Second Life Forums Archive - Clothing fabric

Hanna Fromund

Registered User

Join date: 28 Oct 2008

Posts: 1

10-04-2009 15:09

Hi all, I am looking for some advice regard bringing a realistic edge to the fabric of the clothes I create, to prevent it looking flat. I am confident with wrinkles and folds, what I am trying to figure out is how to give the fabric depth. An example of what I am trying to learn how to do is here:
https://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=1721018

If you look at the tshirt closely the fabric itself is finely textured, any tips on how I can go about recreating a similar effect?

Many thanks!

Rolig Loon

Not as dumb as I look

Join date: 22 Mar 2007

Posts: 2,482

10-04-2009 15:23

It's hard to tell from the pic, but that fabric may have been photosourced. I'm looking at the finished edge at the bottom, in particular. It's a fairly nice job of shading, in any case.

_____________________

It's hard to tell gender from names around here but if you care, Rolig = she. And I exist only in SL, so don't ask....

Look for my work in XStreetSL at

Casper Priestman

slightly demented

Join date: 27 Nov 2006

Posts: 144

10-04-2009 22:29

In photoshop as well as other graphics programs you have the ability to assign noise or a pattern to a layer. Scaling the pattern and selecting the right amount of blending/opacity should produce a textured look to the material.

Lee Ponzu

What Would Steve Do?

Join date: 28 Jun 2006

Posts: 1,770

10-05-2009 08:23

Another approach is to find some fabric you like the texture of, desaturate it, and add it as a layer. make it almost transparent, or use some layer effect such as multiply (experiment). The idea is to pick up the highlights and shadows and add them to your too flat texture

_____________________

So many monkeys, so little Shakespeare.

Namssor Daguerre

Imitates life

Join date: 18 Feb 2004

Posts: 1,423

10-05-2009 11:31

From: Hanna Fromund

If you look at the tshirt closely the fabric itself is finely textured, any tips on how I can go about recreating a similar effect?

Just to clarify - That image sample is NOT what that shirt texture will look like inside SL. It is an undistorted copy from a layered image file and not screen captured from an avatar. The fabric texture, and any overlaid graphic layers will distort once inside SL on the Avatar, and look very different from that image.

The fabric texturing on the shirt was likely drawn on flat texture layers. It does not follow the folds (which are hand drawn) or any wireframe distortion around the chest or sides (which map exactly to the SL wireframe template). The fabric sample could be photo sourced, or simply generated, but it's too hard to tell because of the low resolution of the image.

Whatever the sources are, this is an easy effect to do in Photoshop with any one of several layering effects (Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, etc.) on the fabric layer depending upon what you want it to look like. You will likely be drawing the fabric folds on another layer using an overlaid emboss effect.

Also, as already mentioned, you can use the "Layer Styles" to add a preloaded texture, and in that way, apply it using the various layer effects mentioned above. If you apply the texture to an embossing style you can even control the highlight and shading within the fabric texture in a rudimentary way.

If you are seeking ultimate realism (within the confines of a 512x512 texture) there are, of course, more sophisticated ways to apply fabric texture to the avatar with the aid of 3D painting applications (PS CS4 has this), model deformation, baked lighting, and material effects. Those will go outside the scope of working only with texture layers and into the realm of 3D modeling.

Clothing fabric
Hanna Fromund Registered User Join date: 28 Oct 2008 Posts: 1	10-04-2009 15:09 Hi all, I am looking for some advice regard bringing a realistic edge to the fabric of the clothes I create, to prevent it looking flat. I am confident with wrinkles and folds, what I am trying to figure out is how to give the fabric depth. An example of what I am trying to learn how to do is here: https://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=1721018 If you look at the tshirt closely the fabric itself is finely textured, any tips on how I can go about recreating a similar effect? Many thanks!
Rolig Loon Not as dumb as I look Join date: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2,482	10-04-2009 15:23 It's hard to tell from the pic, but that fabric may have been photosourced. I'm looking at the finished edge at the bottom, in particular. It's a fairly nice job of shading, in any case. _____________________ It's hard to tell gender from names around here but if you care, Rolig = she. And I exist only in SL, so don't ask.... Look for my work in XStreetSL at
Casper Priestman slightly demented Join date: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 144	10-04-2009 22:29 In photoshop as well as other graphics programs you have the ability to assign noise or a pattern to a layer. Scaling the pattern and selecting the right amount of blending/opacity should produce a textured look to the material.
Lee Ponzu What Would Steve Do? Join date: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 1,770	10-05-2009 08:23 Another approach is to find some fabric you like the texture of, desaturate it, and add it as a layer. make it almost transparent, or use some layer effect such as multiply (experiment). The idea is to pick up the highlights and shadows and add them to your too flat texture _____________________ So many monkeys, so little Shakespeare.
Namssor Daguerre Imitates life Join date: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 1,423	10-05-2009 11:31 From: Hanna Fromund If you look at the tshirt closely the fabric itself is finely textured, any tips on how I can go about recreating a similar effect? Just to clarify - That image sample is NOT what that shirt texture will look like inside SL. It is an undistorted copy from a layered image file and not screen captured from an avatar. The fabric texture, and any overlaid graphic layers will distort once inside SL on the Avatar, and look very different from that image. The fabric texturing on the shirt was likely drawn on flat texture layers. It does not follow the folds (which are hand drawn) or any wireframe distortion around the chest or sides (which map exactly to the SL wireframe template). The fabric sample could be photo sourced, or simply generated, but it's too hard to tell because of the low resolution of the image. Whatever the sources are, this is an easy effect to do in Photoshop with any one of several layering effects (Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, etc.) on the fabric layer depending upon what you want it to look like. You will likely be drawing the fabric folds on another layer using an overlaid emboss effect. Also, as already mentioned, you can use the "Layer Styles" to add a preloaded texture, and in that way, apply it using the various layer effects mentioned above. If you apply the texture to an embossing style you can even control the highlight and shading within the fabric texture in a rudimentary way. If you are seeking ultimate realism (within the confines of a 512x512 texture) there are, of course, more sophisticated ways to apply fabric texture to the avatar with the aid of 3D painting applications (PS CS4 has this), model deformation, baked lighting, and material effects. Those will go outside the scope of working only with texture layers and into the realm of 3D modeling.

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Clothing fabric