How To for Texture Surface Improvement

[Faeryl.Womyn]

There are some beautiful textures out there, some already added as a set for clothes and some are texture packs you can use on your items.  Have you ever noticed how looking at a texture set made from something or the packs you get that show examples, they look wonderful in the preview images, but when you use them, they look blah.  Now some artists will tell you in the readme how to get the same look or instructions for the packs to get the most out of them, however, most do not.
This thread is to help you understand how textures work in your programs so your fabrics can look amazing as well.  Below are a couple of links that show how this is done.

The first explains how to use the surface tab to improve your textures and lots of image examples are given.  What you want are the surface tutorials...all 3 of them.

http://cypriththecat.deviantart.com/gallery/7825075

Texturing isn't just limited to fabric, it's important to have the right settings for skin as well.  the first and biggest problem for the new artist is getting rid of that shiny/plastic appearance on skin and clothes.  This tut explains how to do that.
http://kjherstin.deviantart.com/art/Plastic-Skin-Fix-105217932

A more advanced way of dealing with skin is shown here...
http://rawart3d.deviantart.com/art/Sub-Surface-Scattering-in-DS-306744678

New the next couple links an artist shows what she did for her renders, though by looking at them carefully you get an idea of how to use the same techniques yourself...
http://toadz.deviantart.com/art/Clothing-Mini-Tut-302709948
http://toadz.deviantart.com/art/Skin-and-Hair-Mini-Tut-302518883

Well that should certainly get your started on how best to use textures.  If anyone has tuts they would like to add to this then by all means please post them here.

[Trixie]

 :thy: very helpful links.

[Kerya]

Thank you very much!

[Agent0013]

Will look into them. Thanks.

[grange]

Thanks but no thanks, my images wouldn't look as crap then, so I would have nothing to complain about :)

[Faeryl.Womyn]

LOL Grange...not all your images are crap and besides, if you excel at textures and lighting, you can switch complaining to modelling...lol  The next big step.

[Faeryl.Womyn]

Sanbie if you want to move this to the tutorial area you can do so now.  I am going to fix the lights thread before giving the okay on there, some posts can be removed to make it more appropriate...lol

[sanbie]

Ok will do it later...