I see a lot of people that say not to use the noise filter on textures because it looks bad, and that you should add the noise yourself if you want noise. I'm just wondering what everyone's opinions are on using the noise filter on textures, because I use it all the time. I think noise makes textures better looking, and it's way too time consuming to add it by hand, in my opinion.
Noise filter is useful for making existing textures look "grittier". It's not good for making leather, cloth, etc. And the noise filter is probably better than hand-made noise because it will be distributed very evenly and tile well.
I use the noise filter, but only in very tiny amounts (I think 8 was the largest I used). I don't use it to do anything other than try to apply a slight amount of grittiness to the textures. I do all the colouring, shading and texturing beforehand.
How is that a problem at all? If it works, use it. Calculators could be described that way but they are an improvement, not a problem. They make some task faster.
How is that a problem at all? If it works, use it. Calculators could be described that way but they are an improvement, not a problem. They make some task faster.
Don't try to start a debate.
If you were paying attention, you'd see that I have used it.
But the point is, it is actually lazy.
Also, I personally hate saturation noise. Looks very ugly.
It is good if you know what you are doing with it. I personally use the HSV noise filter with H set down to almost zero so the colors are preserved but only the saturation and brightness vary. (Avoids the whole 'rainbow puke' effect you tend to see in some of the 'noisy' textures people have posted here.)
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Tis far better to be a witty fool than a foolish wit.
It is good if you know what you are doing with it. I personally use the HSV noise filter with H set down to almost zero so the colors are preserved but only the saturation and brightness vary. (Avoids the whole 'rainbow puke' effect you tend to see in some of the 'noisy' textures people have posted here.)
I turn H and S all the way down if I ever use it. Value by itself also works quite well in making color pallets.
I turn H and S all the way down if I ever use it. Value by itself also works quite well in making color pallets.
Well the other trick I use sometimes is to use the noise filter on a flat 50% gray layer, desaturate the layer (if I didn't remember to turn Hue and Saturation all the way down), and then set it to multiply and adjust the transparency and brightness/contrast of the layer. That way I can adjust the noise independently of the base texture. Makes it a lot easier when I want to fiddle with the base texture without having to worry that I'm going to create obvious artifacts in the noise pattern.
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Tis far better to be a witty fool than a foolish wit.
Well the other trick I use sometimes is to use the noise filter on a flat 50% gray layer, desaturate the layer (if I didn't remember to turn Hue and Saturation all the way down), and then set it to multiply and adjust the transparency and brightness/contrast of the layer. That way I can adjust the noise independently of the base texture. Makes it a lot easier when I want to fiddle with the base texture without having to worry that I'm going to create obvious artifacts in the noise pattern.
That's a really good idea, I'll have to remember that.
What are the benefits of handmade noise over filtered noise? I don't see the difference other than that it uses less colors.
Here's an example.
The one on the left is my sand texture from Xenocontendi, and as you said, uses much less color.
The right is from a noise filter.
I tried to keep it at a minimal to make it fair, but it still looks extraordinarily worse.
I have the option of editing the noise filter's pixels to make them look better, but by then it would be liable to just pixel out the noise by hand.
What are the benefits of handmade noise over filtered noise? I don't see the difference other than that it uses less colors.
Noise filters just give you a random field similar to static. That's not always the best noise pattern for the job. Take a look at my Metalcraft pack for example. I needed a streaky 'noise' for the tarnish on the blocks so I did that one by hand. This is especially true for HD textures. Look at wood for example, the 'noise' on your typical piece of wood is actually very short and small lines rather than being random distribution. It's only on very uniform surfaces like printer paper that you get noise close to what the filter spits out.
For this reason, one of my favorite 'noise' tools in the GIMP is actually the GIMPresionist filter under the artistic section. It gives you pretty fine control over the patterns it can generate and has the added bonus of making wrapping textures just by checking a box.
wow...so much to say about "opinion threads" like this...
So...is the fill option bad now too? Do we all hafta add each pixel, even if they are the same color? Just make a texture and do it your way. Doesn't matter what others think really.
Does "true pixel artist" mean Pointillism? No....
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"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to...."
We never said "OH ITS BAD" or anything like that, it's just a thread to hear what people think :@
I've seen two just in the last day or two telling people that the noise option is the devil. And the OP opens with the lines saying as much. People ARE saying it's bad...is why i said what I said.
Just busts me up how many "true pixel artists" we have in MC these days.
:tongue.gif:
*Edit - I'm severely grouchy...so this wont be a good discussion for me to be included in today :biggrin.gif:
Here's an example.
