How to add shadows and highlights to create folds?

[Aliona777]

Please, can someone help me with that question. I've read tutorial "How to Add Shadows and Highlights", but it's just doesn't work for me.
I would appriciate some little tricks to do it properly: size of brush, number of layers, opacity etc
Thank you.

By the way, I found a really good tutorial on "Where to put lines to create folds", may be it will help someone too. :)
http://crysa.deviantart.com/art/Drawing-Clothes-And-Folds-21994317 and http://kitten-chan.deviantart.com/art/Tutorial-Clothes-and-Folds-40875508

[cthru]

What I do to make folds/highlights/shadows..
-Create a new layer.
-Use a brush no5-7,opacity 9-17(it really depends on the color of the texture and the
kind of the texture you want make-higher opacity for silky-ish textures/opposite for simple,woolen textures)
-Google a reference pic,and use it to help you place the folds in the right place
(it should be better if it's a pic of the outfit worn by a person)
-Use light color in the area of the upper chest,darker and darker as it lowers,
and light colors for the folds of the outfit.
-You could also try photoskinning the textures(highlights,shadows etc.)you want
by you'd better have really good reference pics,and large enough.
Hope that was helpful!

[fakepeeps7]

I don't bother painting with brushes. I make my highlights and shadows in two ways:

1. Using the dodge and burn tools.

2. Using the lasso tool with feathering. I make all my highlights on one layer (with the lasso tool and bucket fill) and all my shadows on another (the same way as the highlights). Then I play with the opacity of the layers until it looks right. I also use the smudge tool on the highlights and shadows if their edges are looking too harsh.

Every project will be different, though, so telling you about brush sizes and the number of layers wouldn't do much good. You have to experiment and figure these things out for yourself. Skinning isn't really a one-size-fits-all sort of thing.

[Aliona777]

I don't bother painting with brushes. I make my highlights and shadows in two ways:

1. Using the dodge and burn tools.

2. Using the lasso tool with feathering. I make all my highlights on one layer (with the lasso tool and bucket fill) and all my shadows on another (the same way as the highlights). Then I play with the opacity of the layers until it looks right. I also use the smudge tool on the highlights and shadows if their edges are looking too harsh.

Every project will be different, though, so telling you about brush sizes and the number of layers wouldn't do much good. You have to experiment and figure these things out for yourself. Skinning isn't really a one-size-fits-all sort of thing.

Thank's for comments.
Skinning really isn't one sort thing :) , but some specific suggestions may show the way where to go.

[iamliz13]

No one can tell you what brush size to use at it needs to be the size you want the folds=P
Little folds need little brushes, big needs big=)
As for number of layers, as many as possible is good, lol, as always adding new elements on new layers assures non-destructive changes.
On a new layer draw a dot of dark grey, and above it a dot of light grey. Use the motion blur filter and set the angle appropriately in the direction you want your fold to flow in. Experiment with distance for different effects. Do this at full opacity, than lower the opacity of the layer itself until it looks good. Use the smudge tool to shape the new fold, as entirely straight folds look pretty fake.