Anyone ever make a snowball?

[suzannevt7]

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to make a snowball without much luck..anyone ever to do and have any tips they care to share? or know of a tutorial?
Thanks.

[ATR]

What are you trying to create:

a regular small snow ball
a snow man
a snow globe with a scene inside

?

ATR

[suzannevt7]

I'm trying to create just one snowball....here's what I've done so far but I'm not happy with it yet..
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l131/suzannevt7/whatisthis.png

[NMarti]

I made a circle with the elliptical marquee tool. I set the foreground color to a very pale blue and the background to white. Then selecting the foreground to background gradient I drew from the center out, ending with the blue on the outer edge. I then applied filter - noise - gaussian at about 3. Then I used the burn tool to slightly darken the edges. Here's my result.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1PvHMdd3fUBnWidxJMKhJiqOmRMne90_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1PvHMdd3fUBnWidxJMKhJiqOmRMne90)

[GaryK]

Hi

I gave it a whirl.. a few filters and a mask and added a hue/sat after Nancy's suggestions.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ZxuN1ZTsF9OLJrCRtbI7gJfAaC22h1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ZxuN1ZTsF9OLJrCRtbI7gJfAaC22h1)

[NMarti]

Gary
I guess yours looks better because you know what snow looks like up there. :p:D We get so little here. :(

[GaryK]

Nancy

I just hope she doesn't ask me how I did it.:D:D

[NMarti]

If she doesn't I was going to! :D Thinking ahead to next years scrapbook kits. ;)

[GaryK]

Umm ....errr ... I'll just send you the PSD.:D:D

[ladybug]

Gary that is a great snowball.

[GaryK]

Thanks Judy.

It took a bit of fiddling and merging a few layers (which I try to resist) so it took longer than it should have.

Maybe Corey will be asking for my help on his Killer tips podcasts.http://www.mazeguy.net/happy/rotfl.gif

[suzannevt7]

Sorry Gary but I DO want to know how you did it!! LOL! you got that 'fuzzy' snowball look I'm trying to get.
thanks everyone for the replies...

[GaryK]

Oh boy.. now I'm in trouble.:D

I'll have to start over because I can't even remember what colour I started with.

First off do you have a layer mask from Graffi or Grant? I used that for the fuzzy edges.

I used the filter>pixelate>crystalize to give me the crystals but also applied a sandstone texture as well as a bit of dodging and burning.

I will have to do a run through for more precise details.

sorry.:)

[suzannevt7]

I don't have the layer mask....I'll try some of your other steps..and anything else you care to share!! thanks!:)

[GaryK]

Hi

do you know how to hijack a mask from an adjustment layer?

Anyway ..Ill list the steps to get you close.. I did a second one and it was a bit different so you will have to play with the settings..Ill do guidelines.:)

Open and new doc. 500 x 500 resolution 72. (values for filters will be different at different resolutions)

Draw out a circle using the eliptical marquee tool and fill the selection with a pattern.. choose granite.

go to filter>pixelate>crystalize (around 3-6 cel size)

do a levels adjustment layer and wash the blacks right out, so you just have whites and greys (pretty much drag the middle slider way left but not all the way)

Put a 1 or 2 pixel gaussian blur on this. You want texture but not too harsh.

go to filter>texturizer>sandstone sorry cant recall the settings but not too much.
apply the crystalize filter again.. look at the size of your crystals keep them small..3 or 4 cell size

this should give you the basic ball and snow.

Ill post a second part for fine tuning.

[TonyW]

Gary: What are you doing making one in Elements - just go outside and roll your own :D

Tony

[GaryK]

Second part for fine tuning

If you can do a mask make a selection for the ball on the mask (we want the ball white and the rest of the mask black) we want to mask the snowball layer.

apply the filter>brush strokes>spatter to the mask.. not the image
This will give the fluffy eges to the ball.
failing the mask.. try using one of the splatter brushes to erase the edges of the ball ever so slightly.

I did some dodging on the top of the ball to make it whiter and some burning on the bottom to make the shadow.

Applied a hue/sat with low saturation to make it blueish as per Nancys thought and added a background.

Hope this gets you going and gives you some ideas.:)

[GaryK]

Tony

I know .. i was thinking I should just take a picture.:D

[Ritage]

Well, this may be too simple for you guys. It's a brush, the one called "Hail" weirdly enough. Click a n d hold down.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1rMMEA4WjcEkWVurOjqzZ2T3rGjfQS_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1rMMEA4WjcEkWVurOjqzZ2T3rGjfQS)

http://keepwaiting.deviantart.com/art/SNOW-PS7-Brushes-and-IMG-Pack-67489790

Rita

[suzannevt7]

THANKS so much!!! everyone!
And Gary great details! I will give it a try!
you guys are too funny, my DD actually got her snowball maker and went outside and brought me in a 'real' snowball when she saw what i was doing! too funny!

[ljameso1]

Tx Gary, looks like fun to play with. I thought about photographing a snowball for her but couldn't figure out how to levitate it to get to stand out;). At the rate things are going I shortly won't have the option. It's been above freezing here for several days and now only a few inches left. Good thing I went snowshoeing when I could!

[GaryK]

Linda

We have a bit more than that, but at least the streets are clear now.
Supposed to be waaaaaay above freezing here for the next few days.