| » Forum Index » The Friday Challenge » Topic: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express |
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Posted on 23/10/06 00:34:18 AM |
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james
Surreal Spoofer Posts: 1194 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Oop's |
Posted on 23/10/06 04:45:57 AM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Harry will be late, the Hogswart's Express had a problem getting out of the station.  |
Posted on 23/10/06 05:16:47 AM |
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meguyer
* Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
mine will look like a poor cousin but I did remember to reverse the signs on the locamotive  |
Posted on 23/10/06 06:58:38 AM |
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Babybiker
Shadow Spectaculator Posts: 151 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
James - thanks for the mini tutorial - I was very impressed with the effect, and somewhat surprised at such a simple explanation! I too wondered how you had produced such a distortion, and considered all sorts of possibilities, but yours. (Why is it that the "simplest of solutions" always give the best effects, yet are sometimes overlooked?). In return for your solution, might I be allowed to make a suggestion that an easier way of capturing a screen shot would be to use the "SHIFT + PRINT SCRN" buttons on your keyboard followed by paste in PS "New Doc" to achieve a graphic for a tutorial. (although the effort taken with a camera is very much appreciated). Thank you for a brilliant picture and inspiration for another FC - I have delved through the archives looking at previous FC entries and "Test Yourself" submissions, and seen that the standard is higher than I ever hoped to achieve as an amateur. Rest assured that your method has been copied down for future use  !
I hope that this forum will prove to be as much fun and inspiration as the HTCAP Book. BB |
Posted on 23/10/06 08:45:05 AM |
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Sophie
Political Parodist Posts: 595 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Hi Neal Excellent bit of drama there. Late for the er.. Eurotunnel? Was Harry on a day trip to Paris? 
Sophie |
Posted on 23/10/06 10:44:16 AM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 3882 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Neal, Thought your posting was excellent. Another good selection this week. Don't have time to join in myself, though. |
Posted on 23/10/06 11:33:26 AM |
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james
Surreal Spoofer Posts: 1194 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Babybiker. Pleased to be of assistance, thank you for the tip, (recorded). |
Posted on 23/10/06 2:49:34 PM |
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james
Surreal Spoofer Posts: 1194 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
May be of interest to some. To distort an image go to (Filters/Distort/Wave). The illustrated box will appear. Manipulation of the various sliders will produce distortions; the effects will be visible in the small window to the right. Can be frustrating. Well, I was asked  |
Posted on 23/10/06 3:09:48 PM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Thank you Sophie and GKB for the kind words, and I'm tickled you both liked my idea. Geography is not one of my strengths, Sophie. Isn't Paris, Europe, near Hogswart? I understand what you mean GKB, it's hard finding time for the challenge. There's still time, though. It's only Monday. |
Posted on 23/10/06 5:44:20 PM |
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Wayne
Printer’s Devil Posts: 312 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Thanks Sophie. As for the smoke, I don't know about everybody else, but I just pinched mine from another train image! (Neal,s smoke looks 'home-made': how about a mini-tutorial?) |
Posted on 23/10/06 6:37:27 PM |
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Whaler
Visual Viking Posts: 330 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
No smoke without a fire, they say, but in this case that's not true. I just had to make some smoke and add it to the picture even though a mystery train very well could travel without smoke (I think; no expert opinion). 
_________________ Only in my brightest moments I understand myself |
Posted on 23/10/06 9:09:14 PM |
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2bfree
Twilight Trickster Posts: 81 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
I must confess.....I am a thief, I stole my smoke from a old time locomotive picture. I have made some smoke with many layers of airbrushed paints in various smoke like colors, locking transparency, rendreing clouds, some plastic wrap, shifting each layers opacity and position for desired effect, but...I cannot make it look as real as I would like, I always try to make billowing smoke instead of wispy smoke. |
Posted on 24/10/06 04:36:21 AM |
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meguyer
* Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
this is my #2. I think this has mist rather than smoke.  |
Posted on 24/10/06 05:52:23 AM |
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Tom
Texture Technologist Posts: 401 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Larger version, 215kb here.  |
Posted on 24/10/06 12:53:55 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 3882 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Didn't think I was going to be able to come out to play this week as I had too much homework 
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Posted on 24/10/06 2:05:13 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 3882 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
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Posted on 24/10/06 2:25:16 PM |
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josephine harvatt
Gag Gadgeteer Posts: 101 Reply  |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Thank you very much James - I have tucked that bit of knowledge away for future reference. The 'magic trains don't make smoke' idea worked for me too! _________________ I'm not really bad - I just draw that way |
Posted on 24/10/06 2:41:11 PM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Hi Wayne, Here's how I make steam or smoke, it's not hard or tricky. I pick a grey that's close to white. Then in an empty layer, using a medium-size hard brush, 17 to 27 pixels in diameter, with its opacity set to 30%, I paint dots in a pattern like smoke. The strokes overlap each other making dense areas of paint. I take my time and make several clusters of overlapping strokes. I make a chain of these clusters, too. I don't over do it. I keep the vapors light. I'm random. I build up slowly. You'll quickly see the basic shape and be surprised how quickly the vapors form. Then I switch to the Smudge Tool and set it's Strength to 30%-40%. I use a soft or a scatter brush. I run the brush all over the clusters keeping the most of the strokes going in one direction, but I make a few in random directions. I push and pull, tug and stroke in swirly patterns. It's hard to stop. Now, I reselect the brush tool and kick up the opacity to 100%. I make small dabs in a few areas, I make highlights or dense areas in the vapors with either a hard or soft brush. I smudge these areas, too. Lastly, I drop the layer's opacity to 90%-80%, and if needed, I use curves to bring out more contrast. If it looks like crap, I erase the layer and try again. It ain't science. |
Posted on 24/10/06 3:05:52 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 3882 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
Probably the wrong place to put this posting but here's my solution to the smoke/steam problem. I drew a few curving lines with the pen tool. Then, for steam, select a light grey or, for smoke, a dark grey colour. I then stroked each path on its own layer with a very soft wide/short oval shaped brush angled at around 45 degrees-ish. Then that layer's opacity is reduced to taste. I have left the opacity quite high in this image so that you can see the effect  |
Posted on 24/10/06 4:54:43 PM |
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josephine harvatt
Gag Gadgeteer Posts: 101 Reply |
Re: Contest 119: The Hogwarts Express
You've all inspired me! Here's mark 2 with added smoke!  _________________ I'm not really bad - I just draw that way |
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