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AdaraRosalie — Lighting Effects Tutorial
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Published: 2010-01-31 10:40:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 3379; Favourites: 63; Downloads: 203
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I was asked today if I have any tips on creating highlights and shadows on stock models, so I have created this tutorial to help you along your way.This one is for you Meridith [link] I hope you find it useful and thank you so much for your kind comments and wonderful questions. Wishing you all the best.
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Comments: 8
perfect!
shadows/highlights are one of my biggest weaknesses when creating manips.
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Thank you. It is a surprise to hear you so that, when you have such wonderful manipulations and are so talented! Funny thing is, I learn't a lot from your own tutorials, so thank you!
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Oh you are my new best friend!! Thank you so much for taking the time to put together this tutorial. You have no idea how much you are helping me!! Much love to you!
Since you have become my expert....next q....lol. Now if you have the lighting coming at her from the angle you used above.....would that create a long shadow on the ground too? On a dark background....its easier to mask shadaows so that they still look ok when you dont know what your doing cuz they are noticable....but on the piece that I am working on....the lighting source seems to be coming in semi low from the side and in the piece of stock I used before I did the render on the model, you can tell that theres a long shadow beside her....am having a really hard time doing that on the very light background that im using and it is definately missing its shadow...its not something I can leave out. Does this make any sense?
Since you took the time to do a tutorial for me, I will do a critiqu on your amazing tutorial. Let me just put together the right words.
Thanks so much love!! Your the best!!
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It was my pleasure, I needed a break from photoshop for a while and your question put me back in the mood. LOL
When you consider light sources you also need to consider the position of the model. My light source in this image is bright and the model is sitting closer to the ground so the shadow will be tight around the ground area on which she is sitting. So the shadow will be darker as well.
You stock image has a semi-low light source source, could you consider this light a late afternoon light? If it is then the shadow will be long and faint enough that it will leave the impression of a shadow and darken the already shadowed areas that it will cast upon (i.e. rock shadows will become darker in the models shadow).
If the model stock comes with the shadow, don't crop that area away, use your eraser tool at a low opacity and work it into the background. It will help you and keep it natural. You can also separate the models shadow from her and just change the opacity so that it also blends into the background and the model stock stocks background doesn't show though to wreck your image.
The best way to determine shadows, as I was taught, is to observe the shadows around you. Try standing in your back yard in the afternoon when the sun is beginning to set and look at the shadow you cast. You can also put objects in front of a lamp and see what shape and how dark the contrast of the shadow becomes. Experiment here.
It is a very useful way to learn about different shadows.
That is so sweet of you to leave me a critique!
Many hugs,
Jayderosalie (adara)
P.S try and stay away from using the drop shadow tool on your models, the shadow it casts never sits well with your images and can make your model look like a separate image. I would suggest using my other tutorial on how to create a shadow.
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i dont even know what the drop shadow tool is so we are good to go there. and yes, your tutorial was wonderful. the lighting is low so its long shadows im trying to work with and i couldnt use the shadow from the origional stock cuz its on the grass and i dont have grass in my background....its like white sand dunes....see my problem? and I have been paying attention more to shadows and lighting in the real world now that ive been doing photomanipulations (or trying to do photomanipulations....lol)oh! i just got what u mean by using the origional stock....oh good idea!!
i seriously appreciate this! you have no idea how much ur helping me!!
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My pleasure. I know how hard it was for me to learn my way around Photoshop and all the techniques to get the desired effects that you are looking for. I am still learning! If you keep at it and fiddle around with all the tools and applications you will learn everything about photoshop and a few extra tricks on the side that will make your art unique.
I cant wait to see what your artwork will look like when you are finished. Keep me posted?
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most definately! and just so u know, i credited you on my last piece since i used ur hair painting tutorial. i thought id spread some love to let u know how thankful i am for ur help!
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