| » Forum Index » The Friday Challenge » Topic: Contest 76: Sparkle it up |
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Posted on 20/12/05 04:23:00 AM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
I'm freelancing at McGraw-Hill publishers. I work with animators and programmers to produce a series of children's eLearning programs. I download images and retouch them. The images are small, not print quality, but for the web. I'm given a list of images to find, and if I can't find an image, I must photo-montage one. I use every trick in Steve's book. This is me at the company's Christmas party, I played Santa.  |
Posted on 20/12/05 11:00:14 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Ah yes you spotted it, it is indeed the very same tinsel  _________________ mad as a badger and twice as furry |
Posted on 21/12/05 01:13:09 AM |
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jwhite
Collage Critter Posts: 274 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Hate the over commercialization of Christmas, but like dogs.  |
Posted on 21/12/05 7:52:58 PM |
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Lexus
Persistent Pixellator Posts: 623 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Neal thats fantastic lighting on the tree! jwhite, that dogs got the "weeing up the fir tree blues" in other words the dog is blue! lol 
_________________ 3 Radio Visit http://www.3-radio.co.uk and listen! You will love it! |
Posted on 21/12/05 10:57:31 PM |
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mj
Guest Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Hence the name "Ole Blue" _________________ -Never met a PS'er I didn't like- Will Rogers |
Posted on 21/12/05 11:20:57 PM |
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chris
Photo Parodist Posts: 138 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
O.k my final revision. Hopes its a little better. Either way Steve is still late for the do.  |
Posted on 21/12/05 11:22:27 PM |
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jwhite
Collage Critter Posts: 274 Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Yea, I'm still working on the adjustment curves..... 
Lexus, you wouldn't happen to be a Jerry Mathers descendant would you? Cause you look just like "The Beaver" From the show "Leave it to Beaver"  |
Posted on 22/12/05 07:34:25 AM |
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Atomicfog
Virtual Visualizer Posts: 238 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
I made a real quick one this week. 
_________________ -Atomic |
Posted on 22/12/05 12:51:55 PM |
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Lexus
Persistent Pixellator Posts: 623 Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Asked my Family, no-one thinks I do, and no-one has come up and asked for my autograph, does anyone else think I do? _________________ 3 Radio Visit http://www.3-radio.co.uk and listen! You will love it! |
Posted on 22/12/05 7:14:47 PM |
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BobbyJo
Image Imaginator Posts: 250 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Hi all I haven't managed to have a bash this week but I've seen lots of lovely trees on this site. While I'm here happy Christmas to all and happy holiday to our friends in the USA  _________________ BJ - Image Imaginator |
Posted on 23/12/05 09:32:18 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7021 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Just to set things straight - some of us call those things lifts, others call them elevators. I'm not going to write lift/elevator each time, so we'll with with 'lift' because (a) it's quicker to type, and (b) that's what I call them. So here we go: Born2Run was first at the mince pies this year, with the lead characters from The Office pulling a cracker. There's some great detail here - like the reflection of the turkey in the lift door, and the spring of tree breaking in front of David Brent's arm. But there's a problem, too: the figures are far too big for their surroundings. Remember, there's nothing easier than sticking new legs on a photo that doesn't have any! Some good decorations and sparkle from Lexus, with a fine glowing fairy on the top. Something a bit lacklustre about the whole tree, though, and I'm not sure the ribbon of white really looks like a string of lights. one issue worth addressing here is that of perspective. All the balls are the same size, which flattens out the tree; if the ones at the side were very slightly smaller, it would greatly increase the three-dimensional appearance of the tree. Welcome to WilliamGallagher with a great first entry. An expertly opened door, and the shape and texturing of the snow is perfect. Now then, about that light spilling from the open door: there is a small problem here. The light on the ground is perfect, since we can assume that the fixture is on the ceiling inside the lift. But the light at the top is shown bending around the edge of the wall facing us - where it couldn't reach! If we were looking through the beams, though, that would make more sense - but you'd need a steeper fall-off in order to make that one work. Keep them coming! A wealth of detail in chris's entry - there's so much going on in this one! Best of all, for me, is the Bush fairy on top of the tree, and the bikini resting on the branches. The way the tinsel bends around the tree in perspective is particularly effective here. A well opened door, and the interior of the