How to Cheat in Photoshop

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Posted on 23/03/07 08:16:03 AM

Philip Saunders
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Posts: 18

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Set me alight

I was in Valancia last week and was amazed at the work that various community groups put into their Fallas monuments. They’re absolutely huge, and are only erected for a few days - then they’re burnt. Apparently they get so hot that sometimes the fire brigade is called in to hose down the nearby buildings to stop them catching alight!

Anyway I left the day before the burnings - quel domage.

So my quandary is this - how do I set my pictures on fire in a realistic and convincing manner?

Very grateful for any advice.

Philip

Posted on 23/03/07 08:27:41 AM

Philip Saunders
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Posts: 18

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Set me alight - Mick Jagger

Oh, and a day time shot of the dinosaur of rock if it's more humerous to work on this one.

Philip

Posted on 23/03/07 09:53:11 AM

Steve Caplin
Administrator
Posts: 7000

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Re: Set me alight

Excellent images!

First, you need to find a photo of some fire - ideally against a black background. Use Advanced Blending in Layer Effects to take the black out. Then add some singeing to the models, painting in brown on a Hard Light layer.

Of course, you could always paint fire from scratch - but it's a tricky job!

Posted on 24/03/07 08:13:44 AM

Philip Saunders
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Posts: 18

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Re: Set me alight

Thank you,

I'll have a go over the next few days,

Philip

Posted on 25/03/07 3:42:57 PM

GKB
Magical Montagist
Posts: 3973

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Re: Set me alight

Hi Philip,
I didn't spend very much time on this, or indeed, any time adding scorch marks on the puppets or having bits dropping off due to the flames but here are a couple of images that I knocked up very quickly. I used a photograph of some bonfire embers that I took a few years ago, knocked out the black using a layer blend and then, using a layer mask just erased parts of the image.
It also helps if you put the puppets on a separate layer and then copy the embers photograph and place it behind the layer to give the impression of flames coming from behind.

Let me know if you would like a copy of the embers photograph.