Basic 3D Coat Painting
Entry posted by YouGroove ·
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This tutorials will show the basics of painting diffuse/normal/specular maps in 3D coat.
We will start with a new 3D character ( made in Sculptris also)
So let's start 
Import model in 3D Coat for painting with basic color and baked normal map form 3D Coat :
Colors testing and blocking :
- select Layer color only
- uncheck Specular and normal map channels , we will paint full color only
As main character in TPS view i want to highlight the character from behind,
so for color deisgn i will use bright colors
You can test mixing two colors to see if they match :
- a base color
- with brush make a quick paint over with low opacity
Normal map Quick clothes drawing :
-Uncheck normal map channel
-Draw some lines with pen and some 55% normal map height
Draw smooth in lines sides :
SHIFT + Draw with normal map checked channel
Need more detail ?
Draw thin lines this times on normal map channel only
You can smooth only one side of the lines and keep a strong deep height on the other
Other method :
You can draw holes or creases : Draw Tool + CTRL Than smooth
It's important also to smooth end and begin of line to make it blend smoothly with whole object.
Now choose some mask for the pen.
We will paint on normal map channel with a light density such as 5-10% to bring details on clothes
The result with UV lwo on pants, is too strong
Use airbrush and smooth the normal map :
Draw + SHIFT
Once it's ok, paint a darker color on some cavity of normal map to make volume more visible and add sense of depth
Some clothes part i don't want like trousers fully light absorb material
but some sort of composite one, that will shine lightly :
-Choose a color
-Block normal map channel
-Unblock Specular and choose some 15% Value
Same technique as red clotes parts :
Draw on normal map + Smooth
Practice : only experience will show you how to do it well enought
The best would have been to sculpt in 3D the clothes details before baking as it is lot more precise and give better , direct result.
Some green details :
- high light reflection : draw diffuse and specular only with 100% specular
The gloves are like trousers fully light absorption material.
I want gloves to be more synthetic material style.
If we paint directly specular the gloves will look more like plastic or metal than fiber clothes.
To make it more synthetic and fiber :
- Choose a detail mask
- Choose some around 29% specularity
- Choose a slighty brighter same color
and paint on gloves
Full Metallic boots:
- choose 100% specular and some color
- paint the boots
We will paint some dirt or dust.
- Choose lower specular like 12%
- Choose some mask
- Choose a darker color
-Paint on creases, deep normal map parts and some other surfaces that could receive dirt or keep it
Paint some SSAO, or cavity parts that would receive also lightly some dirt/Dust
- Choose a darker color
- PAint progressively with aribrush on color channel only
We will paint more paint a layer of green painting degradation on metal.
To look like the boots was green paint, but the paint got used and disappeared/used over time.
- choose some green dark color and airbrush tool with some 80% opacity
- Choose specular at 0%
- choose a good mask
And paint alternatively :
-smaller radius pen on bigger areas
-bigger radius pen on bigger areas
One it's done you'll have shiny and less shiny parts with some old green paint that has been degraded over time.
We will add some layer of rust/dirt
- choose brown dark color
- Normal map to some 25 % depth
- 0% Specular
Paint on surfaces and cavity to make look boots more dirty or rusted
Paint main metal armor to full specular 100%
Paint with a darker color on diffuse, on the clothes :
some SSAO or light dirt/dust to avoid some clean separation between clothes and armor
With specular 15% and a mask and two main color themes
we will paint rust and dirt on some armor cavity parts using aribrush tool
It works great when you need a realistic touch on metal
Paint again these two colors with mask :
mainly on joints and seams/creases/cavity parts of the armor
Do same now on some surface parts :
We want to show the character has travelled and been on terrain a lot
Drawing scratches on metal :
Choose some good pen , adjust it's size to smallest possible
Choose :
- 100% Specular
- Almost full white color
- 70-95 opacity
Paint on polygon and normal map edges mainly
It's done quick and not very precise, but it works.
For the helmet we will go Iron man inspiration :
I painted 3 materials colors and 3 specular settings :
- 0% on dark color
- 50% on red
- 100% on yellow
This ot have 3 different materials
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1 ) Using maks and like previously :
- low specular like 10¨%
- darker color
Draw some dirt/dust with darker color on joints , creases
And some planes surfaces
Like previously :
-Specular 100%
-Almost white color
-Smallest pen size
Draw scratches on metal edges
For the back pack :
As synthetic material, we will paint some detail on normal map channel
- choose same color
- choose a mask
- choose 5-7% normal map strenght
- Choose some 27% Specular for metarial shinyness
Again :
-Darker color with Aribrush
-Draw on small and big cavity areas some dirt/dust
model review :
It seems some parts use full simple color without color variation , good for cartoon style,
but as i started some part to have some light realistic style i'll do same for these parts
First : we will change red color, it don't match a lot finally for what i wanted
-Choose Fill tool
-Choose other color
-Choose Specular for synthetic to 6% (over it wiil look too much shiny), it must shine but really lightely
We will fill finally arms and lower clothes
s
And paint on normal map cavity a darker green color with 0% specular to make color variation and highligh cavity
Same for legs we will fill them with a draker color to keep homogenous darker colors lightening theme
Pick green color and specular values
Change green color to a greener one and fill side pockets
Paint some shadows/Dirt
Paint with 100% specular some metal lightening detail
So it is done for now with some Mid cartoon/mid realistic painting.
We would work some more like make darker the back pack to same tones as other colors, but well it's not for realistic game, so it's ok.
I hope you enjoyed this 3D coat painting basics tutorial 
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