lift has been cunningly reconstructed in perspective. Bit of a problem with the shadows overall, though: most are just too harsh, and some - like the shadow of Santa inside the lift - look too two-dimensional on the wall surface. The important thing when creating elements from scratch - such as the Focal Press banner over the door - is to make them work tonally with the rest of the image. That red is much to bright and strong: it really leaps out of the image as something that's been artificially added. Desaturate those bright colours! Ah, just seen your second entry - a great improvement all round. Much better shadows! Good work! Fantastic work from G E Sutton, who seems to be getting better and better. The lights in the tree are thoroughly realistic, greatly aided by the fact that they're not only drawn from different angles, but from different viewpoints as well. The decorations are artfully tucked inside the branches, and that star on top glows to perfection. Best of all, of course, is the wealth of reflection: not only in the lift doors, but in the floor, in the glass of the doors behind, and even in the Ground Floor sign. And note how the reflection on the lift doors correctly shows the back of the tree, rather than the side facing us! Brilliant. And certainly good enough to win you a title, George. I think Visual Virtuoso sums it up! Congratulations! There's plenty going on in MJ's tree, with a wealth of decoration and a great array of presents under the tree. Good lighting - the shading on the decorations matches the lighting in the scene really well. I'd have twisted some of those ribbons so they follow the angle better, though - they're all a bit head-on. And, after G.E.Sutton's entry, I'd really like to see some reflections behind it! Hope the move goes well, MJ. What a snowy tree rufus has given us! With some great decorations artfully hidden within the branches, too. The reflection of Santa is great - showing us the back of the figure in the reflection works really well. But there's a bit of a scale issue here: because reflections work in perspective, as well, we really ought to be able to see the full figure, right down to the bottom of the boots, in the reflection. Memo to self: must remember not to grow a beard this year! A beautiful piece of work from maiden, with the sort of gag we've come to expect from her. Fabulous fitting of the body parts within the gap in the doors, and that glow from inside the lift works perfectly. Again, that tinsel should perhaps bend around the tree slightly more - but overall it's a superb piece of work. Especially like the broken sign over the door! Lovely! A good mix of the photographed and the drawn in mguyer's entry, resulting in a really cute montage. Subtle reflections, but shouldn't we be able to see the back of Santa, rather than the front repeated? I like the fact that the decorations are hanging from wires, but some of those wires are suspended in mid air! I don't know who the model is for Neal's entry - but at least it isn't me, this time! Plenty of expertly drawn lights on the tree, with a really good sense of sparkle. That one glowing light right at the top looks perfect. But where's the tree's reflection in the doors? Some good gags in jwhite's mischievous entry, despite the lack of decoration. A coup0le of things would really have helped here: first, flipping the Grinch's head so the lighting's coming from the left, as it is on the tree; and secondly, the dog needs its fur smudging with the Smudge tool to make its outline less harsh. And, as Lexus says, isn't the dog just a little on the blue side? A really gorgeous entry from Atomicfog, showing his penchant for the moody and the ethereal. Beautiful lighting overall, bringing a thoroughly festive feel to the entire scene. And, at last, an avatar that shows us what you look like! Call me old fashioned, but I do like to see people's faces in here. Great work! Well done, everyone. Happy Christmas! |
Posted on 23/12/05 09:59:05 AM |
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chris
Photo Parodist Posts: 138 Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
Thanks Steve. Yeah was a bit lazy with the shadows in the first, just used drop shadows instead of creating them properly. One thing I have definately learned from my 2 posts is the importance of planning out what you want to achieve before beggining the project. I was half way through my image when I then decided there were things I needed changing but was now to much work to do so even using layers. Nice Avatar by the way, very fetching. |
Posted on 23/12/05 11:23:08 AM |
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G. E. Sutton
Visual Virtuoso Posts: 35 Reply  |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
I do believe my new title is the best Christmas present of all (thank you Father Christmas). I am humbled and (almost) speechless in my shock and gratitude. God bless us, every one. And Merry Christmas to all of my fellow tree decorators. It is an honor to be accepted among those of so much talent and savage imagination. See you all in the New Year! -George- |
Posted on 23/12/05 1:57:04 PM |
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Lexus
Persistent Pixellator Posts: 623 Reply |
Re: Contest 76: Sparkle it up
I knew there was something about it that wasn't right! Well now i know for in the future! _________________ 3 Radio Visit http://www.3-radio.co.uk and listen! You will love it! |
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