Using filters on renders...

[Pendraia]

So...I've been chatting over on facebook with Vicki Leversedge over on facebook...I'm sure those on facebook know who I'm talking about. She does the most amazing renders I've ever seen. One very talented lady...

Anyway we were talking about what filter she uses on her renders and she was saying that there is often more than one filter and more than one layer. So I wondered...what is your favourite filter that you use again and again...also how do you use it, what sort of layer blends do you most frequently use.

After talking to Vicki I went and downloaded a heap more filters from filter forge. I only have version 3 but I don't use it frequently enough to justify buying a newer version.

Then I revisited my Ruckus render with Skuro to see what I could come up with using ff...here is the render I liked the best using colour dodge on the final layer.

 

[Digitell]

Beautiful image! Love the effect you produced. I love using filters too. I just bought Filter Forge recently when it was on sale. I have fun playing with the different filters and there are so many to download too.
I use overlay blend in Photoshop a lot too. Multiply and Screen too.

 

[tparo]

The ones I probably use the most are
HDRtist
Oil Painting
Another Water Colour
Post effects
H-D-Pseudo-R
I tend to use the layer at small % amounts
I also use the Xero filters as well especiall the lineart and lithograph ones.

 

[Miss B]

I've been using Filter Forge since version 1, though more so the past couple of years than I did in the beginning.

I can't say that I use FF, or built-in PS filters, for renders, but use them often when making tileable textures.

 

[Dakorillon (IMArts)]

Steve's Color Correction and Easy Correction, a lot
CGify often
I use the Filters in PD Howler most
And Auto color correction in Irfanview often, especially if a render or picture came out just a little too dark.
I'm starting to use the other filters in FF, I have version5 that I got from Giveawayoftheday recently, had 4 before that (also from Giveawayoftheday) So, just learning how to use it better. I really want to find some effects that give a more "digitally painted" look to renders, for use on book covers and the like.

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Photoshop Filters

Stylize Diffuse Anisotropic Mode
Watercolor​

Xero

Illustrator​

Filter Forge

Edge & Smooth Morpher
Artification
Soft Watercolours
Abstract Watercolor Sketchbook (sometimes for an overlay)​

I use Soft Light blend quite frequently followed by Lighter Color, sometimes Overlay or Multiply.

I will also use Photoshop's Auto Contrast and/or Auto Tone, and once in a while Auto Color on the original render.

I usually have scads of layers.

​

 

[Pendraia]

Beautiful image! Love the effect you produced. I love using filters too. I just bought Filter Forge recently when it was on sale. I have fun playing with the different filters and there are so many to download too.
I use overlay blend in Photoshop a lot too. Multiply and Screen too.

Thanks, it's got about 4 duplicate layers with different filters applied. I use overlay a lot for textures and renders, multiplay, screen and soft light also. I sometimes use pin light and colour dodge when I hit upon a nice effect.

You're right about so many to download even with version 3 I've not looked at them all yet. 268 pages and I've only gotten to page 5.

The ones I probably use the most are
HDRtist
Oil Painting
Another Water Colour
Post effects
H-D-Pseudo-R
I tend to use the layer at small % amounts
I also use the Xero filters as well especiall the lineart and lithograph ones.

Thanks Tparo, yes I agree small amounts often work best. I start at 100% and go down by half each time. If I overshoot I do increase by half of the last layer and the one before if that makes sense.
Thanks for the info on the filters I will have to check them out.

I've been using Filter Forge since version 1, though more so the past couple of years than I did in the beginning.

I can't say that I use FF, or built-in PS filters, for renders, but use them often when making tileable textures.

Hey Miss B, that's how I've tended to use it, mainly using the filters inside ps for renders and not doing huge amounts of postwork on the renders as I always wanted to see what I could push the render engine to achieve(still have a lot of work there) but seeing Vicki's outstanding renders I thought I would give it a try and see what happens.

Steve's Color Correction and Easy Correction, a lot
CGify often
I use the Filters in PD Howler most
And Auto color correction in Irfanview often, especially if a render or picture came out just a little too dark.
I'm starting to use the other filters in FF, I have version5 that I got from Giveawayoftheday recently, had 4 before that (also from Giveawayoftheday) So, just learning how to use it better. I really want to find some effects that give a more "digitally painted" look to renders, for use on book covers and the like.

Thanks Dakorillon for the info. Giveawayoftheday is good. My husband checks it out sometimes I must remember to check more frequently. When I was downloading filters yesterday I noticed they have 80% off at the moment if anyone is interested.

