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Posted on 17/07/09 12:30:46 PM |
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Canna_W
* Posts: 14 Reply |
Problems with shadows that fall sideways
I have just read/copied 'Shadows on the ground' in chapter 7. It was excellent. My problem is that I have real difficulties with shadows that fall down sideways on the ground, as if the light was coming up from the left or right. I can never work out which transform tool to use, or the relationship between the object and its shadow. For some reason I find these shadows really hard. Take the right hand dinosaur in last week's 'Friday Challenge'. Given the background I used, the shadow should have fallen down fairly crisply to the right. Instead I sort of botched something together. Goodness knows where his tail was meant to be! A little help with 'sideways' shadows would be very much appreciated.... |
Posted on 17/07/09 12:58:50 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7068 Reply  |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
Sometimes a shadow can be generated from the object itself, and this is obviously the easiest way to do it: make a copy of the object, fill with black, then use Free Transform to rotate and squeeze the shadow to an appropriate shape and position. Often, though, this isn't possible. If the shadow is to the side, for instance, the shape will be a distortion of the profile of the object in question, not the front outline. In these cases, the shadow simply has to be drawn as you think fit. It's not an easy thing to do, but there's no easy alternative! |
Posted on 17/07/09 1:13:45 PM |
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Canna_W
* Posts: 14 Reply |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
Ah, thank you! That makes a lot of sense...but I didn't see it until you said it. You are actually trying to create a profile that isn't there for the taking.... Okay.... |
Posted on 17/07/09 1:52:30 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7068 Reply |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
Exactly. I recommend painting a shadow in black, with a hard edged brush - this makes it much easier to adjust. You can then lower the opacity and soften the edges using Gaussian Blur. |
Posted on 17/07/09 10:02:53 PM |
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Canna_W
* Posts: 14 Reply |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
Okay! Thanks. |
Posted on 19/07/09 6:58:33 PM |
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Felix
* Posts: 2 Reply |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
And how is the best Method for shadows that are really soft and fall stright under neath a subjet? Thnaks for any help Felix  |
Posted on 19/07/09 6:58:44 PM |
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Felix
* Posts: 2 Reply |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
And how is the best Method for shadows that are really soft and fall stright under neath a subjet? Thnaks for any help Felix |
Posted on 19/07/09 9:02:21 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4057 Reply  |
Re: Problems with shadows that fall sideways
Felix, On a new layer just paint with black a shape that you would imagine the shadow to look like if the light was coming from above. Then use Gaussian Blur (probably to quite a high level of blur) followed by a reduction in transparency until it looks about right. Hope this helps. _________________ If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you ever tried. |