How to Cheat in Photoshop

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Posted on 24/03/22 1:00:45 PM

DavidMac
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Clean as ever Michael.

I have a question however. Is the photo of Kate "as is" or have you been playing with the right arm? I can't put my finger on what I find out of place but somehow it just doesn't quite seem to belong.

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Posted on 24/03/22 1:52:46 PM

Mariner
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

DavidMac wrote:
Clean as ever Michael.

I have a question however. Is the photo of Kate "as is" or have you been playing with the right arm? I can't put my finger on what I find out of place but somehow it just doesn't quite seem to belong.

No, David, her "right" arm needed some adjustment for shade and I didn't get it quite right. Here is the original:

Posted on 24/03/22 2:33:11 PM

josephine harvatt
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

A great turn out this week - particularly liked the elephant Lloyd !

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Posted on 24/03/22 10:35:42 PM

michael sinclair
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Thanks Anna and Michael---was the "darker skin" intentional?

Posted on 25/03/22 01:34:03 AM

Mariner
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

michael sinclair wrote:
Thanks Anna and Michael---was the "darker skin" intentional?

No, Michael, her arm needed some adjustment for shade and I didn't get it quite right.

Posted on 25/03/22 06:24:24 AM

vibeke
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Vivace-Choir

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Posted on 25/03/22 08:15:29 AM

Steve Caplin
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Well, this has been a Challenge and a half. Who’d have thought a simple team photo could spark so much wit and imagination?

First to attempt the removal (after DavidMac’s image cancellation) was lwc, which literally made me laugh out loud. A great gag, perfectly executed. An extraordinarily complex way to avoid a simple removal in the second entry, but it nonetheless sparkles with energy. Great flapping action. A truly magnificent third entry - the pose of the elephant in the choir is truly glorious, and I really like how it pushes the woman out of the way.

A clever quick-fire solution from Ant Snell, with two new arms that hold the plaque perfectly. Tiny issue: that shadow should curve over the woman’s upper chest rather than being a straight line. I like the dog in the second entry, although its shadow is rather too strong, and I especially enjoyed seeing the removed woman waving from the wings.

A neat crime scene from DavidMac that conceals a nearly perfect body removal (what has happened to the arms of the two women either side?) combined with an extraordinarily well made corpse. I kept going back to the original to see if I could work out whose glasses those were. Splendid handmade costumes on the gnovices in the second entry - I think they’ll fit in well, if they don’t get trampled on.

A homage to Magritte from Josephine Harvatt, with a neatly placed apple. I do have a bit of a thing for surrealism. I enjoyed the magic trick in the second entry, especially the puff of pink smoke around the rabbit; I think the glow on the wand detracts from it, though.

Perfectly executed removal from dwindt, with a rebuilt bench and well-made bodies for those standing behind. That does look like a rather uncomfortable back, though. I like he added plaque in the second entry. The Singer in the third entry is a touch of genius.

A classic removal from GKB, the glimpse of hand through the bench back neatly distracting from the fact that those people have no feet. The animated tutorial made everything clear, and I have to admit your technique took me entirely by surprise. I like the fact that the soundtrack to the second animation means you know the alien is coming long before you see it - it really builds up expectation. I would add “Beam her up, Scotty” but I don’t know if that’s a politically sensitive term of address these days.

Frank's restrained entry is ingenious, in that it performs the removal but doesn’t leave a gap on the bench. I think this is an image the choir could actually work with. Very nicely executed.

A fabulous animation from michael sinclair, which teases from the initial head wobble to the wipe at the end. Beautifully made, Michael. One of your very best; and the reverse action in the second entry shows you can, if pushed, stick to the brief. Excellent work.

A somewhat overgrown choir from tooquilos, with a wholly new old bench. What are those foreground bushes concealing? I enjoyed the selection of replacement choristers in the animated version - Elton John was my favourite, until I saw Trump’s pink tie.

A touch of royalty from Mariner, with a baby-encumbered GKB squeezing in next to Kate. Great choice of costume for Gordon, and you’ve got the lighting direction spot on. Is there something odd about Kate’s right arm? The pose seems a little awkward. Ah - I see you’ve addressed the issue in a post.

The approach adopted by Vibeke is the method I would have used: rearranging the choir to avoid a gap at the front. I would have attempted to move the middle row closer together, but your solution of plugging the gap with the man from the right is a far better solution. That’s a very neatly rebuilt window, too. Excellent, Vibeke.

___________

Well, what an interesting week this has been. Huge thanks, Gordon, for the starting image, and congratulations on getting entries in while struggling with the plague. Glad to hear you’re now getting over it.

Posted on 25/03/22 08:55:27 AM

vibeke
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Thank you, Steve, It was very much a last-minute effort. I'm afraid I'm too literal, I so admire the imagination of so many here.

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Posted on 25/03/22 09:04:47 AM

dwindt
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Well done everybody.

Thank you Steve.

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Posted on 25/03/22 09:39:20 AM

Mariner
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Thanks, Steve.
Thanks, Gordon.

Posted on 25/03/22 09:59:08 AM

DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Steve Caplin wrote:
A neat crime scene from DavidMac that conceals a nearly perfect body removal (what has happened to the arms of the two women either side?) combined with an extraordinarily well made corpse.

It's completely unfinished. How could I have missed it?

I am used to being tunnel visioned from time to time and making silly mistakes that are obvious ........... but this one takes the cake.

In both entries too!

It's true that in the first entry I was very preoccupied with building the body. It involved finding bits and pieces from odd angles not normally found in picture libraries. It was quite hard to do. So my focus was completely on this.

But the dwarves were terribly simple to outfit in choir costumes, so no excuse can be envisioned about this distracting me from finishing the removal properly!

Ho hum ..............

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Posted on 25/03/22 10:48:40 AM

GKB
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Steve Caplin wrote:
A classic removal from GKB, the glimpse of hand through the bench back neatly distracting from the fact that those people have no feet. The animated tutorial made everything clear, and I have to admit your technique took me entirely by surprise. I like the fact that the soundtrack to the second animation means you know the alien is coming long before you see it - it really builds up expectation.

Thanks Steve.

Sometimes surprise works in humour but other times the anticipation of knowing what's coming can be just as funny. I hope everyone enjoyed the 'tutorials'.

I have to admit that I didn't quite know how the forum would approach this particular image but I have been delighted that everyone came up with some marvellous enties; well done everyone.

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Posted on 25/03/22 11:29:46 AM

josephine harvatt
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Re: Challenge 899: The Mystery of the Missing Chorister

Thanks Steve