Photoshop Filters

Stylize Diffuse Anisotropic Mode
Watercolor​

Xero

Illustrator​

Filter Forge

Edge & Smooth Morpher
Artification
Soft Watercolours
Abstract Watercolor Sketchbook (sometimes for an overlay)​

I use Soft Light blend quite frequently followed by Lighter Color, sometimes Overlay or Multiply.

I will also use Photoshop's Auto Contrast and/or Auto Tone, and once in a while Auto Color on the original render.

I usually have scads of layers.

​

Hey Satira, you must have a more recent version of ps then I own. I don't think I've seen stylize Diffuse anisotropic mode. I do use Watercolour a lot though. I will have to check on Filter Forge and Zero for the ones you mentioned.

When creating textures I use lots of layers and filters. I recently created this one using Ron's Angel Dust brushes which I made in lots of different colours.

 

[Miss B]

That looks nice Pen.

 

[Pendraia]

Thanks Miss B...I made it specifically for a texture I'm doing. The outfit's not out yet but NGArtplay has kindly let me have an advance copy of the objects to play with. I'd post a render because I'm really happy with it so far but I need to check if it's alright first. Lots of layers and filters on the dress texture a well.

 

[Miss B]

Ohhh, look forward to seeing it.

 

[Satira Capriccio]

I use Photoshop CS5 Extended, but it was available at least as far back as CS3.

Anisotropic softens all the pixels in the image.

The first filters I use are to soften the image. Before I switched to the 64 bit Photoshop, I used Fantastic Machine Mass Poster followed by Diffuse Anisotropic to soften the image. But, there isn't a 64 bit version of Fantastic Machine, so I've had to find a substitute. I'm not entirely happy with Filter Forge Edge & Smooth Morpher, but it's the closest I've been able to get to Mass Poster. I still follow it with Diffuse Anisotropic, and then Watercolor (Brush Detail 14, Shadow Intensity 0, Texture 1). I follow that with a copy of the original render set to Lighter Color Opacity 80% which brings back some of the detail, but leaves the softening.

A Soft Watercolour layer may or may not get shoved in there too.

Artification and Illustrator (Soft Light, various opacities) lightens the image and gives it that a bit of a drawing look.

I also use masks a lot which I render in Poser. Idea being that the background gets more of a softened/watercolorish feel, while the figure or foreground objects get detail added back in.

 

[Lorraine]

This is so interesting! As a former photographer my style has always been toward realism but I've always admired the painterly renders I see on the forums and I might just have to step outside my comfort zone!

 

[Miss B]

I use Photoshop CS5 Extended, but it was available at least as far back as CS3.

My PS CS2 has it as well. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Pendraia]

Thanks for pointing it out Satira...I don't use Stylize much, I have used texture and use offset under other all the time for making seamless textures.

It's fun Lorraine...I don't normally use filters on renders but have occasionally.

 

[Lorraine]

I did have fun with my G2F render, Pen! I'm going to try some other filters tomorrow. I think I should have used a background layer and not made the effect so strong. All good learning!

 

[Dragonsegg]

Recently I have gotten interested in non-photorealistic render styles mostly because of a thread over in the DAZ forums. It has a lot of discussion about filters and how to get an illustrated or cartoon look to your renders. I don't use DAZ studio software myself but I still find the thread useful. Here is a link to the DAZ forum thread for those that haven't already run across it. Non-photorealistic Renders (NPR) . There are some really talented people posting in the thread.

One of the things they discussed that I found fun to try out was taking a render and converting it through Deepart (deepart.io - become a digital artist ) in the style of your favorite artists. You can't get a very large image for free but it is fun to play with. Here is an example of a Ruckus render that was converted to a more primitive style.

 

[Digitell]

Here is a neat effect I got using photoshop blend "Divide"! It is fun playing..

 

[Pendraia]

Lovely work Digitell and Dragonsong.

 

[Digitell]

Thank you Pendraia!

 

[Digitell]

Recently I have gotten interested in non-photorealistic render styles mostly because of a thread over in the DAZ forums. It has a lot of discussion about filters and how to get an illustrated or cartoon look to your renders. I don't use DAZ studio software myself but I still find the thread useful. Here is a link to the DAZ forum thread for those that haven't already run across it. Non-photorealistic Renders (NPR) . There are some really talented people posting in the thread.

One of the things they discussed that I found fun to try out was taking a render and converting it through Deepart (deepart.io - become a digital artist ) in the style of your favorite artists. You can't get a very large image for free but it is fun to play with. Here is an example of a Ruckus render that was converted to a more primitive style.

Fantastic! I am always looking for ways to my my work look more like an illustration. Thanks so much for the links!