What technique/tool was used to create these lights and shadows?

[SimonaKo]

Hello all

I'm a new member here so hopefully I'm posting in the right section!

Now... I'm not a newbie with PS but I just can't figure out how these lights and shadows were created on the characters. Btw, these photos were taken in a virtual world and then edited in, I assume, PS.
I really like the polished look. These pics look almost like some photos in magazines like Vogue.
I did speak to the guy who edited them and asked what his technique is, but he barely speaks English so he explained just that he uses different blend modes. I did try many times better new achieve anything close to these images.

How could I achieve this effect and what 'tricks' are there to creating such nice lights and shadows?

Thanks!

 

[IamSam]

This is a loaded question. You will have to be much more specific and point out a particular shadow.

Do you have examples of these before the shadows? I suspect many were generated in the original 3D program.

There can be many techniques used here. But here are the basic tools used: Pen Tool, Brush Tool, color fill, and Gradient Tool

 

[SimonaKo]

I found another photo, edited by someone else which has sort of similar lighting to the first editor. This is really the only close before and after I can find.


Perhaps this one too:


Just to make it clearer... Most photos taken in that virtual world are pretty flat. As in they don't have much shadow/light. I'm posting another pic just so you can see how a totally unedited photo looks like:


I hope it's clear now what effect I'm talking about now

 

[IamSam]

I apologize, I had hoped it was clear that I already understood what you were asking (talking) about.

So let me clarify what I was talking about. You must be more specific.

Please identify any ONE of the changes in the after image that you would like to learn how to do first. Then we can move to the next.

Please take a look at this GIF................note the areas in red. Pick one.

 

[SimonaKo]

Oh right, sorry! I thought that all the those shadows were made in the same way, more or less. :redface:

Hmm, let's start from the first one then...The shadow around her face. I'm guessing you make that shape with the pen tool, fill it in and then change the blend mode together with opacity.

The thing is some times that works for me, other times it doesn't. I also don't know how to actually place the shadows correctly so it looks realistic...

 

[IamSam]

Hmm, let's start from the first one then...The shadow around her face. I'm guessing you make that shape with the pen tool, fill it in and then change the blend mode together with opacity.

Exactly. There may be some variation as to how the shape is filled, but that's exactly how they are done.

The thing is some times that works for me, other times it doesn't. I also don't know how to actually place the shadows correctly so it looks realistic...

This can be a problem. This is where the artist in you must come into play. You have to take into consideration the light source direction of the original in order to determine where and what might cast a shadow and where the highlights might occur.

 

[SimonaKo]

Okay, I'll play around with that then ad keep the light source in mind.

Do you think I'd be able to get my photos to have the same 'look' as the very first photos I posted? I know that obviously it wont be the same, but I really want to achieve a similar style. How would I give my pictures that polished, clean, editorial look?

 

[IamSam]

Notice in the before image, the light source would be coming from above.



You would have to ask yourself what features would be causing shadows? What features would be exposed to the direct light (nose) and so on.

 

[IamSam]

The one thing you should know is that you must remember that the shapes you create must also be feathered in order to create some of the softer transitions. Some shadows require harder edges while others don't. The shading on her neckline was probably done with the Brush Tool only.

Not sure what you mean by polished, clean, and editorial.................would have to see the before images.

 

[IamSam]

Here is another trick.

You can take a Curves adjustment layer and really blow out the image, reverse it's mask and use the Brush Tool to raise highlights in the hair.
You can also do this by darkening it with a curves layer as well.

These are exaggerated for demo.

Before highlights (hair only)...


After highlights.......

 

[SimonaKo]

Unfortunately I don't have them.
You'll have to use your imagination and try imagine how those avatars looked before the edit (refer to post ~3, 3rd pic). That's the only way I can explain it :/

Agh I have been trying to get anywhere near this 'style' for so longgg. This pic, I think, is the closest I got. But there are still many mistakes and whatnot.


Here are links for the two guys who have a similar style (imo). I also think they're graphic designers because many elements/photos remind me of ads I've seen etc. I can't point out a specific thing I want to learn because I want to learn how to create photos like those, in general, not just a little piece of them. Perhaps there are specific tutorials where the resulting image is similar to these? Idk :/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/graphic-dix/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/70465775@N06/

 

[IamSam]

Unfortunately, there are far too many different techniques being used in these images. Learning to create images like this are all about taking steps to creating one little "piece of them" at a time. Patience, practice, and perseverance.

I have to run for now, hopefully someone else with much more knowledge than myself will jump in and offer some better advice.

 

[SimonaKo]

That's true...I'll keep trying!

You'r advice was helpful, thank you I'll be using that trick with the hair and should start using masking techniques more since they seem quite useful.