Portraits

[Messier-31]

 

I've run into a problem with just using filters. You can get something resembling the watercolour art style with filters except when the portrait has black or very dark background which all the portraits I'm using has. Eraser works I guess but man that's some extra work when talking about lots of portraits.

 

Well, if it helps, for this portrait I mostly used that editor's Sketch2 in Art at some 60%, then played with Skin Tanning, Color Saturation and Brightness in Adjust. All very noob friendly.

 

 

Thank You!

[Aramintai]

On a more serious note - use Photoshop    Can't get 100% authenticity without it:

 

 

 

 

Btw, the game scales pictures so they don't have to be of recommended size, can be bigger, just need to maintain correct aspect ratio.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Aramintai

[Messier-31]

On a more serious note - use Photoshop    Can't get 100% authenticity without it:

(...)

Btw, the game scales pictures so they don't have to be of recommended size, can be bigger, just need to maintain correct aspect ratio.

 

Thanks for all the hints, but I'm kinda noobish in PS, so I'll probably stick with the link You provided.

 

Question: these rough edges, they are automatically created in-game, aren't they?

[Aramintai]

 

On a more serious note - use Photoshop    Can't get 100% authenticity without it:

(...)

Btw, the game scales pictures so they don't have to be of recommended size, can be bigger, just need to maintain correct aspect ratio.

 

Thanks for all the hints, but I'm kinda noobish in PS, so I'll probably stick with the link You provided.

 

Question: these rough edges, they are automatically created in-game, aren't they?

 

I'm a noob too, and it wasn't easy, but I guess Google helped me level up a bit . I suppose I can try to lend a hand now if you send me your custom portrait.

 

Rough torn edges are made within the game, yea.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Aramintai

[dragubaba]

The Sketch2 filter screws up black hair completely. I feel very stupid but I can't get anything close out of that web photo editor that you could.

[Aramintai]

The Sketch2 filter screws up black hair completely. I feel very stupid but I can't get anything close out of that web photo editor that you could.

What's your picture? Post the biggest one you have and I'll see what I can do.

 

Also, some more practice fodder - one of the portraits from previous pages:

 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Aramintai

[Aramintai]

And another:

[Aramintai]

Some more work done by request (edited for HD res):

 

Original:

 

Version 1 (SD):

 

 

Version 2 (SD):

 

 

Version 3 (HD):

 

 

Version 4 (HD):

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by Aramintai

[Heijoushin]

Amazing work! I don't suppose you would consider doing this one?

 

 

It's one of my favorite portraits ever for a female character.

[Aramintai]

Amazing work! I don't suppose you would consider doing this one?

 

whitehair.png

 

It's one of my favorite portraits ever for a female character.

Sure, why not. Is this the biggest picture size you have? The bigger the picture, the better the result.

[Aramintai]

Something like this:

 

[blotter]

I have to agree with the others, I'm seeing wonderful work here.

 

If you don't mind me tossing another on the pile, I have a request of my own.

 

 

It's fairly crude since I cobbled it together from bits of other images and I'm obviously no expert on blending them, but having gone to the trouble in the first place, I'm somewhat attached to it.

[Aramintai]

I have to agree with the others, I'm seeing wonderful work here.

 

If you don't mind me tossing another on the pile, I have a request of my own.

 

 

It's fairly crude since I cobbled it together from bits of other images and I'm obviously no expert on blending them, but having gone to the trouble in the first place, I'm somewhat attached to it.

Well, dayym, this is the toughest one yet. So many...edges 

I've done what I could but it may have proven itself to be too...edgy for me  :

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by Aramintai

[blotter]

Well, dayym, this is the toughest one yet. So many...edges 

 

 

I've done what I could but it may have proven itself to be too...edgy for me  :

 

 

 

If anything, I think you managed to make it look more seamless and well-executed than the original. Much obliged.

[kierun]

@Aramintai

 

Could you make a tutorial of how you do these?

 

Thank you for doing those for people. It is nice to see someone going the extra mile. ☺

[Heijoushin]

Hey Aramintai, thank you so much for doing a watercolor version of that portrait! I'm definitely going to use that for my first proper Deadfire run. You're a legend, man!     

[dam]

It seems the portrait style changed. This is probably not news, but I only just saw it in the Neketaka video. Or is this style only used in scripted interactions perhaps, and the status screen will still have the old style of portrait?

 

 

Coastal Aumaua Watcher, Edér, Aloth, Xoti, Pallegina

 

 

 

I like Xoti's look, and Edér's. Pallegina looks worse than in the previous game, I think.

 

 

(Off-topic thought: Since my Watcher is a priest of Eothas, if I take Edér and Xoti, more than half my party is Eothasian.)

 

 

Eeeeeewwwwww, absolutely hate this style.

 

Guess there won't be pleasing everyone here -.-

[Aramintai]

@Aramintai

 

Could you make a tutorial of how you do these?

