Is there a set of these? (a portrait)

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:25 am

Imoen portrait

Handsome. Makes me want to install the Imoen romance mod. I've seen some other portrait 'conversions' from real life photos, usually celebrities (I don't know if this is one too), but they always 'kept the hair' or some other part of the original art. Does this image happen to be part of a different set? If so, where can I find it? Kirith.com has tons of images, they aren't really sorted or anything.

I don't really want to break with consistency by using just óne photograph.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 4:19 am

I've been using that particular portrait of Imoen for a long time. I can't remember where I downloaded it, but there weren't any others like it.

Kheros · Post by **Kheros** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 4:59 am

That particular portrait is Alyson Hannigan. If you've watched Buffy or American Pie you'd recognize her instantly

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:05 am

Heard of it. Nope, sorry I don't 'do' television much. But she is cute, maybe I'll catch a rerun.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:10 am

Speaking of Alyson Hannigan, there's a funny video at The Onion this week:

FCC Okays Nudity On TV If It’s Alyson Hannigan

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:33 am

Ha, that's very funny.

I think I'm going to try and replace them all. Vondulu, did you replace other portraits as well?
You seem to have taste.

Can I have a copy of your portraits, to start off with?

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:49 am

I generally avoid celebrity photos, but I didn't realize that Imoen's portrait was actually a photograph of Alyson Hannigan. Since I don't know her as any pther character, I don't think that knowing her identity will make any difference now.

If I want to use "standard" NPC portraits, I replace most of them with the ones from NiGHTMARE's NPC Beautification Pack. I don't see any need to change Korgan's portrait. I sometimes use Edwin's original BG1 portrait. I normally use the portrait of Jaheira from NiGHTMARE's Alternates.

I also use a couple from JPS' Portrait Pack, including Aerie and Viconia. I normally use the portrait of Nalia from JPS' Alternates.

The Elven Haer'Dalis from Grim Squeaker's Alternates is also nice.

My portrait on Gamebanshee was taken from some artwork by Boris Vallejo called "Eahnan in the Tropics". I cropped it and resized it myself. Another one of my favorites is "Big Brother Is Watching", as well as Razor from the cover of a comic book.

The rest of my custom portraits came from some collections I found on the internet, and I'm not sure of their exact source.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:25 am

I like the Viconia one. But on the other hand I wonder what it will be like to use sets of photos. That one site that has like 10.000 unsorted portraits has got to have a few.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:18 am

I decided to make a matching set myself. Unfortunately that proved quite hard. This is what I came up with so far:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o136 ... xample.gif

I seriously distorted this image to protect the rights of the various artists. I don't exactly have permission to edit and 'publish' them on the internet. And I can't all track them down for this one screenshot anyway.

But it is detailed enough to show what I'm doing, how I'm trying to get the same kind of hue/brightness as seen in the Alyson Hannigan portrait. Now I realize all these look quite brown, but that's something that happened when I processed this screenshot. The actual portraits have a lot more colour to them, just like the original Imoen/Alyson one.

One major criteria: I wanted the portraits to be photo-like. In some cases I couldn't find a good photo edit, but I got pretty damn close with a good drawing. Unfortunately more than half of them are close-up portraits, which I don't really like. I grouped those to the right. The group in the middle are a group I'm really not happy with, but I couldn't get them any better looking or less up-close shots. The group on the left is perfect. And all images have been edited to resemble the hue in Alyson's portrait, but I already mentioned that.

So, I'll definitely have to do something about the middle group, and I may yet settle for the right group. The only celebrity on the list I do recognize is Vin Diesel, but I think he makes a fine Sarevok. His Riddick persona just matches Sarevok too well.

-----

Well I've butchered enough images for one day. If anyone happens to be interested in 'my' set, send me a message. That's the only reason for this post, and at this point the entire thread. I'm not going to post any more previews, or put the end result online anywhere. I happen to respect artists a great deal.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:56 am

If you want to manipulate a celebrity photo to replace Viconia's portrait, then you should take a look at this thread. (The original link that was posted in that thread doesn't work, but the uploaded pictures will interest you.) It seems very credible that Viconia's BG2 portrait was based on a photo of the Czech model, Zdenka Podkapova. So why not "go to the source"?

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:24 am

You read my mind! Viconia is about the hardest to find. I thought about looking up cosplay pictures later today. I won't be using celebrity photo's though, I'll find something else. Thanks for the tip!

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:06 am

VonDondu wrote:It seems very credible that Viconia's BG2 portrait was based on a photo of the Czech model, Zdenka Podkapova. So why not "go to the source"?

Wow, the resemblance is uncanny. Thanks for linking that, I had never seen those pictures before.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:33 pm

You know, I forget how absolutely retarded cosplay can get? But I did find one absolutely scary looking female Drow. Too bad she doesn't have much 'Viccy' about her. Drow-Drow

The search for photographic material goes on. I'm having a very difficult time with the males. Especially Cernd and Haer'Dalis. I got a few okay pictures, but I'd prefer something a bit less.. zoomed in. If anyone here might've seen something that could be appropriate, let me know.

Also, I had óne go at modifying the original Zdenka Podkapova picture, but it proved too much for me. It didn't come out very well. I can do a lot, but most of it comes closer to tweaking or repairing pictures.

BlueSky · Post by **BlueSky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:45 pm

Tricky:
I'll check my old machine, I used to have quite a bit of portraits saved for use.
Both photo-types and the classic looking ones...

By the way have you seen this one...
Chaotic/evil,, intelligence 3

gives me a laugh every time I see it...

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:40 am

Heh, thank you. I'm having fun with this.

Part of the problem with Drow cosplay is that the people involved tend to flaunt their mascara and costume, whereas Viconia has a bad case of agoraphobia. I found one picture of a drow woman sort of hidden underneath a cloak like Viconia. But it's a black cloak and you can see grey hair gushing out from the sides.

As much as I like it, it kind of screams: "I'm a Drow!".

Sanguin · Post by **Sanguin** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:25 am

This is the best

G3 Portrait Gallery - NiGHTMARE's Alternates/Boo

AvatarOfLight · Post by **AvatarOfLight** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:02 am

Sanguin wrote:This is the best

G3 Portrait Gallery - NiGHTMARE's Alternates/Boo

Hmmm. I could try to come up with an intelligent way to express my feelings about this, but why would I when

LOL!!!

suffices. Most excellent idea.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:08 am

I finished the set. Not that I have spare time or anything.. god no. I'm going to be in so much trouble tomorrow. Anyway, if you want to see it - message me. It's not good, but at least they complement miss Hannigan now. Man, I'm such a sellout. I always have to finish what I start.