This week's banner is by lwc from Oklahoma, USA

The Friday Challenge
Back to the book | Post New Topic | Search | Help | Log In | Register

» Forum Index » The Friday Challenge » Topic: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels

Posted on 18/05/22 08:42:38 AM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4901

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Now you're just showing off how well you can re-position!

The really impressive part of this, for me personally, is the lighting .... and I am hard to please there. Combined with the backlit fumes the shadows are utterly convincing (although the post should have one ). The other thing you will like is that I quite simply cannot tell to what to extent and, if so where, you may have used 3D. I find this a truly seamless image.

My only niggle is that the extreme perspective of the left hand bike may be a little at odds with the rest of the image. But it works so well that it just doesn't matter.

Impressed the hell out me Dennis!


_________________
The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......

Posted on 18/05/22 2:21:19 PM
dwindt
Realism Realiser
Posts: 767

Reply
Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Thanks David.

My system problem at home (which will remain until I have time to sort it out) is forcing me back to PS as my primary program of use. I managed to render the 2 bikes at work. Each separately and then built the characters around then, in 2 separate files.

I then combined them on the fore/mid ground and inserted a desirable back ground. The high lights, shadow, sunlight and subtle lens flares are all PS.

A trick I use for creating high light to the edges of a figure, I'm sure you may adapt, David. It's so subtle that the eye is fooled by it.

I select the figure and mask it; use transfer selection and move the mask into the figure but away from the light. Feather the edge and invert the mask. Cut and paste the edge above figure layer. Select layer blending mode to "screen." Delete the edge sections that won't receive light.

_________________
The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there.

Posted on 18/05/22 2:48:24 PM
dwindt
Realism Realiser
Posts: 767

Reply
Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Hey Lloyd, Ideal steampunk riders on a moose...

_________________
The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there.

Posted on 18/05/22 6:32:03 PM
lwc
Hole in One
Posts: 2615

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Great work Frank And Dennis...

"steampunk riders on a moose" Not by me, I'm done!


Posted on 18/05/22 8:43:42 PM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4901

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
dwindt wrote:
A trick I use for creating high light to the edges of a figure, I'm sure you may adapt, David. It's so subtle that the eye is fooled by it.

I select the figure and mask it; use transfer selection and move the mask into the figure but away from the light. Feather the edge and invert the mask. Cut and paste the edge above figure layer. Select layer blending mode to "screen." Delete the edge sections that won't receive light.


I do something incredibly similar Dennis. In fact sometimes too much! Indeed I used it on the girls in this very challenge to backlight them. In this case I have used it very visibly but often I do so almost imperceptibly. It is a technique that is, for the most part, suitable only for backlighting, although I have on occasions stretched it to side light. My method is slightly more complex. Yours has some tiny differences to mine (the use of blend modes particularly) that I will definitely try. I think you may have pointed me at a way to modify my method in certain cases and to, quite possibly, make it more flexible.

I am always fascinated that Photoshop is often full of independent parallel discoveries.

_________________
The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......

Posted on 19/05/22 09:39:42 AM
tooquilos
Wizard of Oz
Posts: 2793

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Thank you David for the starting image. Gosh, there's some inspiring work this week.
I did a google search for steampunk moose. There's some pretty impressive stuff out there!

http://vimeo.com/711550596



_________________
Dorothy: Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore

Posted on 19/05/22 09:40:54 AM
tooquilos
Wizard of Oz
Posts: 2793

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
This is my favourite steampunk moose



_________________
Wicked Witch of the West:I'll get you, my pretty!
And your little dog, too!

Posted on 19/05/22 2:20:19 PM
Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 2792

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Love your video, Anna.

Posted on 19/05/22 2:23:41 PM
Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 2792

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels


Posted on 19/05/22 7:46:58 PM
michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist
Posts: 1744

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Anna I enjoyed the waterfall and the river more than the balloon

Michael the original entry image I hated: it was so unappealing! However, after you finished with it it comes out in harmony and realism. It is enjoyable to look at--well done!

I have updated my entry and cleaned up the wheels and made them spin better


Posted on 20/05/22 02:38:44 AM
Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 2792

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Michael wrote
...Michael the original entry image I hated: it was so unappealing!...

