Drawing Burnt edges, smoke, lighting

[purifier]

I just saw these pictures and became interested whether we could achieve the same level of clarity through Xara (I'm sure, we can but just don't know where to start).

Particularly I am interested in the following:

- how the lighting was achieved to be so different. I am trying out elliptical and circular lighting but for some reason, I'm not getting satisfied.
- I tried drawing the burnt edges and smoke but my drawing looks pathetic. I simply can't get accurate burnt edges. Is there some way of exploding/tearing stuff somehow?
- The way the smoke was drawn as if it was really coming out of the edges
- the text itself... I am unable to guess how the text was written (brushes?)

[haakoo]

Photoshop plugins,nothing more

Hans

[steve.ledger]

I just saw these pictures and became interested whether we could achieve the same level of clarity through Xara

Often better to refer (add the URL) to images you have found on the web rather than saving them and attaching them here. Possibly copyright issues ?

- The way the smoke was drawn as if it was really coming out of the edges

Looks to me that the base image was infact real paper with burned smoldering edges. The rest of the artwork being added to the photo.
In other words, not drawn at all, but used.

[iamtheblues]

I downloaded Bob Hahn's Grass brush, which I have uploaded again, as I'm sure he won't mind. You have to increase the line size and clone the result a few times and change the grass colours and apply various fractal transparencies to get the result you want.
The background I used was a bitmap fill, but these simple leaf shapes can be easily made with Xara Xtreme. Again transparencies and different colour backgrounds were used for the effect. This is only a rough and ready quick attempt. I'm sure anyone could do better with some more time and attention to details. As far as the burnt edges are concerned, there is a plugin for the effect Xenofex 2 - the full product, but it doesn't come with Xara.
Saludos,
Bob.

[purifier]

Wow... superb replication iamtheblues and haakoo... Thanks for the input, I'll try these on...

@sledger: Sorry about that. I'll do from next time... I never thought it was a real paper!