant, complete with his trademarked hat.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/blanx.jpg)
I take it, we finally got one to work in :ffvstr:?
Yup. I already sent the skins for you. Did you receive it?
Yup. I got it.
Hi, guys. I need your help again.
I was experimenting with highlighting (and my respect to guys who really know how to do it like Afghan Ant, LP, Murs and others, just grown up). I tried to give very subdued highlights to Superboy, something to make the skin look more 3 dimensional, but still looking like cloth and not the "painted skin" effect some comic book artist are so found. I don't know if I got it right.
What you think?
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/superboyh.jpg)
First, that's a great skin. You've done a great job on the colors.
Now, if you want to make the cloth look more like a material, you can try to the Filter>Texturizer in Photoshop. You can do it either on the blue or even on the highlights themselves (try making the highlights even brighter, by the way, to see how you like it) depending on the look you're going for. I can't tell you exactly which mode to use in the Texturizer (burlap could work) but experimenting with the texturizer will definitely give you a lot of variation and looks.
Thanks a lot for the tip, LP!
I'm trying to use a "pattern" to make the blue look like cloth. Never thought of use the Texturizer, I'll give it a try.
Once again, thanks! I'm learning a lot from you!
When I do textures like that. Like what I did for my leather jacket or my jeans I just take a texture pic off of google or whatever and put that on the base layer and do all highlights and shadows over it. Sometimes I play with the opaqueness a layer to let more of the base show but I try to downplay the base as much as possible. To much and it's just a messy busy blob. Better to just have a hint of it.
Soften the highlights, make them less pronounced. Real cloth conforms to outward muscular definition. With inward muscle definition, the cloth goes across and over the gap. The cloth stretched across that gap will look different than cloth stretched across rock hard muscles, but it won't be as dark as it would be if it stuck to every inch of skin.
Also, if the contrast between highlighted and not-highlighted it to high, you'll end up with a skin that might look great in a screen shot, but will look wrong in the game. The act of highlighting infers the existence of a light source. This hypothetical light source can easily differ from the one used by the 3-D renderer. This will keep the shadows from looking right when the skin is in motion.
Wow. That's a lot of info. Thanks guys.
Ken,
I did the highlights exactly because my first Superboy skin looked better in CTool than in the game, you're right. We have to test every skin inside the game before finish it.
I wasn't happy with my Abin Sur skin, so I redid it almost from scratch.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/abinsur.jpg)
Green Martian Soldier. I used The Gryphon's male basic and C6's Male Costume as base skins. The mesh is a hex of Ren's Martian Manhunter, I just hide some parts.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/martiangreen.jpg)
A little late, but I really like the Superboy skin.
Quote from: Cyber Burn on May 27, 2010, 05:50:08 AM
A little late, but I really like the Superboy skin.
Thanks. And it's not late, I'm never satisfied with my skins, I only believe they are half decent when I got some positive feedback, so you helped me.
Looks pretty good, JJ. Maybe some slight seam work like your Superboy skin to create a little more separation. Certain elements look like they blur together rather than meet or overlap.
Thanks, Murs.
With Abin I tried to get the "seam less" look, since his costume is supposed to be a ring construct instead of real cloth. So I used more highlights and made the costume more form fitting. I used only the outer glow effect in the overlapping areas.
Greenie's costume is supposed to be only shiny cloth, so I really need to re-work it and fix the overlapping areas.
Thanks for the tips.
OK, time for the last update.
This is the way our guys will appear in the Mod.
I changed Aquaboy's mesh, form Male Basic to Tommyboy's Silver Age Aquaman. Now Artie has his trademarked fins and flares and I could add some reflexes to the shirt.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaboy2-1.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/aquaboy1.jpg)
I changed Abin's mesh too, now I'm using Tommy's Green Lantern )Hal) mesh, and it's a great mesh! Tommy got great animations for ring slinging!
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/abinsur1.jpg)
I just added more shadows to Executioner's overlapping areas.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/exec1-1.jpg)
Superboy got some minor tweaks in his face and some highlights in the red areas of the costume. I made some adjustments to the skope too.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/clarkbr/superboyh2.jpg)
I want to thank everyone who give me feedback and tips. You really helped me, guys. The little I know about skinning I owe to you, so THANK YOU!
Very nice stuff. Very clean, I like it.
JJ, you really are becoming an FF Renaissance man. Those are some nice looking skins, and it is good to have an Aquaman with the proper fins and gloves. He could use a bit of shine on his armor, but I think you hit the coloring just right. I would try and tweak the face a bit more if you want this to be Aqua "boy."
The Executioner has turned out REALLY nicely. You're revisions of him have been progressively more impressive. Good work. Superboy has always been one of your best ones, though, and he remains so.
Thanks, guys.
I'm glad you liked the guys.
Benton, I noticed Artie looks a little older with the new mesh, I'll play a bit with his eyes and eyebrows and try get him a younger look. Aquaboy is about 18 in the mod, so I need a balance between "kid" and "grown up".