Photo-Source or Handrawn?

Hi I have a question for all the clothing creators out there, do most of you photo source or do you hand draw clothing?

Do a lot of people use textures and what websites do you get them from and what are the favourite photo sourcing sites?

I'm just starting too create my own clothing so I was curious what is the most popular, me personally I use a bit of both hand drawing and photo sourcing.

Thank you all for taking the time too answer this.

some people build 3d models of their clothing, and render it.

The more tools and resources you have the better off you are. Photosourcing is nice combined with image projection techniques, although hand rendering is something that inevitably will be used no matter what the texturing process is. There are always corrections and touch ups to be made.

It is best to look at each clothing project individually and make an educated guess as to which technique will get the best results the fastest. Wrinkled jeans are probably best created with photosourcing. A spandex super hero outfit is probably best done with a combination of hand rendering and baked lighting. The list goes on from there.

Hi Namssor what do you mean by baking, I have never heard of this before, what would that achieve?

Can you recommend any good places with images of clothing. I've tried Rampage.com; they are quite good but not an awful lot of selection to choose from.

Also I find I struggle with creating opaque clothing, the clothing appears in white not see through like it should. Maybe I’m doing a step wrong.

I'd appreciate any tips or links too tutorials out there. I've read through all the common ones that are posted on here.

When I first started making clothes (not in SL) I used photos a lot. But as I've learned more I've gradually gotten to where I do almost everything from scratch.

Does this include the tutorials and links found in the texturing forum? Almost all your questions listed above have answers in that forum (most stickied at the top). You will want to research and key word search "alpha" channels and "baked" lighting in that forum. Also, there are quite a few knowledgeable people over there that like to answer technical questions related to texturing avatars. They won't directly answer questions like the ones above, but will probably point to a thread where the answer is already posted.

Yes i been through the Texture forums and read through most the posts, I still have not found anything that helps me though.

One of my favorite photosourcing sites is:

http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/home.do?tid=815&ev=OWMUN12212007&di=44389856&cd=ONNC_OPR

looks a good website, thank you MoxZ

I'm glad you're getting some good answers, Kagome, but please don't double post. This is a texturing question; it belongs in the texturing forum. Putting it in the wrong place is bad enough. Putting it in multiple places is an absolute no-no.

MoxZ, have you read the terms and conditions for that site? It states pretty clearly that you are not to use their imagery for making SL clothing or anything else, and you absolutely cannot redistribute their photos in any form, whether you've altered them or not. Allow me to quote the relevant portion here for you:



That last sentence is the most important part. You MAY NOT create derivative works from anything on the site. That includes making SL clothing from the images, obviously.

Please respect copyright. Those photos don't belong to you. Don't use them.

If you want to use them, write a letter to Old Navy and ask. If they say yes, great. If they say no, live with it. And if they don't respond at all, that's the same as saying no, under the law.

It doesn't seem as if photographs made of clothes lying flat would look quite right when used as textures for clothes being worn...

I tried photosourcing in the beginning of my creating clothes

but then decided to go with completely handdrawn, and much prefer hand drawn

for one thing no one can say I ripped it off from anywhere else, because it came from my head, my hand my mouse

Also I tend to like hand drawn for wearing as well.

I am not by any stretch of the word, a popular designer in SL, however I do have fun, and it is a personal challenge to see what I can do with just photoshop and SL

(my latest creation is ... or was rather difficult for me... but I am finally saying it is done, else I will drive myself insane LOL)

I strive for perfection, and sadly I will never attain it hehe

Perfection is elusive.

which is why I will never attain perfection hehe

I am my own worst critic, and have deleted more things than I have put out for sale

I tend to hand draw my own textures be it for clothes or building related with few exceptions here and there.
Image below though I borrowed the hope diamonds from the Smithsoian.

I start with photos to get inspiration or ideas, but never felt right just photosourcing an outfit. I may use a fabric texture, but by the time I'm finished with it, I've done so much to it that it is my texture without anything of the original left. What I consider to be my best works are things I've done myself. Photosourcing is easy, and a good way to learn how things are done but...as soon as I could do things on my own, I did.

Good luck with it. It's difficult to get anywhere in the clothing market in SL right now. It's flooded with creators, and since things never wear out, people don't need to buy clothing all the time. Also, you can only create so many original things. Thirdly, there's so much for free out there as it is...

and add into that mix SL with it's many problems ppl are afraid to shop

For the feeling of total satisfaction, hand-drawn is the way to go. There's no nicer feeling than someone saying they love your clothes or textures.

I agree. The shading and draping looks completely wrong and IME the texture often seems out of scale.

But also, speaking as a customer, I find that too obviously photosourced items just look out of place inworld to me, however well done. Paradoxically they appear more unreal than the best quality hand-drawn things. It's not just clothes but other items too. I prefer skillful hand-drawing or a well executed blend of photo and drawn.

--
Aes

QFT when you're in cartoon world anything too realistic will look out of place.

Don't get me wrong I mean I do hand draw my own stuff i just use photo-sourcing as a guide, it helps me find the direction i'm looking for. I have a store in world and i'm not very popular yet lol but I hope too make a few sales.

Chosen i'm very sorry too have posted it twice in both forums but as i was told too find the answers i was looking for in the texturing forum i did.

*rolls eyes*
I'm sorry but i have too ask what is the big deal if i post something twice in too different sections. I've noticed others do it and they never get told it's wrong too do this, so why is it such a big no no, i mean it's not like we are causing any problems?

Nope...never read that. I've had this site bookmarked for over a year and this must have been a recent addition. Ok scratch that. I surely wouldn't steal textures from anyone or any business that forbade such use.

Incidentally, I haven't photosourced anything since my Sims2 days...which has been almost a year now. Outside of a t'shirt, I haven't really given clothing a thought in SL.

Keeping the forums organized is a huge deal, Kagome. It's extremely important, for a great many reasons. Double posting is bad because it wastes resources, splinters discussions, and destroys organization. I've never encountered a forum that allows it, including this one.

If you think that's something to roll your eyes at, maybe you shouldn't be here. I'd much rather you stay, but it's no one's best interest, including yours, for you to do so if you don't value the rules.

This is a bit out of line chosen, I for one would like to see Kagome stay, no matter if they roll their eyes at your comments or not (that was how I took the eye roll) or if it was meant the way you took it I still think your comment was out of line and would like to see Kagome stay.

It is not your place or any of ours to say who should or should not be here, and when painting with such a broad brush as to state that it is no one's best interest includes anyone who reads here.

I would like to see Kagome stay, it is not in MY best interest to see them leave. If you dislike people double posting, then stick with one forum and you will not see it, OR copy and paste your comment in each and every thread you see double posted (by double post I mean posting same thing in more than one area)

Valuing the rules and bending them a little is two separate things, I do not see someone not valuing the rules, I simple see someone bending them, hoping to get feedback and following the example that is being set by many other posters.

It is not up to us to police the forums, (I remember when I tried, I learned quickly it is not my place) it is up to the linden in charge and if she wants to do something about double posting she will.

Have a nice day. (I am sure I will get flamed and slammed and put down, just like you do to anyone else who speaks out against you)