AuthorTopic: GR#194 - Helmet - Shading  (Read 12780 times)

Offline odedrt9

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 105
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #10 on: June 15, 2014, 06:19:46 pm
No, I mean reduce the colors. To easily manipulate the light on an object it is essential you begin simply. Try using only three colors for each material.

Ohh.. I mistunderstood...
Ok, I'll edit and post it later.

Edit:
Something like this?
« Last Edit: June 15, 2014, 06:41:59 pm by odedrt9 »

Offline Manupix

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 317
  • Karma: +1/-0
    • View Profile
    • Pixeljoint gallery

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #11 on: June 16, 2014, 01:55:34 pm
Maybe three colors is a bit limiting. I'd say you need a very bright color (or pure white) for speculars, which could be common to all materials.
Is this shading drawn from life, or do you 'guess' it? In the many color versions it does look pillowshaded which is usuallly the result of guessing: concentric rings of colors. Stuff doesn't look like that IRL: look at the photo I posted above: the color zones are not rings, some transitions are smooth and some are hard.

The angle of view is much better now.

You'll have to check the linework which is very jaggy (especially the crest, both the top and the holder).
More than that, you have to think hard about outlines. Do you want/need them?
At this level of detail, they use up precious space for small detail shading, and they create a banding festival.
I don't like obviously colored outlines either, they have no point at all, except maybe to tone down some inside outlines, when done well.
Outlines are an abstraction, they don't exist in things. If you go for them, make them plain, dark, and outside only/mostly.
Depends on what you plan for this piece afterwards: keep it a single sprite on transparency, give it a simple background, or create a scene around it.

Offline odedrt9

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 105
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #12 on: June 16, 2014, 05:31:29 pm
Maybe three colors is a bit limiting. I'd say you need a very bright color (or pure white) for speculars, which could be common to all materials.
Is this shading drawn from life, or do you 'guess' it? In the many color versions it does look pillowshaded which is usuallly the result of guessing: concentric rings of colors. Stuff doesn't look like that IRL: look at the photo I posted above: the color zones are not rings, some transitions are smooth and some are hard.

Hmm It's not a guess but I might overdid it... Unlike the picture you posted which obviously hasn't been taken in a normal room, in my room the light source isn't that bright and there are other furnitures. Because of the helmet strong reflection I can't seem to find a good angle so it won't reflect the furnitures and that messes up the lighting. :blind:
Do you see the problem?
But yes, I might overdid the very bright spot it suppose to be more concentrated.

The angle of view is much better now.

I think so too, thanks for telling me to change it  :)

You'll have to check the linework which is very jaggy (especially the crest, both the top and the holder).

By crest you mean the thing on the forhead or the thing which holds the hair? ???

More than that, you have to think hard about outlines. Do you want/need them?
At this level of detail, they use up precious space for small detail shading, and they create a banding festival.
I don't like obviously colored outlines either, they have no point at all, except maybe to tone down some inside outlines, when done well.
Outlines are an abstraction, they don't exist in things. If you go for them, make them plain, dark, and outside only/mostly.

Hmm I always used outlines.. I think I can remove them though.. I see what you mean by "they don't exist in things", next time I won't use them in the first place :)

Depends on what you plan for this piece afterwards: keep it a single sprite on transparency, give it a simple background, or create a scene around it.

To be honest, it doesn't have a real purpose.. So I think I'll just keep it a single sprite in the end. But I do want to keep playing with it a bit more before I move on the different things.

Thanks a bunch for your comment!

Edit:
I tried to be as exact as I can with the light reflection in my room and it turned out like this:


The plain areas are actually this plain.. And it looks a bit empty.. I hope you understand what I mean..
And as I said the light is very bright but also very thin..
I also tried to get rid of the inner outlines.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 06:35:45 pm by odedrt9 »

Offline Manupix

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 317
  • Karma: +1/-0
    • View Profile
    • Pixeljoint gallery

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #13 on: June 16, 2014, 08:31:33 pm
According to wikipedia, the crest is the hair thing, may include the crest holder. I checked before commenting, I had no idea what to call it before ;)

Reflections: this is why I said you could cheat. Draw the reflections from various angles, bit by bit.

Did you see the link about banding in my previous comment?  ;D

Offline odedrt9

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 105
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #14 on: June 17, 2014, 06:56:28 am
According to wikipedia, the crest is the hair thing, may include the crest holder. I checked before commenting, I had no idea what to call it before ;)

Oh I see, I had not idea too  :crazy:

Reflections: this is why I said you could cheat. Draw the reflections from various angles, bit by bit.

But wouldn't it be weird as if there are multiple light sources? ???

Did you see the link about banding in my previous comment?  ;D

Yes, I read about banding and I tried something but I'm not sure if I applied it properly  :P

It's probably wrong though..

Offline YellowLime

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 227
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Sour Pixels

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #15 on: June 17, 2014, 09:09:16 am
Regardless of closeness to the source reference, I liked the one with dithering the best (June 15th), even though the shading on the flap was very wonky :ouch: Fizzick mentioned it had pillow-shading, but I think that's only an issue when the pillow-shading doesn't correlate with the lighting source (which I think it did, in this case)

I don't know if the more recent ones are closer to source material, but the shading and colors look less real to me (a viewer that isn't comparing with the source material) and the banding is an evident problem which, in my opinion, is somewhat hidden with the dithering you had done previously.

TL;DR:
I liked this one the best , maybe try dithering with the colors of this one: (and maybe leave the ear flap with some plain shading ;))

Offline Fizzick

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 194
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Helmet and shading

Reply #16 on: June 17, 2014, 04:58:12 pm
Dithering is really only a finishing touch and creates an often unwanted texture. I wouldn't work with it until the polishing step of the process.