Hi all, This question is specifically for those who use any of Nirvy's hair kit products. For this exercise, I used Photoshop Elements 2, but I think these questions are equally applicable for any graphics program with layers. How do you obtain fullness, sheen, variability of color etc. from these hair brushes ? In the sample image, I have selected one of Nirvy's brushes and - using the Brush Tool - have stamped this lock of hair a few times. If I stamp any of the hair brushes (not just this one) once, it remains semi-transparent even when the Opacity is set to 100% (1). If I stamp it a number of times, I just get a dead flat patch (2). I always paint or stamp the hair each time onto a new layer. For each layer, I've tried varying the color slightly. I've also played with the dodge and burn tool. No matter what I try though, I always end up with a frustrating mess on my hands. Can anyone recommend any good techniques to obtain good realistic looking hair from Nirvy's tools ?? Thanks in advance. regards, Andrew

Is this the PSD layers you are talking about? In the readme for the hair kit it says "HOW TO APPLY: Save an image in a format that supports layers (i.e. Poser in the PSD format). Open your image in any graphics program. Choose a layer or more of hair. Copy and paste.Rotate, mirror, alter colors, flip,cut, do whatever you think would look good on your images, cut parts of the hair and add them under the previous layers or above. Your imagination is the limit. Open your poser image - open the hair PSD, copy the hair paste to the image of the figure, then resize it as required - alter the hue and saturation move it where you want it, etc, - whatever you want - I have both kits and get good results from them.

I bought Nirveys' Hairkit 3 last week. I just finished my first attempt. There are two ways to use the hairkit. The first are the layers described by Engel47. The second is to paint the hair on using the brushes. This is a more elaborate process. It requires painting the hair in layers, modifying color and position, then you can use the dodge/burn tool to apply hilites etc. I've found the kit fun to use. Keep experimenting. Bill

I am talking about using the brushes. The tutorials, which I have read, talk about the use of a specific PSD which you apply and transform in repeated layers. With the brushes, I am not getting any mileage whatsoever. How do you get body and depth using the brushes ? ....

paint, smudge, dodge and burn in a quite long but theraputic process :-)

That may be the case, but do you have any tips or instructions on how to undertake this successfully ?

Manikin Flesh, that is totally awesome! Mathman, Hair Kit III is made to be used as Manikin Flesh has. To paint hair you usually need a pen tablet and a program as Photoshop 7 that has dynamics so I added the brushes for those that do not have a pentablet and cannot get the thickness of the strands easily with a mouse. I'm not familiar with PS Elements 2 but the brushes, as specified in the Read Me: "The brushes are for Adobe's Photoshop 7 OR ABOVE." They really shoudn't be used on their own to make hair but along with the actual psd layers of hair. If you want to use the brushes alone, you should create a base for the hair first and then follow gillbrooks' instructions. If you don't make a base, I would start by selecting your color range and make a double stamp brush on a first layer using the darkest color "multiply 100% opacity", and continue with each tone of color (at least 5 color tones of the selected color) and then dodge and burn. Does this answer your question? :) Let me know!

Attached Link: http://nirvanasdreamland.com/hairpainting1/hairpainting1/tutorial_hair_painting_1.html

This is one of the Hair tutorials I wrote for Renderosity's Interactive Magazine on hair painting. I can now use it for the public so you may give a look...it should help you make a hair base but hey also to paint hair! LOL!

You'll also find a link to download the tut on part III.Enjoy!

Thanks, Nirvy. How's this ? I think I'm getting somewhere at last.

Yup, you sure are! This is great and no background!!! :) When you have a background it's easier cause it kind of blends with any transparent spots! Cool! I'm glad! Thanks for showing me! Have a great day! :)

That hair looks like spaghetti.

Mathman, I think that's spectacular hair, and I'm a tough sell. The tousels look so real-- maybe less so right above her stage left eye but everywhere else it's classic pixie. Not spagetti, not even spagettini or linguini.;) Em

Thanks, queri. I don't think it looked like spaghetti either, although I do concede that the hair looks a little bit wiry. My only concern is that it looks a bit like a wig, I probably should have exposed a bit of the hairline to make it look a bit more authentic. regards, Andrew

It's a great improvement and at least you're getting the hang of it. It's in back of the ear by the back of the neck, there is a gap and that is also causing a bit of wig effect. The hair pieces have shadows, those shadows are needed to create the real hair effect in the front and the back. The brushes keep a bit of shadow also. Hey practice makes perfect. Use the smudge tool at 14 like I say in the tut. No matter what will always need the right touchups...lol! You'll get it right no worry. Spaghetti, geeeeesh! Like I said hair on a white background is much harder to make look real...Take care! ...and something else: don't cut off the stray strands, they make the hair look more natural, let em hang in front of her face or whatever. :)

Message edited on: 10/07/2004 01:10

Thanks, Nirvy. I actually used a couple of the touchup brushes to add the stray strands on the front of the face. Can you elaborate a bit more on how to use the shadows (with the hair pieces) ? regards, Andrew

See the shadow? You should leave that. The touchup brushes have only a few strands just for that reason, to add a few strands but only with the same hair piece or brush. The best is to try and find a piece that fits your poser image size. An error in the first 3 kits: the pieces are not 300 dpi so resizing entails sharpening and contrast sometimes. The next kit will be totally 300dpi.I hope this helps a bit more.Have a cool day!:)