The one on the left is my sand texture from Xenocontendi, and as you said, uses much less color.
The right is from a noise filter.
I tried to keep it at a minimal to make it fair, but it still looks extraordinarily worse.
I have the option of editing the noise filter's pixels to make them look better, but by then it would be liable to just pixel out the noise by hand.
Looking at your texture pack and seeing how nice it looks, I'm going to try and redo my textures without noise filters and see how it turns out.
Don't try to start a debate.
If you were paying attention, you'd see that I have used it.
But the point is, it is actually lazy.
Well I don't make low-resolution textures, so maybe that affects my opinion? And I didn't say or assume that you didn't use it, but "laziness" isn't bad if it produces the same result as doing something that takes more work. I see that in your example, the noise filter noise looks different than what you drew by hand. For higher resolution textures, the visual difference becomes less noticeable while the time difference becomes more noticeable.
The paint.net noise filter works quite well... You can choose whether you want to mix colours around as well, or just pixels.
I use it for quite a lot of my textures but then go over the noise with one colour, filling in the occasional pixel and making it look better.
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Retired StaffThe problem with the noise filter, is it's lazy.
Also, a true pixel artist can make noise that looks better than a filter.
I have sometimes used a very faint noise filter to break things up, and then edited the pixels by hand to make it look as nice as it can be.
How is that a problem at all? If it works, use it. Calculators could be described that way but they are an improvement, not a problem. They make some task faster.
EDIT: I found an image that pretty much summarizes how i feel about noise filters.
But I never really trye'd it.
Maybe i'll try it now all the stuff I did so far I did custom noise
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Retired StaffDon't try to start a debate.
If you were paying attention, you'd see that I have used it.
But the point is, it is actually lazy.
Also, I personally hate saturation noise. Looks very ugly.
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Retired StaffI turn H and S all the way down if I ever use it. Value by itself also works quite well in making color pallets.
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Curse PremiumWell the other trick I use sometimes is to use the noise filter on a flat 50% gray layer, desaturate the layer (if I didn't remember to turn Hue and Saturation all the way down), and then set it to multiply and adjust the transparency and brightness/contrast of the layer. That way I can adjust the noise independently of the base texture. Makes it a lot easier when I want to fiddle with the base texture without having to worry that I'm going to create obvious artifacts in the noise pattern.
That's a really good idea, I'll have to remember that.
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Retired StaffHere's an example.
The one on the left is my sand texture from Xenocontendi, and as you said, uses much less color.
The right is from a noise filter.
I tried to keep it at a minimal to make it fair, but it still looks extraordinarily worse.
I have the option of editing the noise filter's pixels to make them look better, but by then it would be liable to just pixel out the noise by hand.
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Curse PremiumNoise filters just give you a random field similar to static. That's not always the best noise pattern for the job. Take a look at my Metalcraft pack for example. I needed a streaky 'noise' for the tarnish on the blocks so I did that one by hand. This is especially true for HD textures. Look at wood for example, the 'noise' on your typical piece of wood is actually very short and small lines rather than being random distribution. It's only on very uniform surfaces like printer paper that you get noise close to what the filter spits out.
For this reason, one of my favorite 'noise' tools in the GIMP is actually the GIMPresionist filter under the artistic section. It gives you pretty fine control over the patterns it can generate and has the added bonus of making wrapping textures just by checking a box.
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Retired StaffSo...is the fill option bad now too? Do we all hafta add each pixel, even if they are the same color? Just make a texture and do it your way. Doesn't matter what others think really.
Does "true pixel artist" mean Pointillism? No....
"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to...."
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Retired StaffI've seen two just in the last day or two telling people that the noise option is the devil. And the OP opens with the lines saying as much. People ARE saying it's bad...is why i said what I said.
Just busts me up how many "true pixel artists" we have in MC these days.
:tongue.gif:
*Edit - I'm severely grouchy...so this wont be a good discussion for me to be included in today :biggrin.gif:
"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to...."
Looking at your texture pack and seeing how nice it looks, I'm going to try and redo my textures without noise filters and see how it turns out.
Well I don't make low-resolution textures, so maybe that affects my opinion? And I didn't say or assume that you didn't use it, but "laziness" isn't bad if it produces the same result as doing something that takes more work. I see that in your example, the noise filter noise looks different than what you drew by hand. For higher resolution textures, the visual difference becomes less noticeable while the time difference becomes more noticeable.
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Curse PremiumI use it for quite a lot of my textures but then go over the noise with one colour, filling in the occasional pixel and making it look better.