Comments on Homework (week #6)

[kimi_boo]

Post all of your Comments about week #6 here. :D
Remember everyone is encouraged to participate... PUSH!!!

[kimi_boo]

Yeah Christine!! :D

[Rusty]

Kimi, you really have me scratching my head on this; I have no idea what I am doing (nothing new there) :o

4. Set the mode to difference ... and paint!!
Are you talking about the mode up at top of brush tool options, or the blend mode for the layer, or both?

Does it matter what color you paint with? Do you paint on one of the layers w/ gradient image, or on separate layer?

Or does it matter at all, is this just , "do all sorts of different things and see what happens?"

Whatever I'm doing, I'm not getting anything crisp like some of the examples I've looked at.

Oh well...

Rusty

[kimi_boo]

Rusty.. lets try something simple.

open a new document
pick your gradient tool
pick the chrome gradient color
set difference on the tool bar on the top and pick the liner gradient
draw at least 6 lines until you like it.
then pick the radial gradient and make some small lines for the circles

all of this is done on the same layer. It can be the background layer that you started with. Do try and let me know if this works. :D

[ChristineV]

Ahhh ... Thanks Kimi! Trying more!

[kimi_boo]

Ahhh ... Thanks Kimi! Trying more!

You go girl!! :D :D

[kimi_boo]

I don't know guys. Chrome was always just there. :eek:
I want to say it is one of the default colors. It is kind of tan and blue. you may have to hold your mouse over them to find it. Any colors should work. (not black and white)

after you play with the liner gradient try some of the others. if you don't like it just hit Ctrl Z and try something else.:p

[pinkpepper]

pretty gradients, christine

[NMarti]

Ellen
The one that looks like a solar system happened on the first draw. I thought it looked like a giant sun so I went with it and added more "planets" . If I had drawn more it would have started to change colors but I liked that the way it was.

[kimi_boo]

pinkpepper... first let me tell you that I love this image!! :D
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=17868

To post a thumbnail using Pixentral.
http://www.pixentral.com/index.php

Once you have your picture uploaded, there are two address bars under the picture. Copy and paste the one that says forum. It may look like a very long address when you paste it but it magically changes into a thumbnail link when you post it. :eek: ;)

Welcome, I am so glad you came to play!

[kimi_boo]

Rusty, I a so glad you got it all figured out. :D

Everyone get an A+ for a participation grade. ;)

Some really wonderful images everyone. It looks like this had been around for quite a while. I guess a good thing never gets old.
And it's fun too!!

[peaches]

Everyone's homework looks great.
suzi

[pinkpepper]

ty, kimi boo, that cat was not supposed to be in the shot, but hey, worked out in the end :eek: .. this gradient 'homework' was a lot of fun, thx for the tutorial and thumbs up on everyone's submissions

[Ellen]

Bill, that's great! Could you share just what you did? Everything I did I looked like tie dye.

[billz]

Ellen - At one point Wendy shared this technique somewhere.

Open a new document, set your palette to black & white default, select the gradient tool making sure your are using a black/white, linear gradient, set the mode (in the toolbar area) to difference. Start at one end and work your way across the document in short horizontal strokes. (If these aren't perfectly horizontal strokes the 'curtain folds' will go off on angles. You can prevent that from happening by holding the shift key while drawing.)

Add color by means of an additional layer with the blending mode and opacity set as you like .... multiply seems to work best for me.

You can take the idea in a different direction by saving your black & white gradient as a psd file, and using it as a displacement map to give the illusion of an image on the curtain.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1d66FyEBnUYF1JbtosftoljRmnkK0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1d66FyEBnUYF1JbtosftoljRmnkK0)

Have fun!

Bill

[Ellen]

Thanks Bill! It looked familiar.

[kimi_boo]

Bill... your curtain is wonderful!! :D

[spotodog]

wow. this is fun (but addicting...i'm at work and here i am doing pse stuff...uh oh....)

anyway, Nancy, when you said you used just blend modes and brushes, did you use any gradients? do you remember what blend modes/brushes you used or is it just all experimenting? and how did you get the squares and circles with the spirals inside them? i love all of yours, especially the blue and black one (solar system?)

pinkpepper - your funky one is awesome!

[NMarti]

Eleanor
The solar system looking one was a single draw. I used the chrome gradient, drew a short stroke about 1/4 of the way in using the radial gradient and let up. It appeared exactly as you see it. I then drew several more small ones for the other circles. The square one was done the same way but using the diamond gradient.

The others were done with the difference blend mode, then added a new layer, and set the mode to difference and used the brushes to add the designs. When I stamped the brush on it used the blend mode to create the multi-color design.

[spotodog]

thanks nancy.
i'll experiment some more tomorrow :)

[kimi_boo]

John.. great job! What did you add?

[ChristineV]

John, Very Nice! I too would like to know what you added.

ETA: this was my 500th post!!!!! Woo Hoo! I know .. it isn't much but for me it is!!

