Since a lot of the focus in alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
and alt.binaries.pictures.tv.scifi-fantasy newsgroups is on making
our own graphics, and generally supporting each other in our quest to improve,
we frequently share any neat information we come across. Often because
people go, "How did you do that!?". So, here's a collection of some
neat stuff.
Subject: Re: Unsharp Mask tool (was Re: Non
Joxer fans .. AVERT Your Eyes!!)
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 23:53:44 -0000
From: "Michael Quick" <mike@mquick.freeserve.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| [Ed. note - Unsharp Mask is a way to SHARPEN
a blurry pic.]
In the same order that I gave the figures originally, they are : Amount (a %, from 0 to 450%, I use 50% all the time)
|
Threshold (0 to 255, measured in 'levels', lower
gives sharper, I use either 0, 1 or 2)
>From memory, PSP only has two variables for its version of Unsharp. Definitely better than plain sharpen though. |
Subject: Re: FINAL THEME NIGHT OF ROUND 2
- Endings (1 of 5)
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 19:30:51 +0100
From: "Tane" <tane@NOSPAMsfisher66.fsnet.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| > Interesting, I use textures for that purpose also! They can add interest to a dull wall! As well as hide poor quality of an image or act as a separator i.e., background from foreground, etc. | Indeed - and if Cheri is reading
this thread, you should add that to
your tips page (work in progess): Textures help to hide mistakes. A vital lesson to learn. ;-) [Ed. - grin] |
Subject: Re: Question
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 14:34:48 -0300
From: "Taleen" <taleen@accesscable.net>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| "Katie Moncelsi" <ustrek@concentric.net>
wrote in message
news:3B38C031.FF1C9ADE@concentric.net... > I want to add a sig to my walls but dont wanna detract from my walls. is there a wya to make a water makr in the corner or something? ##I don't know about water marks but I created a fancy (possibly tacky) sig for myself at the beginning--Taleen over a griffon's head--and discovered it didn't really suit a lot of my walls. Now I choose the primary font that I've |
used for text on the wall and stick my name in
a corner somewhere--the piece is signed and it's less intrusive.
on the other hand I've seen a few sigs here that are verra nice... [Ed. note - commonly referred to as a "sig", the artist traditionally adds a small graphic or word to "sign" the image. It's such a burn when someone claims they did your work.] |
Subject: Re: Question
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 20:50:38 +0100
From: "Tane" <tane@NOSPAMsfisher66.fsnet.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| Hi Katie,
Since creating Xena walls I have gone through dozens of signatures, I used to follow the same rule as Taleen (using the same font as the main text, and adding my name), but now I've moved on to more iconic images. There are many ways to make a signature, for example you could create a neat little version of your name if you wished by using the text tool in whichever graphics package you are using, then adding a little "pizzazz" to |
it, but perhaps weaving a line around it, or
placing a row of circles beneath it - or any number of different things
(whatever takes your fancy really), then save it as a seperate file so
that all you have to do is cut&paste it into your walls, instead of
having to recreate it each time.
I'm sure if you want, one of us around here could knock you up a little graphic, something small and distinctive that you could use. It really is down to you. |
Subject: Re: Question
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 16:45:35 GMT
From: LegMan <legman_@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| Katie Moncelsi wrote:
> > I want to add a sig to my walls but dont wanna detract from my walls. > is there a wya to make a water makr in the corner or something? > > Katie You could try incorporating your sig (icon or name) INTO your wall, as many do on the Fakir's do in the fake newsgroups? |
Make it part of a sash, necklace, bracelet, armor
or even a tatoo.
This has the benifit of being not only un-abtrusive, but very difficult for the wall-thieves to remove. [Ed. note - depending on your level of squeamishness, or your moral stance, if you are really interested in picking up some graphics tips focused on dealing with pictures of people, the alt.binaries.pictures.nude.celebrities.fake newsgroup is a great place to pick up tips.] |
Subject: Attn: Stalker - Pencil Technique per
your request
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 03:19:26 GMT
From: CIII <c3grfx@home.com>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.nude.celebrities.fake
| You asked the following:
> How do you get the sketch detail (distinct black and white ratio) so vivid? I use PhotoShop 6 & PSP 7 but have never been able to convert from color to black and white as well as this. Care to share your technique? > Grey Fox I have both Photoshop 6 and PSP 7 also, but use mostly PSP 7 because PSP is what I learned on, and I've never seemed to be able to devote the time to learn Photoshop 6 thoroughly. In a nutshell, the technique involves several different activities, (1) conversion of the color image to a B&W pencil/outline image. (2) Contrast & brightness adjustments on the adjusted image to match it to those of the base image. (3) Adding the texture of the base image to the adjusted image. 1. I stumbled across this PSP technique some time ago...unfortunately, credit for it must go to Scott Munro. The following is an exerpt: Pencil Sketch from a Photo This technique works best with photos of fairly good quality (not a lot of compression artifacts or moire patterns [lots of little dots from the screening process]), and without any really large dark areas (July 2, 1999: I have worked out a technique for dealing with photos with dark areas). First, do Layers-Duplicate. With your new top layer active, do Colors-Negative Image, then Colors-Grey Scale. Set the blend mode on the top layer to Dodge. Your image will now appear almost blank. This is normal. Now, do Image-Blur-Gaussian Blur. Set the radius to about 4 and hit the Proof button. Now you will see the pencil sketch effect. Adjust the radius until you like it. Higher numbers will thicken the lines and emphasize the shadows. [Note: You can use the Retouch tool set to Soften instead of Gaussian Blur. This will give you more control over the process.] There are some optional extra steps which you can take to emphasize the lines in your "sketch." |
First, activate your background layer and do
Layers-Duplicate. Then on your new middle layer do Image-Edge-Enhance.