Michael I agree. It took me three days to decide whether this challenge was worth it. I am glad you like my entry.
Your motorbike picture is very effective. It would be even more dramatic if you could get the clouds to move slowly from L to R.



Posted on 20/05/22 08:35:32 AM
Steve Caplin
Administrator
Posts: 6823

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
First to treat DavidMac’s steampunkers was, appropriately, DavidMac, with a splendid space-set image. I really like the fact that you’ve got two different angles on those, er, bumper cars. It makes all the difference.

Dramatic monowheels, if that’s what they’re called, from lwc, with the two riders perfectly fitting into their new location. I appreciate how you’ve modified one of the hands gripping the steering wheel so it looks different from the other one. Great jiggling motion. A fun animated ad for motorcycles in the second entry - although those flames feel a little too wispy. A fine horde of buffalo in the third entry - can’t quite make out their leg movement.

I see michael sinclair is revisiting one of his favourite two-framer themes - and it does work remarkably well. The trick off flipping the front tyre to simulate motion is ingenious, provided you don’t look too hard. I like the jiggle. Not sure about the shape of the shadow, though.

An urban setting from dwindt, with artfully repositioned legs balancing the bike perfectly. The smoke really adds drama to that skid turn. An interesting posterised effect in the second entry, but for me it loses too much detail. A hugely dramatic third entry, the lighting adding a lot of visual interest to the already intriguing vehicles. Fabulous.

A futuristic scene from Ant Snell, with added jetpacks. That seems a dangerous amount of flame to be flying about unconstrained! Maybe lose the roller skates? I like the choice of background, but the one thing that throws it out for me is the man in the foreground. Make him a lot bigger, so he’s looking at the scene, and he’ll make more sense - otherwise his scale means he’s behind the women, and ignoring them entirely.

Frank has grafted a pair of steampunk vehicles into the scene with astonishing dexterity: a perfect fit, absolutely in keeping with the costumes. Most ingenious of all, of course, is the decision to use the original background, saving a complex cutout.

It’s a trip into Jules Verne territory for tooquilos, with a hot air balloon rising over a futuristic landscape. I’m not sure how those handlebars relate to the handling of the balloon! I see from the animated version that the balloon is actually a 3D model - I like all the added motion. The skateboarding robot is fun! I like how he dances around them in the indoor scene.

I’ve used the phrase “outstanding entry from Mariner” so many times I think I should create a macro for it. But this really is an astonishing rebuild: the costumes, the skin tones, the poses, the hand holding - just amazing. I’m a little concerned about that stuff below their feet, though. If it’s supposed to be shadow then there’s no way it could be projected like that - so let’s be charitable and call it reflection.

Excellent work this week. Many thanks, David, for the starting image.

Posted on 20/05/22 08:41:52 AM
Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 2792

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Wow, Steve, a glowing reference! Thanks for that. Sorry about the shadows, they are hard to imagine.

Posted on 20/05/22 11:24:13 AM
Frank
Eager Beaver
Posts: 1563

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Thanks Steve, although I did do the cutout first and then decided to use the original background . It was complex but not too bad with a little help from Quickmask and a hair paintbrush.

Posted on 20/05/22 2:01:19 PM
lwc
Hole in One
Posts: 2615

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
The hand modification made sense to make them slightly different... the "flames" was supposed to be wispy smoke... but we won't quibble over that... There is no "leg movement" as such, only the use of a 'flow generator'.

Thanks Steve...!

Posted on 20/05/22 2:52:16 PM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4901

Reply


Re: Challenge 907: Steampunk on wheels
Steve Caplin wrote:
I really like the fact that you’ve got two different angles on those, er, bumper cars. It makes all the difference.


Adapted jet skis. Those things are actually real!

Thank you everyone for making this challenge fun.

Tomorrow we are off to a huge Japanese manga and punk expo. Ingrid and I are usually the only seniors to be seen, but we love quirky stuff like that. All the fans come dressed as their heroes! We really enjoy watching them because some of the costumes are very creative and some obviously represent hours of work and love. There are also stalls selling all kinds of weird Japanese clothing and accessories. Some are great fun.

_________________
The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......
page: 1 2 last
Back

[ To post a reply, please Log In or Register ]

Powered by SimpleForum Pro 4.6