a couple of skin patterns I made

[singlecore]

I have a cheap camera and often the skin looks textureless so I add some in.

Make an empty layer, paint on the face area with 50% grey, set layer mode to soft light.
double click the layr to get blending options, and click on the pattern overlay text to get the options and choose one of my skin patterns, scale to taste then choose the softlight blend option.
back in the layers pallete reduce the layer opacity.

Alternatively just click on the half black half white circle at bottom of layers pallete and choose pattern, then choose the pattern you want, then invert the layer mask and paint white on the skin area.
I often use both the patterns on differnt layers at different opacities.
so if you think you have skin that is too smooth and lifeless you could try this.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/504z8lzzbs7cc4d/skin-texture.pat?dl=0

[klev]

Re: a couple of skin patterns I made

Patterns don't account for surface orientation, lighting relative to that surface orientation or any real subtle differences. They can be scaled appropriately, which is necessary. You would be better off using a small amount of noise as necessary.

[singlecore]

Re: a couple of skin patterns I made

I've tried noise but it doesn't give me any texture, sort of like pores or little bumbs in the skin surface. Anyway I only use it at low opacities for a sublte effect but it is of course a matter of taste.

[klev]

Re: a couple of skin patterns I made

I've tried noise but it doesn't give me any texture, sort of like pores or little bumbs in the skin surface. Anyway I only use it at low opacities for a sublte effect but it is of course a matter of taste.

I didn't say it would grant texture. It grants obfuscation, making it feel less flat there. I find the pattern stuff looks weird, because it is devoid of lighting and orientation.

[skoobey]

Re: a couple of skin patterns I made

I didn't say it would grant texture. It grants obfuscation, making it feel less flat there. I find the pattern stuff looks weird, because it is devoid of lighting and orientation.

Exactly. This works in zbrush because you brush in shape, and the program gives you the light. You can't expect anything but time consuming painting to give you a realistic replacement for all the images, because lighting is never the same.