Set the blend mode on the middle layer to Darken, and move the Opacity
slider down until it looks good. I generally use 20 or 30. The effect is
subtle, but it does make a difference.
For photos with large dark areas, follow up the technique above by duplicating the background layer, setting the blend mode on the duplicated layer to "burn," and lowering the opacity until the image looks like you want it to. ©1999 Scott A. Munro
2. The contrast and brightness adjustments of the adjusted image
are purely by eye based upon a constant comparison with the base image.
I usually cut & paste the adjusted image to the base image as a layer,
allowing a side-by-side comparison to make the necessary contrast and brightness
adjustments. When you're satisfied...save it, and you're ready for
the next step.
During this operation, the pencil strokes were unfortunately too sharply defined...so I applied a moderate portion of Guassian Blur to soften 'em somewhat. Finally, before merging the whole thing...I erased my palette of cloned pencil strokes. I hope that this technique is understandable and that I've been of some help. Drop me a line if I can be of further help. [Ed. note - to see what this looks like, check out my walls - Desert Sadness and Triptych. Though I have used this to layer over the basic picture quite successfully to highlight detail.] |
Subject: Re: The art of War (1/1)
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 01:05 +0100 (BST)
From: philla@cix.co.uk (Penny Hill)
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| (Tane) wrote:
> Wow - this is really texturific! Fantastic stuff Penny, just look at the detail of those textures, and by the gods! How did you do that border???? Wow. Coo. I got a wow. Must be good ... <g> Okay - quick border tutorial: Draw an asymmetric mask and invert it, then create an object and fill the outer shape with selected texture. Then apply a whirlpool effect to roughen up the straight edges. Add further texture using a canvas type effect (I started with 'cobblestone' in Photopaint - just find something suitable.) Change your image mode to something like 'Hard light' or 'Overlay'. Now create a mask from your object, and then apply a 'mask shape: border' - |
about 4 or 5 pixels will do. Create a new
object and fill that with something metallic. Remove the border mask
and create a new one from the new object. Use an image sprayer (Paint
tube?) to add the outer texture (I have a picture list called brambles
- I reduced the image size and used a stroke mask to lay it around the
mask edge.) Remove mask. Add drop shadow to object.
Now pick your images and add them in ... BTW - the image of Ares on the right was applied *through* the background as a canvas texture - which is a very effective way of achieving a slightly different kind of blend. Hope all that made sense! Pythia |
Subject: Re: Attn Tane - Ephiny Wall (185
kb)
Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 04:04:06 GMT
From: "AresScans" <AresScans@att.net>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia.xena-herc
| Thanks, Chaz. Yes, the background is mine.
Since everyone seems so interested. Here are the instructions (paraphrased from Photoshop 6 Down & Dirty Tricks by Scott Kelby) for creating a star field in Photoshop. 1. Open a new document (RGB mode) at 72 ppi.
|
5. Choose Filter>Noise>Add Noise and enter a
number between 12 and 30. Use 30 for high-res images.
6. Choose Filter>Blur>Gausian Blur. Use a radius of 1. 7. Choose Image>Adjust>Threshold. Drag the slider until the stars begin to appear. Adjust the slider as you like. 8. Choose Image>Image Size and change the resolution to 300 ppi. 9. Repeat step 8 this time changing the resolution to 72 ppi. 10. If you like you can add a sun using Filter>Render>Lens Flare. 11. Lastly, change the blend mode this layer from Normal to Screen for this layer. And presto! Instant star field. Ares |
Back to Text Tricks To main Tips 'n Tricks page Forward to Walkthroughs Or, you could go back, to the main Xena page.
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