[irishnh]

Hi Kim and Christine ....
I didn't do anthing too drastic ..
-I duplicated the layer with the gradients on it
-then used the filter gallery and used three layers of filters
1. accented edges
2. poster edges
3. chrome
-created a new layer above the filtered layer and made that a clipping layer
(press alt as you click between the filtered layer and the new blank layer)
-selected the gradient tool in normal mode, use the gold gradient(metals) in the linear pattern)
-I also edited the gold gradient taking out the lighter colors and replacing them with a darker shade of the gold color instead)
-use the gradient on that blank layer
-changed the blending mode of the gold gradient layer to color
-changed the blending mode of the filtered layer to overlay

and voila ..

it's not that much different form the original , but I think it adds a little dimension.

what do you think?

[msbrad]

John,
I liked what you added. I think I'll play some more this afternoon.
m

[irishnh]

:) glad I could add something

[ChristineV]

John, Thanks so much for sharing.

I like the effect it had on your image. I am going to play later too and see what I can come up with. :)

[kimi_boo]

John.. I never thought about adding a filter. :eek: Thanks for the push. ;)

[msbrad]

Norma,
Mine were as the directions said, but I needed private lessons!
I'm off to try adding filters or something else I find to click on.
m

[nkeevers]

Norma,
Mine were as the directions said, but I needed private lessons!
I'm off to try adding filters or something else I find to click on.
m


I think I'll try that too. I just did as the directions said.

[kimi_boo]

Norma... just make sure your blend mode is on difference. Then draw everything on the same layer.

[nkeevers]

Kimi, I did. How come it doesn't look as good as everyone elses?:eek:

[kimi_boo]

Kimi, I did. How come it doesn't look as good as everyone elses?:eek:

Well, you got me?? I don't know! :o

[NMarti]

Norma
The one thing I found is the more you draw new gradients the more the colors change. Depending on your gradient colors you originally selected, it can also become "muddy" in color. I did several that I scrapped because they just got down-right ugly!:eek: :D The length of your draws also will make a big difference. Try a couple very short strokes upper left to lower right, then try some longer ones right to left. Move around the canvas and you'll get some amazing results.

On a couple of mine I added another layer and did the brush stamping on the new layer set to difference and got some cool colors (the one with the flowers and the first two I posted) There is no end to what you can do with this technique but it's all experimentation. One thing I found - if you see one you like, take a moment and save it as you will most likely never be able to duplicate it. I save, then continue on, save again under a new name and then continue again.

[NMarti]

Kim
I love the one with the stars. Very cool!

Everyone did some awesome images and it seems everyone put their own twist on it as well. This was a fun one Kimi. Thanks!

[kimi_boo]

Nancy.. it is nice to see so many people participate. :D

I am open to suggestions for #7, as I am running out of ideas. :eek:

[NMarti]

Kimi
How about this one?
http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/imported-archives/2006/5/12/photoshop-friday-issue-5.html

I know some people here have used a similar effect and the results were stunning! (Linda's little Clara in denim comes to mind). I'm itching to try this anyway when I have some time.

[kimi_boo]

Oh... Nancy, It has a link to make a grunge mask. Off to play. :D :D :D

EDIT: here is the link. It looks like a grunge border.
http://spraguelab.blogspot.com/2006/04/photoshop-friday-issue-no-3.html

EDIT, EDIT: Yep he gives you the download for the mask but.... Damn, he then has a link to more grunge brushes. This could be never ending.

[chas3stix]

O.K. Kimi,
You talked me into it....:) Colors just kept on changing....thought I was tripping...:D:D
Chas

[kroberts]

O.K. Kimi,
You talked me into it....:) Colors just kept on changing....thought I was tripping...:D
Chas

Chas,
:eek: :D You've found a new use for PSE!

[nkeevers]

Norma
The one thing I found is the more you draw new gradients the more the colors change. Depending on your gradient colors you originally selected, it can also become "muddy" in color. I did several that I scrapped because they just got down-right ugly!:eek: :D The length of your draws also will make a big difference. Try a couple very short strokes upper left to lower right, then try some longer ones right to left. Move around the canvas and you'll get some amazing results.

On a couple of mine I added another layer and did the brush stamping on the new layer set to difference and got some cool colors (the one with the flowers and the first two I posted) There is no end to what you can do with this technique but it's all experimentation. One thing I found - if you see one you like, take a moment and save it as you will most likely never be able to duplicate it. I save, then continue on, save again under a new name and then continue again.

Nancy, thanks a lot! I've noticed the muddy colors because I'm probably drawing too much! I'll try that out this morning. I appreciate the tips because I'm still new and gradients isn't something I've been using too much yet. I have saved a few though because I know I'll probably never see it again!:eek:

[hukari]

Norma... just make sure your blend mode is on difference. Then draw everything on the same layer.

Kimi, I did. How come it doesn't look as good as everyone elses?:eek:

I couldn't figure out either how those circles got in there. Then I discovered, after trying a couple of times, you have to start with a transparent background. Then it all works.:)

[nkeevers]

Reka, thanks! (have had out of town company for a few days so I haven't been on the forum).

I am using difference and on the same layer, just didn't like the way the circles were coming out! But I will try on a transparent layer and see how that works.

[NMarti]

Karen
That's a really cool collection! Nice job!

[karen donnybrook]

Thanks Nancy.

Karen :)

[kimi_boo]

I just wanted to take a moment to THANK everyone that participated this week. It was great to see so many wonderful images. :D :D :D

There is no time frame on this assignment. If you are reading this down the road. Please feel free to post your image.:)