 

Thank you for doing those for people. It is nice to see someone going the extra mile. ☺

Eh, well, every portrait is rather individual, so I can't make a tutorial that would 100% suit every type. But basically, I: 

-cut the head out of the original background (usually with Quick Selection, but more often than not by hand with the good old eraser, because it's either too dark, or blending with the background, or...edges ) into a transparent background in a new layer;

-play around with Poster Edges filter (settings are individual for each portrait);

-outline head's edges with Stroke in another layer, rasterize its style and erase unnecessary lines if needed;

-apply POE2 watercolor background (it's on one of the previous pages in this thread, EDIT: devs posted an official one: here) with overlay/soft light/multiply/etc. effect (individual for each portrait) in yet another layer;

-smudge the face a bit if I feel like it (sometimes even before applying filter or background);

-work on the head layer some more by playing around with brightness/saturation/hue/etc. to make it feel more in line with background and official watercolored portraits. 

 

Kinda like that.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Aramintai

[Heijoushin]

Eeeeeewwwwww, absolutely hate this style.

 

Guess there won't be pleasing everyone here -.-

 

Well, I was also skeptical in the beginning, but I think they stated somewhere that they chose this style because it's really quick to do. That way they can make lots of portraits for less important characters like Vektor. 

Edited November 24, 2017 by Heijoushin

[Aramintai]

 

It seems the portrait style changed. This is probably not news, but I only just saw it in the Neketaka video. Or is this style only used in scripted interactions perhaps, and the status screen will still have the old style of portrait?

 

 

Coastal Aumaua Watcher, Edér, Aloth, Xoti, Pallegina

 

 

 

I like Xoti's look, and Edér's. Pallegina looks worse than in the previous game, I think.

 

 

(Off-topic thought: Since my Watcher is a priest of Eothas, if I take Edér and Xoti, more than half my party is Eothasian.)

 

 

Eeeeeewwwwww, absolutely hate this style.

 

Guess there won't be pleasing everyone here -.-

 

They've changed them a bit in the beta (not by much though):

 

These watercolored portraits are actually quite tiny in the game, only used in conversations and scripted events so that those hundreds of quick low effort npc portraits would not stick out compared to companions portraits and to give them that illustration effect in scripted events book. Normal companion portraits are still there in all other menus.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Aramintai

[kierun]

 

@Aramintai

 

Could you make a tutorial of how you do these?

 

Thank you for doing those for people. It is nice to see someone going the extra mile. ☺

Eh, well, every portrait is rather individual, so I can't make a tutorial that would 100% suit every type. But basically, I: 

-cut the head out of the original background (more often than not by hand, because it's either too dark or...edges ) into transparent background;

-play around with Poster Edges filter (settings are individual for each portrait);

-outline head's edges with Stroke in another layer;

-apply POE2 watercolor background (it's on one of the previous pages in this thread) with overlay/soft light/multiply/etc. effect (individual for each portrait) in yet another layer;

-smudge the face a bit if I feel like it;

-work on the head some more by playing around with brightness/saturation/hue/etc. to make it feel more in line with background and official watercolored portraits.

 

Kinda like that.

 

 

I was afraid that's what you were going to say. I did wonder if you has some magic gimp-fu script but… Still, you do amazing work. Thank you for taking the time to do it.

[Aramintai]

I was afraid that's what you were going to say. I did wonder if you has some magic gimp-fu script but… Still, you do amazing work. Thank you for taking the time to do it.

 

There's a link to the online editor on the previous page that's way more noob friendly than Photoshop, but you still need to play around with it and it doesn't give the best results.

Maybe devs have some sort of magical automatic conversion app, but I somehow doubt it, they don't need an app - they have a professional artist who crunches these portraits like cookies.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Aramintai

[dragubaba]

 

@Aramintai

 

Could you make a tutorial of how you do these?

 

Thank you for doing those for people. It is nice to see someone going the extra mile. ☺

Eh, well, every portrait is rather individual, so I can't make a tutorial that would 100% suit every type. But basically, I: 

-cut the head out of the original background (more often than not by hand, because it's either too dark or...edges ) into transparent background;

-play around with Poster Edges filter (settings are individual for each portrait);

-outline head's edges with Stroke in another layer;

-apply POE2 watercolor background (it's on one of the previous pages in this thread) with overlay/soft light/multiply/etc. effect (individual for each portrait) in yet another layer;

-smudge the face a bit if I feel like it;

-work on the head some more by playing around with brightness/saturation/hue/etc. to make it feel more in line with background and official watercolored portraits.

 

Kinda like that.

 

 

Poster Edges, that was the thing that eluded me. You're right about the personal touch needed with every portrait, very labour-intensive. I gave it a go with one of my favorite portraits. Could be more hand-painted-looking but it'll do for now.

 

[Aramintai]

Poster Edges, that was the thing that eluded me. You're right about the personal touch needed with every portrait, very labour-intensive. I gave it a go with one of my favorite portraits. Could be more hand-painted-looking but it'll do for now.

 

 

Looks awesome! Still needs Stroke maybe to make a black outline around the the edges? 

[dragubaba]

Still needs Stroke maybe to make a black outline around the the edges?

 

You're right, I forgot that part and made the rookie mistake of not saving the version with non-merged layers so adding it afterwards just became pain in the a**. You live you learn.

 

Edit: Decided to add an outline anyway. Yeah I could see myself using this one.

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by dragubaba