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Rendering Muscle Fibers


H

h901

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Hi,

Just joined this forum hoping to find a solution.

I'm basically trying to create an image of the human body anatomy with all the muscles and the fibers. I was wondering if anybody could help guide in the right direction to create these fibers. I have already created the shapes of some of the muscles but now when it comes to creating these fibers, I can't think of what to do. I've already tried the filters > fiber but the result wasn't what I required.

Below is an image similar to what i'm trying to recreate.

Thanks in advance.

musclefibers.jpg
 
Ugh, I hope you are patient and persistent. No filter created this. This looks to be done manually or at least using the pen tool. That's what I would use. If I were to take on such a project!
 
You need to use Layer Effects.

1) I usually search on Google for free (or cheap) PhotoShop styles looking for one that has some close resemblance to what I'm going for.
2) After downloading the style file, drag the file into the Styles folder of the Presets fold in your main PS folder.
3) For each fiber, you'll need to create a shape on a separate layer.
4) With a layer highlighted, click on the "fx" at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose "Blending Options".
5) You'll then get a dialog to create an overall effect for the layer or apply a pre-made effect.
6) At the top of the menu on the left you simply see "Styles". Click that and you'll get little squares showing the effects of all the styles.
7) Select the style you've just added. It'll be the last one displayed.
8) This is where the time comes in. You'll need to play with all the various adjustments. Bevel shape, hardness, color overlays, light height and angle, etc. until you get a look you like. Your shape in your doc will change as you make your adjustments.
9) Choose "New Style" on the right and you can save your style with a name. Click OK.
10) Once the style has been applied to your first fiber layer, you can Option-Drag the "fx" symbol on the left end of the layer down to another layer in the palette to duplicate the effect.
11) If your new effect has some chiseled edges between colors I normally duplicate the layer, convert it to a Smart Object, then I Rasterize Smart Object. This gives me a layer that I can now use the smudge tool (with a Bamboo Wacom tablet) to smooth out the stepping effects.

It can be a lot of work, but this works for me.

Jim
 
Thank you both for your replies, it seems as though it will be a time consuming project. I'll continue to look around for a less time consuming option, hopefully i'll find one.
 
Yes, good luck with that.

You might try to find a forum specifically for book illustrators. Have you tried directly contacting the artists of any of these kinds of illustrations?
 
ibclare said:
Yes, good luck with that.

You might try to find a forum specifically for book illustrators. Have you tried directly contacting the artists of any of these kinds of illustrations?
Click to expand...

I haven't actually and to be honest it never crossed my mind, but it's a very good idea. I think I'll get on to that now :)
 
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