Facial Skin Layered Mapping
Part 5.1 – Back to the Color Map
Before You Begin
Have the work you have done in your work file
(SkinFrontSectionWork<NNN>.psd) firmly backed up by saving to a new
version which you have open in Photoshop (steps we take now, if done wrong
could possibly mess up things you’ve already done). Also have reference images of the role model
open which show the skin color that you are after. Have your model open in AM.
Introduction
The color map is a combination of a base color
altered by different bump maps the slightly colored in select area from
samplings from you reference images (females wearing makeup more then male
models). One thing you need to do is as
you make adjustments to the layers is to note what adjustments you make in the
layer name. You do not ‘have’ to record
adjustments to Opacity and Blend mode as you can see these by selecting the
layer but, if you for any reason change the Blend mode to Normal and crank up
the Opacity to 100% to see the layer the way it really looks, you can forget
what you had. Of course if you adjust
the brightness and contrast… the settings you use here will be lost unless you
take note of them before pressing ‘Okay’ and then record them. Using the layer name is the easy way to do
this. Figure 5.1.0 shows my Layer pallet
and how this looks.
Figure 5.1.0 – In the Diffuse 4 layer I note the Blend mode, Opacity and the settings used in the Brightness/Contrast adjustment. Now if I need to re-create this layer to make it darker or lighter I can know what settings were used and have a starting point to work from.
- Hide
everything but the following Bump layer set layers: Noise, Chin, Neck2,
Neck, Wrinkles and Bump Base (the last layer is a normal layer filled with
50% gray that acts as a stop gap).
- Do
Image->Duplicate then flatten the duplicate image (Figure 5.1.1). Do Select All (<ctl>a) and copy
(<ctl>c).
Figure 5.1.1
- Return
to your work file and hide the bump layer set and make the Color layer set
visible. Expand it if needed and
select the Skin Pale layer. You
will need a reference to the skin color you have come up with – I just
used my roll model reference images but you could also create a small
sample of the color.
- Do
Edit->Paste (or <ctl>v) and a new layer will be created above the
Skin Pale layer containing the bump maps you flattened. You can go back and nuke the duplicate
image you made.
- Rename
the new layer Diffuse 1 and change the Blend Mode to Multiply.
- Everything
now is subtle. Lower the Opacity of
this layer until you can just barely see the markings on this layer
(Figure 5.1.2). As you will see,
there are no hard and fast numbers in this part. Okay but now you lost your color. Do
Image->Adjustment->Brightness/Contract and adjust the Brightness
until you have your color back (Figure 5.1.2). This may dim the markings and you may
have to increase the contrast to get these back and then do the Brightness
again until you have your color back.
This is a process we’ll use
for several other layers later.
Figure 5.1.2
- Next
go back up to your Bump layer set and Duplicate the Pores layer and rename
it Diffuse 2 then drag it down into the Color layer set above the Diffuse
1 layer. Hide the Bump layer set so
you can see what you are doing.
- Select
Diffuse 2 and run Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 1. Set the Blend mode to Hard Light and
reduce the Opacity until the blurred pose map barely shows (Figure 5.1.3).
Figure 5.1.3
- Now
we’re starting to get the subtle skin tone variation we need. Next
go back into the Bump layer set and duplicate the Softness Base
layer and name this layer Diffuse 3 and move it into the Color layer set
above Diffuse 2 and change the Blend mode to Overlay.
- It
might help to hide the Diffuse 1 and 2 layers and zoom in to the face area
for this. Lower the Opacity until
you can just see the softness pattern then, unhide the other diffuse
layers and use Brightness and Contrast to bring back the color.
- Next
you duplicate add the Softness Cap layer (only this layer, not anything
else you may have added to increase the softness) to the stack naming it
Diffuse 4. Zoom out as this one has
a large pattern. Change the Blend
mode to overlay and do the same thing: decrease the Opacity until you can
just barely see the pattern then get the color back with brightness and
contrast adjustments.
- This
concludes the first phase of the color map development: general color
chaos and simulation of light caught in the wrinkles. It’s a good idea to test things out now
on your model and tweak what you have so far… the changes you made to each
layer with the brightness and contrast can not be undone so any tweaks
here will mean grabbing another copy of that layer and redoing. Mine looks like Figure 5.1.4 and 5.1.5
so far.
Figure 5.1.4 Shows subtle pattern around the eyes
and mouth
Figure 5.1.5 – avoid splotches and dark marks