How would you achieve realistic animal embroideries, dealing with fur to close head shots, how is an underlay effect with overlay stitches accomplished. Detail being the key factor here, and looking like a photo effect.
Too much to ask?

Skippy,

Nice questions that must be answered by a good digitizer. My knowledge is really limited but i think i should let the world know what i know myself.

Realistic embroideries are really an art themselves. Digitizing logos, patches and various solid cartoon characters can be accomplished even by basic digitizers most of the time. But to create realistic embroidery, digitizing with the basic fill stitch, satin and run stitchs are required along with some style parameters. A strong base knowledge of digitizing is required.

Artwork like a dogs face with fur or an photo artwork to stitches can be really fun while experimenting, but it usually take a lot more time than you expect. A flat fill stitch normally works best as a base. Fill stitch (Tatami) can be adjusted to have a wavy or curvy effect by changing the angle of the stitching. Shades where required over the base fill stitch can be added using run stitches in a different colour. Less dense areas where the shade is light and more dense where there are darker shaded areas.

Texture also plays a part in defining contour of a design. Embroidery is complemented by its surrounding light, changing its tone as the view is moved. Remember that embroidery thread reflects light, and the longer the stitch length, the shinier it appears. You should take advantage of this by adjusting stitch lengths and incorporating different angles in filled sections for various contour effects. For example, a horizontally angled fill looks further away, whereas a vertical fill looks as though it is closer to the viewer, so when deciding where to change the angles, consider whether the section is forward or to the rear of the artwork.

As i said earlier, I'm limited in knowledge, but i will certainly help whoever and however i can.

Talker

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Thankyou Talker,
This is an area I am particularly interested in; time is a resource I’m happy to apply, interesting on the light and refraction,
Regards Skip

I have done alot of realistic art in the comic industry but I use a tablet.
I have also done work with a mouse, What I can tell you to do is use the multiply option and the color dodge.
I'm going to be having a video tutorial on my up and coming site you should bookmark it.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] At coloristpro.com

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I have found purchasing a couple of designs you think are exceptional looking and studty what was done can also be of help. Of course it is best to get the design in your softwares native language.

I agree with digidoctor, I've learned alot by buying and studying designs. I suggest buying an interesting design by some-one like Dakota Collectibles. I've learned way more doing that than any tutorial can show you. I've learned alot about blending, layering, stitch densities, 3-D puff and so much more by disecting there designs over the years.


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for realistic looking fur I find running stitches over the fill and their direction gives a realistic effect, as well as using different shades of a color.

Do you have a sample image of what you are trying to explain?

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[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] is really recomended for digitizing jobs. Hahaha. $1.50 for the quality as the $3.5 companies!!
Saves me lot of time for minimum cost. I'm proud to be one of its 1900+ customers.

I have an image but can't insert it here so I will email you.

the link below will show a sewout of a cat using running stitches to create the fur and different shades of thread were used over a base color fill
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I also did a tiger using a shading effect, and again for the markings a running stitch for detail. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]