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Posted on 11/09/25 10:06:14 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3332 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
I'm in a rut, it appears that I use the cockatoo bird every time we get a piano challenge, this one from September of 2022. 
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Posted on 12/09/25 02:44:25 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2907 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Thank you all for your comments. David, I don't recall this particular game but back in the early 90's I played many of Sierra ones- King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Space Quest. Lots of wonderful memories, and geez, that Amstrad got a good workout. _________________ Wicked Witch of the West:I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too! |
Posted on 12/09/25 06:31:25 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3129 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
David, after hours of searching I was unable to find a good painting of either Victoria or Albert, so I had to add colour to monochrome photographs. Even these were very poor, somewhat blurred, and their faces too old. With great care I managed to colour and sharpen the photo of Victoria until she looed real and about 42 years old. Then I tried to do the same to Albert's photo, but I failed. I abandoned many hours of work and instead used the face of the actor who played Albert in the TV film Victoria, as he looked the part. Now, the piano. I looked at this and other pianos a long time. No other piano of this type was transparent. However, if you look at Victoria's piano too long there seems to be a hint of transparency in its top. I went for it and made it semi-transparent as it improves my picture. After all, I thought, an opaque top makes it difficult for the pianist to see the audience or the conductor. I suspect I was technically wrong but aesthetically right. Maybe Steve will tell us. Thank you for your compliment, David. I really liked researching this one. Two of the costumes are Regency and two are Victorian and were hard to find. The pianist's haircut is too short, but I let that go. It took hours to find a decent background. All good fun. |
Posted on 12/09/25 08:46:28 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7052 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
First to play the piano this week was Ben Boardman, really setting the bar high with an immaculate montage – near-perfect perspective and shadows really tie this together well, and of course the setting is absolutely right for the piano. Top job, Ben, even if the pedals sign is too small to read. As David says, though, the keys are much too large and too few, but I’ll let that pass as it’s still a great image. Ah – there we go! A neatly fixed keyboard. And better without the instructions. A musician’s den from lwc, with the piano having been made mechanical, it would appear. The cockatoo seems to be enjoying the beat, but that puppy is seriously out of perspective. Shouldn’t the woman be tinted to match the background? 
A suitably spooky Phantom of the Opera image, the background neatly matching the feel of the piano (if not the perspective). I’m very surprised Mairzy Doats made it all the way to Oklahoma – not a song I’d have believed would travel well. My mum used to sing that, she always found it hilarious. But as for my piano playing technique… that’s the way they always do it in the movies, and it drives me crazy. I like the metronome entry, although I don’t think she’s going to get very much practice done gazing into space. A touch more shadow needed beneath the piano, perhaps? I greatly enjoyed the Long Road Home sequence, especially the first scene where we see another one going in the opposite direction. Do we get to see it installed in the farmhouse? I like the endless goods train image. Very resonant. (Great to see the 2022 image again, too.) A haunting image from Frank, working well with the tricky perspective of the original. The Harmonize feature is really working well here. The girl at the keyboard does work well, but as David points out, she is just too perfect. Although is it any more of a cheat using AI to make her, rather than scouring the web for suitable girls in the same pose? The debate continues. Did you run the non-AI version through the Harmonizer? it might have helped with the lighting on the girl, although lighting aside, there is something more real about her. A wide range of piano players from Ant Snell, from Eric Morecambe on the left through to Little Richard on the right. Liberace and Elton John are looking particularly camp here. Who’s the woman to the right of Stevie Wonder? Ingenious piano placement from DavidMac, immaculately viewed through the glass wall of the floating staircase. Most impressive of all is the perfect perspective, which must have been a major challenge. Brilliant work. And incidentally, there’s an octabass on display in the V&A Storehouse. A conversion into a 1980s Atari game from tooquilos – now that would be a real challenge to play, with the right hand columns of space invaders entirely invisible. Brilliant placement in the animated version, with the added lighting on the piano. And you’ve really been having fun with the Effects panel in those title sequences. A historical moment from Mariner, with Queen Victoria looking suitably concerned at Albert’s discomfort. (I must admit, I didn’t know that Albert was the fourth of his five names. The Victoria & Franz museum doesn’t have the same ring to it.) I like the piano player and his attendants, although you do need to watch that unrealistic lilac dress colour you so often favour. I see the piano has turned transparent – no need for strings, then? Some curious perspective going on here – compare Albert’s feet with the legs of the piano stool. Outstanding work this week. So pleased the piano was an inspiration. |
Posted on 12/09/25 09:09:22 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3129 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Thanks Steve. If you see the piano as a standard upright with a decorative add-on then you can guess where the strings go. Yes, Steve, I agree about his feet, I just thought I could get away with it! |
Posted on 12/09/25 10:04:36 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5785 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Yes all of those too! They really were some of the better games. You should download the Incredible Machine from the link I gave in 'Off Topic' and try it. I will run as a Mac app on your Studio. It's still great fun. Your kids might enjoy it too. It doesn't feel clunky and dated at all. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 12/09/25 10:14:42 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5785 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Funnily the difficult part wasn't trying to manipulate the piano - I quickly discovered that didn't work. The trick was to find the right staircase to (more or less) match it.
That's complete coincidence. I had no idea. One of the world's less useful instruments ................ _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 12/09/25 11:13:59 AM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1773 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Thanks Steve. Yes I did run the non-AI thru the harmonizer although it didn't seem to take as well. Appears you are on the fence regarding AI and hours of searching for a suitable pose ? I guess either way you are using another's image . Agree, debate continues. |
Posted on 12/09/25 9:15:27 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3332 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Was a fun challenge, thanks Steve! |
Posted on 14/09/25 06:55:29 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2907 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1070: Play my piano
Thank you, Steve. _________________ Wicked Witch of the West: I'm melting! I'm melting! |
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