Add that Shadow

Author: DvlCat

Tools Needed

• Adobe Photoshop

Many individuals new to rendering characters with Curious Lab's Poser have the same question: 'What happened to the shadow at my character's feet?' This tutorial answers that question and suggests a post-rendering solution to add that missing ground shadow.

The ground shadow displayed at the feet of a Poser character is meant to give you a sense of the character's position relative to the ground plain. The shadow is not 'real, ' will not appear in Poser renders, and can be turned off at any time.

To disable the ground shadow in Poser 4, Poser 4 Pro, and Poser 5, simply un-check Display/Ground Shadows on the Poser menu bar.

Given that Poser will not render this positioning aid, there are two ways to add a ground shadow.

1. By careful positioning of your lights, the use of the Cast Shadows option for select lights, and checking the Cast Shadows rendering option.

2. Or by post-rendering your ground shadow in a high-end painting program.

In this tutorial we will explore this second strategy.

Let's begin with a nearly completed image of Pamela, a character based on DAZ's Victoria 2. All post-rendering touch up of Pamela's joints, hair, and clothing folds is complete.

The original Poser 4 Pro rendering was saved as a TIF file, which includes an 'alpha channel.' An alpha channel is an outline of the character that you rendered. You can save your images in this format by selecting File/Export/Image' from the Poser menu bar and then choosing TIFF (TIF) from the Save As Type drop-down on the Save As menu.

The problem with this image is that Pamela seems to be floating in mid-air. A ground shadow would make this image feel solid. Let's add that shadow!

I heavily utilize Photoshop layers in my post-rendering work. I rarely make changes to the original image. Instead, I copy sections of the image to layers placed overtop the original. It is on these layers that I make changes, blending downward afterward.

The quickest way to create a new layer is to click the Layers Icon at the bottom of the Layers Window.

Double clicking on the newly created layer, in the Layers Window, allows you to title the layer and make other changes.

I also prefer to float my original image overtop a white 'background.' You can precisely duplicate any existing layer by dragging it onto the Layers Icon.

1. Create a new layer overtop the layer containing your otherwise finished image. Let's call this new layer the 'Shadow' layer.

2. With the Shadow layer selected, load your Poser alpha channel – that is to say your character's outline. This is done in Photoshop by pressing Select/Load Selection', choosing Alpha 1 from the Channel drop-down on the Load Selection menu, and clicking OK. Now you will see 'marching ants' surround your character.

3. Select Edit and use the Fill command, set at 100% opacity, to fill the character outline in black.

4. With the black outline still selected on the Shadow layer choose Edit/Transform/Distort. This will draw a solid rectangle with handles around the outline.

Click and drag the top center handle of this rectangle downward toward your character's feet. This will flatten the inky-black 'shadow' on the 'ground.' As you flatten the shadow you must make a judgment call. How much should you flatten the shadow? This depends on the camera angle used to create the image.

You must also decide in what direction the shadow falls. Directly below, to the left, to the right, or behind your character? Decide this using the placement of the highlights and shadows in your image. Then, using the top center handle, skew the ground shadow away from the dominant light source.

Also, don't hesitate to reposition the entire shadow relative to your character. You can do this by clicking on and dragging the shadow, while it is still selected, or using Photoshop's Move Tool afterward.

Hint: Move back from your monitor and hold a thin plastic rod (e.g., a swizzle stick or straw) between one eye and your image. Rotate the rod in all three dimensions so that it points along the same line as your image's dominant light source. Finally, without rotating the rod, position it so that one end passes through the top of your character's head and the other end marks where the top of the shadow falls on the imaginary ground plain.

Once satisfied with the overall location and shape of the shadow, let's soften its edges. The degree to which the shadow's edges are softened is yet another judgment call and depends on how direct or diffuse the primary light source appears to be.

5. Select Filter/Blur/Gaussian Blur' to bring up the Gaussian Blur menu. Experiment with the blur radius until you are satisfied with the results. Don't worry about the shadow's inky appearance.

6. Up until this point the shadow has covered your character's feet and ankles. Let's fix this problem. On the Shadow layer load the alpha channel just as you did earlier. Now select Edit/Clear to remove the unwanted portion of the shadow.

7. This is a good time to touch up the shadow since now you can clearly judge how it will appear when finished. I recommend duplicating the Shadow layer and touching up with a combination of your airbrush and eraser. Sometimes working on multiply layers is helpful.

Don't worry about the airbrush spilling onto your character. This is cleaned up again using the alpha channel.

Once you are satisfied with everything else, let's adjust the intensity of the shadow.

8. Beginning with you uppermost touch-up layer, merge each shadow layer that you intend to use downward until only one is left. This is done by selecting Layer/Merge Down one layer at a time.

9. Now that all the shadow layers are merged into one, adjust the layer's opacity in the Layers Window. I prefer an opacity setting of anywhere from 6-8% up to 20% when using light backgrounds.

And the final result

Ground shadows make an image feel solid – particularly when the image's subject is place against a seamless background. Often, the more subtle the shadow the more effective the effect. The technique describe above is an alternative to rendering or post-render airbrushing such shadows.

As with any technique, you must make a series of artist judgment calls throughout the process. These include deciding in what direction the shadow should fall, how much to flatten the shadow, shadow color, and how intense to make the shadow. These decisions give the shadow flair and add to the personality of the image.

Enjoy!