Shiny Hair

[StellaBaby]

Ahhhh now I know how to make my own hair texture (using motion blur...) and I want to know how to make it look shiny at the top like real hair.
I have GIMP and Paint.net
Help me please!

[BeosBoxBoy]

Stella - there are a few ways to do it - but they are complicated.

Successive layers of colour-burn and colour dodge may work; or a highly contrasted layer as a blending layer that "screens" or "multiplies" selective areas.  For the most part most of the good hair makers seem to use high resolution images of real hair to make their textures - or they are using a sophisticated "tube" or "brush" that I myself don't have installed.

Texture making is a very personalised thing.  Each artist has their own look or style.  Hair is no different.  I think you will be best served by experimenting with images of real hair and finding what you like best.

see this tuto - it is for a different game - but works just as well for TS2

[StellaBaby]

Thanks yakov!

[XPTL297]

I use a very complicated technique also but the only program I decided to have was Photoshop (tried many before my decision and was not satisfied with any of the others)
If your program works with layers, it is everything you need. You have also to have a minimum sense for light reflection. There is a gratis program that shoot light reflection for you but it is so big and unuseful that I do not recommend it.
My biggest trick in PS7 is to use the grey hair to simulate shine on the other colors. As is by Maxis the grey hair is mat and liveless but if you make it really to grey hair it becomes the base to make shiny. Check with your program if you have the possibility to work with color levels. It means, there's a graphic representation of colors where you can isolate a color and increase or decrease the amount of white and black on it. Red colors react very badly to increase of black and deform with increase of white, so you have no other way than use the old system (very much transparence and small brush and high amount of patience).
The best way to start is:
- load you hair texture
- copy it and paste it on the top to make a layer
- define where you want the light to reflect. Make some stripes or anything to define where the mesh present deformation. Some of Maxis meshes for example have add-ons that change the direction of the hair. It means if you make a straight line on it, the line will deform in one or another direction making it not to match. You have to calculate it self and the only methode I know to do it is - fail and learn.
If this can help I'm glad to help if you need.

[StellaBaby]

I found a way using gradients and the noise tool!

[BeosBoxBoy]

excellent =)

if you feel up to it write a tutorial for others?

[StellaBaby]

I will when I have some time

[BeosBoxBoy]

woohoo!  thank you StellaBaby!