Seams and Wrinkles on Gimp

Hi all
I was wondering if anyone knows how to make seams look like they go in a bit or distort to make more 3d and how to make wrinkles stand out a bit more. Its for a shirt and i can't seem to figure it out.

One way to do this, as there are a few, is to create a new black layer.
Right click the layer and add a layer mask with full transparency. i.e. black.
Nothing will show, until...
You then paint onto the Alpha layer with white (and shades of grey) to allow the black to show through. This could be your shadow or wrinkle layer.
You can then use the "Mode" drop-box (at top of layers pallet) to change the way the colour is over-layed. I go through them by selecting one and then rolling the mouse through the list.
Look up "free gimp brushes" and you may find a lot to help with wrinkles. Even better, make your own.

The same with a white or highlight layer.
liberal use of layers for each effect is helpful. If another job needs the same layer just drag that layer to the other image.


It will also help to read the Alpha/transparency guide stickied at the top of this Texture forum. Good luck.

The illusion of 3-dimensions is achieved through highlight and shadow. To learn how to draw wrinkles with highlight and shadow, go to your local library and study art books, or google a phrase 'draw wrinkle'.

For Gimp-specific techniques for making highlights and shadows, check out my tutorial http://seshat-czeret.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-make-sl-clothes-in-gimp-part-3.html

One technique I didn't include in that tutorial, but intend to cover later, is bump mapping. However, googling the phrase 'gimp bump map tutorial' provides a variety of options for learning that.

Be aware that artists (graphic or traditional) spend weeks or months learning to make a nice wrinkle, and then spend the rest of their careers improving the natural-ness of wrinkles, folds, and highlights/shadows in general.
Don't expect to find a tutorial that just magically makes perfect wrinkles - instead, you'll get tutorials showing you the techniques to use, and what wrinkles tend to look like, and so forth.