Simple Render Tutorial

[Neetso]

Yo, Guild!
Maybe I'm not the first one to figure out this, but this is a technique that certainly facilitate the creation of renders. It's a somewhat simple process because it focuses around the basic portraits with white background. The following tutorial requires a basic knowledge of Gimp, but I'm sure the main idea can be easily adapted to Photoshop:



First, open the source image in the editor and split it into 3 layers:



• The top layer is there for reference, and thus will have no alteration - turn off it's visibility by now.



In the botton layer, use the Fuzzy Select Tool and just erase the background in the simple way. Then go to Colors tab > Colorize... and adjust the lightness to make the layer entirely white.






In the middle layer, go to the Layer tab > Transparency > Color to Alpha... By default it converts all the white of the layer to a transparent channel, so just click in OK.






See what happened? The main shape and the colors/outlines of the image are now in separate layers. The main aspect of this technique is that all outlines are preserved during the process!





Now, the remaining work consists of tweaking the "Shape" layer based on the "Outline" layer and the top reference. Make a additional layer on the bottom, entirely black, and with the Eraser Tool remove the sharp edges of the image shape to the same level as the outlines.



• Use the Paintbrush Tool with a white color to fill the areas that should not be erased;
• Toggle the visibility of Reference layer a good amount of times to make sure the render is accurate in all backgrounds.


When you see the work is done, merge the two main layers and save the new render! It's up to you if additional cleanup is required on the other colors.


That's it, I hope this quick tutorial is enough understandable. Here's my first results as of now, with the Capcom vs. SNK 2 crew:

Spoiler (click to show)

[HadeS]

Thanks for sharing, NDSilva! This is neat!

[GENOCIDE CUTTAH XIV]

Haha i've been using this all this time and kept it a secret and very dear. Haha to think that someone else would start using it too.
But theres a faster way to get rid of the white outlines. Im not gonna reveal it tho haha.

[Markpachi]

You could probably use the "Stroke" function, usually found (in Photoshop, at least) by double-clicking a layer in the Layers tab so that it will have a border, but this time around, set it 'inwards', so that the white layer will be covered.

Sloppy way of working, in my opinion, and might even still have some white left at the end, but it will surely speed things up for you, or for anyone who'll make renders like this.

[JustNoPoint]

Haha i've been using this all this time and kept it a secret and very dear. Haha to think that someone else would start using it too.
But theres a faster way to get rid of the white outlines. Im not gonna reveal it tho haha.

Asshole much?