Facial Skin Layered Mapping
Part 3.2 – Mapping The Face:
Creating the work files.
Before You Begin
Open Photoshop.
Introduction
Skin maps are made up of 5 different map types:
a) Color
b) Bump
c) Specular Intensity
d) Specular Size
e) diffuse
Also common that two or three different bump maps
will be used, usually:
a) pores (a base what will include the softness
pattern and pores),
b) wrinkles (for blemishes, under-eye textures,
cracks, wrinkles) and
c) beard (whiskers).
Most of the maps will be based on or contain
elements of the bump map(s) which means the maps will share various versions of
the same images. Also all the maps will
use the same guide layers which is based on the guide mesh and may also share
the same alpha channel. Finally each map
will include many different layers and, as repeated fine tuning is always
required, these layers must be maintained (not flattened) to retain control
over the maps.
With all of these requirements, starting with and
maintaining a single well organized work file with consistent structure and
naming conventions is essential.
Photoshop Version Notes
Users with version 6 and up have what are known as
‘Layer Sets’. This allows the user to
create containers much like file folders within the layers pallet that layers
can be grouped in. Layer Sets (the
container and all the layers within) can be hidden or shown as a group,
compressed/expanded within the layers pallet and, have an over all transparency.
Version 5 users must simulate Layer Sets by using
the layer name. Figure 3.2a shows what
the layer pallet might look like for version 6 and up users (left side) and,
for version 5 users (right side).
Figure 3.2a
On the left of Figure 3.2a you can see the Layer
Sets ‘Bump’ (which old the layers that make up the bump maps) and ‘Color’
(which holds the layers that make up the color map). On the right you can see the same thing in
version 5 only instead of using Layer Sets the different layers have their
names prefaced by the names ‘Bump’ and ‘Color’.
On the left (version 6 and up) the user need only click on the Layer Set
to show/hide the layers. On the right
(Version 5) the user must click on each map to show/hide the layers for each
map.
Note 1: The following instructions are for Windows.
Note 2: All instructions involving Photoshop should
work in versions 5 and up, however, pre-version 6 users will not be able to use
‘layer groups’ (or layer folders) and will either have to either preface the
layer names with the ‘layer group name’ and treat these as groups of layers
(i.e. hide and unhide as if they were one) or, alternately use separate files
for each ‘layer group’.
1. Open the SkinFrontSectionGuide0.tga
file. At this time the file will only
have a Background layer. Background layers
are special layers in Photoshop and they are locked. We’ll keep this layer as a way to preserve
the original map. First make copy of
this layer and name it Backing.
2. Next we’ll create a couple of over lay
guides: one white and one Magenta .
Maximize the image and then double click on the Hand tool in the toolbar
pallet (this will zoom the image to fill the screen). Next select the Dropper tool (‘i’ is the
shortcut key) and pick the background color.
3. In the menu bar choose Select->
4. Next invert the selection
(<shift><ctl>i) so that the mesh is selected.
5. Next, with the mesh still selected, press
<ctl>j. This copies the selected
area to a new layer.
6. In the Layer pallet rename this new layer
Guide.
7. Next duplicate this layer naming the new
layer Guide2.
8. <CTL> click the Guide2 layer in the
Layer pallet to select all of its colored pixels then in the Swatches pallet
select RBG Magenta then press <alt><backspace> which fills the
selected area with the foreground color.
Press <ctl>d to deselect everything.
9. Lock both the Guide and Guide2 layers.
10. Time to save our work file. Press <ctl>s – because we now have
layers it will not save to the original tga file but will save as type psd
(Photoshop format). Name the file
SkinFrontSectionWork001.psd and click okay.
11. Now hide the Background layer.
12. Next select the Backing layer, make the
foreground color black and press <alt><backspace> to fill this
layer with black. Lock this layer.
13. With the Backing layer still selected,
create a new layer (<shift><ctl>n) and name it Mask.
14. Next select the Magic Wand tool (w). In the tools options select ‘New Selection’,
‘Tolerance=10’ and check Anti-aliased, Contiguous and Use All Layers. Click anywhere outside the mesh. This should select the black surrounding the
mesh. Next invert the selection
(<shift><ctl>i) and then choose Select->Modify->Expand, enter
2 Pixels and click okay. Again invert
the selection. Now, making sure that the
Mask layer is selected and making sure that black is still the foreground
color, press <alt><backspace> to fill the selected area. Now, unselect all and hide the Backing layer
and unhide the Background layer. You
should have something like Figures 3.2.1 and 3.2.2. If not make any adjustments needed to correct
the layers and then save.
Figure 3.2.1
Figure 3.2.2
15. Now lock the Mask layer and hide it. Then hid the Background layer and unhide the Backing layer. Save again. These are all of the helper layers you’ll need. You have two overlay mesh guides – one white and one magenta (depending on what you are working on, you’ll select the one that shows up the best), a mask that will show you the visible area and edges of you maps, and two possible backgrounds to use: Backing layer (black) and Background layer (dark green). You also have a mesh guide you can place beneath your work when you need to – the Background layer. You’ll see how all these are used as we move forward.
16. Next well create the work areas. These will all fall between the Backing layer and the Mask layer. Select the Backing layer. This will place any new layers or layer sets above this.
17. For version 6 and above users create the following layer sets – version 5 users will create transparent layers by the same names to use as organizational guides: Color; Bump; Spec Int; Spec Size; diffuse. Version 5 users can lock these layers so that they do not mistakenly use them. Others will leave the layer sets unlocked. You should have something like Figure 3.2.3.
Figure 3.2.3
18. We needed to go through this for version 5 users and also I wanted other users to go through the process to learn how to do it. However, I’ve automated the creation of this work file in an action for version 6 and above users so that all these users need to do to create this work file is read in the raw guide and press <shift><ctl>F12. Nice huh! However please note that I’ve only tested this action in version 7 and, it doesn’t always work. This action group which is named Decal Actions can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page. It contains this action (called ‘Decal Work Structure SCF12’) along with other actions I’ve found useful. I believe that once you download this you just need to unzip the file and move it into your Photoshop program actions folder (normally C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop 7.0\Presets\Photoshop Actions). Also below are instructions for how to use the ‘Decal Work Structure SCF12’ action.
19. Save your image and close it.
20. Open SkinBackSectionRawGuide0.tga and prepare the work file for this by either repeating the steps above or by using the ‘Decal Work Structure SCF12’ action. When you’re done you can crop this one down to leaving a small border around the mesh. Save it as SkinBackSectionWork001.psd.
Directions for using ‘Decal Work Structure SCF12’:
- Open your raw guide file.
- Duplicate the Background layer and name it ‘Layer 1’.
- Set the Foreground color to the background color in the guide file.
- Set the background color to magenta.
- Maximize the image window and double click on the Hand tool to maximize the size of the image.
- Press <ctl><shift>F12.
Go to Part 3.3 – Mapping The Face: Screen Test Setup